The Pocket Projector turns your iPhone into a 50" projector!

A couple years ago I wrote about a phone called the Samsung Galaxy Beam (Halo).    It sure was a neat idea.  It was an Android powered phone with a built in pico projector.

Unfortunately, the phone never made it to the United States and while phone with built in projectors are expected to be released in the coming years, there isn’t a single phone you can buy right now with this capability.

However, you can add this funtionality to your phone right now… with the Pocket Projector for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

With this adapter you no longer need to have all your friend huddle around your tiny little screen to see that hilarious Youtube video and while it’s no pro level quality, it’d certainly do in a pinch during a business meeting.

For example, I know I could use then when doing an app demo with a prospective client, especially when I have two or three people in the room and we all have to huddle around my iPad.

The resolution is only 640×360 but the 15-lumen bulb is bright enough to display images clearly in a darkened room.

One nice extra perk is that the battery on the projector will charge your iPhone when it’s not in use as a projector so even when you’re not using the projector function, it will serve as a backup battery for your iPhone.

It’s priced at $229.99 when your order it directly from Brookstone.

This is one of the nice things about being an iPhone owner – all of the extra accessories you can get since the form factor is the same for millions of phone meaning it’s cost effective to develop technologies like this for third party companies.

Watch the demo video for a lot of cool use suggestions (my favorite was the watching movies in your tent while camping).

Meet the Kogeto Dot - a 360 degree video camera for the iPhone 4, 4s, and Samsung Galaxy Nexus

360 degree video is actually a lot more disorienting but strangely cool, somehow.

Of course, up until now the technology has been prohibitively expensive, requiring expensive cameras, lenses and often times even more expensive processing software.

But a New York City based company called Kogeto is working to change all of that with Dot.

Dot is a 360 degree video camera adapter that snaps on directly to your iPhone 4, 4S, and now the Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Android users are no longer left out in the cold).

Here’s a short demo video just so you can see it in action.

While the technology isn’t perfect and the videos didn’t work well (they require Kogeto’s proprietary player and don’t work on Youtube) on my phone, they did play nicely on my computer and have plenty of potential.

And the nice thing is that they work break the bank. The Dot adapters cost a mere $79 so they’re extremely affordable if you want to try one out.

What do you think? Useful tool or fad? Post in the comments to let me here about it.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1JRO-kHMXo

What’s The Same?

Let’s start with what’s not different.  Apple is using the same page for all the specs for both phones which means that just about everything is the same.  Same 1GHZ processor, same retina display, same gyroscope, same Apple App Store, same Facetime, and so on.  If you loved the iPhone 4 but didn’t want to sign up for AT&T, this phone will work pretty much the same from a user standpoint.

CDMA / GSM

The biggest differences between the two phones is that Verizon’s iPhone 4 has a CDMA antenna and AT&T’s iPhone 4 has a GSM antenna.

From the end user standpoint (that’s you), there really isn’t a big difference.  Just two things.  1) With the Verizon iPhone 4, you won’t be able to do global roaming as most other countries use GSM technology so when you take that next trip to Italy, you’ll be S.O.L. if you want to make a phone call.    2)  GSM is able to handle both phone calls and data at the same time so you could, for example, look up directions a hotel while on a phone call.   With Verizon’s CDMA network, if you take a phone call while you’re online, your phone will disconnect it’s Internet connection.  I’ve never found it to be a big deal, but it’s something you should know if you’re considering the switch from AT&T to Verizon.

Three things that remain to be seen are if the call quality will be any better on Verizon’s iPhone 4 and if Verizon’s network can handle the influx of traffic that having the iPhone 4 will deliver.  Verizon has been bragging for years about their robust and rock solid network so this will put it to the test though it will likely be at list 6 months to a year before we really know the answer to that question.  The third question will be if the Verizon version can do a little better about not dropping calls all the damn time.  My brother lives in Minneapolis and hates his iPhone because while it can do data stuff just fine, it drops calls like they’re hot.

