As the pleasant weather finally approaches, we start to think about travel, baseball, golf, music, and enjoying time with family and friends. This collection of apps covers all these aspects of life while also including two new Google offerings from the I/O conference last week.

Google Hangouts

Platform: Android

Price: Free

Google has always had a piecemeal approach to communications so I was pleased to see them launch Hangouts as they attempt to consolidate these communications. Hangouts replaces Google Talk and gives you a quick and easy way to chat and connect via a video call.

Hangouts also lets you work across multiple platforms, including your desktop so communications flow better. I look forward to SMS integration like we see in Facebook Messenger.

(Image: Google Hangouts)

Google Hangouts

Platform: Android

Price: Free

I was able to enjoy a group chat in Hangouts on my HTC One while my daughters were on iPhones. A nice feature on Android is the ability to use a number of emoticons by tapping the smiley face on the text entry line.

(Image: Google Play Music)

Google Play Music

Platform: Android

Price: $9.99/month for All Access service

I enjoy music subscription services, but also like to store and enjoy my own music collection. The new All Access service that comes with Google Play Music combines these two functions with a new user interface.

You can still use Google Play Music with your own collection, but the Radio option and ability to listen to the entire library they have on hand is a subscription service. If you start the trial before 30 June, the monthly subscription fee is just $7.99 so give it a try now.

(Image: Google Play Music)

Google Play Music

Platform: Android

Price: $9.99/month for All Access service

The player interface has also changed a bit with big button controls and album art that moves around the display.

(Image: Remote 4 Roku Free)

Remote 4 Roku Free

Platform: Windows Phone 8

Price: Free

I cut the cable over a year ago and enjoy Internet video content on my TVs. The main device I use is a Roku box, but often have trouble finding the remote. Remote 4 Roku now gives me the ability to control my Roku from my phone.

The one improvement I would like to see is the ability to have a library of Rokus since I have one in my rec room, kitchen, and bedroom.

(Image: Remote 4 Roku Free)

Remote 4 Roku Free

Platform: Windows Phone 8

Price: Free

You can choose to show your favorite channels while also choosing which skin you want on your remote.

(Image: My Trips)

My Trips

Platform: Windows Phone 8

Price: $1.99

I travel about once a month for work and find the TripIt service to be invaluable. I have gotten enough in flight fees credited back to pay for years of TripIt Pro. The official Windows Phone app is not very good though, but thankfully there is a great alternative in My Trips.

You can leave the paper behind and view all aspects of your trip itinerary with My Trips.

(Image: My Trips)

My Trips

Platform: Windows Phone 8

Price: $1.99

Flight details are shown and also updated as you travel.

(Image: Race to the Pennant)

Race to the Pennant

Platform: iOS

Price: $0.99

Baseball season is upon us and with nearly 200 games in the season I think it is fun to see how your team stacks up and if they have a shot at winning the pennant. WIth Race to the Pennant you can quickly see how your team/division is doing and if there is any chance they are going to win it all.

(Image: Race to the Pennant)

Race to the Pennant

Platform: iOS

Price: $0.99

You can also view some key stats in the app and see how your team stacks up with those racing you to the finish.

(Image: Audible)

Audible

Platform: iOS

Price: Free app, paid subscription

When you are out and about it isn't always easy or advisable to view your display and read a book. I subscribed to Audible about six months ago and am now hooked on audio books.

The application works well on my iPhone and even supports the new Whispersync technology that syncs written and audio books through the Kindle service.

(Image: Audible)

Audible

Platform: iOS

Price: Free app, paid subscription

You can choose which books in your library to download on your iPhone. You can also control your experience with different taps and swipes on the display.

(Image: PGA Tour)

PGA Tour

Platform: BlackBerry 10

Price: Free

Golf is a popular summer sport and while I am not personally a very active golfer, I do enjoy sports. The PGA Tour app gives you the latest and greatest news and tourney status on your BB10 device.

You can view the leader board, check out details of the course, view stats on players, and even view Twitter feeds from staff and players.

(Image: PGA Tour)

PGA Tour

Platform: BlackBerry 10

Price: Free

One of my favorite things about golf is the beautiful courses. I like that you can see course and hole details in the app, which helps improve the fan experience.

(Image: CB10)

CB10

Platform: BlackBerry 10

Price: Free

CrackBerry.com is my favorite BlackBerry site and their CB10 app just won a major award at BlackBerry Live last week. CB10 gives you optimized access to the website and even supports BBM integration.

In addition to news, reviews, and articles you also get access to forums and the ability to easily view and add comments.

(Image: CB10)

CB10

Platform: BlackBerry 10

Price: Free

The slick peek and slide user interface is supported on CB10. This is one of the MUST have apps for BlackBerry 10 and I find new apps and the ability to download them faster using CB10 than browsing through the store.

You will find native photo editing tools on all these newest smartphone platforms, but they don't appear as apps. These tools can improve the quality and look of photos you take. It is also fun to add customizations to your photos. To access these editing tools you first need to go into the device's gallery area and open up a photo. An option to edit a photo will be your gateway to these various editing tools.

I personally liked using the BlackBerry 10 and Nokia Creative Studio utilities the best as they gave me a mix of the essentials with some slick enhancement tools.

HTC One Android smartphone

The editing clients for all the other platforms is the same out of the box. However, on your Android smartphone the manufacturer has flexibility to provide a different native editing tool so the tools available on HTC will be different than what you find on Samung, LG, Motorola, and others.

The screenshots in this post were captured from the HTC One so the native tool has an HTC origin. You will even find that this tool differs from other HTC devices so with Android there is no consistent, cross-device experience.

After opening up a photo, tap the Edit button to access the HTC editor. At the bottom of the display you will find four icons that allow you to access Effects, Frames, Retouch, and Transform.

The Effects tool gives you filtering options similar to what you might find on Instagram. You can select from a number of effects and when you tap on an option you will see a preview of that appear as the photo changes. I personally don't use this tool much.

The Frames lets you customize the border of the photo with options such as wooden, airmail, grunge, and montage. These can be fun at times and I have edited photos using this tool.

When you tap on Retouch several options will appear, giving you a Photoshop Lite experience. The available tools actually are a bit dynamic too and will change depending on the photo you are viewing. For example, if someone photo bombed you then an option to remove that person may appear. Unfortunately, there is not much manual control over this option.

Tools available to you with Retouch include skin smoothing, lighting, face contour, eye enhancer, red eye removal, eye brightening, and anti-shine. As you can see most of these are focused on adjusting photos of people.

The last available tool is called Transform and allows you the ability to rotate, crop, flip, and straighten your photo.

The new Galaxy S4 has even more options for editing so open up a photo on your smartphone and check out the powerful editing tool in your hand.

Frames lets you customize the border of the photo with options such as wooden, airmail, grunge, and montage. These can be fun at times and I have edited photos using this tool.

The Effects tool gives you filtering options similar to what you might find on Instagram. You can select from a number of effects and when you tap on an option you will see a preview of that appear as the photo changes. I personally don't use this tool much.

Frames lets you customize the border of the photo with options such as wooden, airmail, grunge, and montage. These can be fun at times and I have edited photos using this tool.

When you tap on Retouch several options will appear, giving you a Photoshop Lite experience. The available tools actually are a bit dynamic too and will change depending on the photo you are viewing. For example, if someone photo bombed you then an option to remove that person may appear. Unfortunately, there is not much manual control over this option.

Tools available to you with Retouch include skin smoothing, lighting, face contour, eye enhancer, red eye removal, eye brightening, and anti-shine. As you can see most of these are focused on adjusting photos of people.

The last available tool is called Transform and allows you the ability to rotate, crop, flip, and straighten your photo.

BlackBerry Z10 with BB10

The photo editing tools were shown to me at the BB10 launch and have a slick user interface that helps make photo editing a fun experience.

After you open a photo and select to edit it you are launched into the center of the editor with the Artistic tool immediately available below your photo. The way the BB10 editor works is there is a bottom toolbar showing the four main tools and the row above this shows you the available options with thumbnails of your edited photo above the name of the option. When you tap the option, the large photo appears with your changes in place. You still have to save the edited photo and can always go back to your original.

