November 3rd, 2009

Review: tapSTICK gives you back control of your iPod shuffle

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 6:49 am

Categories: Gadgets, MP3 players, Review

Tags: Headphone, Apple iPod, Shuffle, Headset, Apple iPod Shuffle, tapSTICK, Scosche, Morgan, Digital Music, Digital Media

Apple recently launched a new iPod shuffle, but made a major design change that limits you from using your own personal headphones. They moved the basic controls from the device to the headset so you have to use the Apple headphones or buy some made specifically for the iPod shuffle with integrated controls. Scosche has a solution for new iPod shuffle owners so you can use your own high end headphones without having to buy another expensive set with the controls. The tapSTICK is a slim, sleek case that slides over the iPod shuffle to give you back controls on the unit so you can use ANY headset you desire with the shuffle.

Since I don’t have my own new iPod shuffle, I had a buddy with one take it for a spin for a couple of weeks to test out. Morgan is an avid runner and has a set of sweat proof headphones, actually the same as the JayBird ones I tested out in August. Overall, he was quite pleased with the tapSTICK and prefers to use it over the standard Apple headphone that do not stay in your ears well while running.

The tapSTICK retail package includes the tapSTICK and a 3 foot 3.5mm audio cable so you can connect to a car stereo or other compatible speaker system with 3.5mm port. There are three large rubberized buttons on the tapSTICK to control volume, play/pause, skip tracks and activate VoiceOver. You still have to double-tap to advance the songs so it would have been great to have seen one more button used for advancing songs since double tapping can be a bit of a pain while running and is one of the most common functions you perform.

The tapSTICK fit over the headset jack and connects through the headset jack so that the controls can be activated. This actually offers a bit more protection for the shuffle from sweat and I have heard of iPods failing due to sweat in the headset jack before so this is a real benefit. The polycarbonate tapSTICK also offers some protection of the shuffle when it comes to wear and tear. One aspect of the way the tapSTICK fits over the shuffle is that there is no way to control the power button on the shuffle so you will need to turn it on before placing it in the tapSTICK case.

The tapSTICK is a $29.99 accessory available in either white or black. If you have a set of headphones you like to use for working out and want a new iPod shuffle then this is definitely an option to consider.

September 3rd, 2009

Hands-on with the Sony Reader Touch Edition PRS-600

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 3:00 am

Categories: Gadgets, On the road, Review, ebooks

Tags: Touch Screen, Sony Corp., Sony Reader, UI, Keyboards, Monitors & Displays, Hardware, Peripherals, Components, Matthew Miller

According to my Sony eBook Library account I registered my Reader 505 back in 2007. I purchased a Kindle and then moved onto a Kindle 2 over the last year, but sold my Kindle 2 last week after seeing the Sony announcements and support for local library books. After the horrible backlit touchscreen implementation seen on the PRS-700 I was wary of buying the Touch Edition or Daily Edition with the touchscreen, but I then read a review from a friend who is an avid ebook reader over on Mobile Tech Review and that was the last thing I needed to push me over the top. Check out my image gallery that shows my new Red PRS-600 and PRS-505, along with my video and first thoughts below.

	Image Gallery:Check out several product photos of the Sony Touch Edition and 505 with a library book on board.

Box contents and initial setup

The Sony Reader Touch Edition comes in a fairly compact box and inside you will find the Reader, sleeve slip case, USB cable, and Quick Start Guide. The black sleeve is similar to the case that came with my first Sony PSP. You charge up your Sony Reader with the USB cable so that is why no A/C charger is provided.

I plugged my new PRS-600 into my MacBook Pro and a pop-up informed me there was a new version of the software available (1.0.01.08040). I hit OK and updated my device. I understand this update fixed an issue with memory cards. It sure is nice to have the ability to manage my Sony library and perform updates on my MBP.

Initial impressions

Even though the second generation Amazon Kindle is a much improved piece of hardware over the first generation, IMHO these Sony Reader devices still are even better, rock solid devices. I was very pleased to see that the $299.99 priced PRS-600 has about the same dimensions as the 505. The back of the PRS-600 is Read the rest of this entry »

July 21st, 2009

Review: e-Luminator2 book light and three M-Edge Kindle cases

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 5:00 am

Categories: Gadgets, Kindle, Review, ebooks

Tags: Dell Latitude, Amazon Kindle, e-Luminator, Latitude Jacket, Arm Length, Wrap-up M-Edge, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Matthew Miller

I thoroughly enjoy my Amazon Kindle 2 device and it now lives permanently in a M-Edge Prodigy Jacket along with an e-Luminator book light. I find the case to be extremely useful and think a case like this with securing tabs on the right side may be preventing my Kindle 2 from cracking like the ebook readers in the Amazon case with the unsecured right sides. The e-Luminator is a fantastic accessory so you can imagine I was pretty excited to hear about a second version, the e-Luminator2, with some nice improvements while still full compatible with existing Kindle cases. M-Edge also sent along a couple other cases for the Kindle 2 and Kindle DX that I will cover in my thoughts below. Check out my image gallery of the e-Luminator2 and three other M-Edge cases.

