Edward Kiledjian

As a business traveler, I always unlock my mobile phone so I can use local SIM cards when abroad. Every traveler knows a local SIM card means much lower connection charges (often 70-85% off).

As a Canadian that frequently jumps over the border to the US, I love the US Roaming service from a company called Roam Mobility . The way you use their service is to pop-in their SIM card into your unlocked smartphone and load their APN settings. The one issue with Roam Mobility is the fact that it only works for Canadians travelling to the US. 

Now a new Canadian company called KnowRoaming will be taking a different approach for world travelers from any country to over 220 countries.  To use their cheaper roaming service, you apply a special thin film on your main providers SIM card and load their app on your iPhone or Android smartphone (Blackberry coming later). You load credit with KnowRoaming and as soon as it detects that you are roaming, it connects you to one of its local partners and you benefit from the cheaper (up to 85% off) local calling and data rates.

Verdict

I haven't tested this service since it isn't publicly available yet but you can bet I will as soon as it is released. I compared roaming costs for a Canadian heading to the US and Roam Mobility is still a better deal but the KnowRoaming service is a great alternative if you travel anywhere else. Stay tuned for an update in the future. 

KnowRoaming 

T-Mobile USA is getting ready to launch ts uncarrier phase 3 plan of allowing its users to use their mobile data plans in 100 countries without incurring any additional charges (that is what all the leaks and rumors say). Canada is on the list of countries.

The new feature will allow all Simple Choice customers to use unlimited 2G data and texting in any of the supported countries. Voice calls (in country) will be capped at $0.20 per minute. This is not an add on package, it will be included for free in all customer plans.

In addition to the above , T-Mobile has upgraded its network to 4G LTE ahead of schedule.

Agawi conducted a touch screen comparative test to determine with device's screen was the most responsive and the big winner is the Apple iPad mini at 75 milliseconds.

The next best device is the iPad (4th generation) at 81 milliseconds. The third best device is the NVIDIA shield at 92 milliseconds. 

Why is responsiveness important, it is the speed at which the device reacts to your masterful commands and makes handwriting on a tablet much more usable.  

We heard a bunch of rumors over the last couple of days that the next Nexus smartphone may  contain a DigitalOptics made MEMS camera. Everyone was excited because the new tech MEMS camera offers incredibly fast auto-focus and automatically takes pictures at different focal lengths (like Lytro) automatically allowing you to chose the focus point after having taken the picture.

Now a DigitalOptics press release shatters our hopes and confirms that OPPO will be the exclusive launch partner for the MEMS camera and that the launch smartphone will be released sometime in the future. 

This is one rumor I was hoping was true [about the Nexus 5] and I'm disappointed knowing that Google couldn't become launch partner.  

PRESS RELEASE

"DigitalOptics Corporation (DOC(TM)), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tessera Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSRA) announced today that Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd (OPPO), a leading Chinese smartphone OEM, has placed the first mems|cam(TM) volume production purchase order.

The mems|cam module provides speed, power, and precision advantages compared to VCM (voice coil motor) camera modules and enables highly differentiated features when coupled with DOC's world-class software.

"We are proud to announce that OPPO and DOC are exclusive launch partners. OPPO will be the first smartphone OEM to incorporate mems|cam products in volume," stated John Thode, president of DigitalOptics Corporation. "OPPO has an excellent premium brand in China as demonstrated by the September 23 launch of the innovative N1 Smartphone platform. Integrating mems|cam modules into OPPO's best-in-class smartphones will bring an exciting computational imaging user experience that further delivers on OPPO's brand promise."

There has been speculation on who would be the first to bring the significant benefits of mems|cam to the mobile imaging market. Last week, several technology news blogs reported that mems|cam was first being brought to market in another smartphone platform. Those reports were inaccurate."

The connected reporters at AllThingsD are now reporting that Apple will launch the next generation of iPads at a [yet unannounced] media event on October 22.

"People familiar with Apple’s plans tell AllThingsD that the company will hold its next invitation-only event on Tuesday October 22. The focal point of the gathering will the latest updates to the company’s iPad line, but new Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks will likely get some stage time as well, I’m told."

There have been a handful of leaks and everything indicates that the design of the next iPad will more closely resemble that of the iPad mini. We expect it to contain the new A7 64-bit processor, an 8 megapixel rear facing camera and 2GB of RAM. 

If it is announced on October 22, expect the new device to become available about a week later at retail. 

In addition to the iPad, we expect to see Apple dedicate some time to OS X Mavericks and the Mac Pro. Nothing about the launch of refreshed Macbook Pros but here is hoping they use this platform to launch those too.

