BestBuy Mobile Concept Stores

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Okay, so I was going back-and-forth with Barry Judge (CMO of Best Buy), on Twitter.com about the new Best Buy Mobile test store that opened recently in Mall Of America. He posted the photos to his blog Barry Judge Blog's Best Buy Mobile Stores, and I took a stab at a critique.

I think the stores are a breath of fresh air compared to their 'big-box' parents. The challenge is that the retail formats and locations are entirely different. Malls are for teenagers and the parents that drop them off. In order to keep steady traffic you are going to need products that teens can buy and commit to on their own such as; affordable mobile accessories and no-contract phones.

If the Best Buy mobile employees can perform enough demos and have the since of cool in-the-air, teens will drag their parents into the store to beg for the more high-end products. You might even sell them a plan or two. Really push the family plans and monitored phone usage.

-itsTripple

Motorola Q9h for AT&T Phone Review

The Motorola Q9h (AT&T version), is at the top of my Smartphone list. I do a lot of business with my mobile phone such as email; web browsing, GPS, text messaging, and creating short text documents. This phone can handle it all.

Being a manly man, I have big hands (and feet too). The keyboard is spread out perfectly so that I can comfortably text and dial. The phone comes with a large and bright screen which makes for great text, graphic, and image display. The Motorola Q9h runs Window Mobile 6 and runs mobile versions of Windows Media Player so that you can enjoy your music, video, and pictures. There are also mobile versions of Microsoft-like versions of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Unlike the Apple iPhone, you can use a removable storage card and switch-out the battery. It also includes SMS messaging (basic text messaging), which the iPhone doesn't support.

Sound quality is great and the price is right! Get it online and save when you order through Life-Digitized.
Use this link to get $50 Off Smart Phones from AT&T!

-itsTripple

TaxBrain.com Tax Tips: How to get Your 2007 IRS Tax Rebate

There is a lot of great information here on how to file your 2007 tax return to guarantee you get your share of the IRS stimulus payments - tax rebate checks. TaxBrain.com says that when you file online and select direct deposit for your refund, the IRS will automatically direct deposit your stimulus-tax rebate into the same account.

read more | digg story

Get Your Free $40 Digital Converter Box Coupon

The digital television transitions act is coming soon. This is a post that I did for digitaltv-weglog.com with information on how to get your free $40 coupon from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, (U.S. department of Commerce).

-itsTripple

clipped from www.digitaltv-weblog.com

When I use to Work for Ice Cube

I Use to Love Her... I know exactly how Common felt when he made that classic hip-hop track. Back in the mid-'90's hip-hop was at its peak! The internet was around but people hadn't figured out how to monetize it yet. I was a college student a street promoter working for some of the hottest record companies at the time such as; Priority, Universal, Tommy Boy, and Geffen. I even worked directly with Ice Cube when he launched Lynch Mob records to release K-Dee and Kausion (Young crazy and talented group of LA's finest). Thanks for the hook-up Robert Redd. Where ya at??!!

Music has changed. I'm irritated at hip-hop right now. I feel like my parents did when I was blasting LA Dream Team, Rodney '0 & Joe Cooley, RUN-DMC, and UTFO. My mom would always say, "What is that mess?" To me it was the greatest thing since sliced bread (Cliche). Maybe that is how the new generation feels about what is out now but, I have a hard time accepting that. My generation started hip-hop and now I think it is in danger of being ruined. What do you think???

Crave Reports that iTunes will Launch Rental Service

Okay, selling a video I can see but rental??? This is going to be a tough one. How much is it going to cost to rent a ''5 x ''3 movie or TV show. Why not just order cable??? Note to Apple: Work with cable providers to download to your device. Think "Pocket Dish". Hello people!!!!! This can be done a whole lot easier. See the PocketDish Here.

clipped from crave.cnet.com Reports: Apple, Fox planning movie rental service Apple is reportedly planning to get into the movie rental business and license its digital rights management technology, and it could announce a deal within the next few weeks. Both the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal are reporting that Twentieth Century Fox Film has signed a deal with Apple to let iTunes users download new movies and keep them for an unspecified (but likely short) period of time.