	Image Gallery:A look at the new M-Edge e-Luminator2 and Kindle Jackets for the Kindle2 and Kindle DX.

M-Edge sent along the e-Luminator2 for Amazon Kindle 2, Latitude jacket for the Kindle 2, and Sleeve jackets for the Kindle 2 and Kindle DX. I thoroughly enjoy the M-Edge Genuine Leather Prodigy Jacket and if you are looking for a nice Kindle 2 case you can’t go wrong with this model. That said, I was willing to take a look at a couple of their other offerings as well to see if there was a need or use for something different. I don’t have a Kindle DX to try out the Sleeve jacket with, but will give you a rundown of this case too.

M-Edge e-Luminator 2 for Amazon Kindle

The e-Luminator2 book light is available now at the launch special price of $19.99 (regular $24.99) and to use it you will need some kind of carrying case that supports the mounting arm. Many of their cases support the e-Luminator light so check them out before buying the light. Here is a list of the new features found in the e-Luminator2 compared to the e-Luminator:

• Modified flexible neck design (bends at tighter angles for more custom locations)
• Rotating support base (allows you to rotate light arm up to 180 degrees)
• Two LED brightness levels
• Use of AAA standard battery (no more A23 battery!)

The AAA battery is reported to give you more than 20 hours of light usage while the LED bulb should never need replacing. As listed above you also now have Read the rest of this entry »

April 21st, 2009

$599 Viliv S5 ultra portable PC is looking good

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 8:43 am

Categories: Gadgets, Microsoft, On the road, Review, Ultra portable PC

Tags: Device, Mobile, PC, Ultramobile PC, Mobile Computing, James, Viliv, Ultramobile PCs (UMPCs), GPS, Engineering

I owned a couple UMPC devices in the past (Samsung Q1 and Fujitsu U810), but then decided to stick with a MSI Wind netbook for my mobile computing needs. James has me actually considering a new slate ultra-portable computer though with his extensive posts on the upcoming Viliv S5 device. This computer is quite compact and has some great specs such as the 1.33 GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 60GB hard drive, 4.8 inch 1024×600 resolution touch screen display, WiFi, Bluetooth, integrated GPS receiver, and Windows XP.

Viliv has an interesting Cube interface that serves as a quick launcher utility to quickly get to your loaded applications. James is seeing good battery life and performance on the device with very little compromising going on. Dynamism will be carrying the Viliv S5 and is holding a special presales event starting at 1300 Eastern time on Monday, 27 April. You can preorder it during this event for $599 that also includes a spare battery, car mounting kit, and leather pouch ($135 value). UMPCs that I purchased before started at $899 so I think $599 for this device is actually quite good and cheaper than many mobile phones that I purchase.

April 13th, 2009

Review: Proporta BeachBuoy waterproof case on site in St. Thomas

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 11:54 pm

Categories: Gadgets, On the road, Review

Tags: Velcro, Video, Dot, Seal, Corporate Communications, Marketing, Matthew Miller

A few months ago Proporta sent me the BeachBuoy waterproof case to check out, but it wasn’t until we took a family cruise vacation in February that I had a chance to put it through a real life test. You can check out some photos of the BeachBuoy in my image gallery and also see lots of underwater video shot with my Flip MinoHD placed inside the BeachBuoy as I snorkeled in St. Thomas.

	Image Gallery:Check out product photos of the Proporta BeachBuoy in action in St. Thomas.

Proporta guarantees that the BeachBuoy will maintain a waterproof seal up to 5 meters (16 feet) depth as long as you follow the specific directions in sealing up the case. It has been approved by the British Standards Institute and is available for only US$11.45.

I opened up the packaging and read the directions that clearly showed how to test out the seal before placing your valuable electronics inside the case. I placed some tissue paper inside the opening between the two clear plastic windows. You are then instructed to seal up the four seals (in two groups of two) that work similar to a heavy duty Ziploc bag. Next you roll the top down to match the red dot to red dot and roll until the green dots are revealed. Finally, you lower the Velcro flap onto the Velcro strip and press to seal it closed. There is a sturdy piece of string that lets you carry the BeachBuoy around your neck as you snorkel or swim in the water with your electronics. After taking the tissue paper out for a swim and seeing that it was completely dry, it was time to move on to a real piece of gear.

