TechTalk: Google TV

Apparently the idea of just grabbing your remote and going to the trusty ol’ ‘Guide’ to find shows on TV and watch them is just too inconvenient and too much work for us sophisticated people out there. So the good people at Google have took it upon themselves to make this process a heck of a lot better. Introducing….. Google TV. The way it works is you just type what you are looking for and want to watch and a list of TV listings, web pages and YouTube links appears right there for your viewing pleasure. Once the it is launched some of the new TVs will come pre-loaded with this service and there will be separate boxes available for purchase if you are content with your current TV. Video of how this amazing thing works after the break.
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TechTalk: Give Windows Vista/7 a Mac-Over

Want to make your laptop or pc look and feel like a mac, but dont want to abandon the pc entirely. Here is a quick, free and easy way to do so. Snow Transformation Pack changes the appearance of your whole system to look feel and sound like a mac. It changes the login screen, wallpapers, sounds, dock, dialog boxes, and other UI elements. For instructions and download link click more.

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TechTalk: Google Chrome To Phone Release

Google announced Voice Actions earlier this week and now have given consumers the treat of ‘Chrome to Phone’. This service allows you to push links/google maps/youtube video’s straight to your phone from your browser on your PC at home. All you have to do is:

1. Open Google Chrome on PC and download and install ‘Chrome to Phone’ plug-in HERE
2. Download the ‘Chrome to Phone’ application on your android device. (Must be running 2.2 to work)
3. Start sending links!

Google says that the service is open source so we expect it to be ported to other browsers soon enough. For those of you you prefer Firefox, Safari, Opera…. or Internet Explorer. Heres a video of how everything works

TechTalk: Sprint Epic 4G Release Info

Not to be confused with the Sprint Evo 4G, which in my opinion is probably way more “epic” than the Epic 4G, the Sprint Epic 4G will be released Tuesday August 31, 2010 for $249.99 on contract (after $150 instant rebate and $100 mail-in rebate). The phone is made by Samsung so it has the TouchWiz interface and will ship with FroYo (2.2). They are now able to be pre-ordered at your local Sprint store or Radio Shack.

Comparison video between Epic 4G and Evo 4G after the jump.

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TechTalk: Madden 11 Review

madden 11

Ok, now that all the Madden hype is over and everyone who really wanted it got it here is what I think of the game, so far. This yeah the goal was to sort of make the game more beginner friendly, and easier to use. This comes with some pros and cons. The only big gameplay feature added was the GameFlow , which basically replaces the “ask madden”. Sometimes the feature picks obvious plays that the defense will certainly be able to  tell that you a often found myself just changing out of the play all together. Another weird thing they changed is that there is no more turbo. I know it sounds weird but the the players adjust the speed themselves which after a while didnt seem like that big of a deal. Another thing, which at first thought probably sounds like a big deal, but the new addition of Gus Johnson more than makes up for it with more energy and liveliness. But here comes the bad… The new AI changes makes it far too easy to play offense now. The new dual analog control makes running the ball more fluid and boosts to the offensive line AI helps them get blocks and hold blocks. While hot routing and changing defensive line controls have been made that much more difficult because there is an extra step with the new all in one d-pad control. Also, I noticed was that they just did not do anything with the Franchise and Superstar modes. I know a lot of people who do not rush to buy the new Madden every year because they fear it will just me the same game they bought the year before. EA’s lack of new features in these modes does not disprove this theory. And the last bad thing was the over aggressive advertising within the game. Every time I turn around there was an old spice or verizon add somewhere within the game. It began to feel a little cheesy and repetitive. All in all Madden 11 is a great game to just pick up and play. The controls and gameplay are incredible, but as far as it being a deep experience to last until Madden 12, who knows?