Anytime I talk about active noise cancelling headphones, people imagine large over the ear products like the AKG 495NC or the Bose QuietComfort QC15. These work well but are difficult to carry and sometimes uncomfortable.

Bose has recently released the QuietComfort QC 20 (for Blackberry, Android or Windows Phone) with a single control button or the QuietComfort QC 20i (for IOS devices) with 3 control buttons. 

What really makes this product stand out is the incredible noise cancellation capabilities. The Base QC20 /20i doesn't target the audiophile community because it doesn't offer a neutral (aka flat) sound profile but rather one tuned for rock and pop.

This device is squarely aimed at users looking for fantastic noise cancellation with sound tuned to their most listened to genres (Pop and rock).

The Physical

Bose devices typically use understated colors to blend into any environment and this product is no different. It is built using solid feeling plastic in grey and black. The silicon ear-tips are comfortable and the flanges are designed to hold the product in place even when exercising.

If you get the QC20, it comes with one control button to answer a call, end a call, start the music or stop the music. The QC20i comes with 3 control buttons (for iOS devices) which performs everything its more generic brother does but the additional 2 buttons perform skip and rewind.  

The noise canellation circuitry box contains a button that turns on "Aware Mode" which uses the noise cancellation microphone to allow you to hear someone talking to you without having to take the headphones off. This is a nice touch especially when you use this while travelling.

A problem I have had with previous Bose noise cancelling headphones was the fact that they couldn't play music when the batteries died. Bose finally fixed this annoying "feature". The QC20 /20i now plays music even when the battery dies. The only impact of a dead battery is that the volume drops a bit but it is still very acceptable. 

I have had about 7 different noise cancelling in-ear headphones over the years (like Sony, Sennheiser, etc) and the most annoying physical attribute is the large heavy battery compartment and noise cancellation circuitry. Bose has done a good job shrinking this and placing it at the tip end of the earphones so it is less bothersome. 

Call Quality

The true test of headphones is the call quality and audio performance. I used this product with my iPhone 4s (my main daily use cell phone) and call quality is similar to that of a high quality headset. Making regular phone calls sounded as good as a normal cell phone call can sound. The other party didn't realize I was using a headset. When I made a call from my car driving at 100km/h with the windows down, the other party heard lots of loud wind noise which clearly indicates that the device isn't performing call noise isolation like the Jawbone product.

I then made a Facetime audio call (which is similar to HD Voice on networks that support it) and the call quality was pristine. You could hear every nuance clearly as if the person was sitting in front of me. Again this worked best in a relatively quiet environment since any external noise was picked up and added to the call. 

Noise Cancellation

I compared the noise cancellation of the Bose QC20i to 5 different products (Sony, Sennheiser, Audio Technica, etc) and the QC15i outperformed everyone of them. I tested it sitting next to the hotel in-room air conditioner or next to the engine on plane and it managed to almost completely wipe all the annoying background noise with ease.

Most noise cancellation headphones cannot drown out the human voice. So a test I like to perform is to sit in a busy public location like an airport or mall and test the human voice cancellation abilities. Again the QC20i performed remarkably well really quieting down everyone around me. In this test, it even outperformed the Base QC15 headphones.

The tips are not noise isolating tips which means they don't jam the ear canal which makes the noise cancellation performance that much more amazing (since it is all performed by the noise cancellation circuitry) but it also makes the tips comfortable to use during long trips. 

Sound Reproduction

If you are an audiophile, do not buy these headphones. They produce a sound signature tuned for pop and rock music. Although it produces a clean low end base response, it isn't tuned for heavy base like the Monster or Dr Dre products. 

Sounds that would typically be found in the very low end spectrum (on audiophile grade flat sound signature headphones) end up in the low-mid range level. It isn't annoying or bothersome, it is just not tuned flat. 

Mids and highs are also reproduced very well with a clean sound profile but a little louder than I typically want. It is important to remember that these earphones are targeting the general population and the tuning of this products sound profile is fantastic with pop music. 

I wore them at the gym and the pop (top40 remixes) I was listening to came through very clean, very clean and enjoyable. I loved listening to these earphones because the sound profile was pleasing (with pop music) and the noise cancellation meant I didn't hear people talking around me or the crappy songs played in the gym. 

The Battery

The USB rechargeable battery should last 14-16 hours of use. I like devices that use standard disposable batteries but this is not too bad.