I placed my Flip MinoHD into the BeachBuoy and sealed it up nice and tight. I put on my snorkel gear and headed out into the waters of St. Thomas to shoot some underwater video. I was able to fully operate the Flip MinoHD and as you can see in my video the quality was actually quite good while recording through the clear plastic window of the BeachBuoy.

Back on the cruise ship I attached the BeachBuoy to my neck and took a ride down the waterslide. This is shown in the second part of my YouTube video embedded above. Everyone who saw the BeachBuoy in action was impressed and asked about it. I won’t travel to the beach or pool without the BeachBuoy again and highly recommend it for anyone looking to seal up their camera or phone and use it in the elements.

April 7th, 2009

Review: Nintendo DSi lets you have a blast with photos

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 4:15 am

Categories: Gadgets, On the road, Portable gaming, Review

Tags: Nintendo Co. Ltd., Device, Web Browser, Photograph, Camera, Music, Nintendo DSi, Power Button, Gameplay, DSi Shop

Back when I was in college in 1989 my mom gave me the original Nintendo Gameboy device and I thought it was one of the coolest gadgets around. I still have that original Gameboy, but on Sunday I went out and bought my second Nintendo portable gaming system that is quite a departure from that large chunky device. The Nintendo DSi is now available for sale in the US for a MSRP of $169.99. It comes in matte black or baby blue and I picked up my black model at WalMart for $169. After having spent almost two days with the device, I wanted to give you some of my impressions and walk you around the device in case this is something you are considering. Take a look at my YouTube video below and through my image gallery to see product photos and photos taken with the DSi.

	Image Gallery:A look at the hardware and images taken with the Nintendo DSi portable gaming device.

My daughters have the Nintendo DS and DS Lite models and this next generation does have several differences over these models, including the use of two 0.3 megapixel VGA cameras, larger displays (3.25 inches compared to 3 inches), SDHC expansion slot, longer and thinner form factor with same width, loss of the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot, improved speakers, and reorganization of some of the buttons and indicator lights (shown in my video). I personally really like the matte finish on the DSi that reminds me a lot of my original Zune 30GB. This type of finish is quite durable and seems to get fewer scratches and blemishes than what I have seen on glossy coatings.

Box contents and out-of-box experiences: The Nintendo DSi comes in a densely packed box that contains a thick manual, Quick Start Guide, warranty papers, Club Nintendo flyer, extra stylus, the DSi, and A/C adapter. There is no carrying case, lanyard, or SD card provided.

I took out the black DSi and hooked it up to the charging so I could start playing. The device Read the rest of this entry »

March 10th, 2009

Review: M-Edge Genuine Leather Prodigy and Platform Jackets for Kindle 2

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 1:20 pm

Categories: Gadgets, Review, ebooks

Tags: Strap, Amazon.com Inc., Prodigy Communications, Amazon Kindle, Platform Jacket, Prodigy Jacket, Corporate Communications, Notebooks, Marketing, Hardware

My Amazon Kindle 2 arrived almost two weeks ago (see my review) and then at the end of last week two M-edge cases arrived for me to evaluate. I previously evaluated the M-Edge Executive Leather case or the original Kindle and this time I had the opportunity to check out the M-Edge Prodigy and Platform Jacket models for the Kindle 2. Both arrived in Pebbled Gray with a black strap, which is a classy, professional looking color scheme. Check out my image gallery of the two cases and my short video walk around them below.

	Image Gallery:A look at two new Amazon Kindle 2 cases, the Prodigy and Platform Genuine Leather Jackets from M-Edge.

The Kindle 1 came with a case from Amazon, but the Kindle 2 ships without a case or cover. I would have liked to even have had some kind of sleeve since it looks like my MacBook Pro may have rubbed a bit against the Kindle and left some permanent marks last weekend. After experiencing the quality and design of the M-Edge Executive Leather case, I was prepared to pick one up as soon as my Kindle 2 arrived and their cases were available. The Prodigy Jacket appealed to me most with the cool securing mechanism that uses the back openings in the Kindle 2. M-Edge sent along the Platform Jacket to try out as well, but I don’t really have that many opportunities to read in a hands-free, propped up situation.