The options available to you in Artistic mode include black and white, lomo, antique, sepia, watercolor, sketch, and more. I like these options much more than those on the HTC One and many like this are found on Samsung devices.

The Transform tool is limited and gives you options to rotate, free transform the size, or make an image square.

With Enhance options you can adjust red-eye, brightness, white balance, contrast, sharpness, saturation, and noise reduction. These are the standard editing tools you might find on your computer and are helpful for manual photo control.

The last tool, Styles, lets you apply Instagram-like quick styles to your photo. Options include smooth face, sixties, grain, age photo, cartoon, big eyes, and more.

I like the mix of traditional editing tools and new filters on BB10 and find it to be one of the most useful native photo editors available to smartphone owners today.

After you open a photo and select to edit it you are launched into the center of the editor with the Artistic tool immediately available below your photo. The way the BB10 editor works is there is a bottom toolbar showing the four main tools and the row above this shows you the available options with thumbnails of your edited photo above the name of the option. When you tap the option, the large photo appears with your changes in place. You still have to save the edited photo and can always go back to your original.

The options available to you in Artistic mode include black and white, lomo, antique, sepia, watercolor, sketch, and more. I like these options much more than those on the HTC One and many like this are found on Samsung devices.

The Transform tool is limited and gives you options to rotate, free transform the size, or make an image square.

With Enhance options you can adjust red-eye, brightness, white balance, contrast, sharpness, saturation, and noise reduction. These are the standard editing tools you might find on your computer and are helpful for manual photo control.

Styles, lets you apply Instagram-like quick styles to your photo. Options include smooth face, sixties, grain, age photo, cartoon, big eyes, and morel.

Nokia Lumia 920 with Windows Phone 8

Like Android, the tools available to you on a Windows Phone 8 device depend on the manufacturer. Since Nokia is the main Windows Phone vendor I have screenshots showing options available on a Nokia Lumia device.

When you tap on the Edit option as you view a photo, Windows Phone 8 jumps to a screen showing the available tools for your device. On my Nokia Lumia 920, options appear as crop, rotate, auto-fix (native WP tool), Camera360, and Creative Studio. These last two are tools provided by Nokia and only appear if you installed them from the Store.

Like iOS, the native WP8 tool is very basic and just gives you options to rotate, crop, and auto fix. That's it, no other options are provided natively so photo editing is limited out of the box.

I haven't used the Camera360 editor too often, but have seen some pretty slick edits made and shared online. After you launch this app, you will see options at the bottom of the screen for clip, rotate, and effect. Tapping on effect takes you into an editor similar to what you find in iPhoto.

Small icons appear in a menu bar at the bottom of the display with options labeled scenery, portrait, microspur, food, and night. Tapping on each of these then gives you a row of filters with small thumbnails showing previews of what you edited image would look like. These filters include names such as foggy, purple, fall, enhance, normal, reversal, maple, emerald, sunny, black & white, and many more.

The Creative Studio app from Nokia is the real powerhouse for editing your photos on a Nokia Lumia. You have the ability to quickly apply filters such as silver, ivory, jade, quartz and more as soon as you launch this editor. A preview of what your photo looks like with these filters appears on the display. After selecting one of these main filters, you can then tap to edit and access several slick photo manipulation tools.

The tools in Creative Studio appear under four main headings at the top of your screen in the panoramic Metro UI. These main options are titled fix, blur, play, and adjust.

The Fix option lets you crop, rotate, and fix red eye. The Blur tool is fun and lets you select parts of your photo to focus on while blurring the rest of the photo. You can use a line drawing tool for this or a slick and easy radial tool.

The Play tool has color pop and collage functions. Color pop turns your photo to black and white and then lets you tap to add color and even gives you control over the primary colors in the photo so you can have all yellow images or all red images shown in color. This is also a fun tool to play with. The collage tool lets you choose images to then pull together into a collage. I use collages for sharing before and after shots quite a bit.

Traditional photo edits are made through the Adjust tool that lets you control color balance, brightness, clarity, and vibrance.

I haven't used the Camera360 editor too often, but have seen some pretty slick edits made and shared online. After you launch this app, you will see options at the bottom of the screen for clip, rotate, and effect. Tapping on effect takes you into an editor similar to what you find in iPhoto.

Small icons appear in a menu bar at the bottom of the display with options labeled scenery, portrait, microspur, food, and night. Tapping on each of these then gives you a row of filters with small thumbnails showing previews of what you edited image would look like. These filters include names such as foggy, purple, fall, enhance, normal, reversal, maple, emerald, sunny, black & white, and many more.

The Creative Studio app from Nokia is the real powerhouse for editing your photos on a Nokia Lumia. You have the ability to quickly apply filters such as silver, ivory, jade, quartz and more as soon as you launch this editor. A preview of what your photo looks like with these filters appears on the display. After selecting one of these main filters, you can then tap to edit and access several slick photo manipulation tools.

The tools in Creative Studio appear under four main headings at the top of your screen in the panoramic Metro UI. These main options are titled fix, blur, play, and adjust.

The Fix option lets you crop, rotate, and fix red eye. The Blur tool is fun and lets you select parts of your photo to focus on while blurring the rest of the photo. You can use a line drawing tool for this or a slick and easy radial tool.

Apple iPhone 5 with iOS

Like most of these platforms, there are native tools and then 3rd party applications you can purchase to provide even more tools. The native iOS tool is very limited in the photo editing department with just options to rotate, auto-enhance, remove red-eye, and crop photos.

Since Apple provides iPhoto on Macs and iOS, I decided to include their iPhoto app for comparison even though this one will cost you a few bucks. iPhoto offers tools similar to what other smartphones have natively.

To edit photos with iPhoto, you need to actually launch the iPhoto app and then select a photo you want to edit. Editing tools in iPhoto are dynamic so tapping the icon in the bottom left slides tools out from the left side along the bottom where you can then dive down a level or two for more editing options.

There are options to crop, rotate, adjust contrast, adjust brightness, adjust color levels with slick sliders, red-eye removal, sharpen, soften, and more.

Tapping on the last icon to the right in the bottom toolbar takes you to a palette of tools, called Effects, that open up as a virtually stacked color strip selector. The main tool names appear as ink effects, warm & cool, duotone, black & white, aura, vintage, and artistic. Tapping on a strip then gives you more options for editing photos.

To edit photos with iPhoto, you need to actually launch the iPhoto app and then select a photo you want to edit. Editing tools in iPhoto are dynamic so tapping the icon in the bottom left slides tools out from the left side along the bottom where you can then dive down a level or two for more editing options.

There are options to crop, rotate, adjust contrast, adjust brightness, adjust color levels with slick sliders, red-eye removal, sharpen, soften, and more.

Tapping on the last icon to the right in the bottom toolbar takes you to a palette of tools, called Effects, that open up as a virtually stacked color strip selector. The main tool names appear as ink effects, warm & cool, duotone, black & white, aura, vintage, and artistic. Tapping on a strip then gives you more options for editing photos.

Tapping on the last icon to the right in the bottom toolbar takes you to a palette of tools, called Effects, that open up as a virtually stacked color strip selector. The main tool names appear as ink effects, warm & cool, duotone, black & white, aura, vintage, and artistic. Tapping on a strip then gives you more options for editing photos.

Tapping on the last icon to the right in the bottom toolbar takes you to a palette of tools, called Effects, that open up as a virtually stacked color strip selector. The main tool names appear as ink effects, warm & cool, duotone, black & white, aura, vintage, and artistic. Tapping on a strip then gives you more options for editing photos.

Tapping on the last icon to the right in the bottom toolbar takes you to a palette of tools, called Effects, that open up as a virtually stacked color strip selector. The main tool names appear as ink effects, warm & cool, duotone, black & white, aura, vintage, and artistic. Tapping on a strip then gives you more options for editing photos.

