Last week (I think it was last week - it’s all a blur now) I updated my iPhone firmware to 1.1.3. Although it didn’t commit any irreperable harm or damage to my phone unlike some, it sure did screw things up until I did a clean install - I actually made the Apple Genius bar do it so I could get a new one if that didn’t resolve my issues. Fortunately, and I may be speaking too soon, is has resolved my iPhone’s querky behavior.
Problems I experienced after 1.1.3 was installed (picture for melodrama affect only):
50% drop in battery life
Couldn’t consistently make outgoing calls
Folks couldn’t reach me and would get ‘dead air’ or my voicemail instantaneously
The iPhone’s screen would randomly light up when sitting idly with no one touching it
Occasionally, when recieving calls or text messages, it would flicker on and off but emit no locking noise
Wouldn’t find the stored and password saved WiFi SSID
First and foremost, let me be honest and say the Macbook Air review isn’t available just yet. But what I can promise is that PCMag will have a review here very shortly. How soon I don’t know, but they’ve got their hands on the Macbook Air as the pictures you see here detail.
The iPhone Otterbox is the most rugged iPhone case I’ve seen to date. Built of solid plastic and rubber, the iPhone Otterbox is easy to install and protects not only the body, but the screen of the oh-so precious (and fragile) iPhone. It’s water resistant NOT water proof so no toilet dunking allowed. Other iPhone cases, that I’ve seen, are either a thin layer of rubber or acrylic and don’t protect the screen or the entry of liquids. Furthermore, unlike most cases the Otterbox Defender protects the headphone jack, serial jack, speakers and mic, which all could fall victim to lint and other small debris.
The thin layer of plastic ‘defending’ the screen slightly decreases the iPhone screen’s sensitivity and is most notable in the corners. This is probably due to the sturdy plastic case surrounding the screen. I found it challenging to remove all air bubbles between the iPhone’s and the screen protector, but nothing that was large enough to impede upon viewing. Otterbox’s instructional video recommends you run your hand over the screen probably to decrease static electricity. Both the screen protector and port holes come packaged with a thin layer of ‘peal away’ plastic film to insure that they’re scratch free upon shipping. Otterbox even crafted a small window just large enough to reveal the Apple logo on the rear of the iPhone. Access to all the buttons is maintained through the Otterbox Defender’s rubber casing ACCEPT for the ring/vibrate switch. You’ll want to set this to ‘ring’ prior to install since you can manipulate the vibrate/ring option from the iPhone’s menu. The ‘home’ button takes a little bit of extra pressure, but nothing unmanageable. All said and done the biggest draw back of the Otterbox Defender iPhone case is the added size and weight, and the somewhat cumbersome process to remove the iPhone - it requires you to unhinge 5 plastic clips that take some fiddling. Fortunately, the ‘cumbersome process’ is merely a testimony to how well protected the iPhone is. Also included in the box (aside from the easy to read step-by-step picture instructions) is a belt clip. Please spare us the eye sore and only wear this if you’re a) with the Geek Squad or b) work for the cable company.
Available here for $50 in all black or black with yellow accents. Looks like they’re in demand so order sooner then later.
The V-Moda Vibe Duo is the essential accessory for any discerning iPhone user. Kinda sounds like “Men’s Warehouse” ad, huh? The packaged iPhone headphones are junk, and like many I’ve felt the scorn of the white buds while running, riding or just about doing anything.
Design
Drool worthy might sum it up. The pair I got were finished in black with silver accents. The cord is finished in a fabric like material cutting down on cord noise in the headphones and minimized tangling. The Vibe Duos were specifically designed for the iPhone (and the recessed jack), and feature an integrated microphone and call answer/end button. The button - at times it was difficult to locate due to size - serves a dual purpose as it can play and stop music as well, and if pressed twice will skip forward a song. The headphone jack is finished in 24k gold-plate, which should cut down on corrosion and ultimately interference - a nice touch. Unfortunately, the casing holding the headphone jack detached. This resulted in me having to pull on the cord in order to remove from a plug.
A simple fix with some glue, but annoying nonetheless. Notably, the headphones include a plastic clip for attaching to your clothing and insure optimal mic positioning. I’m a big fan of the clip although I wish V-Moda had sought a hire end version - that is if one exists. Included in the box, are additional silicone earfittings: 6 pair of clear (S,M,L) and 2 pair (S) of black. The worst of it - I know, I hate to say that - was the included leather pouch. It’s intended to hold the headphones and/or the additional earbuds. Unfortunately, it just looks like an after thought, and produced in a back room leather shop located in the nether regions of South America.