M-Edge Genuine Leather Prodigy Jacket: The M-Edge Genuine Leather Prodigy Jacket arrived wrapped in a simple plastic wrapper with a sticker label on the outside identifying the color and style. The Prodigy Jacket is very similar to the Executive Leather Jacket I reviewed before, they also have these for the Kindle 2, with one major difference in the securing mechanism. Please do check out my previous review for all the details on the case design and layout since I won’t repeat them all here.

So let’s look in more detail at the securing mechanism the differentiates this case from the Executive Jacket. If you look on the back left side of your Kindle 2 you will find Read the rest of this entry »

February 26th, 2009

Review: Amazon Kindle 2 5-way controller more significant than form factor improvement

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 5:29 am

Categories: Gadgets, On the road, Review, ebooks

Tags: Device, Controller, Amazon.com Inc., Amazon Kindle, Kindle 2, Kindle 1, Nokia microUSB, Kindle 2 User, Power Switch, Sony Reader 700

Back when the original Kindle was announced I hesitated about buying one because I wasn’t that impressed with the form factor. A few days later I decided I would probably enjoy the device only to then find out they were sold out for quite some time. Josh Bancroft then posted an article that further aided in my purchase justification so I bought my Kindle a few months after they were released. This time around I decided to order the Kindle 2 as soon as it was announced a couple of weeks ago and yesterday it arrived. I didn’t want to be stuck waiting for them to come back in stock again, but see they are actually still listed as In Stock on the Amazon site so either the demand is not as great as last time or the supply is better than last time. In today’s economy, I can see more people hesitating to buy such a device so believe the demand is less than the Kindle 1.

You can check out my image gallery that includes comparison shots between the Kindle 2, Kindle 1, and Sony Reader 505. I also shot a video of the Kindle 2 showing comparison between it and the Kindle 1 in regards to the new Whispersync capability, searching, scroll wheel versus 5-way controller, and the text to speech functionality. There are several small surprises in the Kindle 2 that I haven’t seen mentioned by others yet that actually make it much more compelling above and beyond the major form factor improvement. So far, I am quite pleased with my new Kindle, but there are still some changes I would like to see in Kindle 3.

	Image Gallery:Check out some unboxing and comparison photos of the Amazon Kindle 2, Kindle 1 and Sony Reader 505.

Hardware - What’s in the box?: The Kindle 1 came in a cool white box and I enjoyed the unboxing experience. The Kindle 2 has a completely different packaging scheme, but still is a bit unique and makes the buyer feel like they purchased something special. The box is only about an inch and a half thick and the wrapping is integrated into the cardboard shipping box. There are a couple of pull down perforated strips to open the outer box and the internal box. There is some cool black packaging with glossy letters all over it as you dive into the Kindle 2 packaging.

The original Kindle also came with a Read the rest of this entry »

January 19th, 2009

Review: M-Edge Executive Leather Jacket and e-Luminator light for the Amazon Kindle

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 5:00 am

Categories: Gadgets, On the road, Review, ebooks

Tags: Accessory, Amazon.com Inc., Amazon Kindle, e-Luminator Kindle, E-books, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller

I was quite late to the Kindle party, but after getting some Amazon gift certificates and a Fall credit card deal I picked one up a few months ago. I also have a Sony Reader, but use the Kindle more due to the connectivity options. One aspect of these ebook readers that keeps me reading on my mobile phones still is the lack of backlighting and ability to read them in the dark or low light conditions. I know the new Sony Reader has backlighting, but don’t like the reduction in screen clarity that is sacrificed for the backlight. I was very pleased with M-Edge asked if I wanted to check out a couple of accessories for the Amazon Kindle and have to say that these two accessories resulted in me reading more now than ever before. The M-Edge Executive Leather Jack and e-Luminator light are must have accessories for the Amazon Kindle. Check out my image gallery of both of these accessories and my short video walk around them below.

	Image Gallery:Two essential Kindle accessories include the Executive Leather Jacket and e-Luminator.

When I first bought the Kindle, I was satisfied with the included case for the most part. I did like the way the elastic strap wrapped around it, but I didn’t like how easily the Kindle slipped out of the case when it was opened up. It would have been nice to see Amazon more securely hold the Kindle in place. While the Kindle design and display isn’t quite as nice as the Sony Reader, it is still quite clear and very readable. But, just like a real book, you need a good light source to illuminate the screen for reading. After using the M-Edge accessories for the past three weeks, I have to say this is the type of gear that Amazon should have offered at launch time.

M-Edge Genuine Leather Executive Jacket: The M-Edge Genuine Leather Executive Jacket arrived wrapped in a simple plastic wrapper with a sticker label on the outside identifying the color and style. After taking the case out of the plastic I was immediately impressed by the smooth, pleasant feel of the case. I was also immediately pleased with the mocha color scheme. I flipped the case around a few times and inspected all the seams, pockets, loops, and strap to check the quality and workmanship. The sewing is top notch and everything looked fantastic.

