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Category: Mobile accessories
November 5th, 2009
Review: OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL Series for iPhone 3G/3GS
I have tried cases with my iPhone devices in the past, but kept going back to an InvisibleShield or BodyGuardz plastic skin because I didn’t want anything adding bulk to my iPhone 3GS. Silicone cases are very popular today, but I have never been happy with them since I carry my phone in my pocket and they tend to cause the phone to stick in my pocket and gather lint. OtterBox recently launched a couple of new hybrid silicone cases that add a hard plastic shell to a silicone case so you can slip your iPhone in and out of your pocket while also gaining a decent level of protection with minimal addition of size. The OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL series cases are available now for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. Their Defender series adds the most protection, but add too much bulk for me to accept for daily use. Check out my image gallery of the OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL Series cases.
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| Image Gallery:A look at the new iPhone OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL cases. |  |
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Both of these new iPhone case lines are similar in that they are composed of two pieces; a silicone inner shell and a hard plastic/polycarbonate out shell. You also receive a self-adhesive screen protector in each package and I found the protector gives you a feel very much like the oleophobic finish on the iPhone 3GS device. The inner silicone shells are almost exactly the same on both cases with just a slightly different back (designed to fit the plastic shell) and ribs on the inside left and right sides of the Commuter TL Series. The plastic shells are quite different, but they weigh almost exactly the same (0.74 ounces and 0.75 ounces) and have almost the same dimensions. The Commuter TL Series is available in seven different colors so it has a bit more personalization and as you can read below there is another main reason I prefer the Commuter TL Series.
OtterBox Commuter TL
The Commuter TL Series is available in black, blue, green, pink, red, white, and yellow. At the time I was sent an evaluation unit the black model was the only one available, but I may have to pick up a colored one soon. I was reluctant to place the screen protector on my iPhone 3GS because I love the oleophobic feel of the display and was worried the screen protector would take away from that experience. I was pleasantly surprised to find it felt much like the default display and decided to keep the protector on since it protects the display from scratches.
I then wrapped the silicone shell around my iPhone 3GS and found openings for the Apple logo, camera, silent/ringer switch, stereo speakers, bottom Apple iPhone port, and headset jack. There are covers for the headset jack and bottom connection port designed to help keep dust out of these open ports. There are rubber protrusions over the volume rocker and power switch so you can operate these through the silicone case. The Commuter TL also has Read the rest of this entry »
November 3rd, 2009
Review: Celio rolls out BlackBerry client for the REDFLY Mobile Companion
I’ve been a fan of the REDFLY Mobile Companion for a couple of years and purchased the C8N in November 2008. If you remember there are two models of the REDFLY Mobile Companion, the C7 and C8N, that give you a large display and keyboard to use with your Windows Mobile device. Celio Corp has been working on expanding their driver support and we saw a concept for Android back at CES. Today, we see the launch of a BlackBerry driver for selected BlackBerry devices, which makes the most sense considering there are so many BlackBerry devices in enterprise.
I have the C8N and had to make it “BlackBerry aware”. Celio Corp. made it much easier to upgrade the firmware of the REDFLY. In the past there were two separate downloads, one to install the utility on the Windows Mobile device and one separately to update the firmware of the REDFLY itself. In the new method you just update the software on the WM device and then after plugging in the REDFLY a prompt appears to update the firmware if an update is available.
Now that your REDFLY is ready for the BlackBerry you need the new free BB driver. Visit the REDFLY installation site and select your REDFLY device. After loading up the new software you then plug in the USB cable and turn on the REDFLY. You will immediately see the BB display on the REDFLY and unlike Windows Mobile you will see output on the REDFLY and the BlackBerry at the same time. I was sent a BB Bold to try out and at launch you will need a BlackBerry Bold 9000, BlackBerry Curve 8900 or BlackBerry Tour 9630. They plan to support most of the new phones BlackBerry releases in the future. In order for the REDFLY driver to operate efficiently, you’ll need a BlackBerry phone with a 512 MHz or faster processor; 128MB or more memory; and a BlackBerry OS version of 4.6 or later.