Connectivity

Do you remember how AT&T is constantly reminding us that they have the fastest 3G network – that’s actually true… theoretically.  The theoretical max of AT&T’s network is 7.2 mbps vs 3.1 mbps for Verizon’s network.  However, AT&T’s network is so overloaded in many areas that Verizon slaps its ass and calls is sally seven ways ’til Sunday.   However, if you’re in an area with good AT&T coverage, then Verizon will actually be slower.

What Neither iPhone 4 Is

People had been speculating that Verizon’s iPhone 4 would get 4G/LTE technology – it didn’t. This is still a standard 4G phone.

Also, the mythical white iPhone 4 has yet to make an appearance.

To Buy Or Not To Buy

If you’re currently a Verizon customer and you’re thinking about getting the iPhone 4, I’d recommend you wait.  Wait until the next version of the iPhone comes out this summer.  My guess is that it’ll be released for Verizon and AT&T at the same time so as not to give anyone the advantage.

To Switch Or Not To Switch

If you’re currently on AT&T and thinking about switching to Verizon, I’d actually recommend you’d wait until the next version of the iPhone comes out.   Your termination fee will be less (or none if you’re on a one year contract) plus cell phones get out of date and obsolete pretty quickly and while the iPhone 4 is still powerful today, it won’t be two years from now.

Switching From Android

If you’re currently an Android user and you’re thinking about jumping ship to Apple, be sure to read my iOS vs Android comparison post.  You’ll have access to a lot more apps with Apple, but also keep in mind that most apps cost money on the iPhone while most apps are free on Android.  If you have a flagship model (like a Droid) phone, then it’s really a matter of preference.  Tech savvy people tend to prefer Android while the young and hip crowd tends to favor iOS.   It’s up to you.  Both are excellent mobile operating systems and at this point you should be in good shape no matter which way you choose.

What do you think, will you be lining up to get the Verizon iPhone 4 or making the switch on February 10th (or February 3rd if you’re already a Verizon customer)?

So now that the cat’s out of the bag officially, let’s get down to the reviewing of the phone and cover the important stuff you want to know.

First things first.

The Verizon iPhone 4 is essentially the same phone as the AT&T iPhone 4 (here’s my iPhone 4 Review from June – just about everything still applies) which means no 4G.

However, you still get the same Retina Display, 1GHZ processor, Facetime, Gyroscope, access to the Apple App Store, and all the other goodies you may have been coveting.    Heck, Apple is using the same page for both the Verizon and AT&T iPhone on their website so yeah, the phone itself really isn’t any different from a user standpoint.

The pricing is $199 for the 16GB version and $299 for the 32GB version with two year contract though Verizon isn’t offering early upgrades like AT&T does for users wanted to switch from a Blackberry or Android phone or upgrade to their first smartphone.

The phone will be running iOS 4.2.5 (AT&T users will get it too) though it is unclear what’s new from iOS 4.2 other than some likely security and bug fixes.

One cool feature that’s new (for now) is the addition of a mobile hotspot for the Verizon version which will allow you phone to be a wifi hotspot for up to 5 devices.  The AT&T version also has this capability though, but up until now AT&T has prevented users from using it though they’ll likely be getting similar functionality with iOS 4.3 .

If you’re already a Verizon customer, you can preorder the Verizon iPhone 4 on February 3rd, and everybody can get in on the action on February 10th.

Should you get it?  Well, that’s up to you – it’s a nice, responsive, easy to use smartphone.  The iPhone does have a bit less of a learning curve than Android phones but keep in mind your phone will be trumped by the iPhone 5 when it’s released in June 2011 – personally I’d wait, but if you’ve been dying to get the iPhone on Verizon, then go ahead – it’s still a great phone, it’ll just be pretty dated when you get to upgrade again.