Verdict

The QC 20i and QC 20 offer incredible noise cancellation. Some of the best noise cancellation I have ever heard. The sound quality is amazing for the right audience (people listening to pop or rock) and the device is well built and should last for years.

I have to recommend the Bose QC20 (and QC20i) even at its $300+ cost. It is a must for business travelers or those looking for quiet refuge in a jungle of noise. 

Rogers is continuing its network upgrade to LTE and has confirmed that 15 new cities are now basking in the wondrous soft and loving embrace of Rogers LTE.

• Caledon (On)
• Midland (On)
• North Bay (On)
• Peterborough (On)
• St. Thomas (On) , On
• Fort St. John (BC)
• Shawnigan (BC)
• Chestermere (Ab)
• Leduc  (Ab) 
• Charlottetown (P.E.I)
• Fredericton

It seems every new day brings another Nexus 5 (or Nexus 4 2013 edition) leak. At this point, we believe we have a fairly good view of the amazing hardware specs. The latest rumor is insinuating that Google will sell this  powerhouse device at the same price as last year's model.

 PhoneArena has received information from an unamed source that the 16 GB Pure Google Experience Nexus 5 phone with a 2,300 mAh battery will be sold for $299 (without subsidy). 

They are also claiming that the 32 GB version will come with a 3,000 mAh battery and sell for $399. This one seems strange. It is unlikely that Google will offer additional battery capacity with the larger storage device.

Nexus 5 (or Nexus 4 2013 edition) articles: 

• NEXUS 5 SPECS LEAK IN SERVICE MANUAL
•  WHEN WILL GOOGLE RELEASE THE NEXUS 5?
•  THIS IS WHAT THE NEXUS 5 WILL LOOK LIKE

We can all use a couple of minutes of relaxation and nothing feels better than a free app to help you relax. The publisher of the app describes it as: 

"Thunderspace utilizes stereoscopic 3D audio & realistic lightning flashes to create a thunderstorm around you."

This basically means they recorded the sound of real thunderstorms using real surround sound 3D technology and then sync your devices flash to light up at just the right time. 

You basically use this app with headphones and lie down with the flash in back of your head but close by (so you can "see" the lightning with your eyes closed).  

You can of course make additional in-app purchases to add new soundtracks, but many of them are free too today (usually $1.99 and up for each add-on pack).

The app typically costs $0.99 and it is also free today. 

I tried this and like it a lot. I say download it and the free add-ons today. 

Download it from itunes here. 

National Geographic recently published a beautiful photo essay about Scotland using only the camera on Apple's iPhone 5s.  

Photographer Jim Richardson has a great quote: 

"With intense use (I’ve made about 4,000 pictures in the last four days) I’ve discovered that the iPhone 5S is a very capable camera. The color and exposures are amazingly good, the HDR exposure feature does a stunningly good job in touch situations, the panorama feature is nothing short of amazing—seeing a panorama sweeping across the screen in real time is just intoxicating."

What does this essay demonstrate? That the device is capable and that a good photographer can do amazing things.

I really recommend you read the great article and see the incredibly beautiful pictures. 

Unless you work in IT for a medium to large sized company, this article really won't interest you.  

Even my grandmother knows that Blackberry is doomed as a device manufacturer. As it attempts to recreate itself as a services company, we are seeing some interested moves (the failed BBM for Android and IOS) and now they enter the cloud based Mobile Device Management field trying to convince companies with BYOD policies to give them a chance.

Blackberry calls its service Enterprise Mobility Management which is a cloud hosted (and rebranded) Blackberry Enterprise Server. 

Like its Fusion device management server, it supports Blackberry 10, Android and IOS devices.

 I think the idea of offering BES in the cloud is sound as it simplifies device management for overwhelmed and overworked IT support personnel. Cloud means no need for local license management, no need for on premise servers, no backup concerns and no worries about disaster recovery. All of these headaches are solved through a stable and predictable monthly fee. So far so good. 

Looking at the performance issued they experiences with BBM for Android (which forced them to pull the plug), you have to wonder how reliable the service will be. Once you commit to this service through Blackberry, you success or fail based on their performance and uptime.

You can read their full press release here.

Nest is the company that made the unsexy thermostat cool again and now they have decided to tackle another unsexy device, the important smoke detector. Enter the Nest Protect, a smoke and carbon monoxide detecting internet connected wonder.

Not only are Nest products sexy , they are smart and the Protect is no exception. The fact that this device has WIFI means you can remotely (via the iPhone, Android or Kindle app) check the status of the device, check battery life and it even allows multiple devices to talk to each other (if you live in a multi-story home).