CNET Ranks the Best Smartphones for 2007

I found their summary to be pretty well rounded. That Samsung SCH-i760 from Verizon was a sleeper. I might have to get one of those myself. It the perfect smartphone for my digital living and lifestyle.

clipped from reviews.cnet.com Best smartphones of 2007 Bonnie Cha, Senior Associate Editor December 11, 2007 Smartphones are no longer just for business users, early adopters, or gadget hounds. The use of these devices has spilled into the consumer space, thanks to more entry-level models and versatile designs. Plus, all users are realizing the benefits of these cell phone/PDA hybrids, so much so that market research firm In-Stat has predicted that smartphone sales will grow at a rate of more than 30 percent over the next five years, and they're outpacing the sale of laptops--pretty amazing.

Konsole Kingz Gaming it up at 2007 BETHip-Hop Awards-Life-Digitized

My Knosole Kingz have been hitting the scene hard lately. Just a couple of weeks they did it big in the ATL with the Halo 3 release and most recently providing digital gaming living backstage at the 2007 BET Hip-Hop Awards. Visit their site and see it all for yourself!

clipped from www.konsolekingz.com First off, we have to say. The 2007 BET Hip Hop awards was 10 times better than last year’s snoozefest. The 2006 edition was the perfect place to catch some Z’s if you needed to rest from the night before or recharge for afterparties. Since that’s out of the way, we’ll “put the hatin’ on pause” like host Katt Williams suggested to the attendees in the packed out Atlanta Civic Center. The Konsole Kingz showed up fashionably late (well, not really we had other shit to do beforehand) and missed Kanye’s performance. But, we’re starting to believe that we probably didn’t miss anything because when we finally got to our seats, no one was standing and begging for more. Nor did anyone bother to tap us on the shoulder and say “dawg, you missed that shit.” Read the rest of this entry »

Konsole Kingz Halo 3 Celebrity Chalenge in the ATL!

My folks at Konsole Kingz did it big for the much anticipated Hallo 3 release. They sponosored a celebrity Halo 3 challenge featuring celebrities such as Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins, E-40 and more.

Shop www.life-digitized.com and get the limited edition Halo 3 X-Box 360. Halo 3 for X-Box 360 and the X-Box 360 gaming systems are available now at www.life-digitized.com

clipped from www.konsolekingz.com

iPod Touch is Already Reporting Problems - Screen Related

Its you digital living and lifestyles partner giving tyou the 411 on the new Apple iPod Touch devices. Sevral articles are popping up discussing problems with the device's screen. Check them out.

clipped from tech.yahoo.com Apple has admitted that a "small number" of the screens on its new iPod Touch have trouble displaying dark images. Now let's see if Cupertino takes the next step and replaces the glitchy Touches free of charge.

HDTV Owners Aren't Familliar with what HDTV is!

clipped from twice.com

Port Washington, N.Y. — Among those who currently own HDTVs, 52 percent are familiar with the availability of high-definition DVD players, but only 11 percent expressed strong intentions to buy one in the next six months, according to a new survey released by The NPD Group.

The Apple Newton is Re-born as the iPhone!

It has been almost 15 years since Apple Computers (now just Apple), introduced the release of the Apple Newton Personal Digital Assistant. Seven failed models and almost 20 years later, the time for this portable device has finally arrived.

It is as if it had always been Apple's plan...

The Apple iPod is practically an offspring of the Apple Newton. The Newton's ARM processor was the foundation for iPod's operating system which ironically, was created by Pixo. A company founded by two ex-Apple Newton developers. Part of the Newton's 2.1 handwriting recognition system was included in Mac OS X , (Jaguar 10.2 ).

The new iPhone, cleaverly introduced at Macworld 2007 in San Francisco while the rest of the consumer electornics industry were attending the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show covention in Las Vegas, runs on Apple's OS X operating system. Interestingly enough the 'mobile life' concept of the new iPhone is the same vision the Apple Newton once promoted. The difference between now and 15 years ago is technology and an oversaturated PDA market.

