I'm in the market for a new phone, and possibly a new carrier (after nearly 5 years with AT&T); and the Moto CLIQ may be the device for me and the family.  PC Magazine recently reviewed the device and gave it 4 out of 5 stars, AND their coveted Editor's Choice Award.

The Motorola CLIQ is the company's first Android-powered Smartphone. It's also a stellar device for the socially inclined. It aggregates updates from social networking sites, photo sharing sites, and Web-based e-mail. It could easily serve as the center of your connected universe. For a change, that's not hyperbole. Despite a few stumbles, the innovative and effective CLIQ easily wins our Editors' Choice award for T-Mobile smartphones.

As always, PCMag has a very thorough review, and some cool pics to go with it.  If you're considering picking up the device, or want to know if Moto is really gonna say "hello" with this device, you need to check out the review.  Like me, you may be pleasantly surprised. However, I did notice one downfall. Motorola is going to have to release their own updates for the device, not T-Mo,

But while Motorola insists the highly-customized CLIQ is compatible with all third-party programs, the CLIQ can't handle Google's standard OS updates. The CLIQ comes with Android 1.5, and can't be updated to Android 1.6 ("Donut") at the time of this review. CLIQ owners who want the integrated camcorder app and improved Android Market must wait for Motorola to issue its own package.

JAMM is on the waiting list to get a CLIQ for review, and as soon as it arrives, you can expect an unboxing/unboxing video as well as a thorough review.  Stay tuned, kids... things are going to get turned up a notch, as Motorola may just have gotten back into the Smartphone arena!

I’ve been writing for a long time, and one of the things that I learned early on, is that there’s a lot to like about most everything you get to review.  Your TRUE opinion usually hits after the honey moon period is over.  THAT can last a couple of months, depending on the device/gadget/thingy you’re reviewing. Getting past the WOW factor is important, and most product reviewers just can’t do it in a couple of days to a week.

When I saw the Soda Stream Penguin Starter Kit, the wow factor for me was pretty high – a nine or a ten (on a 10 point scale), and I knew that any kind of review would take a while.  The device is, after all, pretty cool (more below); but let’s can the chit-chat and get down to brass tacks.  The Soda Stream Penguin Starter Kid – Yeah or Nay..?  Read on for a combo video/picture and text review.

The Soda Stream Penguin Soda Maker Starter Kit

How to Make Your Own Soda – So Easy, Even a 4 year Old can do it!

I also noticed that much of the components in the machine are made of plastic.  During my review, the main part of the soda maker that controls the valve on the carbonator simply snapped.  I was shocked!  It just…snapped!  I tried a couple different types of Crazy Glue to fix it, and neither worked.  The plastic wouldn’t bond with the glue.  I even tried Gorilla Glue (it works with EVERYTHING, especially skin) and even it wouldn’t make the pieces stick together (it even expands to fill gaps as it cures). The type of plastic is unusual in the Penguin, so you need to make sure that it doesn’t drop, get bumped, etc., as if it breaks, you’re done.  In my case, it seems I encountered a very RARE manufacturing glitch. The replacement soda maker that I was shipped has really done well and hasn’t missed a beat, even when Sam and Josh help me make a batch of soda.

See the # “4?” My original machine cracked diagonally through this area

This is the component that broke on me.  I’m not sure how or why; but I was told that it happens, but it is very rare.

The carbonator (bottle of gas) screws into the machine here; but it needs to be TIGHT!

The plastic used here is very good at making a seal with the carbonator, but you need to make sure that the seal is tight. The pressures that we’re dealing with here are incredible, and you need to be careful.

This is the piece that inserts into the water in the carafe.

The infuser inserts itself into the top of the carafe when the top closes and the gas shoots into the water through it.

Only use an approved carafe in the machine.	The inside of the carafe.

Price: The Soda Stream Penguin Starter Kit comes with the Penguin Soda Maker, 2 Carbonators, and 2 glass carafes, and retails for $249.99.  At the time of this writing, however, it is on sale for $199.95 directly from Soda Stream USA.  It can also be purchased at a number of different local retailers by using their store locator. Stocked products and prices will vary.

What I liked: Being able to create as much or as little carbonated beverage as I liked or needed. Making the soda is fun, and is easy for everyone to do. You control the degree of carbonation, so drinks are as flat or fizzy as you like.

What Needs Improvement: You have to like Splenda as a sweetener, or you’re not going to like the Soda Stream beverages. Most of them have a “diet” taste to them. Some more so than others. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is something you need to be aware of.  Splenda has a very distinct taste, and you have to like it if you’re going to like these beverages. 

You can ONLY carbonate water.  Any attempt to carbonate anything else other than water usually results in an overflow of some kind, regardless of how carbonated you make the beverage.

Plastic parts can sometimes break, as my soda maker experienced a “blow-out” while making a bottle one Sunday evening. Not even Gorilla Glue would fix it (due to the type of plastic used), and it glues nearly EVERYTHING.  Once it breaks, you’re done.