Celio recommends connecting via USB since there is limited throughput with Bluetooth. Unlike Windows Mobile, Celio’s REDFLY driver is at the application level (this is why you see both displays active) so the display scaling is not as robust as what we see on Windows Mobile. Other than small black areas on either side, the display looks and functions quite well.
It does take a bit of practice to get used to controlling your BlackBerry with the keyboard and trackpad. The trackpad can be used to emulate the trackball with the left mouse button acting as the selection (center push) of the trackball. The left and right soft keys function as the BlackBerry menu and back buttons, respectively. You can also assign three hot keys for quick access to apps you want to use with the REDFLY and I set them up for email, TwitterBerry, and the web browser. Web browsing takes a bit of getting used to since the navigation is not as fluid as using the trackball on the BB, but the display is larger and quite readable.
I see the most value in the REDFLY for BlackBerry users to be in the email application where you may be able to crank them out on the larger keyboard. Then again, some BlackBerry users can really hammer out the text on a small QWERTY keyboard too. The REDFLY also charges up the BB while it is connected to the USB cable.
To celebrate the launch of the new BlackBerry driver you can enter a contest to win one of 5 REDFLY C8N’s given out over the next 10 days. The C7 is priced at $199 and the C8N is $249 and if you are a person who wants a larger keyboard and display for working on your smartphone on the go these are great prices on a highly useful accessory.
August 14th, 2009
MobileTechRoundup show #180, T-Mobile Touch Pro2 thoughts
Listen here (MP3, 32 MB, 34:50 minutes)
Subscribe to the show with this link (RSS)
Kevin and I teased everyone a bit last week and in our focused MobileTechRoundup show #180 we spent quite a bit of time talking about the new T-Mobile HTC Touch Pro2. James then chimed in with Kevin to talk about the rise in homebrew apps for the Palm Pre and I am a bit jealous that Sprint coverage is not good enough for me to have a Pre. We talked about depositing check with my iPhone and then James had a possible Touchstone failure to report.
August 14th, 2009
HTC patent shows stylus for capacitive displays
- Image courtesy of MoDaCo.com
We see details from lots of Apple patents on new technology posted on the Internet and there are some that show cool technology while others are way out ideas that we will probably never see implemented. HTC is the leader in Windows Mobile and Google Android development and has come out with some very innovative technologies. MoDaCo posted on two HTC patents that we may see on future devices. One is for a stylus and the other for display technology.
Now, you may be thinking what the heck is HTC even doing thinking about stylus usage in the future? This particular stylus technology concerns a stylus designed to work with capacitive displays, using “induced currents and magic”. While I personally prefer the capacitive displays found on the iPhone, Palm Pre, and myTouch 3G I find a resistive display with a stylus to be easier to use for selecting text and making changes to letters or copying the text for pasting elsewhere. There are also others around the world where handwriting on a display is still a better option than a QWERTY keyboard. This type of stylus could give you the option to work how you want and is the best of both worlds.
The other patent describes a privacy display that adjust the viewing angle based on the angle of the device and your eye placement. As mobile devices become more and more popular, this could be important for the frequent traveler or commuter who needs to keep their work out of sight from the snoopy neighbor.
July 9th, 2009
HTC; 3.5mm headset jacks coming on most future devices
I mention the usage of HTC ExtUSB (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one) in my reviews because I generally prefer to have a standard 3.5mm headset jack on my mobile phones so I can listen to music and podcasts with my own Ultimate Ears headphones. MobileCrunch questioned HTC and received a response that most HTC devices launched after the HTC Hero will have a 3.5mm headset jack. Devices already announced, like the Touch Pro2 and myDash 3G, will still have the ExtUSB port. There has been one device I know of that previously launched with a 3.5mm headset jack, the HTC Touch HD, but I think that is it. While I think the majority of people will be pleased with the strategy of using a 3.5mm headset jack moving forward, I can also see the validity of using the HTC ExtUSB port.
The problem with using a 3.5mm headset jack is that you will also need a port for syncing and charging your device. Thus you will have two cables hanging from your device as you charge and enjoy music. HTC has been including a small adapter with all recent devices that gives you 3.5mm and 2.5mm headset jack options, along with another ExtUSB port to charge/sync your HTC device at the same time as you listen to music all through a single port on the device. Also, by using the ExtUSB port HTC has been able to make devices more compact and save some space.
