HowWouldYouChange

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  • How would you change Sprint's Epic 4G?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    11.05.2010

    It's the only Galaxy S variant to offer 4G connectivity, but it's also the only one that requires a $10/month data surcharge to use. That boost in cost will undoubtedly bring higher expectations, and we're eager to hear from early adopters on how their Epic 4G experience has been. For those who skipped over the EVO 4G in order to get this, we're keenly interested to find out if you've been satisfied with the decision. How's that slide-out QWERTY keyboard treating you? Would you have changed up the UI any? Would you have added any of the quirks from those other Galaxy S versions to this guy? Speak loudly in comments below. But not too loudly. More like a stern whisper.

  • How would you change Motorola's Droid 2?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    10.30.2010

    You've already told us (and the world, we might add) how you'd change just about every other Droid phone out there, so why not? Motorola's Droid 2 has been in the hands of loyal can-doers for a few months now, giving the user base plenty of time to nitpick and stew about things that aren't... quite... right. We had a few bones to pick with the handset during our August review, but as the regulars know, this space isn't about rekindling old flames. It's about you telling us how you'd change things if given the lead design position on this here phone. Would you have upgraded the camera? Changed the slide? Tweaked the Android build? Offered it on another carrier? Hit us with your best shot in comments below.

  • How would you change Amazon's Kindle DX Graphite?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    10.22.2010

    We both know you didn't need a Kindle with a 9.7-inch display, but you went and did the deed anyway. Now that you're a proud owner of Amazon's Kindle DX Graphite, you're obligated to tell the world what exactly you'd change about it if given the ability to do so. We noted back in our review that the revised display was indeed a lovely extra, but is it enough to justify the lofty premium over the standard 6-inch model? Would you have changed up the keyboard? What about the enclosure? Thrown in a kickstand? Added a helmet mount? Go on and tell us how you'd make the Kindle DX Graphite an ideal device down in comments below. We're all ears, you know.

  • How would you change RIM's BlackBerry Torch?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    10.15.2010

    It's the first BlackBerry to ship with BB OS 6, and it's the first to boast both a touchpanel and a conventional slide-out QWERTY. But is it capable of standing up to the rest of today's modern smartphones? We definitely had a few bones to pick with RIM's latest flagship device when we reviewed it a few month's back, but if you're a regular, you'll know that this segment isn't about us -- it's about you, particularly if you own a Torch. Are you satisfied with the revised OS? Happy with the touchscreen response? Would you have bumped the screen resolution? Changed the keyboard in any way? Thrown a CDMA module in for Sprint / Verizon support? RIM's betting quite a bit on this new operating system (and this new design), so feel free to sound off in comments below with ideas on how you'd change things for version two dot oh. Keep it classy, though -- cool?

  • How would you change HP's Envy 14?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    10.08.2010

    The gaming laptop of 2010? Maybe so, but it's unquestionably one of the most hyped and most highly anticipated. HP's 14-inch Envy hits a sweet spot in the size department, and during our time with it, it also managed to hit a slew of other high notes. Of course, it wasn't without its flaws, but that's not what this section is about. We're anxious to hear how you folks feel about your newly (or not-so-newly) acquired Envy 14. Any qualms with the trackpad? Loathing the lack of a VGA output? Still uninstalling bloatware? Frustrated by the lack of a Radiance display option at the present time? Go on and tell us what you really think in comments below, particularly how you'd change things if you and Rahul Sood (or similar) switched shoes for a day.

  • How would you change Apple's Magic Trackpad?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    10.01.2010

    Magical? Maybe. But there's no doubt that Apple's Magic Trackpad was a shot out of left field when it debuted earlier this summer. Offering loads of multitouch gestures to desktop users who are sick and tired of using the same 'ole mouse for the past score, the pad received little attention from Apple itself. Rather than launching the new hardware at a press event, the company simply slid it into its webstore, just hoping and praying that you'd put your optical bias aside for a moment and try it out. We've already given you our take, and now we're interested in hearing your own thoughts. Has the Magic Trackpad revolutionized the way you control your cursor? Caused more frustration than it's worth? Did you forget you even owned this thing? How would you tweak it if allowed into Cupertino's design labs? Tell all in comments below.

  • How would you change Dell's Streak?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    09.25.2010

    Oh, sure -- our international contemporaries have been toying with the Dell Streak for the better part of 2010, but Americans have just recently had their equal opportunity to indulge. It's a mini tablet, or a huge phone. Or both. And sometimes neither. But whatever the case may be on any given Sunday, the 5-inch Streak has caused more of a stir for the folks in Round Rock than any product since the Adamo. For those who eagerly pre-ordered and then not-so-eagerly paid the credit bill upon receipt, we're interested in knowing exactly how things are going so far. Are you still stoked about having a 5-inch phone? Would you have made it any larger / smaller? Changed the casing? Made it available on another carrier? Thrown in a slide-out QWERTY keyboard? Let us know in comments below, capiche?