Pros:

Cons:

• Cheesy advertising throughout the game
• GameFlow feature needs tuning
• Offensive AI is just too good now
• No new additions to franchise and superstar modes
• Same Madden experience

TechTalk: Rumor Mill (iPhone 5, BlackPad)

Usually the summer is a slow time for tech news but this summer is an exception to say the least. With the release of heavy-weights like the HTC Droid Incredible, Evo 4G, Samsung’s Galaxy S series and of course the iPhone 4 this summer has been good to tech lover alike. But now we are ready for the new wave of tech that these big name companies have coincidentally ready for our consumer pockets… Emphasis on the ‘pockets’. Anyways this is some of what all the cool kids are talking about. (Take all of this with a grain of salt)

• iPod Touch w/ new front facing camera
• 7 in. iPad already created and ready to be shipped out
• New iPod Shuffle to have a touchscreen
• iPhone 5 set to release in January 2011 and remove antenna problem of iPhone4.
• Verizon set to have their own tablet released soon (will include front facing camera and video camera)
• Verizon’s Droid 2 set to get Android 2.2 (FroYo) update in early September
• Sony Ericson set to release X10 for AT&T August 13
• RIM has bought the domain name blackpad.com which leads to believe that there is a BlackBerry tablet coming also.

Once again, all of this is just speculation. While some rumors are more stable than other, nonetheless these are still rumors. Just trying to keep you all informed. =)

TechTalk: BlackBerry Torch

This is BlackBerry’s new big dog and it has been confirmed to launch on AT&T on August 12th for $200. Some specs include:

• 5 megapixel camera
• Full QWERTY slider keyboard
• 4GB on built in memory w/ 4GB SD card in the box
• 512 MB of ROM and RAM
• WiFi media sync software
• And most of all the new BlackBerry 6 OS installed

The best feature by far from this phone is the fact that it is the first phone released by RIM that will have the BlackBerry 6 OS. The Os seems promising and seems to stress the esthetics of the phone, making things look pretty. (something the BlackBerry has been widely criticized for, being a little to straight-edge) and a richer web browsing experience.

TechTalk YouTube Updates

I don’t know if any of you noticed but YouTube has been doing a couple subtle upgrades that might peek your interest.

• First was the scrolling comments. The scrolling comments allows you to see in real time other peoples comments without having to refresh the page or anything like that. This could come in handy if you are watching a fairly popular video or having a conversation with someone within the comments
• Next came the snake game. I know what you are thinking “Whats the point of a snake game on YouTube?” and well……. all I can say is that I don’t really know. It is cool though. All you have to do is hold left on your keyboard to start the game. Its amusing at best. Just something cool I figured you should see.
• And the last thing they added was a “Subscriptions Bar” at the bottom of the page that pops up whenever you are logged in which lets you auto-play and quickly scroll through new videos from channels you are subscribed to.

Pictures after the jump.

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TechTalk: How to Get Your Free Bumper/Case

Just a quick HowTo on going about getting your free Case/Bumper for iPhone 4 users.

1. Download the iPhone 4 Case Program app from the App Store.
2. Launch the app on your iPhone 4 and sign in using your iTunes Store account or Apple ID.
3. Select your Bumper or case.
4. Wait 2-3 weeks. (Maybe browse the site in you spare time =)

NOTE: Orange is the only color available for bumpers at this time

For iPhone 4 purchases made before July 23, 2010, you must apply no later than August 22, 2010; otherwise, you must apply within 30 days of your iPhone 4 purchase. To qualify for this program, you must purchase your iPhone 4 by September 30, 2010.

TechTalk: NBA 2k11 “Jordan Challenge”

Along with being on the cover of NBA 2k11, which releases Oct. 5, 2010, Micheal Jordan will also be a playable character. Something that hasn’t happened since ESPN NBA Basketball 2k4 (correct me if I’m wrong). There will also be a whole game type dedicated to “The Great One” called “Jordan Challenge”. This type will allow you to relive some of Jordan’s most memorable games. Sort of how the Madden Series does it’s “Madden Moments”. Although this is great news I can honestly say I’m more excited about letting my MyPlayer wear some Retro 12s or 13s to a shoot around :’). For more details about the “Jordan Challenge” game type click read more.