 I'm a horrible cook and tend to burn meals every now and then. The Protect is smart enough to judge the severity of the situation and allows you to wave away the alert (for low severity situations).

What would a new age product be without synergy. If you have a Nest Thermostat and a Nest Protect smoke detector, they can work together. If the Protect receives a carbon monoxide alert, it can intelligently instruct the thermostat to turn off the heating which is often the cause of excessive carbon monoxide. 

It even has a feature called Pathlight  (which you can turn off) that automatically lights your way if you wake up at night and cross a Protect device.

The Nest Protect isn't available just yet but I'm sure we'll see it in stock and ready for impulse buying before the start of the holiday shopping season. 

Chromecast is still a US only device according to Google but Amazon.com seems to be willing to ship it to the great white north I call home (aka Canada plus the UK, Australia, Hong Kong and Germany are confirmed).

I bought a unit during a trip to Wichita last week and set it up over the weekend. Because the device is not officially available to international customers, you will have to be creative to find the Google Chromecast configuration app (since it is only available on the US Google Play Store and US Apple iTunes store.)

• I downloaded the Android APK from here
• You can read the full discussion on XDA developers here
• If you only have an IOS device, you will have to create a new US iTunes store account and download the free app, configure your device then switch back to your primary international itunes account.

Amazon.com link here.

I ran my tests over the weekend and you can successfully: 

• Steam Youtube content
• Stream Canadian (or your local) Netflix content
• Stream Google Play content (movies and music) 

If you have a router that VPNs to the US then you can even stream US Netflix. 

If you have a HULU Plus account, you can even stream HULU Plus content to it.

I downloaded a Camera+ update yesterday and the developer was poking fun at the less than stellar sales of the iPhone 5c

I previously wrote that Apple iTunes radio would be coming to Canada shortly. Now Bloomberg is reporting that iTunes Radio will expand internationally early 2014 beating rival Pandora.

"Apple is moving faster than Pandora because it forged agreements for international rights with Vivendi SA (VIV)’s Universal Music Group and other record companies, said one of the people. Pandora, which doesn’t have such deals, relies on rights granted by government entities, limiting service to the U.S., Australia and New Zealand."

Read Bloomberg article here.

Competition is a wonderful thing for consumers and nowhere is this more needed than in the Canadian telecommunication business. Videotron has been a wonderful addition to the Quebec market forcing the BIG 3 (Rogers, Bell and Telus) to respond quickly by offering much more competitive plans [than they would normally].

Videotron has introduced 2 new all you can talk Canada Wide plans. These plans include all of the usual suspects including Voicemail, CallerID, Text Messaging and Canada wide calling. The only difference between the 2 is the amount of monthly data : 1GB or 6GB ($59.95 and $79.95 respectively).

You can read the details or sign up here. 

The fine reporters at Android Police seem to have found (what is claimed to be) the service manual for the purported upcoming 2013 Nexus phone. Based on the provided information, the device will be produced by LG and come with a vanilla Android operating system (Pure Android Experience). 

The original article on Android Police has removed the above image at the request of LG  (add tense movie music now).

Here are the purported specs for this device:

• 4.95" display
• 2GB RAM
• 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
• 8 megapixel (MP) rear camera
• 1.3 megapixel (MP) front facing camera
• up to 32GB of internal storage (no memory card slot) 
• Near Field Communication capabilities (NFC) 
• Wireless Charging
• 2,300 mAh battery

You can read the service manual on SCRIBD here. 

Most sites have been calling this upcoming device the Nexus 5 but it will more likely be called the Nexus 4 (2013 edition).

Apple's iTunes Radio is far from revolutionary and often feels like a "me too" product competing with Slacker, Songza, etc. What makes it so interesting is that it is a free service already built into your device's operating system. 

Like most Apple services, iTunes Radio launched in the US first but Eddy Cue, Apple SVP, has previously said that eventually it will launch in 100 countries but when will we get it in Canada?

Late last week, Apple had a job posting looking for 2 iTunes Radio programmers for Canada.  

"Execute the programming of iTunes Radio in Canada, merchandising new releases and other feature content across multiple radio stations; Update radio featuring daily, identifying new songs, chart gainers, and priority releases, as well as highlighting library content and showcase depth of catalogue; Work with management in Canada and Cupertino to determine local and global priorities relevant to iTunes Radio; Manage the weekly scheduling and programming process, including measuring stream counts, ensuring each station represents the most current and compelling music offering; Collaborate with other editorial programmers on cross content initiatives and promotions. Communicate regularly with the Marketing and Sales team in Canada to coordinate new release and sales based priorities."

