We've all seen the ads. Every carrier and their mother insist's that in some way, their network, coverage and speed rates are better than anyone else's. Personally, we're tired of the vague statements these shiny new commercials keep telling us with their unclear coverage maps dotted with vagaries.

Leave it to the modern smartphone to solve the issue of service misinformation. It's finally time to have carriers put their money where their mouths are, with the help of an iPhone app they're probably not too thrilled about: Carrier Compare.

The concept of Carrier Compare is simple: Press start, and the app will analyze your network's Signal Strength, Response and Speed Times, then compare it with other services nearby. The result? Depending on where you are during your day and night, you may find out the carrier you use isn't so compatible with your daily routine. And if it's time to shop around for a new service, the comparison option gives you great leads on which networks actually work for you this time around.

No more reliance spotty marketing language or impressive looking coverage graphics. With Carrier Compare, consumers actually have the power to win, just a little bit, against carriers this time.

Currently the app only compares for the Big 3, that's to say we're only talking about Verizon, AT&T and Sprint for the moment, but considering that most budget carriers also piggy-back on these networks, it's a great way to see if cheaper options such as Boost Mobile which is on th Sprint Network, would work for you.

So far the possibilities are nearly endless for how Carrier Compare can be used, but we believe people moving to new cities, or those who are looking to switch from the price gouging of their network will definitely benefit from the data provided.

We're glad the people at SwayMarkets have taken the initiative of releasing such a powerful tool for free, and we hope they continue to add carriers for comparison as well as support for Android. Hopefully this facilitates a movement for REAL QUALITY reflected by network performance and carrier prices. For now, thanks to Carrier Compare, we don't have to be guilty of fast-forwarding that Verizon commercial next time not that we ever were.

Since the first release of the Nexus-series of phones and following Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility, it seemed obvious that both patents and hardware have been becoming more of a focus for the search giant.

Considering that the company's biggest and clearest rival is Apple, this really comes as no surprise, but what about tablets?

If anything, it's quite obvious that the high-end market is already dominated by the iPad (and our iPad Accessories), but hot sales of the Kindle Fire have proven that budget is beautiful too.

And it seems like Google see's it the same way.

During an April 12th Q1 earnings call, Google co-founder and CEO Larry Page expressed specific interest in lower-end, affordable Android tablets as a target for the company, and we couldn't be more excited about the prospect.

Currently, the biggest hurdle for the Android tablet is simply the size of its demographic there are just far too few people buying tablet devices running on Google's OS to warrant the same amount of tablet-Specific apps and large feverish communities that both Apple and Amazon can boast about.

Still, considering how well other companies have done so far, the potential is definitely there for Google, it just looks like adoption is simply a matter of supplying a little jumpstart to grow customers. And for a non-essential device like the tablet, lower prices make complete sense.

In our own polling, we've found that a vast majority of people would prefer a phone over a tablet mainly due to two factors: Price, and Necessity. Unlike phones, our reliance on a device that's the equivalant to a phone with a larger screen seems impracticle for the price point.

If budget Android phones are growing adoption for smartphones, then a cheap sub-$250 Android tablet may be able to do the same for tablets.

With the open source platform that is Android, we can only see this as a start of a revolution with the people's tablet.

They say if you're seeking to innovate, then you should look back and be inspired by the past. It seems the people at Pebble have taken that saying to the next level with their newest ready-to-roll product: The Pebble E-Ink Smartwatch.

Designed to work with Android and iPhone devices, the E-Ink Smartwatch pairs with your phone via Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR to deliver text messages (Android only) and other notifications, show incoming call details, control your phone's music player, and track your jogging/biking progress via apps through the phone's GPS. All this data is delivered on a glare-proof E-ink display with options to create or download your own apps included.

With an available SDK and support for simple If This Then That functionalities, customization of the device looks extremly promising to us.

Currently this sleek little device is available only on Kickstarter for $115, but that may be ending soon as it looks like the publicity for the Pebble E-Ink Smartwatch has outpaced expectations. As of this article, they've made more than 3.6x the amount of their original fundraising goal ($363,000 so far vs. the $100,000 initially expected).