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TechTalk: Windows Phone 7 Preview

Last week we took a preview of the new Blackberry 6 OS that will be coming soon. Now here is a preview of the new OS coming from Microsoft. It has been a while since Windows Mobile was really relevant in the smartphone world, although my T-Mobile Wing that is sitting at the top of my closet would disagree, but I digress. The new OS looks very promising so far. New features includes a completely revamped user interface that is finger friendly with pinch-to-zoom options and a “Tile” home screen. The one thing that makes Windows Phone 7 seem so promising is frankly the people who make it. While mac fanboys are out there on the forums heavy making it seem like Apple is the leader of the whole technology industry the simple fact is that they only sell about 14% of the worlds computers and the other 86% is mostly powered by a Windows operating system of some sort. Microsoft has the ability to do things with a mobile OS like Xbox Live integration, access to the Zune marketplace, and Microsoft Office shipped to stock devices. For all these reasons you would think they would have got it right and kept it right sooner. Needless to say Windows Phone 7 will either be a big hit or a big miss.. Only time will tell. We will keep you updated.

TechTalk: App Review – Firefox Home

While some of you are still playing with the Firefox 4 BETA I posted earlier, there has been more Firefox news going on. Apple has tested and approved the new “Firefox Home” app from mozilla. No, this is not a full blown alternate web browser… but its the next best thing. Well, sort of. This app lets you take your saved bookmarks, open tabs and history and sync them with your iPhone/iPod Touch. The steps to setting this up correctly are as follows:

1. Install “Firefox Sync” ad-on to your Firefox browser on your computer.
2. Restart Firefox and create an account.
3. Download “Firefox Home” from Apple App Store on your desired iDevice.
4. Open the app from device and sign-in.

After that your history, bookmarks and history on your iDevice and computer should now be in tune with each other. This is just a work around to apple’s efforts to keep safari in your lives. Although if you just cannot take safari anymore or just want to try a new web browsing experience I suggest downloading “Opera Mini Web Browser”

TechTalk: Quick Apple Update

Apple will hold an exclusive press conference on Friday August 16, 2010. All we know is that the subject on this conference is the “iPhone 4″. Some speculate talking about a recall because of the “Death Grip” issue, and some even go as far as to say a price cut. Needless to say we will keep you posted……

In other apple news, a new 4.1 beta firmware has been released to developers which some say includes tweaks to better help with the service issues. Some quick fixes for the “Death Grip” are a $30 official bumper from the nice people at the Apple store, a FREE do it yourself bumper made from one of those ‘Live Strong’ wristbands. If you want a more permanent and fashionable resolution check out ColorWare and your iPhone will be the coolest kid on the block.

TechTalk: BlackBerry 6 Preview

Here is a preview of the new Blackberry 6 OS (operating system) which shows off it’s social networking side. There is nothing groundbreaking here besides the fact that BlackBerry is finally starting to try and shed the businessman/woman stereotype that is associated with most BlackBerry users. And stresses the media playing capabilities more than in the past. Nonetheless, the new features to BlackBerry that are apparent here are:

Pinch to zoom web browsing
Built-in social feed that includes Twitter, Facebook and BlackBerry Messenger.

TechTalk: Give Your iPhone 3G a Facelift

With all the hype surrounding the new iPhone 4 and all of its fancy features, some of the older model iPhone owners are probably thinking you got the short end of the stick. Well once again I’m here to inform you of the power of your technology. Inside this post is a step by step guide to Jailbreaking the new iOS 4 software onto your iPhone 3G or iPodTouch 2G which includes features like home screen backgrounds and multitasking…. click more for the TUT.
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TechTalk: Video Chat W/ iPhone 4 Over 3g

I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of misinformed friends that figured since they bought the new iPhone they would just be the cool kids on the block walking around and video chatting everyone. Well since the release of the iPhone, (or Apple’s conference in June) we have known that that would not be the case because the FaceTime feature of the iPhone 4 only works via WiFi which would most likely turn into your house, or other places where you spend a lot of time. Now it looks like these misinformed consumers will once again have a way to work around this issue. There in an application called Fring on the apple app store which allows you to video chat others over WiFi that also have a Fring of Skype account.