The movement of processors, storage and displays in smaller and more efficient packages has opened the door for a Newton-like product to excell in todays personal consumer electronics market. As digital phone manufacturers battle for position amongst each other, content still proves to be the deciding factor amongst shoppers.

This is why Apple currently has the advantage. They rule the portable content market for music and are making steady growth in video content as well. All the iPhone has to do is offer the same content power as the mid-level iPod offering and decent mobile phone service. Current iPod customers will make the switch and dump their traditional mobile phone companies in a heart beat.

When Newton was introduced 15 years ago the term 'music download' was irrelevant. But Apple's technology framework for instant mobile consumption of content was in place via the Newton. The name 'iPhone' doesn't properly encompass all of this new products posibilities. Maybe they should name it 'iMate', (get it? eMate? Nevermind..). Dropping the computer out of Apple's corporate name is a smart move. It is also a sign that the lines between content and hardware manufacturers is blurring. Probably a lot faster than most may think.

Apple Strikes Back with the iPhone

Soon as I finished talking about Microsoft's iPod killer in my previous blog, I get a news flash that Apple intends to release a mobile phone and possible mobile phone service! Talk about good publicity! Apple didn't let Microsoft's news of a possible iPod killer soak in industry heads for too long. Someone over there is on the ball.

So rumor has it that Apple is looking to buy and resale wireless capacity from a major phone carrier such as Cingular, Sprint, or T-Mobile. They're also looking at developing an iPhone to complement the popular 'iLife' lifestyle. The phone could possibly include iTunes; computer docking capabilities; and a camera.

The question is... How is that different from the ROKR? Is it that Motorola doesn't want to be associated with Apple if their current mobile phone venture flops???? Hmmmm???? Well, if Apple is able to put 'mobile phones' under their product umbrella they will accomplish a tremendous shift from 'computer maker' to 'consumer electronics' manufacturer. A significant change that is in line with the way people consume technology.

Expect iPhones to debut by the end of the year or beginning of 2007.

-Tripple

Microsoft Announces iPod Killer!

Microsoft has officially announced that they intend to crush iPod's market share. Well maybe not in those exact words but... Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmers had this to say, "In five years are people really going to carry two devices? One device that is their communication device, one device that is music? There's going to be a lot of opportunities to get back in that game. We want to be in that game. Expect to see announcements from us in that area in the next 12 months."

I can feel Steve with that statement. Personally, I'm tired of toting around my Pocket Windows based Dell mobile PC and my Apple iPod. My mobile PC can play video and MP3 files but, the iPod is easier to use. My mobile PC syncs my Outlook email and Word files but, my iPod supports a weak calendar and contact list. Oh yeah, I also carry a RAZR phone, (Pre-built-in iTunes). Three devices that do a little bit of each but, somehow manufacturers haven't figured out how to squeeze them all together?

I wonder what mobile phone company Microsoft will partner with? Will Motorola and Apple finally get the marriage of iTunes and the mobile phone to click? It will be interesting to see what the next 12 months will bring.

-Tripple

Motorola Shines at 2006 CES Show!

Hot Moto Products but Few Release Dates...



Motorola had one of the busiest booths at CES this year and for good reason. One of the highlights of their 2006 CES appearance was the announcement of Entertainment and music enabled mobile devices... Motorola iRadio, a mobile handset powered music subscription service that seamlessly moves from home, to car stereo, and headset. The initial service offering of 435 commercial-free radio channels makes it one of the widest selections of subscription music entertainment available. Availability??? Late 2006.


Motorola and iTunes is at it again as well. Consumers weren't too crazy about the Motorola ROKR which featured iTunes but they may be interested in iTunes on their RAZR! That's right! New versions of the RAZR and other Motorola phones such as the SLVR and L6 will come with iTunes capabilities! Availability???? Late 2006. Get a V3 RAZR or V3 VCast Now!



Motorola also has an extensive partnership with Oakley to produce the RAZRWIRE Bluetooth headset which combines Oakley optics with Motorola Bluetooth technology. Their latest product O ROKR, offers Bluetooth mobile communications and wireless music streaming. Availability???? First half of 2006. Get the RAZRWIRE Now!