This is our second boombox in the last three reviews we’ve done and what can we say, we love throwbacks to the devices of yesteryear. But what makes iHome’s take on the classic design different? Well, how about making the whole thing out of plastic that ends up giving it a look that is all their own. 

Features 

• Fully equipped with FM Stereo radio
• Available in only 2 colors (Gray / Pink)
• Comes packed with a remote
• Portable with 6 D-Cell batteries (not included)

Our Impressions

What defined the 80’s generations in movies were the house party scenes and kids decked out in clothing styles that would make even today’s kids blush. But one big staple that would consistently return were those JVC boomboxes fixed atop that one guy’s shoulder as he walked around the shot. The iP4 by iHome plays to its nostalgic roots and designed their own version of the classic boombox by leaving out any mention to tapes or cds and replacing those outdated formats by adding an iPhone / iPod dock. Everyone’s got a iPod nowadays right? Well, even if you don’t they’ve made adjustments for you too.

For what it is and what it does it’s pretty great seeing iHome build such a portable music player into such a small body. At 17 inches long, only 9 inches wide, and a hair shy of 5 inches tall, the only thing that really hinders its build is that it weighs nearly 8lbs. Beneath the rubbery exterior is your typical plastic, but if you don’t beat it up too much by being careless with it then you’ll appreciate the rubber really does a good job at masking scratches and keeping itself safe.

Design and Specs

But what makes up the guts inside this beast? Well, besides being powered by a D-Class amplifier, how about twin-4 inch carbon composite woofers aside the centered iPod dock, and then matched with twin-1 inch ferro fluid cooled tweeters located at each of the top corners. On the inside of those top tweeters are your volume and tuning knobs — but hold up, did someone say “tuning”? Just wondering, but are the youth of today even aware that there’s a free radio waves just hoping to be listened to? Nah, I don’t think so. Not with Spotify, Last.FM, Pandora, Youtube, and Rdio doing all the music discovery for them.

The iP4 also offers a 5 band equalizer that can be monitored through an LCD display fixed right above the “sliders” which are really nothing but buttons. And if you’re jamming during the night hours then you’ll appreciate that those buttons are also backlit. Yeah, we’re getting fancy here and for $200 bones it might as well give you bang for your buck. On the unit itself you’ll also find a cut-out spot for situating the magnetic, wireless remote that will handle switching tracks, volume control, and turning the boombox on and off.

Portability

In terms of portability, the iP4 is designed with a handle for carrying around but it also has an optional strap you can fix onto its sides that comes at no additional charge. And if you really feel like you want to live 30 years ago, the bottom of iP4 has housing for 6, yep that’s right, six D-cell batteries if you want to take it out in the wild and have no access to a power outlet. And on a side note, whenever your iPod / iPhone is sitting on the dock and the iP4 is turned on you won’t have to worry about your media player losing power since the boombox automatically juices up your iDevice.

Oh, and like I mentioned on the outset. If you’re a classic 80’s rebel and / or are a hipster and are styling a Zune or even a Sony Walkman then the rear of the iP4 offers you a AUX jack to connect to such devices.

Audio Performance

Now let’s talk audio quality. If you’re new to adjusting an equalizer then getting the proper sweet spot for most of your jams will probably be a matter of leveling everything out to the same degree and turning on the SRS TruBass feature on. But for everyone else, if you’re looking for that perfect sound then the iP4 has got you covered. It may take some time to fine tune everything up, especially with the included SRS processing, but once you got things up and running the iP4 has definitely got the advantage against other retro throwbacks. But speaking of tuning… would you believe that even though iHome threw in an FM radio antenna they didn’t give users the option to preset stations. Yeah, it’s a bit of a drag having to physically turn the knob on all your favorite stations by hand each time you want to listen in on them.

Overall

If you jumped into your personal time machine and set the dial to 1987 and brought along an iP4 boombox then you’d be the talk of the town. It offers all the classic novelties; portability, great sound performance, and even a look that would fit you in to any hipster household. iHome continues to build better products with each iteration, even if it does take them a couple of tries to get it right. The iP4 is a perfect device for anyone looking to host their next social outing, indoors or out, provided you don’t mind stocking up on D-cell batteries.

Pro’s

• Unique yet familiar retro design
• Equalizer offers great, custom sound performance
• Built in FM stereo and packed with a remote, carrying strap, and AUX out line

Con’s

• Takes 6 D-Cell batteries for portable use
• No FM radio station presets

Where to buy

iHome / Amazon — MSRP: $199

///4///

It’s 2012 and boomboxes have slowly been replaced by smaller, more portable, lightweight speakers. You truly don’t see people lugging around a box of sound on their shoulders anymore. Now it’s a Jambox or even iHome’s iDM11 cube spearker. But what if you want to take your party on the go? There’s still not much of solution for that, unless you take a look at the House of Marley’s Bag of Rhythm. 

Features

• Made for use with (any gen.) iPod and iPhone
• Fitted with carrying bag with adjustable strap
• Twin 1” tweeters, twin 4.5” high-definition woofers, and amplifier
• Earth friendly: Designed and built with FSC certified Birch wood and durable canvas
• Cordless power use (batteries required)

Our Impressions

If you haven’t noticed yet, The House of Marley is all about the reggae lifestyle, based around Bob Marley’s unique flair. Their products are crafted with environmentally green methods and usually sport earth colors. They’re built for durability and marketed toward people who are constantly on the move, living the “Marley” lifestyle.

The Bag of Rhythm we’re reviewing today couldn’t any better be a perfect representation of the company who made it. It’s a boombox for a new age, a time when iPods, iPhones, and iPads are the daily drivers for everyone from kids to adults, and many people have seem to forgotten about these one time, popular, audio relics.