Features that the App brings to the table:

1. No longer rely on WiFi and can take video calling mobile
2. Can talk to others without iPhone 4
3. Works with Fring and Skype applications on other platforms (PCs, Macbooks, android devices)

TechTalk: “iPhone vs Evo” Creator Keeps His Job

Best Buy employee Brian Maupin has become an internet celebrity of late with his hilarious video posted showing the general interaction between him and employees that enter the store. Which depicts a rather close-minded customer with with only one thing on their mind, “I want an iPhone 4″. Not that big a deal right? Funny guy makes a funny video and gets a lot of internet love… Well that’s not how it went down at all. Instead of laughing the situation off Best Buy decides to put the guy on indefinite suspension and was told his job was in jeopardy. Well today Best Buy has granted Maupin a stay of termination and has released this quote:

“We have completed our investigation into the videos created and posted by Brian Maupin, the aspiring film-maker and Best Buy employee. This is an important situation for us because it involved balancing our social media guidelines with a commitment to creating a supportive environment for our employees. It’s important to note that our investigation involved three videos that were posted in late June because they were openly disparaging of our employees, our customers and our vendor partners. Our investigation is over, and these videos are no longer on the web. Contrary to rumors, Brian has not been fired, and is scheduled to return to his job at Best Buy this Friday.”

For the video and Maupin’s Reaction Click MORE

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TechTalk: ‘Twitter for Blackberry’ Officially Launches

For the most part when a person Tweets from a blackberry its via UberTwitter. While there are other twitter clients on the market for Blackberry’s, the general consensus has always been UberTwitter is the best. Well now that thought is being challenged because Twitter will be officially releasing a client specifically made for Blackberry devices tonight and should show up in your app market tonight or tomorrow. Although “Twitter for Blackberry” has been around for a couple months now, it has always been in either ALPHA or BETA stages and this app looks like it will shake things up. A showdown is sure to come later.

Some features at the launch will be:

• Push Notifications for Direct Messages
• Timeline Support
• Following and Followers
• Posting, Sending, Deleting , Replying and Retweeting Tweets
• User/Saved/Keyword/Proximity Search
• Tweet Photos/Links
• Trending Topics
• Seamless integration into core BlackBerry applications
• URL Shortening
• Auto-Update

New features during the beta:
• Quote Tweets (editing retweets)
• Auto Complete for @ usernames
• View Photos from Yfrog & Tweetphoto
• View Geotagged Tweets
• Personal Info Guard
• Hotkeys for Navigation
• Report as Spam

TechTalk: Mozilla Firefox 4.0 BETA

Hey EarStyle.net readers, I’m Markese Dixon the new tech blogger here. I wanted to kick off my tenure here with something I thought was cool. The latest beta version of Firefox is now available as a preview release. I would like to warn that this is a BETA release, so do not just download this and completely abandon your old preferred browser. Although with that said, this is a very sleek and robust release for BETA stages. Some noticeable UI differences are the thumbnail previewing for Windows 7 and the top-bar navigation. One cool thing I noticed is that Firefox’s tab system is now integrated within the Windows 7 OS. Basically, now when you make the switch from iTunes back to the internet you can decide which tab you want to view before you pull up the actual browser again. Also navigating the top-bar is more Microsoft Office 2007-esque in that instead of having a ‘File, Edit, View, Go, Bookmarks… etc’ menu you just have one central ‘Firefox’ button to do basic navigating.

Windows (English) || Mac OS X (English) || Others

Spotlight: Jonathan Da Lynn

This week in the spotlight we have a line out of Hampton, VA called Jonathan Da Lynn™.  Started in 2006, JDL has become a well known name for quality and authenticity with the items they produce.  The items can be purchased at their website (www.shopdalynn.com) and other top name blogs.   They pride themselves not as ““street-wear” company, but we are becoming a full-fledge clothing company with quality pieces.” Shout out to the homie Christen Talley modeling the line above.

Until next time…Want your line showcased? Hit us up!