Then again, my standard practice is to listen to music and podcasts while I am on the train and not connect my device to sync or charge so I rarely am in the situation where I need to plug in a pair of headphones and a power cable at the same time. So, I guess I’ll stick in the pro-3.5mm headset jack camp and get behind this movement. Just about every single one of the Nokia devices I use, with the exception of the E71, use a standard 3.5mm headset jack and I find I use them more often for media consumption than I do my HTC devices.
Loading ...July 6th, 2009
Review: RIM BlackBerry Handsfree Visor Mount Speakerphone
We usually associate RIM with their BlackBerry smartphones, but lately they have been creating more and more accessories (check out my thoughts on the BlackBerry Premium Multimedia Headset) to optimize the BlackBerry experience. The BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone is a versatile solution that gives you hands-free support in your vehicle. It gives you more functionality than seen in many Bluetooth speakers with a cool integrated FM transmitter. Check out some product photos in my image gallery and my thoughts on using the device below.
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| Image Gallery:Check out product photos of the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone. |  |
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The RIM BlackBerry Handsfree Visor Mount Speakerphone (VM-605) was launched on 8 June, but is showing up as Coming Soon in the BlackBerry Accessory store. I had the chance to try it out with both a BlackBerry Curve 8900 and BlackBerry Storm. Since Washington State requires some kind of hands-free solution I have been using a Jawbone in my car and I do really like it. However, I don’t wear it all the time so a speakerphone solution may be a quicker way to access my phone in hands-free mode.
Physical aspects
The review package contained the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone and a car charging cable/adapter. The car charger is a flexible cable attached to a cigarette lighter/DC power plug that lets you charge the Speakerphone in your car. A full charge should give you up to 13 hours of talk time (1100 mAh battery) and a standard microUSB port is used to charge up the device. RIM reports the device has 240 hours of standby time. If you want to charge the Read the rest of this entry »
May 15th, 2009
MobileTechRoundup show #171; MiFi, Sidekick, E71x, DX, and more
Listen here (MP3, 30 MB, 32:40 minutes)
Subscribe to the show with this link (RSS)
James kicked off MobileTechRoundup show #171 by talking about an accessory that is hot news this week and that is the Verizon Wireless MiFi EVDO router that makes it quick and easy to get up to 5 devices connected to Verizon’s high speed data network. I then talked about the Sidekick LX 2009 and Nokia E71x when Kevin chimed in about SlingPlayer Mobile for the iPhone. Cupcake is rolling out to Android owners. All three of us closed the show by throwing out our thoughts on the Amazon Kindle DX.
May 13th, 2009
Review: BlackBerry Premium Multimedia Headset
When you think of RIM products you think of their BlackBerry phones. While at CTIA a couple of months ago, I learned that there are also several BlackBerry branded accessories designed to work with your RIM BlackBerry devices. I had the chance to chat with a product manager for a few audio accessories and am really looking forward to seeing the BlackBerry Bluetooth Visor Mount Speakerphone. In the meantime, I was sent a BlackBerry Premium Multimedia Headset to test out with a Curve 8900. This headset allows you to both listen to tunes and hold calls with your BlackBerry. Check out some product photos in my image gallery.
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| Image Gallery:Check out product photos of the BlackBerry Premium Multimedia Headset working with the Curve 8900. |  |
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Physical aspects: The BlackBerry Premium Multimedia Headset is an in-ear earbud designed headset with soft gel tips that fit securely in your ear. Three sizes of ear gels are included to fit different ear sizes. There are also three color outside plates (red, silver, and black) that attach to the earbud outside for style.
There is a long cord (approximately 3.5 feet) where the wires are covered in soft rubber that keeps it from tangling up so easily. About 5 inches down from the earbud on the left side you will find the phone mic piece where the cable passes through. The right side earbud has a red band around it so you can easily identify it as the right side.
Down the cable just over a foot is the Read the rest of this entry »
January 5th, 2009
Review: BodyGuardz T-Mobile G1 Google Android skin
I am pretty happy with my T-Mobile G1 Google Android device and something I have been doing lately with my touch screen only devices like the original iPhone is using the plastic film skins. I like using these types of cases because they give you full functionality, excellent protection, and don’t take away from the sleek design of the device. I tried the BodyGuardz transparent skin on my T-Mobile G1 and after several weeks of usage the skin is performing flawlessly. You can find several images of the skin on my G1 in the image gallery.