White iPhone 4 Status Watch

I told my sister about the Verizon iPhone yesterday (she can upgrade in March with Verizon) and her first question to me was if the white iPhone 4 was going to be available.   At this point, I wouldn’t count on it… maybe when the iPhone 5 comes out in June, but until then don’t get your hopes up as there was nary a hint of a white version being available during the official release yesterday.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eIvDi7nKZY

Display

The iPhone 4 has a much smaller screen at just 3.5 inches, but has a much higher resolution.  The iPhone 4 screen really does look tiny when sitting next to a Droid X with its 4.3 inch screen but the “retina display” on the iPhone 4 looks a lot better and is brighter.

Processor

Both phones have blazing fast 1GHZ processors though the iPhone 4 uses Apple’s own A4 processor while the Droid X uses a Texas Instruments OMAP processor.   It’s tough to say which is truly faster, but both pack plenty of power for running all your favorite apps.

Storage / Memory

Both phones have 512 MB of RAM.  The Droid X comes with 24GB of storage space and is expandable to 40GB.  The iPhone 4 comes in two versions, a 16GB and 32GB version, though neither is user upgradeable.

Battery

Battery life on both phones is excellent.  I’ll admit I was surprised that the Droid X does as well as it does considering the monsterous 4.3″ screen, but it actually outperforms the iPhone 4 though both should last you through the day and you shouldn’t need to keep your charger in your pocket unless you’re using the GPS navigation or watching movies all day long.

Camera

From a specs comparison, the Droid X has the better camera with its 8MP dual LED flash camera, but in real world testing, the iPhone 4 with its 5MP single LED flash camera performs better though both are very close.  The iPhone 4 also features a front facing camera for using video chat via Facetime while the Droid X has no such functionality.

Operating System

The iPhone 4 runs Apple’s own iOS (formerly iPhone  OS) while the Droid X runs Google Android 2.2

Network

The Droid X is a Verizon exclusive while the iPhone 4 is an AT&T exclusive.

Price

Droid X $200 w/ 2 yr contract
iPhone 4 16GB Verision $200 w/ 2 yr contract ($300 for 32GB version)

Other

Both phones have a few extra features you simply can’t find on the other.  For example, the Droid X has HDMI out, can function as a mobile hotspot for up to 5 devices and supports Flash 10.1 for playing videos and multi-media websites.

The iPhone 4 has a built in gyroscope making it a vastly superior device if you like to play games on your phone and the seamless integration with iTunes is great for music buffs.

Overall Winner

I’m not going to declare a winner as both phones have their strong points so pick the one you like the best.  Go to both the AT&T store and Verizon store before making your decision and play around with one – that should help you make the decision.

However, lately it seems like more and more evidence is mounting that Verizon will indeed be getting the iPhone in the early parts of 2011.

As far as evidence goes, the first comes from a report from Bloomberg saying that Verizon would be releasing and iPhone in January of 2011.  Most of the time reports come from bloggers, not credible news sources.

Now it’s looking like there’s some physical evidence that these devices could become a reality with a recent report saying Apple has ordered millions of CDMA chips from Qualcomm.   CDMA is the technology used by Verizon Wireless (and Sprint) while the current iPhone 4 and all models before it have relied on GSM technology which is the technology used by AT&T (and T-Mobile and the rest of the world).

It’s far from a sure thing and I wouldn’t hold my breath or start waiting in line at your Verizon store for the iPhone 4 to make an appearance but it sure seems like there a little more to this story than just a rumor.

If I learn any new evidence, I’ll be sure to post it here for you.

Update August 16th:  Here’s a new report that seems to hint that the iPhone 4 may be ready for field testing on Verizon.

Update October 12th: The only thing that would give us more proof that a Verizon iPhone is coming this January (or March) is an official announcement from Steve Jobs himself.  Here is a New York Times and a Wall Street Journal article announcing the forthcoming Verizon iPhone.  Looks like it’ll be the iPhone 4 and will not support 4G/LTE networks.    It also looks like the sixth generation iPhone will be the first to support 4G/LTE (not fifth generation which comes out June 2011)

The iPhone 4 Coming To Verizon Soon??? Yes... January 2011

Now there’s a safe and easy way to jailbreak the iPhone 4.