Performance
I’m a firm believer that all speakers, and headphones, need breaking in to reveal true performance. I’d say such is the case of the Vibe Duo’s. First and foremost, make sure to adjust your EQ in order to capture top notch sound. I found that ‘rock’ performed best for me, even though it’s a little strong in the ‘highs’. The Vibe Duos are rated at 12hz - 22khz. No way these can accomplish 12hz (i.e. low bass). In fact, they’re a little light in bass even though they boast a “9mm neodymium rare-earth magnet”. But what they lose in bass they make up for in clarity, fidelity and dynamics. At full volume the audio distorted, but I’m attributing this to a lack of amplification on the iPhone’s part, not the Vibe Duo’s. V-Moda’s noise isolating technology - BLISS - claims “to reduce ambient noises and enable deep bass”. Unfortunately, my experience differed, albeit slightly. Although the Vibe Duos produce decent bass, the noise isolation was limited and didn’t exceed that of my $30 Sony headphones. Ear comfort of the headphones was variable, as was bass response dependent upon positioning of the buds. I found that placing the buds in a more parallel like position increased not only bass and comfort, but noise isolation. So with that said, perhaps the BLISS technology is variably depending on ear canal structure and size. I’ve used the Vibe Duos, for calls, primarily in the car. I’ve got a more sport like vehicle and that means ‘road noise’. After numerous calls NOT ONE person complained of poor sound quality. Even questioning the callers with “can you hear me ok”, they all responded “ya, just fine” as if I were insane. The only issue in call quality I was faced with was a result of my own stupidity. On one occasion the mic was tucked beneath my collar preventing the caller from hearing me. The other, when I first received the Vibe Duos my iPhone’s volume limitation was ‘on’. So as you can imagine the callers sounded faint, but after turning this option off I experienced crisp and clear audio.
Wrap Up
If you’re still jamming to the white Apple buds STOP NOW! Those things are junk and don’t even come close to capturing the iPhone’s true audio quality. There’s a reason Apple worked with V-Moda to design these buds: because they kick ass. I wouldn’t even suggest going the route of ‘after market iPhone’ jack. You’ll just end up losing it and remove any possibility of sleekly placing the iPhone in your pocket. Like I said, they lack the deep bass that some folks might desire but the V-Moda Vibe Duo headphone’s other features easily eclipse this small short coming. You can pick them up at most major retailers or by them direct at V-Moda.
This has to be the most powerful, brightest laser that I have ever seen on a commercial level. Unlike the more common red lasers, the green lasers (like this one, which is in fact TechLaser’s Infiniti 125mW) are many times brighter, and the beam is easier to see in any lighting situation. You can even see the beam itself reflecting the particles in the air, not just the endpoint. This laser can even be seen in bright light situations, including
sunlight! We tested this laser’s distance and it’s highly visible on a tree that was about 10 blocks away, ~.5 miles and even on buildings over a mile away.
Its size is very deceiving - this powerful laser is only the size of a large pen/small marker. It also runs off of just 2 AAA batteries which will get you about 3 hours of run time - I saw a dip in brightness after the 3rd hour, but the laser still functioned. Definitely use safety with this one. Not only can it cause permanent eye damage, it hurts to even stare at the reflecting light, especially off a white wall. Fortunately, TechLaser provided protective eye ware (manufactured by WickedLasers) although we can’t, and wouldn’t risk verifying its protective natures. The red goggles did cut back on eye pain, though, when staring at the laser’s reflecting light. On top of that, if left on your skin for a bit it starts to get uncomfortably warm. I’d assume it has the potential to burn your skin, but I’ll leave that to the ‘jackasses’ of the world.
I am skeptical to as whether or not TechLasers actually sent me the 125mW. According to their website’s “beam power chart” I should be able to: burn holes in plastic, pop black or dark balloons, light matches, etc. I didn’t have any balloons around and wasn’t able to light a match, or a box of matches for that matter. Maybe I needed to have a steadier hand? I did manage to obtain a slight burning sensation on my skin so I don’t know which one I ended up receiving. The actual Laser I received came in a cardboard box that read “TechLasers” on its front, contained a mini safety book and instructions for locking and unlocking a different laser.
