Back To Stock: Tired of a those gimics cluttering your Android phone? The Verge has you covered.

For most Android users, your phone's User Interface (UI) isn't as clean and simple as the nice folks at Google intended. What you have is what the maker of your particular phone thought the UI should look like to stand out from all the other Android phones out at the time. Now I happen to like the version of HTC Sense that came with my HTC Inspire a year and a half ago when I bought it (yeah, almost time for an upgrade) but an update about six months ago changed the lock screen, and I hate it.

Thankfully Android allows you to change the UI yourself, and lots of software makers have come up with solutions to your interface issues. The good people at The Verge have some cool tips to fix a few of the most common gripes with manufacturer altered UIs (including Lock Screens and Keyboards) and a lot of them are free!

Check it out at The Verge ... Full Story

CNET test drives the Razor Edge gaming tablet

No, it's not a Surface Pro with joysticks stuck to it... It's better!

The Razor Edge gaming tablet is a Windows 8 tablet alright, but it was built with serious fun in mind. The top end model features 1.9/3Ghz I7 processor, 8 gigs of RAM. a 2 Gb Nvidia graphics card, and 256 Gb solid state drive. It's also comes with that sweet controller dock which turns it into a giant handheld gaming console. It's also features a HDMI port and can output video at full 1080p resolution. The dock also features a slot at the back for a spare battery for all day gaming sessions. The only thing this sweet package doesn't have is an expansion card slot. That's right, there's not even an SD card slot, which so far is the only thing I don't like about it, but it does have a single USB 3.0 port and when you add the game dock you get three more, so an external card reader isn't out of the question.

So... How much will all this mobile gaming awesomeness set you back? $1449 USD. Not cheap, but if you're a hardcore gamer who's got places to be, it's might bet worth it. There's also a $999 model (about the same price as a Surface Pro) which has a 1.7/2.6Ghz I5 chip and less memory.

For more info, check out CNET's full review

HTC One

Smartphone maker HTC debutes it's new Flagship device ahead of the Mobile World Congress to get a jump on the competition. So far experts and reviewers seem to be impressed. With specs including a 4.7 inch 1080p screen, dual speaker Beats Audio sound, a 1.7 GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 Processor, 2 GB of RAM and either 32 or 64 GB of storage wrapped in a sleek all aluminum unibody chassis this looks like a monster performer.

While first impressions are positive, reviewers are already worried that the HTC One will be immediatly overshadowed by the upcomming announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S4, which is expected shortly after MWC. This wouldn't be the first time HTC has released a world class smartphone, only to have buyers completely overlook it. As an HTC fan, I'll be watching this one closely.

Visit HTC

How Apple got it's Style...

For those of us who remember the 1980's, here's an interesting peek into the past.

In "Design Foward" with arrives on bookstore shelves this week, Industrial Designer Hartmut Esslinger talks about his design work for Apple Computers during the mid-80's. The book features photos of many odd and interesting design studies done for the young company in it's pre-Macintosh days (and even some concepts that hint at the origins of the Mac). A lot of the more facinating concepts were never used or didn't make it to production, and even a few early tablet designs that were way ahead of there time, but they are still cool pieces of computing history and modern design.

CNET has the scoop (and lots of cool pictures like the Music Mac at right) Here