  • How would you change Pixel Qi's 3Qi display?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    09.17.2010

    Yeah, Pixel Qi's 3Qi display is a wee bit more niche than your average superphone, but we just know a handful of you DIYers out there took the plunge on this one. Mary Lou Jepsen's pride and joy went on sale back in July, offering crafty modders the chance to swap their lackluster netbook panel for an E Ink slayer. We were personally thrilled with the results, but we still saw a few things that could've been ironed out given the time, money and technical insight. If you've also taken the leap, we're oh-so-curious to know how you would redesign the dual-mode 3Qi. Make it sharper? A higher resolution? A different size? Something else entirely? No walls allowed here -- get creative down in comments below.

  • How would you change Microsoft's new Xbox 360?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    09.10.2010

    So, you didn't wait for those forthcoming Kinect bundles to ship before picking up a new Xbox 360, huh? Good on you. Now that you've had all summer to break 'er in, we're keenly interested in knowing how exactly you -- the dear consumer -- would change Microsoft's slimmer, edgier Xbox 360. Would you have crafted a more stackable case? Thrown in a Blu-ray drive for obvious reasons? Included four controllers and a game for a nominal fee? Packed more than 250GB of hard drive space? Retooled the controller at the time of launch, rather than... say, last week? Go ahead and get real in comments below. Just keep it halfway sane down there.

  • How would you change Motorola's Droid X?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    09.03.2010

    Last week we gave the Apple loyalists in attendance a chance to rip and rag the iPhone 4, and this time around we're doing the same for Motorola's best frienemies. The Droid X is without question the largest Droid in the family today, and calling it a showstopper on Verizon would probably be understating things. Now that it's been on the market a few months, we're curious to know how you early adopters like (or dislike) it. Did the massive screen end up being too large for comfort? Anything you'd tweak software-wise? How's the VZW service been? Might your world change if Android 2.2 ever hits in official fashion? Go on and let us know how you'd alter this behemoth down in comments below -- but give it some real thought first, cool? Cool.

  • How would you change Apple's iPhone 4?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    08.27.2010

    We know, half of you aren't even going to read past the headline before you start angrily banging away about Apple's admitted antenna gaff and the still-not-totally-fixed proximity sensor, but we're urging you to look deeper. Think harder. Critique your criticisms. In all seriousness, Apple's iPhone 4 garnered more attention (negative or otherwise) than any other phone released this calendar year, and for good reason -- in fact, Apple itself had to hold an emergency press event just to announce what could've been announced in a PR blast: everyone's getting a free case. That said, Cupertino has still managed to move millions of units in just a few months, and that demand doesn't seem to be dropping off at any significant rate. If you're one of the lucky (or unlucky) ones that have managed to procure Apple's latest iPhone, we're overly anxious to hear your thoughts on changing it. How would you have addressed the antenna issue? Would you have preferred a less drastic departure from the 3GS form factor? Would you have offered more colors than white and black? Thrown in Bluetooth 3.0 for kicks? Go ahead, the floor's yours -- just don't abuse it, cool?

  • How would you change the HP TouchSmart tm2t?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    08.20.2010

    If you're looking for the quintessential tablet experience, but aren't so fond of giving up the small luxuries that come with owning a laptop, HP's TouchSmart tm2t was probably high on your list once it was introduced earlier in the year. Boasting a 12.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, a swivel option for converting it into a tablet and plenty of power for the Average Joe / Jane, it looks -- on paper, at least -- that this guy is the definition of 'striking a balance.' For those that plopped down the coin to bring one home, we're interested to hear how it has or has not lived up to your expectations. Is the note-taking experience up to snuff? How's that touch response? Would you want to have resistive instead? Bumped up the CPU a notch or two? Don't be shy down in comments below -- we need more oddballs like this in the world, and we need 'em to be done right.

  • How would you change Apple's HDMI-equipped Mac mini?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    08.13.2010

    Apple's newest Mac mini is a distinct and welcome departure from the comparatively bulky white Mac mini of yesteryear, and while we appreciate the unibody construction, inbuilt SD card reader and HDMI port, asking $700 and up for a headless PC without tons of oomph is still asking a lot. We're curious to know if your new Mac mini has been treating you well (as an HTPC or otherwise), and moreover, we want to know how you'd change things even further if given the key to Cupertino's design labs. Would you have added a Blu-ray option? Maybe an OTA TV tuner? Thrown any other ports on the rear? Beefed up the GPU a little? Trimmed things down for a cheaper entry-level model? Go on and vent in comments below -- hugs are free and limitless.