Nokia Lumia 928 in Verizon's red box

The Nokia Lumia 928 comes to Verizon this week, and I wanted to share some first impressions as I begin my trial of the device. I have the Lumia 920, and a few days ago I wrote about the difference between the two. One of the major differences is the Xenon flash on the 928, but, as you can see in my image gallery, it doesn't appear to have as much of an advantage as I thought, thanks in large part to the solid low-light performance of the Lumia 920.

There isn't anything really that new or unique that would justify anyone moving from AT&T to Verizon just to go from a 920 to a 928. However, it is great to see a high-end Lumia Windows Phone 8 device available for Verizon customers. The 928 takes all that is great about the 920 and makes it just a bit better with the Xenon flash, OLED display, and improved speaker.

We used to see Nokia innovating more with Symbian, and I am a bit disappointed and think it may be held back by the OS. I do give Nokia credit for pushing things as far as possible, though, especially when it comes to software and services.

In looking at the Lumia 928, we find the following specifications:

• Dual-core 1.5GHz processor

• 1GB RAM and 32GB integrated storage

• Windows Phone 8 OS

• 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ OLED display at 1,280x768 resolution

• 8.7-megapixel PureView camera with Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash

• 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera

• 200mAh integrated battery with Qi wireless charging support

• Bluetooth 3.0

• 802.11 a/b/g/n wi-fi and NFC

• Dimensions of 133x68.9x10.1mm and 163 grams

As you can see, the Lumia 928 is a typical Windows Phone device with a couple of advanced features. It is 22 grams lighter than the 920, which was something that several reviewers commented on when the 920 was released. Performance is flawless, but the "Loading..." dialogue is present at times like it is on all Windows Phone devices.

I took a few sample shots with a Nokia N8 with Xenon flash, Nokia Lumia 920, and Nokia Lumia 928 in my gallery in pitch-black conditions. The N8 performed best, but then it was really a toss-up between the Lumia 920 with LED and Lumia 928 with Xenon flash.

This is not a full review of the Lumia 928 by any means, and I plan to take it for a spin for the next couple of weeks. I have been a Windows Phone fan for nearly three years, and want to see if the 928 on Verizon can knock the iPhone 5 out of my hand.

If you have anything specific you want me to check out, feel free to leave a comment or send me a request on Twitter.

Related stories

• Nokia offers low cost Nokia Music+ subscription service for Lumia owners

• First impressions: Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 smartphone

• Bye bye Spotify, hello free Nokia Music

• Seven reasons to buy the Nokia Lumia 920

• Nokia brings Nokia Music to Lumia devices in the USA

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Opening the box to reveal the 928

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Cable and USB charger included

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back of the 928 with Xenon flash

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Longer camera bar and flash

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Louder rear speaker, instead of along the bottom

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Lumia 920 next to 928

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back of Lumia 920 and 928

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Square design of the 928

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Right side is where all the buttons are

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Top has the ports and SIM slot

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Another view of the top with glass to the edges

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Front view and only Verizon branding

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Lumia 928 in hand

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

iPhone 5, Lumia 920, Lumia 928, and HTC One

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back of the iPhone 5, Lumia 920, Lumia 928, and HTC One

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Out-of-the-box home screen

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

More preloaded apps, very little Verizon-specific ones

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Last view of home screen

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Apps loaded on the 928

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

More apps (don't forget you can uninstall anything you like)

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Lumia 928 apps

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Data Sense helps you manage your allowances

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

See what is using up your connection

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

My Verizon app

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

You can view and manage your account

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

These maps were preloaded

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

VZ Navigator is included as an option

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

More VZ Navigator

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

You have to pay for advanced features, use Here Maps instead

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

My customized Start screen

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Characters shot with Nokia N8

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Characters shot with Lumia 920

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Characters shot with Lumia 928

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Poster shot with Nokia N8

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Poster shot with Lumia 920

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Poster shot with Lumia 928

Regular readers know I have been a die-hard Windows Phone fan since the beginning, after testing out an early prototype starting in July 2010.

The newly announced Nokia Lumia 928 and 925 devices look solid, but they also makes it clear that Nokia is being held back with incremental hardware updates while pushing as hard as they can with their own software.

It reminds me of the way HTC used to push Windows Mobile back in the day and we see how that ended up.

The new Lumia 928 and 925 devices offer some incremental improvements over the 920 released last year with a Xenon flash in the 928 and additional lens piece in the 925 with OLED displays now being used on both.

The internal hardware (processor, RAM, OIS camera) is virtually the same, wireless charging is lost on the 925, the 925 gets a paltry 16GB internal memory limit on most carriers, and the same missing applications remain in the Windows Phone market. The 928 is the better device than the 925 in most ways, including internal storage capacity, Xenon flash, and Qi wireless charging integration, while the 925 does appear to have a sexier hardware build.

Nokia used to push the limits of the smartphone world with innovative devices running Symbian and we are just not seeing them able to push too far with Windows Phone. The limitations I am talking about include functions left behind from Windows Phone 7 moving to Windows Phone 8, FM radio, ability to rent/buy movies in the Marketplace, utilities such as flip to silent, and more. Some of these are coming back eventually thanks to Nokia's hard work.

We also see things missing in Windows Phone 8 that we saw from Nokia in Symbian, including FM transmitter (so nice to stream podcasts to in-car stereo), phone profiles, truly great multi-tasking, and home screen folders. Nokia has innovated in software with some great camera features and outstanding services like Nokia Music+ and HERE Maps.

It is likely we will see them get a true PureView camera, like the 808, out later in 2013, but launching this in early 2013 would have generated excitement that the WP platform needs.

As I use accessories to improve my life I find that Windows Phone forces me to compromise where Android and iOS don't. For example, my Pebble watch lets me see who is calling or messaging me while my phone is in my pocket or my gear bag so I can make informed decisions about my next action or inaction. My Jawbone UP connects to my Android and iOS devices to help motivate me to improve my health and well-being. As we get more connected with accessories and networks, Windows Phone remains primarily connected to itself.

I do like the Windows Phone UI for the most part, but I do not like the limited notifications, limited multi-tasking functionality, less-functional apps than other platforms (Facebook on Windows Phone is terrible), and lack of apps that I don't even care to mention anymore since we don't see much movement in getting them to Windows Phone (Instagram, Starbucks, MLB At Bat, RunKeeper).

Nokia is pushing Windows Phone, just like HTC pushed Windows Mobile, and I hope we see them succeed in making progress.

Last year, all five lines on my T-Mobile family plan were using Windows Phone. Right now, I have two iPhones and three Android devices on these five lines and the users are much happier with the overall experiences.

I used to think Windows Phone was the right choice for Nokia, but now that I use amazing devices like the HTC One and Galaxy Note II, I have to wonder what Nokia could have done with their hardware and software development on a platform like Android. They may have been just another Android manufacturer, but look what Samsung was able to do. Nokia could have been the Samsung of the Android world, or at least given Samsung a run for its money.

According to BlackBerry, BB 10.1 comes with the following:

• BlackBerry Hub: The BlackBerry Hub lets you access all of your messages and notifications in one place. With BlackBerry 10.1, support for PIN to PIN messages for direct communication between BlackBerry smartphones has been added to the BlackBerry Hub. Plus, improved attachment support in the BlackBerry Hub makes it easier to view emails that have been sent as attachments to other messages.

• Notifications: With BlackBerry 10.1 you can personalize the notifications for your accounts and contacts, so you always know what is happening around you. You can customize ringtones, vibration, and the LED light by contact or by account for more personalized notifications.

• Fine cursor control: BlackBerry 10.1 makes it easier and more accurate to pinpoint exactly where you want to type. Tap once to bring up the cursor. Grab the blue circle and drag it around to place it exactly where you need it. Tap either side of the circle to move left or right by just one character. It's easy to move around with speed and precision.

• Camera: BlackBerry 10 lets you create the perfect shot by moving parts of your picture backwards and forwards in time with Time Shift mode. BlackBerry 10.1 adds an HDR shooting mode for beautiful images in tricky lighting conditions. A standard image takes a picture at one exposure level. Where you have high contrast between light and dark areas of the photo, fine details can be lost. High dynamic range (HDR) mode takes multiple pictures at different exposure levels and layers them automatically to produce a single photo that combines the best of the dark and light areas.

