Archive for the ‘Tips and Advice’ category

How do the i68 and i68+ differ?

August 22nd, 2009

[Note: Please be advised that the item featured in this article is no longer being stocked. This post is being kept for archival purposes only. Please check out our website for a wide selection of other iPhone clones and other wholesale electronics.]

The cool new i68+ is now available on Bigboxsave.com.  This is an upgrade from the popular i68 phone, also available on our site.  Curious what exactly separates an i68 from an i68+?  The following post will tell you what you get by purchasing the new i68+, and how to make sure you are getting the latest Sciphone model.

The real difference between these two phones is the software.  The i68+ has upgraded firmware, running  version 3.0a.  This software allows for swifter and more fluid navigation.  The i68+ also uses a different USB cable connector.  This is a subtle difference, but can be an easy way to distinguish between an i68 and an i68+.  Take a look at the pinout of the USB connector on your i68.  If it uses pins 1..8..9..10, it is the original i68.  If it uses pins 1..9..10..11, it is an i68+.  While this may seem trivial, the difference in USB connector pin layout means that the two phones require different firmware upgrade cables.

When buying an i68+, it is important to make sure you are really getting the latest upgrade, and not a relabeled original i68. One way to make sure, as mentioned above, is to check the USB pin layout.  In addition, users should check for the Sciphone Inc. logo and i68+ name.  This can be found in multiple places, including on the phone’s screen during start-up, on the battery, and inside the battery compartment.  In addition, a genuine i68+ should have two IMEI codes inside the battery compartment.

The i68+ is a great phone that looks identical to an iPhone, and has a ton of cool features.  However, buyers should be cautious about their supplier.  Follow the tips above to make sure you are getting the real deal.  Otherwise, you end up paying more for an older product.

Save Yourself the Headache – Get a Reverse Parking Sensor

August 22nd, 2009

While backing out of the parking lot of a new restaurant near my house last Monday, I scraped against a stop sign and damaged the side of the car I was driving.  Had this been my car, it wouldn’t have been a big deal.  However, this was not my car.  It was my Dad’s car.  He was sitting shotgun (and had asked me to drive) and immediately got out to take a look.  It was only minor cosmetic damage, but the sidings had been scraped off and there were a couple of dents.  Nothing too serious, but it did need to be repaired.

The next morning I went to the dealership, hoping it would cost less than $500.  Unfortunately, I was apparently living in a dream world, because their initial estimate was $2700!  I knew I had to pay for this out of pocket because reporting it to the insurance agency would raise my Dad’s rates for years to come.  Stunned, I stared at the piece of paper, not wanting to believe my eyes.  I went over all of the ways that I could have avoided this tragic fate – if there hadn’t been an accident on the freeway I would have been on time for that movie and I wouldn’t have even gone out to dinner last night…if I had said no when my Dad asked me to drive…and so on and so forth.  However, these things are pointless to think about, and what I really should have been thinking about is how to prevent this from happening in the future.  The first thing I plan to do is convince my Dad to buy a Reverse Parking Sensor before I drive his car again.

This device would have saved me $2,700 dollars.  A Distance Detection System would have turned on automatically when I put my Dad’s car into reverse.  Once it detected the stop sign I was backing into it would have beeped, causing me to stop the car and look more carefully at the objects behind me.  I would have seen the stop sign at that point, and backed out more carefully.  What really bugs me is how little these things cost (a rear parking sensor can be purchased for as little as $40!).  Compare that price with the outrageously high cost of minor body work, and it really is a no-brainer to get one of these installed in your car.