Dear readers,

As most of you probably know by now, I’ve recently accepted a full-time position with Engadget as Senior Mobile Editor, this after spending almost a year freelancing for them in my spare time.

What does it mean for this blog, tnkgrl Mobile?

The blog: I’m going to continue writing here from time-to-time, focusing on any mobile tech content that’s not well suited for Engadget. Of course you’ll be able to read me over there to your heart’s content, and I’ll post links here to all my important Engadget features. Subscribe to my RSS feed† and my Twitter account to keep on top of what’s happening with me.

The videos and pictures: I’m planning to keep up the unboxing videos (time permitting). I won’t usually be posting them right away – after all, I can’t steal the show from Engadget :) Unboxing pictures and camera tests are more time-consuming to compile so I’m not making any promises. Instead, look for your fix of videos and pictures in my Engadget reviews.

The podcast: Talking with tnkgrl is dead in the water. As you likely remember, Matt Bennett decided to move on to other (two-wheeled) projects. Then Tony Peric and I struggled to coordinate our schedules and experienced some technical setbacks, essentially putting the podcast on hold. Instead, I suggest you listen to me weekly on the Engadget Mobile podcast.

Despite tnkgrl Mobile taking a back seat in my life this new job marks my successful transition from being a long-time video game developer to working as a journalist full-time.

It’s pretty amazing that something that started out as a hobby less than 5 years ago is now my career. I hope you stick around and come along for the ride. It’s going to be a blast!

xo

Myriam Joire (aka tnkgrl)

PS: I’ve still got a small backlog of content that I’ll be posting here over the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

Check out my recent review on Engadget: Nokia E7… Then watch my unboxing video after the break!

Also, be sure to listen to Vlad Savov and me on the Engadget Mobile podcast, usually recorded live every Friday afternoon, and posted every Saturday.

Yes, the Apple iPad 2 is in the house! It arrived while I was covering CTIA, and was waiting for me at home when I returned…

Apple really nailed it with the iPad 2 – it raises the bar for tablets in general, and leaves the competition in the dust.

I’ve already mentioned this in the context of the Motorola Xoom, and other reviews have reached the same conclusion.

Enjoy my unboxing video :)

Last month I covered CTIA for Engadget in Orlando. It was a lot of work with little sleep, but it was also great fun!

Check out my pictures above (slide show – including Shamu), and hit the break to see the news I reported…

My CTIA posts for Engadget:
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Play for Verizon
- LG G2x
- LG G-Slate bundled apps
- Google Nexus S 4G
- Google Voice for Sprint
- T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot

My other contributions:
- Nokia Astound
- HTC EVO 3D

My podcast appearances:
- Mobile 081

Other notable posts:
- CTIA 2011 wrap-up

The LG G2x for T-Mobile was my pick of the show, and the HTC EVO 3D for Sprint definitely caught my attention.

A few weeks ago, I received an HTC Arrive review unit from the PR people at Sprint.

It’s the first CDMA Windows Phone 7 device, and it’s the only phone to ship with NoDo (the update that adds copy/paste) – my HTC Surround is jealous :)

Take a look at my unboxing video, and follow up by reading this excellent review for more tasty info.

About a month ago, I got my dirty little hands on the HTC Thunderbolt, thanks to the lovely folks at Verizon…

It’s basically an HTC EVO 4G with LTE instead of WiMAX plus a few other improvements, and it’s the first LTE smartphone available in the US.

Check out my unboxing video, and be sure to read this great review for all the juicy details!

Check out my latest review on Engadget: Samsung Galaxy S 4G… Then watch my unboxing video after the break!

Also, be sure to listen to Chris Ziegler, Vlad Savov, and me on the Engadget Mobile podcast, usually recorded live every Friday afternoon, and posted every Saturday.

Read my Amazon Kindle DX review and it’s clear that I’m neither an avid book reader, nor a fan of E-ink technology. But when Barnes & Noble recently discounted its Nook Color E-Book reader for $200, I decided to take the plunge.

See, the Nook Color is basically an Android tablet disguised as an E-book reader – complete with a 7″ glass capacitive color LCD touchscreen instead of an E-ink display. It’s already been hacked to run stock Froyo, Gingerbread, and even Honeycomb.

Take a look at my unboxing video, and expect some unboxing pictures & more coverage soon :)

Last week I received a Motorola Xoom review unit from the friendly people at Verizon. It’s the first device on the market to run Android 3.0 (aka. Honeycomb), a new version of Google’s mobile OS suited for both phones and tablets. Frankly, it’s been a mixed bag so far – a work in progress – as noted in other reviews…

Motorola’s hardware is expensive – $800 for a 10″ tablet with 3G (including an upcoming free 4G upgrade that requires the device to be sent in for service for a few days). Build quality, while not poor, feels inadequate for the price. The screen is dimmer, lower contrast, and more reflective than I expected for a flagship product. The power connector looks fragile and there’s no way to charge the Xoom over USB.

Google’s software is buggy – it shows a lot of promise but there’s a definite lack of polish overall. Few apps take advantage of Honeycomb at the moment, and most legacy Android apps just look & feel awkward on the large display. The web browser is lovely, but there’s no Flash support for the time being (it’s been announced).

Ultimately, the Apple iPad 2 is thinner, lighter, faster, and cheaper than the Xoom. The focus is now squarely on user experience and ecosystem, rather than specs and features. Whereas with phones Android faced an uphill battle vs. iOS two years ago, with tablets it’s facing a mile-high cliff. It’s a different game – the Xoom is no halo device, especially with the iPad 2 also available to Verizon customers.

Stay tuned for some unboxing pictures and camera tests (the Xoom camera is better than the iPad 2′s). In the meantime, check out my unboxing video!

Last week I was in Barcelona, covering MWC for Engadget. I worked a lot and slept very little, but it was fun!

Above are some pictures (slide show), and below is the news I reported, with more after the break…

My MWC posts for Engadget:
- Huawei IDEOS S7 Slim
- ViewSonic V350
- ViewSonic ViewPad 4
- Huawei IDEOS X3
- Alien Dalvik
- HTC Incredible S

My other contributions:
- Steve Ballmer keynote
- WP7 multitasking
- Samsung Galaxy S 4G
- Stephen Elop interview

My podcast appearances:
- Mobile 075
- Mobile 076
- Mobile 077

Other notable posts:
- Android booth tour
- MWC highlights

While many devices were announced, none were groundbreaking. The Samsung Galaxy S II caught my attention, together with the HTC Incredible S – that’s about it.

Ultimately, what made MWC really special was shaking hands with Stephen Elop, CEO of Nokia, and getting smoothies at the Android booth.

I’ve recently reviewed the Nokia X3-02 and I’m currently playing with a Huawei Ideos X5. Expect more goodness soon :)