• Misc: You'll find lots of new improvements across the BlackBerry 10 OS, like landscape support for the calendar, easier international dialing, improved red eye reduction in the picture editor, and much more. The first step to discovering these new features is to update your BlackBerry 10 software.

I will update my Z10 as soon as I can, and take these new features for a spin. I am particularly interested in seeing if Facebook updates now sync properly in the Hub (my read status would never update), how improved the camera is, and how the calendar now works in landscape.

I also want to know when, and if, the PlayBook is really going to see a BlackBerry 10 release, as was promised months ago.

• Matt loves his Pebble smart watch; it helps to have RunKeeper, too

• Nokia Lumia 928 for Verizon revealed

• Jawbone announces Up platform, RunKeeper again appears on another device

• Google Now for iPhone?

• Google I/O predictions, rumors

• What's your current primary smartphone and tablet?

Running time: 64 minutes

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I am not a single smartphone guy, and use every mobile OS, so I get the chance to try out lots of applications. We now find hundreds of thousands of apps, and it can be difficult finding new ones to try. This is the first instalment of a planned weekly smartphone app wrap gallery, where I'll post some thoughts on new and useful mobile apps, along with representative screenshots from those apps.

Mobile operating systems today are quite advanced, and come with lots of integrated apps and utilities. A lot is written about mobile applications and how many are available for each platform. I am guilty of installing something like 50 apps on my devices, but then using just five to 10 on a regular basis.

Remember The Milk

Platform: Android

Price: Free

I have been looking for a good task list application that works across mobile platforms, and for a while I was using Wunderlist. They then updated the service and dropped Windows Phone support so I had to look elsewhere. I discovered Remember The Milk, and dove in to using it as soon as the latest Android version was released that offered a slick UI.

I love the way you can quickly filter your tasks on the left side, and then swipe back and forth to interact with the app.

(Image: FitnessKeeper)

RunKeeper

Platform: Android

Price:

I have about seven weeks until my next half-marathon, and after RunKeeper support appeared on my Pebble smart watch, I installed the latest version of RunKeeper on my HTC One.

RunKeeper is a powerful fitness application, and last year I signed up as an Elite member so I could do even more with it online. It works well on Android, and tracks just about everything I could want.

(Image: VMBC)

AMC Theatres

Platform: iOS

Price: Free

My family loves to go to the movies, and a local AMC theater near us has premium leather recliners with the ability to pick your seat before you get to the theater. With Iron Man 3 kicking off last weekend, and many more great movies coming soon, I find the AMC Theatres to be an essential app.

(Image: VMBC)

AMC Theatres

Platform: iOS

Price: Free

I pay the yearly fee for AMC Stubs, and this gives me the ability to purchase tickets from my iPhone 5 with no fees, while also earning Stubs Rewards to then buy snacks or movie tickets with reward dollars. I also like that the application includes RunPee support so you can figure out when it is advised to make a bathroom or popcorn refill trip out of the movie.

(Image: Betaworks One)

Dots

Platform: iOS

Price: Free

I am not much of a gamer, but I do enjoy casual games where I can play for 5 to 10 minutes and then move on. I saw a few people talking about Dots: A Game About Connecting on Twitter, so I decided to go check it out.

It turns out that this was not a very good choice, as I now cannot put down the game and keep playing. The game is fairly simple: You connect dots using straight lines (diagonal lines are not allowed), and try to clear as many as possible in a minute. Stats are collected and presented after the game is over.

(Image: Gergely Orosz)

Weather Flow

Platform: Windows Phone

Price: $1.99

I live about 45 miles from where I work, and in the Puget Sound area, this means weather conditions can be different between these two locations. My buddy Rafe Blandford, from All About Windows Phone, recommended that I test out Weather Flow.

Weather Flows looks great, and one of my favorite features is the ability to have it appear on the lock screen with the Bing daily image appearing as the background image. Weather seems to be accurate, and the app is very attractive.

(Image: Hulu)

Hulu Plus

Platform: Windows Phone

Price: Free

Microsoft killed the ability to rent and purchase movies from Xbox Marketplace on Windows Phone 8. There are ways to stream video content, and the latest application to support this launched this week. With the Hulu Plus app, you can view video content on your Windows Phone device.

(Image: Hulu)

Hulu Plus

Platform: Windows Phone

Price: Free

While the app is free, you will need to be a Hulu Plus subscriber to enjoy video content.

(Image: Kisai Labs)

Blaq

Platform: BlackBerry 10

Price: $2.99

Twitter is included in BlackBerry 10, but third-party developers have been making Twitter apps for other platforms. I used Blaq on my PlayBook, so I was very pleased to see Blaq appear for BB10.

Blaq has a slick UI on BB10, and I have been using it on the Z10. You swipe from left to right to access different parts of Twitter. When you select specific tweets, you swipe from right to left and then select options if you want to favorite, retweet, or perform other functions.

(Image: Nobex Technologies)

Nobex

Platform: BlackBerry 10

Price: Free

I listen to a lot of podcasts on my devices, and found the Nobex app to meet my needs.

(Image: Nobex Technologies)

Nobex

Platform: BlackBerry 10

Price: Free

Nobex is more than just a podcatcher; it also works as an internet radio application. YouTube videos of your favorite songs are also viewable within the app. You can have new episode notifications appear in BlackBerry Hub, too.

What's the same between the 920 and 928?

Looking at what the folks at Nokia Conversations wrote about the Lumia 928, we can see that the Lumia 920 and 928 share the following:

• 4.5-inch display size (type is different)

• 8.7-megapixel PureView camera with Carl Zeiss optics

• Optical image stabilization (OIS)

• Qi wireless charging capability

• Same 2,000mAh battery

• 1GB of RAM

• 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor

• 32GB of internal storage.

What's different about the 920 and 928?

While most things are the same, there are a couple of differences that will appeal to media creation folks. These include:

• OLED display, rather than LCD IPS one as seen on the 920

• Xenon flash: This is a big deal for indoor photography, but with advanced low-light camera, I am very curious how much better it will make the indoor camera experience

• Three microphones that record in stereo for better audio recording: The Lumia 920 reportedly has three mics, but records in mono.

The price is just $99.99 with a two-year contract and $50 mail-in rebate. I have a grandfathered unlimited data plan on Verizon, and currently use an iPhone 5. I haven't yet found out what the full price for the 928 is, and am not sure getting a xenon flash and more mics will be worth the $550+ price. I do hope to try out the Lumia 928 at CTIA in a couple of weeks, though.

Update: I confirmed with Verizon that the full price of the Lumia 928 is just $499.99. That is a great deal for a full-featured smartphone with these specs, and after testing it out, it may just be my next Verizon smartphone. To help lessen the upfront cost, ZDNet reader Scott reminded me about the new Verizon device payment program.

There is a Nokia event in London next week, and there is speculation that this may be a global version of the 928, a Lumia with metal body, or a Lumia with a camera even more powerful along the lines of the Nokia PureView 808. We'll have to wait and see.

Aio Wireless (pronounced "A-O") has a number of feature phone and smartphone options, including the new Nokia Lumia 620 for just $179.99, iPhone 5 for $649.99, and Samsung Denima for $29.99. There are no contracts or subsidies for these phones, which is why you see the wide range of pricing.

Jennifer Van Buskirk, president of Aio Wireless, stated:

We talked with no-annual-contract customers and created our service around what they want. They want simple, easy plan choices with unlimited offers; first-class service at affordable prices; great devices; nationwide voice and data coverage; and no annual contracts. Today's wireless customers don't want to compromise. We are set up to win over value-conscious customers, who are increasingly moving towards smartphones and mobile broadband.

You can always bring your own GSM phone and then purchase an Aio SIM for $9.99, too. Given the limits on data network services (see my next paragraph), just about any GSM phone should work fine with Aio Wireless.