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| Image Gallery:A few shots of the BodyGuardz T-Mobile G1 case. |  |
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There are two sets of skins included in the case package from NLU Products, LLC. You will also find the BodyGuardz Application solution, squeegee card, and detailed instructions. There are nine pieces that compromise the entire skin set for the back, screen, top, bottom, sides, lower hardware button area, and lower sides.
Installation: There are specific steps to be taken prior to installation and I recommend you read the directions and then even watch the installation video below so you are prepared to install the skin on your T-Mobile G1.
As I mentioned, I’ve installed these types of skins before and this case was installed in the same manner. You clean your device thoroughly, spray down the skin with the solution placed in your clean hands and carefully apply the skin pieces to your device.
After I placed the skin pieces on my device, I noticed there were some areas where there were still bubbles. I used the squeegee and was able to get most bubbles out. I read that you could wait and the bubbles would disappear over time. This indeed did happen and after a couple of days the case looked great on my G1. The only issue I have had is that the two bottom corners didn’t seem to adhere all the way and stick out just a bit.
Usage: I’ve kept the case on for the last month, although I am not sure you really need the case on the back and sides of the G1 because the case material on the G1 seems to be fairly scratch proof and may not need much extra protection. I’ve been thinking of taking it off too because I don’t really like the glossy back on the G1. I do think you should probably at least get the screen protector part of the case because it offer serious protection, doesn’t seem to scratch, appears to help with face grease on the screen, and doesn’t impact the touch screen sensitivity or usability at all. I highly recommend the BodyGuardz skins and will be buying them for future devices. They have cases available for phones, PDAs, gaming device, MacBooks, cameras, and more too.
Price: You can buy the full body case like I reviewed here for US$24.95 for a two pack or just buy the screen protector (also 2 screens) for US$14.95. They are available now and there are free shipping options available when you buy the full body package too. There is a 30-day money back guarantee and lifetime warranty on the cases. You also get 20% off future purchases after buying one set of BodyGuardz.
December 29th, 2008
Reflecting on the mobile devices of 2008, what was your favorite?
I find my look back at 2007 post to be a good resource/index for my reviews and enjoyed checking out the poll results from you all. Thus, I am posting the same type of article for 2008. This Smartphones and Cell Phones blog just kicked off in September so many of the reviews listed below were posted on my Mobile Gadgeteer blog. More software reviews were added this year and I decided to list some of my favorite applications that I reviewed here too in this 2008 wrap-up. Some “award” titles were again assigned and then I am ending with a list of devices I look forward to checking out in 2009.
I reviewed at least 26 mobile devices in 2008 as you can see in the list below.
- Wibrain B1 UMPC
- T-Mobile HotSpot @Home Talk Forever service
- Sprint HTC Shift
- Celio REDFLY C8 Mobile Companion
- HTC Advantage X7510
- Nokia N82
- Nokia N78
- HTC Touch Diamond
- Samsung Blackjack II
- HP iPAQ 910
- Nokia E71
- MWg Zinc II
- Palm Treo Pro
- Samsung OMNIA
- MSI Wind netbook
- TeleNav Shotgun GPS device
- Celio REDFLY C8N Smartphone Terminal
- Nokia N96
- T-Mobile G1 Google Android device
- RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip
- RIM BlackBerry Bold
- Sprint Touch Pro and AT&T HTC Fuze
- HTC Rose/S740
- T-Mobile Samsung Behold and MOTOZINE ZN5
Here are some of my favorite software titles I checked out in 2008:
- Spb Mobile Shell 2.0
- Opera Mobile 9.5
- Qik streaming video service
- Opera Mini 4.2
- Handy Tools Pack for S60 devices
- Spb Traveler 2.0
- Evernote 3.0
- Pandora for the iPhone
- Skyfire browser
I have a couple of titles I would like to award to the Read the rest of this entry »
Matthew Miller is an avid mobile device enthusiast who works during the day as a professional naval architect in Seattle. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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