Just go to JailbreakMe.com and follow the instructions – it’s really that simple.  Keep in mind that you can restore your iPhone 4 to it’s original settings by using iTunes so there really is very little danger here but as always the disclaimer is that jailbreaking your iPhone does void the warranty.

So why would you want to jailbreak your pretty iPhone?

Well, you can get an app ($4, but free to try) called My3G that allows you to use Facetime over 3G so you’re no longer limited to using Facetime only when you have a WiFi connection.

And if you’d like to create a wifi hotspot with the iPhone 4, just get MyWi 4.0 ($19.99) and you’ll be off and running.

Just check out Cydia to see all the apps that become available to you should you decide to free your iPhone.

That should fix most peoples’ antenna issues.

If you already purchased the bumper case from Apple, they’re automatically giving refunds and you should see the credit post soon.

If you don’t already have a case, here’s how you get one:

Visit the official iPhone 4 Bumper case program page from Apple or download the iPhone 4 Case Program App from the App store.  Then just follow the on screen instructions and your case will be sent to you free or charge.

Note:   For those who already purchased an iPhone 4 case from a third party or on eBay, you unfortunately don’t qualify for a refund from Apple.

What do you think – is this a satisfying solution for you or should Apple be doing more?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK46iOnW4MY

However, that hasn’t stopped people from trying, and persistence has paid off.  The iPhone 4 has been jailbroken.

I’m just going to give you the links on how to do it here since I don’t want to take credit for someone else’s work:

• Planetbeing Unlocks iPhone 4
• iPhone 4 Finally Jailbroken
• Reliable iPhone 4 and iOS 4 Jailbreak
• Spirit Jailbreak coming to iPhone 4 and iOS 4

Advantages of jailbreaking the iPhone 4

If you’re not sure if jailbreaking is a good decision, here are some of the advantages (and the main disadvantage) to jailbreaking your phone.

Jailbreaking the iPhone 4 (elusive white iPhone 4 shown)

The big advantage to unlocking the phone is that you no longer are at the mercy of Apple’s App Store telling you what you can and can’t install on your phone.  In the past this has included tethering, multi-tasking, and being able to easily change settings.  The new iOS 4 has fixed some of these issues, but there are still plenty of apps out there that you won’t find in the App Store that you can install on a jailbroken iPhone, like wi-fi synching.

The main disadvantage of jailbreaking is that it voids the warranty of your phone and there is a real risk of “bricking” the phone – i.e. permanently disabling the device.   This can happen on any phone you try to unlock, not just the iPhone.

Keep in mind the antenna issue doesn’t seem to be present on all phones, but it certainly does appear on a lot of them.  I was using my friend’s iPhone 4 last night and despite my finest efforts of deliberately trying to put my fingers in the correct places to get the reception to drop, I got nothin’… not even a measily 1 bar drop.

However, if you are expereiencing these problems, here are some solutions you could try.

Scotch Tape

This is the simplest and  cheapest of the solutions and many have said it works so if you don’t mind putting a little bit of clear Scotch Tape on your phone, this could fix you up for less than a penny.   Just put a small strip of tape over the little black strip on the bottom left hand corner of the phone.  The theory is that it will stop your skin from shorting out the antenna.

Get A Bumper

The standard Apple response has been to either get an iPhone case (the $30 bumper) or that there is no problem.  While

Vapor4

The Vapor4 is an aluminum case that can solve not only the antenna issue, but will also make it a lot tougher to shatter your phone if you opt for the carbon fiber back plate ($100).

Magellan Toughcase

If you want to make your iPhone 4 nie invulnerable and waterproof to boot, then Magellan has the solution for you – the Magellan Toughcase.  Though it costs as much as the phone ($199), and is targeted towards those who want to use their iPhone like they would a rugged outdoor GPS unit, it will certainly fix those pesky little screen shattering and antenna issues.   It also improves GPS accuracy and gives you even more battery life (has a built in 1840mAh battery built in) so you do get quite a bit for all that cash.

If none of these solutions satisfy you, you could join the class action lawsuit, or take advantage of the 30 day return policy offered by Apple and AT&T and return the damn phone.