Rate plans range from $40 per month to $70 per month, all with unlimited data, talk, and text. The variation in costs is related to how much high-speed access you purchase. High speed does not include long-term evolution (LTE), but is provided by AT&T's HSPA+ network limited to just 4Mbps. If high-speed data is something you desire, then you will need to look at a different option, such as T-Mobile's low-cost Simple Choice plans that also do not have a contract obligation.

Mophie HTC One Juice Pack retail package

At one point in the last couple of years, I was using an iPhone extensively and was also traveling out on the road. I picked up a Mophie Juice Pack at the travel accessory store in the airport terminal, and was satisfied with my ability to use my phone during long, 16-hour days onsite. I was very pleased, and a bit surprised, to see Mophie launch its Juice Pack for the HTC One so quickly after the launch of the device.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back of the retail package

The black Juice Pack is available now for $99.95, with a silver-colored one set for release within the next week or two. I have the silver HTC One, but was sent a black Juice Pack to test out.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Open package, here is the Mophie Juice Pack

The HTC One Mophie Juice Pack is large, just as it is for the iPhone and Galaxy S III. When you add an extra 2,500mAh external battery (the HTC One has an integrated 2,300mAh battery), it is going to add bulk to the device. The battery dimensions are 6.06x2.88x0.67 inches and 5.05 ounces. This means you end up with a longer and thicker overall package. The added thickness doesn't bother me much, though, and actually gives the HTC One a rather substantial feel in the hand. I could see people using this as a daily case to help ensure that they go at least a day with the HTC One.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Package contents include a USB cable and Quick Start Guide

The Mophie Juice Pack retail package includes the battery case, USB cable, and a small Quick Start Guide. The Quick Start Guide consists of a single page with a sketch showing the four steps to using the battery case, along with a number of pages of warranty details in various languages.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Sliding the HTC One into place

I see some people always carrying their device in a Mophie, but I would use it for the HTC One as a travel companion. I have been using the HTC One for well over a month, and am able to go a full day when I charge it up at the office. However, when I do not have access to a charger, I can use something like the Mophie Juice Pack or HTC Battery Bar.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Top piece to be placed on top

The Mophie Juice Pack comes in two pieces: A primary lower piece, and a smaller cap piece that fits over the top and around the camera and flash. You simply slide your HTC One down into the main part of the Juice Pack, and then slide on the top until it snaps securely into place.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Opening for camera and flash

Walking around the case, you can find a black, glossy button for the power button that is designed to still allow full IR functionality. There is an opening for the headset jack in the top piece. The top has a cutout for the camera and flash, with a small opening for the upper microphone.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back of Mophie Juice Pack in hand

On the back is a button that shows you bright white LEDs for battery status. There are four lights when it is full. There is also a on/off switch that you slide to charge up your device or turn off the charging capability.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

HTC One with Juice Pack in hand

The Mophie Juice Pack is a nicely designed package that matches the high-quality design of the HTC One. An integrated battery and case is more convenient than an external battery and cable.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Stereo speakers are still both fully accessible

Both front stereo speakers are fully accessible when in the Mophie Juice Pack. The battery case is also quite protective, and offers edge and back protection. I really like the black soft-touch material that the entire case is made of, as it makes it easier to hold onto the HTC One.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Volume buttons on right side

Looking at the lower half of the Juice Pack, you will find buttons for the volume controls on the upper right side. A micro-USB port is on the bottom, matching the micro-USB port on the HTC One.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

IR port is usable on top button

If your HTC One is in the case when you plug it in, then you will see that both the HTC One and Mophie charge up. There are also four metal contacts on the bottom, and I understand this is for a possible desktop dock launching in the future.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Bottom openings and contacts

The Mophie Juice Pack for the HTC One is an attractive, well-designed case and external battery solution. Road warriors will enjoy the added power and convenience provided, and I imagine these will sell well at airports. I look forward to checking out the silver model to see what looks best with my HTC One and plan to pick one up for myself so I can rest assured I will always have available charge on my HTC One.

The HTC First just launched on April 12, at $99.99. Given that the Galaxy S IV, HTC One, and BlackBerry Z10 are all fairly new on AT&T, this promotional price for the HTC First may just be a way to bring in some buyers. Then again, it could mean that sales are just not there, and they want to sell as many as they can before other great products launch.

You can install the Facebook Home experience on other Android smartphones, and after trying it on my HTC One and Galaxy Note II, I gave up and uninstalled it after a couple of days. I don't think my Facebook life is that exciting, and did not like seeing the same photos regularly scroll across my screen. Even more frustrating were the extra steps I had to take to get back to the Android experience I prefer.

I do use and enjoy the updated Facebook Messenger with Chat Heads functionality, but have no desire to go back to using Facebook Home. People who have tried the HTC First state that it is a decent Android phone, and with Home turned off, you get a pure Google-experience device for a rather low cost.

This AT&T promotional offer may be temporary, but I have trouble believing that there really is a large market for a phone so focused on Facebook. When you can get another Android phone and get more control over the Facebook Home experience, that seems to be the best approach.

If this promotion is extended beyond a reasonable offer period, it is also not good news for HTC, which is struggling to pull out of its financial slump.

Retail package of LG Optimus G Pro

I've written many times about my preference for the Samsung Galaxy Note II, so I was interested in checking out the newest large Android competitor, the AT&T LG Optimus G Pro.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back of LG Optimus G Pro and Galaxy Note II

The LG Optimus G Pro ships in the standard AT&T box, along with a USB cable, A/C charger, and Quick Start Guide. There is no headset included.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Front of LG Optimus G Pro and Galaxy Note II

LG continues to make high-quality Android products, and the device feels great in the hand, even with the large, 5.5-inch display. The Optimus G Pro is quite a bit (relative) narrower than the Galaxy Note II (0.2 inches less), thus making it a bit easier to hold.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

LG Optimus G Pro and Galaxy Note II in hand

The front is a single piece of glass with nicely designed bevelled edges to give it a premium look and feel. The edges transition into a brushed silver plastic frame piece and an attractive removable back plastic cover with a pattern design.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Hardware action button and bevelled glass front

I did keep tapping on the wrong button, as LG has the back button on the left and the menu button on the right of the center hardware action button. My Galaxy Note II has these buttons on the opposite side.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

LG branding up top

The LG Optimus G Pro matches the specifications of the latest and greatest devices, including:

• 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor

• Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

• 5.5-inch 1080p display (400 ppi)

• 2GB RAM

• 13-megapixel camera with LED flash

• 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera with 1080p video capture capability

• Internal storage of 32GB with microSD card slot

• 3,140mAh removable battery

• Dimensions of 5.91x3x0.37 inches and 6.14 ounces.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Left side with application launch button and volume button

There is nothing particularly unique about the specifications, but they are bumped up over what the Galaxy Note II offers. The bezel around the display is smaller, which is how LG was able to make it a bit narrower. The one major difference, and the only real reason I use the Note II over a Galaxy S III or S IV, is the S Pen functionality.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back showing speaker, camera, and flash

Like Samsung's TouchWiz, LG includes its own software layer on top of Android. It is less obtrusive than TouchWiz, and doesn't offer up duplication like Samsung does in too many areas.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Large battery, micro SIM, and microSD

The UI is actually quite good, and gives you some unique customization support, such as the ability to change app icons to different icons or even a photo you select, many custom experience settings, quick side button selection, and more.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Narrower than the Galaxy Note II

LG also includes several utilities, such as QSlide, QuickMemo, QuickRemote, LG Tag+, SmartShare, and VoiceCommand.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Home

The typical home screen on the smartphone.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

AT&T bloatware is included

There are also several AT&T apps included on the Optimus G Pro, including myAT&T, Messages, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Locker, AT&T Smart WiFi, AT&T DriveMode, and Mobile Hotspot.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

App launcher

QuickMemo is assigned by default to the button found on the upper left side of the Optimus G Pro. When you press the button a screenshot of the display is captured. You can then write on the note and share it with others. You can also change the settings to have a blank note created rather than a screenshot.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

More included apps

LG Tag+ is its near-field communication (NFC) utility that lets you read and write NFC tags. SmartShare lets you play and share contents via DLNA. The VoiceCommand app is LG's internal voice application. The Optimus G Pro also comes with Google Now, so you can use that voice software as well.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Busy notification slider

