The Kin 1 and 2 utilize Bing search (of course) and GPS-aware advertising. It still isn’t clear if the phones are compatible with any external apps since the phones run on a special operating system that differs somewhat from the Windows Phone 7 OS.  The phones come with 8 GB of built-in memory, which should be plenty for most users. However, it’s important to note that neither phone comes with expandable memory support.

Kin 1 and 2 are not without flaws, however.  According to Ginny Mies of PC World, “There’s no photo or video editing software built in to the OS, and no universal inbox and no calendar support. Another strange omission: No support for photo or video uploads to Twitter. The browser doesn’t support Flash Lite or Silverlight, either.” Buyers should be aware of these exclusions.   Nevertheless, the Kin 1 and 2 should prove to be a great option for the under 25 crowd.

So whats wrong?  That sounds like an awesome deal. 

First, these batteries may have been actually Blackberry units but were A or B stock.  That covers a number of things regarding the source of the batteries.  They may be batteries removed from phones returned under warranty or returned to service providers.  It could be they are counterfeit from oversees and the supplier cannot verify they are authentic.  It may be that they did not pass Blackberry quality control and so may or may not have all the cells working.

The thing that concerns me is the number of online retailers buying these wholesale and then passing them off as new.  There is nothing to note they are not new stock other than the price.  A legitimate OEM Blackberry battery from a Blackberry Authorized wholesaler costs somewhere in the upper 20’s ($28 plus some change).

Any retailer selling the batteries well below this price is not selling you new, authentic stock.  Some may get discounts below the upper 20’s based on size but we don’t know of anyone getting them for less than 15% off that price.

Like most things in life.  If it is too cheap, it is probably not the real thing.  If you would not buy your Blackberry battery on Canal Street in New York, don’t buy it off the Internets version of Canal Street.

Nokia has made it difficult if not impossible to unlock their newest GSM cell phones.  One solution on the market is the Sim Card Unlock Attachment.

I purchased one of these from Dealextreme to try on a Nokia 6035 locked to the AT&T network that I hoped to use on the T-Mobile network.

The first issue is that it requires you to cut your sim card to get around the chip on the card.  While this was fairly easy, I hate to cut up the “brains” of my T-mobile account.

After cutting the sim card, the real challenge was to keep the unlock attachment positioned correctly to function.

The unlock did unlock the phone but the sound quality when using the phone was substandard at best.  It sounded not only tinny but like the ringing and other caller was 20 feet down a tunnel talking into a speakerphone.

As a result, the unlock attachment does in fact unlock the phone but because of sound quality issues the phone was not really usable.  While it was only $10, it would not be worth purchasing again.

The invisibleSHIELD is the toughest, most durable gadget scratch protection film available on planet Earth. The film has its origins in the U.S. military, where it was used to protect the leading edges of helicopter blades from wear and tear while traveling hundreds of miles per hour. Our proprietary film is a clear, urethane plastic (invisible, invincible) with unique properties that allow it to provide self-healing qualities and unparalleled abrasion resistance. The film’s flexibility allows us to custom design the invisibleSHIELD to wrap around an entire device, including the screen, front, back, edges, corners and sides. The precision cut invisibleSHIELD is available for over 1,000 different devices, with more coming every day! Not only does it protect screens, but we have designed a Full-Body wrap for many of the most popular gadgets available on the market. If we don’t already have it, we can custom cut one for you.

We have a utility patent-pending on the process of not only protecting screens, but wrapping the film around an electronic device. Not only did we originate this concept, but we are also the only company that offers the original invisibleSHIELD, the ultimate brand in protection. Other clear screen protectors are often disposable, hard, plastic pieces that scratch very easily and have problems adhering. Others may claim to have a similar product, but it is NOT the same thing.

These units have a lifetime warranty.  The only negative is the actual application of the shield to the device.  Plan on a few minutes to do so and do it carefully so it lines up correctly.

Sometimes people seemed shocked that I am leery of ultracheap car chargers.  Why not buy a charger for a buck on ebay or at the dollar store?  Both my phone and MP3 player would cost well over $100 to replace.  I don’t trust either to a car charger that is cheap and not guaranteed.

Guaranteed?

Absolutely.

Any quality company will back up their charger with a guarantee it will not fry the device.  If there charger does, they will replace the device for free.  You might think all companies provide this kind of assurance.  Nope.  Some of the more popular online retailers and at least some offline retailers dont.  As a result, if you fry your device, you either will have to see if the manufacturer will cover it or try to go after the company.  Both will probably end in failure.

Most manufacturers note on the warranty terms that the use of non-OEM items such as chargers may damage the phone and the warranty will not cover this type of damage.  In going after the company you can chargeback the purchase but if it was only a buck, so what.  Trying to get them to pay for the device will generally end in a refusal as they never guaranteed the item in the first place. 

My advice, always check the sellers info to see if they provide a guarantee.  If not, dont buy from them unless you dont care about your phone, mp3 player, or other electronic device.