Don't fret though, with such great numbers coming out of their initial fundraising, things are looking good for Pebble's future.

The product itself is an interesting juxtaposition on what's happening in tech and innovation. The cell phone can arguably be seen as the wristwatch killer, with many people opting out of wearing cumbersome bits of old technology for more useful smartphone screens, but it's clear that as time goes on, convenience will outpace novelty making smartwatches a great alternative to constantly reaching in your pocket to see what that beeping is about.

While everyone else is focusing on the device that can arguably be presented as the wristwatch killer, it looks like Pebble is smart enough to bring an old and for centuries well-established device back to the forefront. With phone thefts on the rise, and more people using public transit, the smartwatch allows for a safer and easier way to access your device without reaching into a pocket or bag.

Expect to see more devices like Pebbles watch in the future. It might just be the next big thing in tech.

Video below.

We've seen a lot of opinions lately coming from prominent blogs asking phonemakers to stop with the low budget smartphones, and the only response we could come up for it was: Why?

Of course we need to put things in context: When writers are complaining about budget Android smartphones, they're right about some things: Budget phones leave a lot to be desired. They're made with aged technology and hardware that can be more than 2 years old, stifling the progress and frenzy we saw during the HTC vs. Samsung vs. Apple innovation wars between 2010 - 2011.

Cheap, budget Android phones seem like gimmicky attempts when you compare them to the newest, shiniest toys. And it feels like companies are just trying to make up for the loss in Feature Phone revenue, while having the public be satisfied with the same stats across the board. It can mean stagnation, where companies might get a little too comfortable with these kinds of devices out on the market making their strategy more focused on staggered, cheaper to make phones rather than high-end pocket computers that are top of the line.

For this writer, it feels like more of an issue about access. Having cheaper smartphones means a larger pool of users for developers, which means more apps with more people connected to them. It also gives better freedom: People aren't all willing to shell out $600+ for a phone, that simply isn't in the budget for most wallets out there, and enslaving oneself with an extravagantly priced 2-year contract for a high-end phone isn't in the cards for most either.

Budget smartphones allow for quicker adoption of these devices, and it's also one of the hottest competing markets out there, making phone companies innovate while keeping their products much cheaper. If everyone went budget, it would solidify features on smartphones that we all can use between networks, devices and applications.

So this writer hopes, that for the sake of innovation, access and true universal mobile interaction, that budget phones keep trucking along. For the sake of innovation.

With not too shabby sales of Amazon's first tablet, leaks from the online retail giant are showing the company is preparing itself for the release of the next Kindle Fire. The newest iteration of their break-through tablet is set to be bigger and better, with an eye-popping 10-inch screen and impressive state-of-the-art features showcasing that a new budget-friendly rival is arriving against the The New iPad, and it's a tough contender.

But in the end, the details are currently still sparse. Consumer surveys have revealed a number of ways in which the next Kindle Fire could be improved, including increased battery life, a camera, and a physical volume button. If Amazon pays attention to consumer's wants and implement these into their next release, they could most certainly gain ground in the tablet marketplace. Just these small changes can change the landscape and expand the market for the Kindle Fire.

Costing only a third of the price of higher-end tablet models, the original Kindle Fire was a modern day marvel that outsold much of its competition, blowing past Samsung's Android-powered tablets and climbing up the sales ladder thanks to early adopters. If the newest release offers all the incredible features and improvements that one expects from the likes of Amazon, then the company could easily solidify its place as a powerful market leader in the tablet sector.

Due to the affordability of the original Kindle Fire, Amazon sold millions of the tablet, especially during the busy holiday season. With an amazing price tag of $200 it is a fraction of the price of the iPad, making it the perfect option for consumers with a limited budget.

Though Apple has always been the clear leader in the tablet market due to their record breaking innovation and design, Amazon has a great change of grabbing second place if affordability and strategic improvements are their primary focus for the new Kindle Fire.

The final question is: Would you buy a tablet, and if yes, what would the Next Kindle Fire need for you to be sold on this budget device?