I enjoyed using the Optimus G Pro for the last several days, and like that it is a bit narrower than the Galaxy Note II. LG did a great job with the Optimus G Pro, and I am very pleased with the products it is turning out.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

QuickButton setup

You will find options similar to the Galaxy line, with the display staying on while you look at it, ability to change system fonts, Quick Cover optimization setting, lots of sound optimizations, one-handed optimizations, and more. I found these utilities and settings to be enhancements rather than gimmicks as we see on the Galaxy line.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

QuickButton

The options to assign the QuickButton shortcut.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Gestures settings

Unfortunately, the LG Optimus G Pro is only available on AT&T, so there will be a limited audience for the device. If it was available on T-Mobile or Verizon, I might have purchased one and replaced my Galaxy Note II. I like my Note II, but don't really use the S Pen enough to justify keeping it just for the stylus functionality. Then again, I do use multi-window mode quite a bit, and LG doesn't yet have this functionality down.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Font and advanced settings

There are plenty of great font choices available, too.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

QuickRemote setup

QuickRemote is LG's entry into the world of infrared. The utility works very well, and I actually like the layout of the remote better than what I have on my HTC One. You can set up QuickRemote to work with your TV, cable box, audio device, DVD player, Blu-ray, projector, and air conditioner.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Video Wiz application

The Video Wiz utility lets you add images or videos and music to create highlight videos, similar to what HTC does automatically on the HTC One.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Storage available

The storage settings on the LG Optimus G Pro.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

QSlide Guide

One of the best things about my Galaxy Note II is the multi-window support. LG tried to do something similar with a utility called QSlide. However, QSlide apps (videos, note pad, calendar, and calculator) appear over the top of apps, and there is a slider bar to change the transparency. It is a neat idea, but doesn't seem that practical or useful to me.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

QSlide

Calculator working through QSlide.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

QSlide

QSlide with quick launch buttons on the bottom.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Quick settings

You can edit your quick settings lineup easily.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Weather application

The included weather application.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Customize your shortcut icons

Data-centric consumers like me appreciate these large-screen devices, and the LG Optimus G Pro doesn't disappoint in any way that I have found over the last several days. The LG Optimus G Pro is very fast, feels great in your hand, has a gorgeous large display, and is very reasonably priced for such a large device.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Typical photo captured by LG Optimus G Pro

The camera software is full featured, and includes a different take than what we see on the Galaxy S4. With the S4, you can take a still photo of yourself and include it in the photo. On the Optimus G Pro, you can record yourself and your subject at the same time. It seems to me this may be more useful than dual still photos.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Another photo taken with the LG Optimus G Pro

The LG Optimus G Pro will start shipping today from AT&T, and is available for $199.99 with a 2-year contract. You can check out ZDNet's sister site CNET's review to see another opinion on the device.

I updated my RunKeeper smartphone apps, and then looked all over the place for a way to install the Pebble app, without any luck. It turns out there is no Pebble app to install on your Pebble. You simply start an activity in RunKeeper and the elapsed time, distance, and pace (minutes/mile) appear on your Pebble watch as long as the activity is enabled.

While I have used my phones in the past to run with because of the breadth of data captured and the safety aspect, I can call my wife if I have a health issue or accident on the road, it is nearly impossible to interact with the display or view my run status with my phone strapped in an armband or carrier. I sweat too much to carry a phone in my hand, too. Thus, I have been running with devices like the Motoactv and Garmin Forerunner 610.

With the Pebble now on my wrist, I can strap and put away my smartphone and follow the basic critical data on my Pebble. Functionality is limited to viewing three aspects of your running experience, but the center Pebble button does let you pause and resume your workout. I need to try it tonight, since it looks like I can also control the music on my phone, which makes the Pebble a device that truly can replace my Motoactv when combined with a smartphone.

I like the information that the Pebble utility provides, but those who prefer to view speed or different units may not be as pleased. It doesn't look like any output to the Pebble can be customized at this time. Given that this is a first release, I imagine we will see more coming in future updates.

OtterBox Armor Series retail package

I have tested and purchased several OtterBox cases over the years, since I take my smartphones out into the field and need advanced protection for my expensive devices. I've been testing the new OtterBox Armor Series with my Apple iPhone 5, and the ease of installation and removal, combined with serious protection, make it a great choice to consider.

Retail package contents

The OtterBox iPhone 5 Armor Series is available in green (neon), blue (arctic), and electric orange. I was sent the neon green one to evaluate. The color appears on the inside of the back and on the bottom port covers. The Arctic color also has white front and rear case coloring, while the other two are gray.

Lower corner protection

Specifications for the case include waterproof for 30 minutes in up to 6.6 feet of water, drop proof for drops from up to 10 feet, high-strength reinforced plastic that can withstand up to 2 tonnes of force, and rustproof performance. It weighs just 3.91 ounces. It obviously adds bulk, which is a cost of having such protection.

Bottom port covers

One of the frustrations I had with using previous protective cases was the effort required to insert and remove the smartphone from the case. With the Armor Series, OtterBox solved this with an extremely easy method where you simply set your phone in the front piece, slide the back left side into the available slots, and then secure the two metal hasps. I can install or remove my iPhone 5 in just seconds, and this ease of use makes the case one I will use on a more regular basis.

Upper padding and screen protection

The case design has just two simple pieces, front and back. The front is where most everything can be found, including an integrated screen protector. The top of the inside, above the screen protector, has a small piece of material to help hold the device in place. Around the inside edges you will find a frame with ridges that hold the device in place while offering shock protection.

Buttons for volume and ringer switch

Colored bottom port covers

Opening a port cover, not the O-ring in place

You will also see integrated pieces for button activation, and thick foam inserts for the headset and speaker. There is a piece of the colored material that fits into the Lightning opening, too. Around each of these covers is an O-ring to help keep the case waterproof for up to 30 minutes in 6.6 feet of water.

Opening bottom port and Lightning opening

Inserting the lanyard

The package also comes with a lanyard that you insert into the front piece before you attach and secure the back. A lanyard can be helpful for field work, and I tested the case with the lanyard attached and removed.

My iPhone 5 in the front section of the Armor Series

The clear material can also be found over the display and the sensors above the display. I have an iSkin on my iPhone 5 and even with this on my phone it fits well.

Corner with iPhone 5 inserted

After placing your iPhone 5 down face first into front piece, you then take the rear cover piece and slide the left side of it down in to where the integrated pieces fit into the front slots. It is great to see heavy rubber material, colored, take up most of the back as it offers protection and shock support for the case. There is also clear material over the camera and flash openings.

Upper corner view

After inserting the back into the left slots, press the back down and secure the two heavy metal hasps. Once they are closed, the case is secure and your iPhone 5 is protected. Wasn't that easy?

Inside of the Armor Series back

I have no reason to try to use my iPhone underwater, but need something that helps protect my phones in the rain. I am mainly interested in drop protection when I am on site since I walk around ships and engine rooms where drops are easy. I also climb in and out of tanks and voids, so having something on my phone to protect it when I press against the steel hull is helpful.

Full inside back view

Placing the left side into the slots

View of the left side that you will insert into the front piece

Heavy metail hinge piece

Securing the back with the hasp

iPhone 5 secured in the case

View of the camera and flash

Upper sensor and headset speaker openings

OtterBox logo on the back

Armor Series in hand

I didn't want to risk my expensive iPhone 5, but I did place dry tissue paper in the case and kept it submerged in 6 inches of water for several hours without seeing any sign of leaks. I doubt many people want their phone submerged for a long period of time, but dips in water should be survivable with this case.

Armor Series in the rocks

Back of the Armor Series in hand

Armor Series on the rocks

You can find the OtterBox Armor Series at the OtterBox site or your local wireless carrier store for $99.95.

AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4 retail package

My local AT&T PR rep was kind enough to loan me a Samsung Galaxy S4 to take for a spin. You have likely read reviews all over about this phone, including the one from CNET, and this gallery and post just focuses on my thoughts and experiences with the Galaxy S4, as compared to my experiences using the Galaxy Note II and HTC One for a few months.