  • How would you change Nikon's D3S?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    08.06.2010

    It's still not as widely available as we would like, but Nikon's D3S has finally moved from "this thing simply has to be vaporware" to "I may catch one in stock if I stay up all night clicking around." Without a doubt, it's one of the most impressive leaps in digital imaging at the $5k DSLR level that we've ever seen, and it has become next to essential when dealing with tragic lighting conditions on trade show floors. But as with every gem, there's a flaw or two be found somewhere. For those who plunked down thousands to bring home Nikon's low light monster, how would you change things if given the opportunity? Would you have bumped the movie mode to 1080p? Put a few more buttons on the rear? Lightened the load a bit? Go on and spill your guts below -- you've earned the chance, chief.

  • How would you change the Drobo FS?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    07.31.2010

    After years of pleading, the fine folks over at Data Robotics finally gifted you with a Drobo NAS. They called it the Drobo FS, but we all know what the real skinny is. But is the five-bay, Ethernet-friendly storage robot really a dream come true? We've had nothing but success with it in our Time Machine setup, but as with pretty much any networked drive, we've heard reports here and there of frustrations and complications. For those who have sprung for the FS, we're curious to hear what you'd change about the setup. Need more drive bays? Would you prefer a few extra interface options? Would you make the box a little less noisy? Go ahead and get honest down in comments below -- we know you need an avenue to vent after the week you just survived, right?

  • How would you change HTC's EVO 4G?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    07.23.2010

    It may be America's first 4G smartphone, but if we had to guess, we'd surmise that not everyone sees it as perfect. Even if we (almost) did. HTC's EVO 4G was (and still is) a showstopper of epic proportions, boasting one of the largest screens in the smartphone universe and offering blistering speed under the hood. But with phone innovation happening faster than anyone could've ever imagined just a few years ago, we're sure that some ideas have been planted in your head since its launch earlier in the year. For those who've been toying with this here phone, we're keenly interested in learning how you'd change things if given the chance. Would you offer a 3G-only version for those uninterested in paying that extra $10 / month surcharge? Would you be a lot more satisfied with Android 2.2 loaded on? Toss it over to another carrier? Go on and get vocal in comments below, cool?

  • How would you change LG's Ally?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    07.16.2010

    LG didn't hold back when it came time to market its Ally, but was a tie-in with one of the summer's biggest blockbusters really enough? We found some rather unforgivable flaws during our testing, but that's honestly beside the point -- we're here to hear about your thoughts on the device. Priced initially at just $100 on contract, it was (and still is, to an extent) one of the best deals going for an Android-based smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard, but has it really lived up to your expectations? Are you wishing you had held out a bit longer? Is the keyboard really a winner? How do you like / dislike the UI overlay? How's it handle when held left-handed? Go on, get really real in comments below. We're all ears.

  • How would you change the Archos 7 Home Tablet?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    07.09.2010

    Archos has been a player in the PMP market for a few centuries now (a rough estimate, anyway), and to say that the universe was jazzed at the mere thought of a 7-inch tablet for under $200 would be understating things dramatically. We found more things wrong with the Archos 7 Home Tablet than we could've ever imagined going in, but still, for under two C-notes, we have to believe that a few of you flipped on the blinders and made the purchase anyway. For those in that camp, we're interesting to find how you feel about it now. Is the size right? Is the OS as impressive as you thought it would be? Are you longing for a larger display? Imagine you had the keys to Archos' design lab and had the power to overhaul this bad boy, then have a sip of your favorite fruit juice and drop your thoughts in comments below. In that order, por favor.

  • How would you change Microsoft's Kin One and Two?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    06.25.2010

    Hey! Microsoft debuted two new phones earlier this year! Remember that? Okay, so there's a fair chance that Microsoft actually moved fewer Kin One / Two handsets than Fusion Garage did JooJoo tablets, but we're pretty confident that a few of you fell for the whole "my life is so social, so I'm buying in" thing. We're still personally trying to figure out why the full Windows Phone 7 wasn't used here instead of an OS that'll likely be forgotten by the time you finish reading this, but enough of our rambling -- this space is all about you. Did you pick up one of the Kin brothers? How's the experience? Are you still kosher with paying the same data plan price as future Droid X users? Have you gained more friends than you know what to do with? Starred in your own commercial? Tell us below, tweeps.

  • How would you change Sony's Dash?

    by 
    Darren Murph
    Darren Murph
    06.19.2010

    The verdict is still out on whether or not Sony's Dash is a world changer, but while we patiently await the first mod to shove a battery into this thing and make it a bona fide tablet, we're going to flick through your suggestions on tweaking what we've got. Were your hopes dashed (ahem) when Sony revealed that this thing was meant to be used inside? Are you happy with the widget software loaded on? Is this thing superior to your existing Chumby device? Feel free to really let loose here -- we get the feeling that Insignia's Infocast is just waiting around the corner to take your advice before Sony can pop out a revised edition.