Conclusion: This is an AWESOME product; but the only way it makes sense economically is if you buy extra carafes, and stick to it.  After a while, the “fun” might wear off, and you’re simply stuck making soda. You also need to be satisfied with your super market’s brand of soda, as this is going to taste very similar to it.  However, you get to determine how much you make, how much syrup you use, the level of carbonation, and of course, you do make it with your OWN tap water.

From a “green” perspective, you completely eliminate cans and plastic bottles in your home; and the carbonators are easily recycled at a local retailer.  All in all, two green thumbs way up.

I. Am. A. Mobile. Computing. User... Period.

I live for converged devices, laptops, netbooks, and data on the go. I’ve got unlimited data on my Smartphone account; and have tethered my laptop to my phone when I need to be online in a pinch. When I travel, I need to take it with me; and when it comes to airport security, I dread the TSA required aerobics and mandatory disrobing... Thankfully, to help make things easier, Skooba Designs has blessed us with the CheckTrough Backpack.  Let's take a quick look to see how (and if) this thing makes travelling easier...

I have a LONG commute. I spend 4 hours a day (2 hours, door to door, each way) going back and forth to work on the Metra Rail here in Chicago, and then to and from the train station.  At times, I’ve also had to trek out to Denver, and back and forth (on rare occasion) to Nashville.

The Accessories & document/clothing compartment.

When it comes to air travel, I hate, haTE, HATE doing the necessary aerobics and disrobing routine (shoes, belt, empty and turn pockets inside out, take watch off, etc.) at the security gate.  I curse the name of Richard Reid every time I have to kick my shoes off and walk on that dirty, DIRTY floor (just because this guy wanted to blow his feet up (for whatEVER reason)).  Its nice, however, when I don’t have to completely unpack at Security; and that’s all due to the CheckThrough Backpack from Skooba Designs.

The CheckThrough backpack opens and folds flat at its middle so that your laptop doesn’t have to come out of the bag.  When going through airport security, you simply unzip the bag at the middle, lay it down so that the clear window is up and exposed so that a TSA agent can see what’s in it, and allow the bag to go through the scanner.  The bag is designed to present your laptop exactly as it would if it were in a bin. 

Everything is secure, so all you have to do when it comes out the other end is (get dressed), slip your shoes back on, grab the bag, give it a quick zip and head off to your gate.  There’s no need to repack your carry-ons. However, Skooba Designs does note the following on the product page for the bag on their site -

It is the intention and expectation of all involved in the “checkpoint-friendly” bag program that once fully implemented, the process will move smoothly and that suitably designed and constructed bags, properly packed and used, will move through the system efficiently as planned. However, in all instances, screening personnel always have the right to require laptop removal, secondary screening, or any other measures deemed necessary to ensure travel security.

The CheckThrough Backpack, open and ready for scanning

Skooba has a cool video of the CheckThrough process.  You can see it below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McPMuNpcpco[/youtube]

Commuting Use
I’ve been running back and forth to the house on the Chicago Metra BNSF line for a few years. I’ve been using the bag there for the past few months. As a backpack, this thing is merely, ok.  Its small, so if you have more than 1 PC (like me) or some additional accessories to carry along with some paperwork, you may end up with a tight fight.  After a while, it got difficult to use in a daily commuting scenario, at least for me, with everything that I want/need to carry.  Also, according to TSA regulations, carrying a laptop in the accessories/clothing compartment will still require you to pull the second PC out and have it scanned separately.

For me, this was not a good commuting bag.  With both my work and freelancing PC, it was a bit heavy. The straps weren’t padded enough, and after a while, the bag became painful to carry.  The extra compartments made if hard to carry power bricks and other accessories for one PC comfortably, let alone for two.  It seems a bit small for clothing and shoes/toiletries for any other kind of trip other than an overnighter.  Thankfully, however, Skooba Designs does include a clear, plastic zipper bag to store TSA scannable liquids in. A nice little extra; and the document pockets were kinda nice to have, especially for my monthly train and bus pass.

The front of the bag. The document compartment is at the top.

Price: The Skooba Designs Check Through Backpack is $129.99 (at the time of this writing), and is available directly from Skooba’s website.

What I liked: CheckThrough design. Ease of use at airport security (provided you only carry/use one laptop in the bag)

What Needs Improvement: The bag is designed for travel, and as such, could use a LOT more room to hold accessories and/or clothes. The straps could benefit from a lateral tie to hold them together while being worn on both shoulders. The bag could use additional padding to help with back and shoulder support, as wearing it for an extended period of time (like in a LONG airport security line) can be a bit tiring and painful.

Conclusion: This is a decent bag that will do well for commuters doing puddle jumping on the East Coast, or for quick business trips.  Don’t plan on packing a lot of clothes, though. The extra compartment is very small; and if you’re going to be gone for anything longer than an overnight trip, you’re going to want a separate overnight bag for clothes or toiletries.