So would I recommend getting one? Hell ya. If you’re just looking to attract the attention of a few ladies (this worked phenomenally well on Halloween) or show off to your friends, then go with the lower powered one. There aren’t too many practical reasons to own a laser, but according to a friend, they use them in Israel to blind snipers. As it happens, Wired had a few laser articles in this past month’s mag. Check them out here. One that wasn’t featured on this page was the spitball laser point - just don’t shoot your friend’s eyes out in the process.
Other Uses: physics students, astronomy (find stars and stuff), lighting (mini torch in a room or cave), Star Wars fanatic (see their blue lasers).
Available at Techlasers in a variety of colors, intensities and prices. If you’re looking to buy one this holiday season then enjoy our very own Gadgetreview discount. Just use code ‘IWNOV07-GRVIEW’ at checkout and save 10%!
What’s that you say? I can’t hear you over the AudioEngine A2s!
I said the ‘Audioengine A2’s are a clear representation of good things do come in small sizes’.
I won’t dispute that the price tag ($199) is a little steep for a pair of computer or book shelf speakers, but where can you find Kevlar, a glossy finish, and self powered for that price. Furthermore, I was pleasantly surprised by AudioEngine’s packaging job. They took it a step further and placed the necessary cords in suede like bags (see pics). They also provided the headphone-to-headphone cord in two different lengths - which in my experience is the least likely of cords one would have lieing around - although I noticed that the headphone jacks aren’t iPhone compatible (errr - more upset with Apple). Ok moving on…
Performance
The AudioEngine A2’s deliver some top notch sound. The timbre quality is almost there, but simply lack the final finish because of their small size. Put it up to any ‘tower speaker’ and judge them on a sliding scale and they’re sure to compete, if not beat. The bass ports on these things are super slim and can literally blow your hair back (check out the below video). I ran the A2’s off my Macbook - figured why not since they’re intended for computers and iPods - and cranked the volume to max. With my iTunes and computer at max volume I did manage to achieve some minute distortion in the highs, but was once again pleasantly surprised with how well they held out. The bass held tight but couldn’t hit the low-lows you’d experience from a dedicated subwoofer (no surprise there considering the speakers frequency range).
Design
These things are rock solid. The glossy finish and sans grill look is killer. As a result they’ll fit in with the professor’s bookshelf or on the dorm room desk lined with beer cans. The slim bass ports are a nice touch, and reduce speaker size all the while maintaining sound quality. Kevlar ain’t so bad either. This insures long lasting woofers that shouldn’t blow for ‘time to come’.
Conclusion
I gotta give it to AudioEngine. They’ve built a solid pair that rock out some top notch sound quality at l-o-u-d. The buzzing in the power pack/converter (not in the speakers/audio) was a little disconcerting, but hopefully an isolated incident and not a representation of poor grounding (not sure exactly how this would work but in my experience this is the case). The lack of the USB plug (aka iPod/iPhone) hookup is a little annoying, but considering the other options available (RCA or headphone) I really can’t make a good case. I am gonna have to mark the AudioEngine A2’s with a ‘buy’!
Update: The buzzing in the power supply seems to have subsided. I spoke with the founder of AudioEngine and they’ve sold hundreds without a reported problem. I am going to write it off as an isolated incident.
I recently got my mitts on the 2P Slim Mouse. Clearly its designed for the road warrior as its footprint is slighty larger then a credit card and just 3-4 credit cards thick. Unfortunately, its slender physique makes too many sacrafices.
Comfort
The Slim Mouse is all straight lines with no soft curves - i.e. ergonomics are lacking. Again, this is largely attributable to its slender size but still, I’d like to go more then 15 minutes without direct pressure on my palm.
Design
Its slim, there’s no doubt about that. Unfortunately, the manufacture, 2p, had to make some sacrifices to accomplish this. The USB plug is no more then the USB chip itself which makes it difficult to plug-in, especially under poor lighting conditions. The cord running from mouse to USB is very thin and often gets caught when unravelling it from its built-in spool. Lastly, it take more a then a minute to get the Slim Mouse setup for use - you have to fiddle with the USB plug and unravel the cord. I am confident that after one unspooling most users would just wrap the cord around the body of the Slim Mouse like most folks do - no one wants to insert the USB plug and then carefully wind it up insuring that the cord doesn’t get caught in the devices body.
