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Electricpig Opinions: Google Nexus S, Nokia C6 and the Mophie Juice Pack Air iPhone 4 case reviewed
Advent calendar day 19: Win android tablet, laptop and gadget prizes!
Video of the week: Google Earth Skydiving

Electricpig Opinions: Google Nexus S, Nokia C6 and the Mophie Juice Pack Air iPhone 4 case reviewed

Posted: 19 Dec 2010 05:00 AM PST

This week we’ve got a trio of reviews to discuss, with thoughts on the latest Google phone, the Nexus S, Nokia C6 and the Mophie Juice Pack Air iPhone 4 case that extends iPhone 4 battery life. Read on to see if you agree with out thoughts on each.

Google Nexus S: The definitive iPhone 4 alternative?

Earlier this week reviews editor Ben Sillis finally got the chance to review the brand new Google Nexus. A lot was expected of the Nexus. It delivered.

“The Google Nexus One was a great phone, flawed by limited app storage, dodgy physical buttons and a native Android keyboard that lagged behind the competition. The Google Nexus S has none of those problems: its hardware is top notch, it's seriously futureproofed, and with Best Buy and Carphone Warehouse backing it in the UK, looks like it has a much more viable business model than Google's last attempt.’

According to Ben the iPhone 4 is the only reason not to buy the Google Nexus S. It’s also worth noting that the Nexus S is restricted to VGA video recording. Not HD. Such weakness didn’t stop Ben calling the Nexus S the “best Android phone yet”.

Nokia C6 reviewed: Good, not great?

Nokia do cost effective phones well, very well. But even the rather swanky, yet cheap Nokia C6 isn’t enough to compete with the new breed of cheap Android devices coming out.

“There's no denying the Nokia C6 is a charming little handset, and it'll certainly cope with the rigours of a contract better than the puny 5800 that proved so popular in 2009. That Nokia is still able to snag awesome AMOLED screens while the oasis has run dry and stuffed it into a low end phone is testament to its dedication to customers and solid hardware,” our man Ben Sillis wrote in his review of the C6.

Mophie Juice Pack Air iPhone 4 case reviewed

Despite turning your iPhone 4 into a heavyweight, the abilities of the Mophie Juice Pack Air iPhone 4 case to extend its battery life make it well worth considering. Our own Mic Wright had this to say:

“The Mophie Juice Pack Air gave us approximately 5 and a half hours of extra iPhone 4 battery life when we used it correctly, flipping on the built in switch when the iPhone 4's own battery was in the red line deaththrows. As we've banged on about already, the Mophie Juice Pack Air iPhone 4 case is a hefty beast but the benefit there is that it gives your iPhone 4 some serious protection against drops, knocks and scuffs – the hard shell really dealt with the pounding we gave it.”

Again, it does unfortunately add some serious bulk. “However, it's likely that you'll use the Mophie Juicepack iPhone 4 as an occasional case for when you need extra energy rather than an every day accompaniment for your phone – it's just too big.”

Agree or disagree with any of the opinions expressed? Do let us know in the comments section below.

Advent calendar day 19: Win android tablet, laptop and gadget prizes!

Posted: 19 Dec 2010 03:10 AM PST

It’s nearly time for Sunday lunch, but before you tuck in, open the Electricpig Advent Calendar! We’ve got Advent laptops, Android tablets, gaming PCs, digital photo frames and PC accessories to be won!

Today we’re asking for Christmas carols. It might be a character from a folk tale, a religious icon (can you tell we’re trying not to hint?) or even a celebrity, famed for their once-yearly appearances. All you have to do is log in using your Facebook ID (that’s really important, without it we can’t reliably contact you, or check you’re based in the UK) and tell us one in the comments section will win! Once we have a winner, we’ll reveal the prize they’ve scooped.

Each day we’ve got a mystery prize up for grabs thanks to the generous people at PC World. It could be a speaker system, a digital photo frame, a keyboard and mouse set, an Advent Amico tablet, Advent laptop or computer, or even a newly-released Advent Vega tablet.

What’re you waiting for? Scroll down, log in using your Facebook account and get commenting!

We have a winner!

Congratulations Louise Mason! You’ve just scooped a brand new set of Logik speakers! Perfect for pumping out those Christmas carols this year! Come back tomorrow for more prizes!

Check out more Advent products at www.pcworld.co.uk, and remember to come back tomorrow for another chance to win: we’ll offer up a fresh prize each day between 9am and 12 noon! Our usual terms and conditions apply.

Video of the week: Google Earth Skydiving

Posted: 19 Dec 2010 01:00 AM PST

Google has been showing off a series of its own useful Google features with a bunch of Google Slam videos also showing the search giant’s fun side. One of the best is this clever recreation of a skydiving experience using Google Earth paired with a huge projector. Looking to get over your fear of heights? This is what you’ll need. Check it out in our latest Video of the Week.

As smart as Google Earth is, its sometimes laggy experience doesn’t make for the most exciting of experiences. Then again, we haven’t used it to simulate a skydive. Google has, with some entertaining results.

Check out the video below, as a couple of Google staffers take a virtual Google Earth powered skydive. Watch how it zooms in to simulate the vertigo-inducing drop, complete with fans to simulate wind and a fire extinguisher for added cloudy authenticity.