After carrying this bag for about a month, I am ready to move back to my older backpack.  The straps don’t tie together across your chest, making the bag feel as though it might slide off easily, despite their innovative shape. It also lacks a waist strap that would pull the bottom of the bag in closer to your hips, giving you a bit more lumbar support while carrying it.

Over the past few days, I’ve been reading a LOT on the rumors related to a Sprint/T-Mobile merger.  Honestly, I was really surprised when I initially heard this. From a business point of view, it makes tons of sense; but from a technology point of view, it really has me scratching my head.  Let’s stop and take a look at this for a moment...

From BetaNews -

Sprint has steadily lost more than a million postpaid subscribers per quarter for the last two years, but it has proven to be highly successful in the prepaid mobile market, gaining a record 777,000 prepaid customers in the last quarter alone. These gains, coupled with Sprint's acquisition of MVNO Virgin Mobile USA (and its 5.38 million subscribers) made Sprint the United States' second-largest prepaid wireless operator with nearly 10 million customers.

T-Mobile's gains in the United States have also been mostly prepaid customers. In the most recently completed quarter of this year, T-Mobile added a net 325,000 subscribers, and nearly 83% of those were prepaid.

I saw an interesting article on The Telegraph where DT CEO René Obermann swears upside down, backwards and sideways that he’s going to turn around company performance of both T-Mo UK and T-Mo US. The business sense of the merger

I was recently fortunate enough to be selected as a Windows 7 Launch Party host by House Party.  The theme of my party is, "The Ease of Setup." Since this is a brand new operating system, and since many people have been using Windows XP since the dawn of the New Millennia (read since 1999/2000, depending on when you started counting), they haven't upgraded their operating system since they ditched Windows 98 or Windows 2000 back in the day.  Yes, Windows XP sure has been around for a long time, hasn't it.  In order to make Windows 7 setup easier on everyone, I am publishing a multipart series here on JAMM and at iTechGear.

I'm planning on a six part series over the next few weeks. Without further ado, here's what I'm going to cover:

• Part 1: Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda – Is Windows 7 Right for Me?
• Part 2: Eany-Meany-Miney-Moe – Choosing the Right Version of Windows 7
• Part 3: The Right Tool for the Right Job – Hardware Requirements and YOUR Computer
• Part 4: Pregame – Preparing for the Update..?  Upgrade..?
• Part 5: Ripping the Band Aide Off: Installing Windows 7
• Part 6: Post Partum: Things to do Immediately After Install (oh, and Welcome to Windows 7!)

This is going to be an interesting time, kids.  Windows 7 offers a great deal, and those of you who haven't seen it yet, should really give it some serious consideration.  It's really something that most Windows users will like, and it hasn't disappointed me here yet. Stay tuned, kids!

T-Mobile’s new Motorola CLIQ Android smartphone is all the rage right now.  There are a lot of people, yours truly included that are very interested in the device, for a number of different reasons.  The CLIQ will be made available to eligible, existing customers on 19-Oct-09 for $199.99 and then will be made available to new T-Mo customers on 02-Nov-09 for the same price, all with a 2 year contract agreement. Off contract, its $449.99.

While the contract price is not bad, I saw an article at Silicone Alley Insider that slammed both Moto and T-Mo for setting the price so high.  Their main point? Simple – You can’t sell an iPhone competitor that isn’t as good as the iPhone for more than the base price iPhone.

Sorry, but you can't charge $100 more than the iPhone for a phone that's not as good as the iPhone. The CLIQ should cost no more than $99; ideally, it'd be $49...

...T-Mobile ultimately sets the price here, but Motorola should have some say in the matter, based on its wholesale pricing and general pull in the relationship. But either way, Motorola ends up the loser here, because what they make up in margin getting the extra $100 or $150 for the phone, they are losing in volume...

They have a point. Refurbed iPhone 3G’s are currently going for $49 for 8GB and $99 for 16GB. I’ve looked through the tech specs for the device, and I can see nothing related to onboard device storage, aside from a mention for support for up to a 32GB microSD card.  The device comes with a 2GB SD card.  Great, but not so great.

Hopefully, by the time I’m really ready to buy one for myself, the prices will have dropped a bit; but I’m not holding my breath.

Those of us that use Microsoft MyPhone may have noticed the quick note from Microsoft that the service will be down from Monday 05-Oct-09 to Tuesday -

Microsoft My Phone Service Upgrade

On October 5^th, 2009 at 5AM (Pacific Daylight Time) (check your local time here) the Microsoft My Phone service will be unavailable while we upgrade the service.  The service will come back online on October 6^th, 2009 Tuesday morning PDT.  Stay tuned for more information.  You can also  follow us on http://twitter.com/msmyphone for updates.

An extended outage is not anticipated, so everything should be good to go for the WM 6.5 Launch on 06-Oct-09.