The above posting is a fairly strong indication that iTunes Radio is coming to Canada sooner rather than later which hopefully means they managed to sign all the label agreements needed to bring the service up north.

Since these job postings caught the world's attention, Apple has since made the postings more generic by removing all references to iTunes Radio and it now looks more like a generic Canadian iTunes editor. 

Here is hoping we get it before the holiday season.

VoIP is a fantastic way to freely (or cheaply) connect to friends and family flung across all 4 corners of the world. But even with all of the technological advances made in recent years, VoIP calling is not pleasant and comes with dozens of gotchas:

• Does the person use the same VoIP platform?
• Does the person have the VoIP app open? 
• Many apps have poorly implemented codecs which lead to bad voice quality and the sound cutting-in and out

Facetime (implemented in IOS 6) was a fantastic way to keep in touch with family and friends. As long as both parties had Apple products (which is common) the technology was extremely well designed and integrated into the OS. It made video calling as friction-less as possible and dare I say it, enjoyable.

Now Apple is leveraging that Facetime technology to bring high quality and reliable VoIP calling to its customers. Did I mention this is being offered for free? 

Why now? 

It is much easier to build a VoIP (voice) app than a video chatting one.  Video introduces many more technological challenges which means it is often introduced after an initial voice offering. Why did Apple do video first?

Facetime audio is a free and better alternative to traditional cell phone voice calling. It doesn't require minutes, it doesn't need long distance charges and the quality is immeasurably better than that of a traditional cell call. 

When Apple released iMessage , it cost the carriers millions in lost SMS fees. Now Facetime audio may impact their only remaining cash cow, minute charges. Apple probably had to do some convincing of the major players before unleashing it into the world.

The Facetime audio revolution

Just like most iPhone users switched from SMS to iMessage, I expect most of them to jump from traditional calling to Facetime Audio (eventually). 

I know many Android fans will claim Google has had voice conferencing for a while, but [ as a user of both platforms] Apple's implementations are always cleaner and easier to use. Apple's Facetime is embedded into the base OS which means there is no need to start the app, no need to create another account, download another app or learn a new tool. It works like every other Apple tool, right out of the box.

Not only is it easy to use but the call quality is incredible. It sounds even better than HD Voice (which very few north american carriers support anyway). Once you use it, going back to regular cell phone conversations feels like you are talking into a can.

Facetime makes IOS sticky

Facetime is one of those technologies that "traps" users and prevents them from switching platforms. I often consider switching my primary device to an Android one but most of my friends, family and contacts are on iPhone which means losing Facetime, iMessage, Photostreams, etc is too painful.

Facetime will keep iPhone users married to the ecosystem...  

Along with the new iPhone 5s, Apple released a lot of leather covered iPhone 5s cases being sold for around $US30. (depending where you are). But with all the case options available to consumers, is it even worth considering?

The case itself is beautifully built. It is leather covered on the outside, microfier covered on the inside and reinforced with a plastic skeleton in between. Unlike most cases, this looks premium and feels premium.

The leather is smooth and clean masterfully molded without any seams. The Apple logo on the back of the case lines up with the logo on the device perfectly. To push your iPhone into it requires a little bit of push but once installed, it feels like a glove. It doesn't move, wobble or bend. It is obvious that this was designed to fit perfectly with this phone.

Every button and interface lines up perfectly. A friend of mine, lucky enough to get an iPhone 5s on release date but foolish enough to test the drop resistance of the phone with this case on ceramic proved just how incredible this case is. He performed multiple drops from 6 feet on commercial ceramic tile and the case kept the device perfectly intact. No scratches, nicks or bumps. The case took the brunt of the falls so your phone doesn't have to. Clearly this case will keep your device safe during everyday "normal" use.

The Caveats

There are only 2 negative comments I can make and these are the same comments I make fore most smartphone cases: 

• The lightning dock opening is big enough for any lightning cable but won't allow you to use it with a dock. Since the case is so snug, it is not practical to install and remove it frequently
• The headphone jack opening is large enough for the standard Apple headphones. It also worked well with many of my headphones from Shure, Etymotic, Sony, Bose, etc but some of the devices with larger plug coverings won't fit

Verdict

If you can accept the 2 caveats listed above, this is a truly fantastic case that looks and feels as premium as your iPhone 5s. I have never understood why people protect a $800 phone in a cheap $5 plastic case, so now Apple gives you a great option.

I say buy it.