Related stories

• CNET Galaxy S4 review

• Samsung Galaxy S4: Smartphone evolution hits the Wall

• Samsung Galaxy S4 'more susceptible to lifestyle damage' than iPhone 5: SquareTrade

• Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone: By the numbers

• Amid great expectations, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has arrived

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Attractive retail packaging

It is nearly universally agreed that the HTC One design is much better than the Galaxy S4, so if hardware quality is important to you, then take a look at the HTC One at your local AT&T store. However, the Samsung is still a solid smartphone and has refined its popular Galaxy S3 to come out with one of the top Android smartphones available today. Samsung offers incremental hardware improvements in the Galaxy S4 over the Galaxy S3, with a focus on adding in more software enhancements.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Everything is included

You will find documentation, a charger, and even a wired headset in the Galaxy S4 package.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Quick Start Guide

The user guide is well designed, and given all the software enhancements, I recommend you actually browse through this guide.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Galaxy S4 in hand

I would never buy a 16GB Android device again given that games are pushing 1-2GB in size, and think that no high-end models should launch with less than 32GB, even with a microSD card slot.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Physical home button

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Front facing camera and sensors

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back of the S4

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Plastic back cover detail

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Top of the S4

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

MicroSD and removable battery

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Bottom of the S4

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

S4 next to my Note II

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back of the S4 and Note II

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Back of the S4 and HTC One

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Front of the HTC One and S4

The AMOLED display is very nice, but side-by-side, I find my HTC One to have a brighter display with better performance outside in the sun.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

S4 on top of the HTC One

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

S4 lock screen

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

AT&T apps

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

App launcher

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Multi-window mode in portrait

I love using this on my Galaxy Note II, and now that the Galaxy S4 has a 5 inch display, it is a useful function on the device. 

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Multi-window mode in landscape

I like using Twitter or Facebook in one window, with my Gmail in the other, and I think people will appreciate it.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Notifications bar

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Look at all those Samsung features

Compared to the previous Galaxy S III, you will find features from the Note II and additional enhancements in the Galaxy S4. My experience with these include:

Smart scroll: Designed to scroll through select apps using recognition of the tilting of your head or tilting the device. Despite the rumors of eye tracking, it doesn't appear that this is how movement is controlled. It is a slick feature to show people, and seems amazing at first glance, however beyond the "wow" factor, I don't see people using this for more than a week.

Smart Scroll works with the web browser, I found that with my glasses on, a more pronounced head tilt was required, and it seems that the facial recognition aspect isn't as sensitive with glasses on. It was annoying to tilt my head up and down to stop and continue scrolling, and I found no benefit to using this method compared to simply swiping up with your finger.

Smart Pause: This feature is designed to pause video when you look away. However, I tend to watch movies and videos when I am in not-well lit environments, and Smart Pause doesn't appear to work at all unless you are in a bright location where the front facing camera can clearly "see" you. Again, it is much easier for me to just tap the display, and I don't look away on a regular basis when watching videos on my phone.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Customize the feature shortcuts

It seems to me that the hand and head waving gesture functions are rather lame with limited reliability, while the other advanced features and software enhancements are quite useful. I talked to one of my soccer moms who was first in line for a Galaxy S4 last week, and she loves the devices, but said she hasn't used any of these advanced features yet.

I personally find features on the HTC One, such as BlinkFeed and BoomSound, to be features I use on a daily basis, while many of the advanced features on the Galaxy S4 are fun and interesting, but not essential for daily use. I have a better appreciation for my Galaxy Note II after using the S4, and plan to keep using it on T-Mobile.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Home screen with Samsung Hub

I used the Samsung Hub a few times on my Note II to rent movies, but find the new version on the S4 to be a bit confusing and unnecessary. With Google Play now supporting music, video, and books, there really is no need for a duplicate Samsung experience on the device.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

S Health and step count for the day

I took the Galaxy S4 on a mountain hike and hoped it would capture the event. With my reliable Jawbone Up on my wrist and the Galaxy S4 in my pocket, it turns out the Galaxy S4 S Health app captured only half the steps of the Up, and after verifying with GPS, the S Health app was way off in steps counted. 

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

S Health plot

I don't always have my phone in my hand or pocket, so the usefulness of S Health is limited. Get yourself a Jawbone Up or Fitbit One if you really want to track your health and fitness.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

More S Health info

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

S Translator

The S Translator app seems quite useful, with the ability to translate written or spoken words I make in English to other languages. 

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

S Translator languages

I used an application like this on my Windows Mobile device in France many years ago, and find these translators to be very helpful while traveling abroad.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Story Album app

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

WatchON IR app based on Peel

The HTC One was first to launch with an IR port to control your home media devices, and Samsung followed suit with WatchON on the S4. I can never find remotes in my house, and find these IR utilities to be useful since I do know where my phones are.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Galaxy S4 camera app

I am very pleased to see Samsung include the camera software from the Galaxy Camera in the Galaxy S4, and think users will appreciate the options. 

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Camera app options

The Galaxy S4 is a solid camera phone with many advanced functions people will enjoy, including drama shot, 360 photo, eraser, best face, beauty face, and much more.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

More camera filters

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Camera settings

I just wish Samsung would add something like HTC's highlight video functionality.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Dual shot includes FFC image

When I saw this feature at the Samsung launch event, I thought it was great to see Samsung using both cameras at once. This function simply includes a shot of you from the front facing camera in a virtual stamp that you can move around the display. Pretty cheesy to include yourself in the shot at parties and events, but may be fun when traveling where you want to share a photo with family back home.

It seems to work well, and I do like that Samsung is at least thinking of more ways to use the front facing camera. I personally like the wide angle FFC on the HTC One that lets me truly put myself in the photo.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Mountain view from Galaxy S4

I compared a few photos taken with the S4 and HTC One and think megapixels still do mean something and like what I see from the S4. The difference in camera technologies was clearly evident when comparing a landscape shot, where I zoomed in to look at some details. 

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Mountain view from HTC One

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Backyard view from Galaxy S4

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Backyard view from HTC One

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Backyard view from Galaxy Note II

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Side yard view from Galaxy S4

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Side yard view from HTC One

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Side yard view from Galaxy Note II

I have now spent three days focusing on using these software features, and ended the weekend in a clear understanding that some features are silly gimmicks that may be used during the first couple of weeks and then never used again, while others actually do offer value. One good thing about some of these gimmicky features is that I have a better appreciation for my Galaxy Note II, where a stylus is a much better device for using many of these software enhancements.

The Galaxy S4 is a solid upgrade to the Galaxy S3, but I still think that the HTC One is the better device, and have yet to meet a single person that hasn't been pleased with their HTC One.

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HTC One Car Kit in retail package

I am very pleased with the HTC One I purchased from T-Mobile, and one nice addition that T-Mobile threw in the package was the HTC One Car Kit for free ($59.99 retail value). I've been using the HTC One Car Kit for the last couple of weeks, and wanted to share some thoughts on using it in my vehicle.

Everything you need to get started

The HTC One Car Kit is designed specifically for the HTC One only, due to the way it slides into the holder so that half of your HTC One is secured on the right side. Inside the package you will find the Car Kit, a long special Car Kit cable, a USB to auto port dongle for charging, and a mounting piece if you don't want to secure the Car Kit to your window.

Base, arm, and cradle mounted to my window

The Car Kit assembly includes a stout suction cup base, a stainless steel arm that rotates in a ball and socket joint, and the cradle piece attached to the arm. These pieces come all assembled and are not designed to be taken apart.

I like placing my car mounts up in the lower left of my window so my view of the road is unobstructed. With large Dodge truck windows, this is not an issue. I like the way you simply rotate the ring around the bottom of the base to secure the suction mount to your window. It is not going anywhere, even with bumps in the road. You can use the double-sided tap disk that is included to mount the base somewhere else in your vehicle if you do not want to mount it on your window.