There is a center strap that goes around the open part of the case and slides into a pocket on the front. The center strap design pattern runs around the entire outside of the device for consistency. The strap has good length to securely hold the front and back together. The strap slides easily into the opening on the front too, but is also snug enough so that it doesn’t flop out or anything.

When you open up the case you will find Read the rest of this entry »

January 18th, 2009

Review: Waterfield Designs MSI Wind Sleevecase and T-Mobile G1 Ultrasuede Slipcase

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 2:57 pm

Categories: Linux, Netbook, On the road, Review, Smartphone, Ultra portable PC

Tags: T-Mobile G1, T-Mobile, Sleevecase, MSI Wind, Waterfield Designs MSI Wind SleeveCase, MSI Wind SleeveCase, Ultrasuede Case, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets

One of the most important accessories for your mobile gear is a good bag and case. I’ve been using a Waterfield Designs bag for over 2 years and even though I use it every single day it still looks almost the same as the day I picked it up. I now have a couple Waterfield Designs sleeve cases that I use with my MacBook Pro and Celio REDFLY or Amazon Kindle. My current mobile PC is the MSI Wind (just loaded it up with Windows 7) and I was excited when Waterfield sent me one of these to try out. I was also sent a simple T-Mobile G1 felt slip case and offer some thoughts on it below. You can check out my image gallery that shows both cases in use with my MSI Wind and T-Mobile G1.

	Image Gallery:A walk around the Waterfield Designs MSI Wind and G1 cases.

Waterfield Designs MSI Wind SleeveCase: The particular SleeveCase for the MSI Wind with 6 cell battery is the 21-15 and as you can see they have SleeveCases for a very large number of notebooks and are always one of the first companies to create cases for the latest and greatest devices. These ultraportable and lower cost notebooks were very popular in 2008 and after seeing what was going on at CES it looks like 2009 will continue to be a good year for these type of PCs.

Waterfield makes these SleeveCases in a number of sizes to ensure that the form and fit is optimized for your particular device. These SleeveCases are cushioned with high-grade neoprene and wrapped in a ballistic nylon shell. The case feels fantastic in your hand and the stitching is extremely tight and solid. I often carry mine outside of my larger bag and have been very pleased with the durability.

The MSI Wind SleeveCase is priced at US$39, with another US$15 for the flap that goes over the top and covers almost half of the other side. I have a case without the flap and personally am quite happy with the durable nylon strap that goes over the top and secures with Velcro to hold the Wind inside the case. The Wind fits perfectly along either side and there is no play or spare room around it to allow slippage. On the side opposite the Velcro securing piece you will find a large pocket that you can use to slip in papers or other thin accessories.

There are also options for a shoulder strap and Piggyback functions to facilitate carrying your bag and device outside of a larger bag.

Waterfield Designs T-Mobile G1 Ultrasuede Slipcase: I enjoy using my T-Mobile G1 and currently just use the BodyGuardz skin to keep it protected. Another option for offering some basic protection of your G1 is the Ultrasuede Slipcase. The Ultrasuede case is a simple slip case designed to prevent scratching on your G1 since it is too thin to offer any protection for drops or bumps. It is extremely thin and doesn’t really add anything to the G1. I used it with the BodyGuardz skin on with no problems.

The first few times you use the Ultrasuede you may find it a bit tight to get the device into the case. After some “break-in” time though it seems to fit in easier, but still remains snug around the G1. The slipcase lays flat and folds up easily when not in use. For US$9, it may be a decent solution for basic scratch protection, but I prefer attaching plastic skins to these types of phones. There is an option for adding a pocket for US$4, but I don’t see the need on a case like this and never tried out that part of the solution.

Waterfield makes these Ultrasuede slip cases in many sizes to fit the Samsung Instinct, HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Touch Pro, LG Dare, BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry Curve, Google Android G1, SE XPERIA X1, E71, and BB Storm. The same high quality that Waterfield brings to the SleeveCases is seen in these slip cases with solid stitching and nice materials.

Conclusion: If you are looking for a very good case to carry your notebook or other mobile device then I highly recommend a Waterfield SleeveCase. I personally like having my phone ready to go in a second and don’t mind adding plastic skins to them so I won’t really use the Ultrasuede type of case. However, it is good for those who don’t want to apply skins and still want scratch protection in a case you can slip in your pants pocket with your phone.