Operation
Once plugged in the Slim Mouse seems to suprisingly well. Its appears to be optical, which is nice but pretty standard these days. As it should, the Slim Mouse has two button (aka right click). In my initial testing with my MacBook the optic wasn’t steady, but it seemed to be a fluke. I’d be worried that if I pulled too hard on the cord it might snap off - I often do this to allow for more slack.
Conclusion
The Slim Mouse is ’slim’, easy to pack away - even in your pocket although its a little heavy - comes in Blue, Pink, Silver and Ivory, and includes a 2 year warranty. Unfortunately, I’d just as soon take a portable mouse that is better suited for long term use. In fact, Google recently gave me a chatsky portable mouse that has a smaller foot print, glows when plugged in and includes a scroll wheel - plus its FREE. So would I spend $70 on the Slim Mouse? No.
So I was (just bought) recently in the market for a slim (think unobtrusive to the pocket) sized Digital Camera - comes in silver or black accents. To be completely honest I considered aestheitics when making my descion. After all, who wants an ugly camera especially when our handheld gadgets, such as cell phones and mp3 players, represent who we are. After reviewing my options I narrowed it down by price and then by brand. I desired a camera under $200 just incase I dropped or lost it. That way I wouldn’t feel too guilty. I finally arrived at the Casio Exlim Z75. It boasts a slim housing (less then .8″) and aesthetically its pretty sleek.
I bought the camera through Costco (for the 90 day return policy and b/c it included a 2GB memory card) and dropped $220 including shipping and tax. I could have purchased through Amazon for less, but I wouldn’t have gotten the 90 day return and the included memory card (although I am sure buying one of them separately would still be less). I used this camera for about 1.5 weeks. Although I wasn’t totally disappointed the UI was terrible - not intuitive at all. Furthermore, the pictures were just so-so. I’ve always been a Canon fan (my first digital camera - SD100) and had some buddies in town with some older, but albeit new Canons. After playing and looking at theirs I decided to throw down the extra cash ($300 total) for the Canon SD750. Sure I paid an additional $80 but its well worth it. Pics are better, UI is far slicker, the camera senses if your all holding for vertical or horizontal shots, and not only dispays it correctly when reviewing but uploads them correctly - total time saver and again worth the money (time=money). Furthermore, the camera is pretty quick to startup, easy to setup and can be operated in Auto mode with great pictures. Another great and neat feature is its touch sensitive like scroll wheel. When touched the ‘wheel’ displays the ‘button’ on the dazzling 3″ (yes, 3 inches”) screen. No viewfinder on this puppy so don’t expect to save juice that way - although I got a good many shots and reviews out of a single charge. Another nice touch is the battery charger has the plug built-in so no need to carry the would be cord or yet another thing to lose on vacation. Video also looks fantasics on this thing. I’d recommend the Powershot SD750 to anyone looking for a mid to upper range shooter with a slim body and a kick ass UI.
Digitalreviews got their mitts on a MoGo Bluetooth Mouse by Newton Peripherals. We featured this product some time ago, but at the time I don’t think it was available for review. DR walked away pretty pleased with the slender device and were surprised that it could feel so ergonomic given that it fits in any PC card slot for charging. According to them there’s a small version already available and they’re already lookin’ to review it. My take aways: a must have mouse for any road warrior, but don’t expect a desktop replacement…but if you did you’re an idiot and shouldn’t have a job that entitles (forces) you to travel.
The guys (and gals) over at PCMag have got a review of the Blackberry 8800 – they gave it a 4 out 5 editor’s rating. As we would have suspected they loved the new form factor, the addition of the new ‘Pearl’ trackball, but were disappointed (as we have been) with the lack of 3G connectivity. Because of its non-3G-ness they reported that the GPS maps loaded slowly – stuttered in fact – and we’ve even heard that they aren’t all that accurate, although reports have it that updates will be provided soon to fix the GPS accuracy. PCMag’s continuous talk time: 15 hours and 19 minutes.
Last week (I think it was last week - it’s all a blur now) I updated my iPhone firmware to 1.1.3. Although it didn’t commit any irreperable harm or damage to my phone unlike some, it sure did screw things up until I did a clean install - I actually made the Apple Genius bar do it so I could get a new one if that didn’t resolve my issues. Fortunately, and I may be speaking too soon, is has resolved my iPhone’s querky behavior.