Special charging cable to secure to cradle

The included USB cable has a special end that secures into the cradle piece of the Car Kit. The cable is something like 3 feet long, so I was able to route it straight down from my window and across my dash without it interfering with anything. It is long enough that I could tuck it away in places, too, so it doesn't look hillbilly or anything, either.

Cable attached

The USB to auto adapter piece is short, so it sits fairly flush with the plug when inserted. You place the USB end into the charger and will see an indicator light when powered on.

HTC One in the Car Kit

A nice thing about this Car Kit is that you can easily use it in multiple vehicles by removing the suction cup and unplugging the charger. This is important for me, since I travel for business about once a month and use my phone's GPS system for navigation in rental cars.

Speakers

When you get in your vehicle and insert your HTC One, simply slide it from left to right until it gets to the end; you will see the HTC One power on and launch the HTC Car application (screenshots shown later in this gallery). Both speakers are still fully uncovered, so that great thing in my vehicle without a Bluetooth in-car system is that I can still clearly hear navigation commands and people I am talking with on the phone. I refuse to talk or text while driving, unless I have something like this setup to keep my hands free.

HTC Car application, powered by Nuance

The HTC Car app gives you an HTC One feel with the clock and weather widget in the upper left and then very large button for shortcuts optimized for the auto experience. These shortcuts include Navigation, Dialer, Music, Speak, People, Internet Radio through TuneIn, Settings, and Exit.

More HTC Car shortcuts

I like that you can add apps and have changed my experience to include MLB At Bat 2013 and GPS speedometer.

Speak utility powered by Nuance

You should not use the buttons to dial while driving, but instead use the slick Speak functionality. Speak launches a voice-recognition utility powered by Nuance Communications.

Choose a radio station

Speak functions include call (name/number), Play (album, artist, song, playlist), Radio toggle, and listen to (speak your station to search). The audio is clear, and this functionality works well.

There are several settings within the HTC Car app to customize your in-car experience, including some auto launch and play settings. Beats Audio can be toggled on or off; I like it on, myself. You can even have your HTC One set to read out notifications and allow voice commands to react to them (reply, listen, call, etc.).

I don't have any vehicles with Bluetooth car kits, but understand that you can link the HTC Car Kit with these to have audio play through your vehicle speakers. With the HTC BoomSound and front-facing stereo speakers, I am pleased with the experience even without an in-car system.

Car app dialer

The Dialer is different to the default HTC One dialer as well, with recent calls and a large button dialer.

Navigation utility

After tapping the initial shortcuts, you will see more large button auto-optimized experiences. Within Navigation, you can see buttons for Google Maps, Previous, Appointments, Gas Station, Restaurant, and many more. Tapping these launches Google Maps Navigation, with quick searches for these specific items already initialized.

Enter a destination

You can enter a destination for the navigation function much like with a dedicated GPS.

Navigating with Google Maps Navigation

The HTC One uses Google Maps for navigation.

Car app settings

You can control the app settings from inside the menu.

More Car app settings

The HTC One Car Kit is available from HTC for $59.99 and if you use your phone for navigation or audio then I think it is worth the price. Thanks to T-Mobile USA, I received mine for free with my HTC One purchase.

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Yesterday, ZDNet reported that Samsung and iOS devices would be getting Department of Defense (DoD) approval in the next couple weeks. It sounds like things happened faster than anticipated, as a Pentagon spokesperson reported to Reuters that BlackBerry 10 smartphones and PlayBooks with Enterprise Server 10 and Samsung Android devices with Knox have been cleared for use by the Department of Defense. Apple's iOS 6 devices should clear the Pentagon in early May.

BlackBerry has ruled the DoD in the past with current stats reporting that there are 470,000 BlackBerry users out of the 600,000 smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices in use. There are 41,000 Apple users and 8,700 with Android, but most of these are in pilot or test programs, so BlackBerry is still the standard bearer for DoD.

Now that device/service approvals have been granted, groups within the DoD will be able to purchase devices for their work. It will be interesting to see what devices are actually ordered and if BlackBerry continues to be the first choice for the government.

Given that there are so many within the DoD currently using older BlackBerry devices, I imagine that the new Q10 will be an attractive option with the hardware QWERTY keyboard. The Q10 is reportedly selling well, but I haven't had the chance to try one for any amount of time yet and do enjoy using the Z10.

Samsung's Knox was reported as delayed for a couple of months last week, so it looks like BlackBerry will have the jump on Samsung and iOS for those Defense groups looking to purchase new devices or upgrade soon.

I previously wrote about the fantastic value I am getting with T-Mobile's new Simple Choice plans for consumers. T-Mobile continues to shake things up in the wireless world with Simple Choice plans for small businesses, which also comes with over $400 in Business Extras.

I personally see the outstanding value of the new Simple Choice plans, and for small businesses, this same savings can be realized. It looks like the same pricing structure for consumers applies to small businesses. As stated in the T-Mobile press release:

Unlimited talk, text, and web with up to 500MB of high-speed data is $50 per month for the first line. Customers can add a second phone line for $30 per month, and each additional line is just $10 per month. They can also add up to 2GB of high-speed data for $10 per month more per line. The Unlimited 4G data option is only $20 more per month per line. Predictable billing. No caps. No overages.

There are no contracts with T-Mobile, and they offer business flexibility on how to pay for devices, either with a one-time purchase price or with no-interest monthly installments.

One of the challenges for small businesses is infrastructure support, and with the Business Extras plan T-Mobile is offering, some of that worry and pressure is taken up by providers. The new Business Extras include 24/7 support from Geek Squad, Canvas mobile forms support, WiFi Calling, included smartphone tethering, and no activation fees.

The merger with MetroPCS is also now complete, so there is even more coverage available for small businesses.

Starting on May 3, you will be able to pre-order the LG Optimus G Pro on AT&T's site, with release in stores beginning on May 10. It will be available for the standard $199.99 with a two-year contract. Recent smartphone market reports show that LG is on the rise, and devices like the Optimus G Pro will likely help continue that trend.

Like the new HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S IV in the US, the LG Optimus G Pro is powered by a SnapDragon 600 1.7 GHz quad-core processor. Other specifications include:

• 5.5-inch display with 1,920x1,080 pixels (400ppi)

• Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OS

• 2GB RAM

• 32GB internal storage with microSD expansion

• 13-megapixel rear camera and 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera

• 3,140mAh battery.

The LG Optimus G Pro also includes advanced software functionality, including the ability to simultaneously record with both the front and rear cameras for an interesting experience; VuTalk, which lets you draw and share notes in real time between devices; QSlide 2.0, which lets you open and use two apps at once on the large display; and more.

In today's smartphone world, Android manufacturers shouldn't release high-end devices with less than 32GB, and the microSD argument for the S4 over the HTC One may not be as big of an issue as many make it seem.

Out of the box, you can only install apps on Android devices to the internal storage, and with high-end games and more advanced apps consuming so much memory, I think it's a problem when you have to make app usage choices based on memory limitations. The microSD expansion is good for those who store movies, music, and photos on their devices, but with cloud and streaming solutions becoming more prevalent, the need for large external storage is reduced.

I have a 64GB microSD card in my Note II, because I thought I would use as much as possible. In reality, I only have a couple of GB on it, since I tend to rent movies on Google Play (temporary storage need) and stream my music using Songza, Slacker Radio, or other services. Thus, I really do not have huge memory needs, and that is coming from a person who uses their mobile phones quite a bit.

The HTC One comes in 32GB and 64GB (AT&T and unlocked Developer Edition), and that is the size of internal storage that all Android devices should support. There can be lower-cost 16GB models, but no flagship should launch with just 16GB of internal storage capacity. This is especially true when much of that 16GB is used up for system software and included apps that can't be removed.

I don't think the external storage argument holds much water in today's smartphone world, especially when you look at the limitations of external storage. Apple has never had external storage support on the iPhone, high-end Windows Phone devices do not have external storage support, and the Nexus line doesn't support external storage.

I prefer to select my smartphone based on design, functionality, and actual real-world usefulness, rather than just looking at specs like external storage that really don't mean much in actual use.