Archive for the ‘Handsets’ Category

Samsung Galaxy Note II voted best Android phone

Posted: February 12, 2013 by Troy Saxton-Getty in Android, ATT, Carrier, dropSKIP? What???, Handsets, Operating System, Personal HotSpot Devices, Phones, Samsung Galaxy Note, Stylus, Verizon, Windows Mobile 7
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Samsung Galaxy Note II, Android phone of the year as voted by our readers!!

By Troy Saxton-Getty

Those of us at dropSKIP that have a special place in our heart for Android love the Note II. Although truth be told, my daily drivers are iPhone 5′s, one from Verizon and the other from AT&T. We do however clearly agree on one thing, right now, this minute, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is by far the best Android phone on the market.

We are very cozy with HTC’s Sense UI on top of Android, fans since day one, we still feel Samsung has nailed it with the Galaxy Note II and the latest round of TouchWiz interface add-ons.

In the shop we have both a Verizon version and a few folks with AT&T versions. These are their daily phones and you couldn’t pry them away with anything else on the current market, even if you offered some incentive cash.

The Samsung Galaxy SIII is a close second and since we think the Blackberry Z10 is actually a Galaxy SIII with a different case, we suspect Blackberry might have a strong showing this year (thanks Samsung!!)

Take a hard look at the Note II, sure, it’s big but it does still fit in most front pockets or small fancy purses and you can ditch the additional tablet you most likely carry close by most of the time.

The included touch Pen and S-Pen apps are real contenders for daily work.

The phone comes with some carrier specific pre-loaded software but most of it is useful sans the $10 dollar a month Navigation, I still don’t know how that app ends up pre-loaded.

The phone also earns a 56/100 dropSKIP score for durability as long as you don’t put it in your back pocket and sit on it, it is one tough phone.

Our test phone took the 10 foot drop to standard office carpet without losing its battery or even its back shell.

If you have accessories left over from the Note I, the units are slightly different sizes so most won’t work, including the car mount kit.

Thanks to our readers for voting it was very clear the Note II then the Galaxy III ran neck and neck with Phone 5.
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If you are thinking Android, you can’t go wrong with the new Note II.

Share your thoughts current and prospective owners!

Moshi Moshi POP Phone – How Retro!?

Posted: June 5, 2011 by Gill Haus in dropSKIP? What???, Handsets, Retro
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While we do review quite a few high end toys (and we’re not saying that trucks are that high end, but not everyone buys those on a whim) there are some out there at a lower price point you just can’t pass on buying.  Enter the Moshi Moshi POP Phone.

Moshi Moshi POP Phone in Box

Moshi Moshi POP Phone in Box

Your eyes aren’t fooling you. It’s a retro telephone handset that fits your iPhone, iPad, cell phone, or laptop.  The advertisement at the store what I purchased it claimed it was a comfort solution.  That, and the fact that I’m a sucker for these sorts of things, clinched the deal.

Moshi Moshi POP Phone without Box

Moshi Moshi POP Phone without Box

The first test was placing a call with my iPhone.  It worked like a champ.  There is no volume control on the handset or the cable, so you’ll need to use the iPhone’s volume control, but the sound was crystal clear and the person on the other end had no difficulty understanding me.  As comfort was something that was touted as a feature for this product, I attempted my normal routine.  Sitting in front of my computer and handling email while using the handset.  Now, I wouldn’t go as far as saying this is more comfortable than an in ear Bluetooth headset, but it was certainly easier to hold on my shoulder while typing.  After 30 minutes I’m sure there will be some cramping, but it’s size does make it easier to hold in place.

Moshi Moshi POP Phone on Table

Moshi Moshi POP Phone on Table

The next test was Skype (thank you, Maria Dolar, for being our guinea pig) on my MacBook Air.  Again, the handset worked wonderfully.  The quality was great and Maria had no challenges understanding me.  I don’t have any other phones in the house at the moment, so the device testing ended there.

As for the handset itself, there is a hidden button on the inside that can be used to answer/end calls (there is only so retro you can go and not be convenient), which works well.  On the downside (and anyone that really wants to do this probably needs to buy something else) you can’t play your music on your iPhone through the handset.  I’m bummed about this only because I would love to run into someone doing this on the street, film it, and sent it to Philly D to share with the world.

In summary, for around 30 dollars you can pick up this handset and go retro.  Will it prevent cramping and increase comfort?  Maybe.  Will it add a thrill to phone/Skype calls?  Absolutely.  Would I have been able to buy this if my wife wasn’t present to explain why I don’t need “yet another gadget?”  Well, she wasn’t there. :)