Design

The Bag of Rhythm is a boombox fitted into a stylish, Marley-inspired carrying bag with even a pouch to hold your miscellaneous effects. It measures out to the tune of 11 x 26 x 10 inches, and weighs in at a whopping 15lbs. It’s a beast of a product, one that is sold for the high price of $350 bones, so it definitely thinks high of itself. But how well does it work and what else does it got to offer to justify such a high price tag?

Well, the Bag of Rhythm is essentially an oversized dock and speakerset for your iPod or iPhone. It doesn’t really have much features; no bluetooth capabilities, remote control, etc. It can’t even be charged to be used on the go! Interestingly enough, it’s meant to be tied down by the included AC plug, that’s unless, of course, you’d like to go down to the store and buy some batteries should you dare take it outside. Yeah, we’re back in 1987 alright.

Carrying Case

Its only real accessory comes from the canvas carrying case that’s been developed to snap on to the “bag” itself, allowing for easy portability when lugging the ‘Rhythm’ from place to place. It offers a strapped handle as well as an adjustable shoulder strap, and also hosts a side-pocket which I suppose could be meant for tossing in your iPod when it’s not being holstered into the connecting pin. 

The bag’s construction has been made for rugged terrain, or at least to withstand the elements of being stood onto a pile of sand at the beach. The Jamaican flag’s colors and House of Marley logo are subtley thrown in for brand recognition. The carrying case is removeable and can be kept on the ‘Rhythm’ when it’s in use as it also has cut outs for air flow to give this 2012 boombox even better sound. 

Its front panel is constructed out of a FSC-certified slab of Birch wood that makes the device look a whole lot like a drum. See the reggae influence? On its sides are twin 1” tweeters fitted with 4.5” high-definition woofers each, and there’s also an amplifier built in there somewhere. The House of Marley emblem is cut into the face of the wood ever so gently and it really gives the ’ Rhythm’ a look all to its own. 

Directly fitted dead center on the board is the dock for iPods and iPhones. There’s also an AUX cable jack that could easily let you use just about any other sort of music playing device, so anyone owning an Android shouldn’t feel left out. Right above the dock are the Rhythm’s only set of controls; a power button and volume down and up buttons. Oh, and for some reason they thought it would be best to make these as touch-sensitive buttons, sorta like how the PS3 used to have for its power button.  

Performance

So we know what it looks like and how to carry it around but what does it sound like? 

Delivering some of the most satisfying vibrations you’ve ever heard from a “boombox-esque” device, the Bag of Rhythm is a power house when it comes to rich bass for any environment or setting. However, you will definitely hear a lot of distortion when volumes are set too high. All ranges of sound, whether they be low’s, mid’s, or high’s all are expressed generally in the same flavor, without there being any over compensation for any one of these.

Low’s are deep and rich while vocals in the mid’s are so favorably heard that you can truly enjoy multi-layered songs easily without hearing unallocated noise filling up the space. The choice to have the speakers face upwards instead of outwards to the side benefits most areas with the audio rising up to ear-level instead of blasting into one general direction. 

When playing music through the speakers of the Bag of Rhythm there aren’t many who will feel dissatisfied with what comes out. But as we mentioned, when the volume is too loud then you’re going to get an entirely different experience that makes it sound like the ‘Rhythm’ is taking a pounding from within itself. Let’s just say it sounds like it’s going to explode and the sound being played suffers extremely during such a time. Room-level audio should cover most situations, even most parties. 

If you’re near a power source then you can simply plug the ‘Rhythm’ with its AC plug for an unlimited number of hours of continuous use, all the while charging your iPod as its playing its heart out. 

Oddly enough, however, for it being a boombox in the 21st century we would’ve thought that batteries would’ve went out of style a long time ago. And while they really have for pretty much everything else in our lives outside of flashlights, that is, the Bag of Rhythm demands you get back into the habit. The Bag of Rhythm only allows cordless operation when fed with 6, yeah that’s S-I-X, D-cell batteries. The battery housing is on the bottom of the actual boombox when its outside of its carrying case, and it can only be accessed by using a flathead screw driver too. 

Overall

For $350 bucks the Bag of Rhythm is definitely not a window purchase. Does it revive the boombox generation? I don’t think it can by itself, especially since it has a look all to its own, but it is a solution for those who want more than a tiny bluetooth speaker to share the audio from a Youtube video with friends. The Bag of Rhythm is meant for wider social occasions, maybe even taking it to the beach, camping, or to events going on at the park. However, for it does and what it offers, it’s really a bare bones experience that may or may not fit what you need it for.

In the end, the audio quality is above average, even stellar though not something completely out of this world. It does the job in carrying sound waves from its source to your ears and does a fine job all while looking as mellow as can be, and maybe in the end that’s exactly the way Bob would’ve like it. That’s Bob Marley if you were wondering. 

Pro’s

• Fitted with durable carrying case
• Charges iPod and iPhones when in use
• Audio quality and delivery is stellar

Con’s

• Requires (6x) D batteries if you want to lug it around for cordless use
• Price tag is a little hefty
• Bare bones features with no accessories, not even a remote

Where to buy

House of Marley / Amazon — MSRP: $349.99

///4///

When Steve Jobs first introduced the iPhone in 2007, he boasted that it would not require a stylus and could be used by just your finger. The same goes for the iPad but when you’re dealing with a 10” touch screen, the possibilities presented by a capacitive stylus are overwhelming. Today, we’ll be looking at the Studio Neat Cosmonaut, which started as a Kickstarter project. Does it perform or are you better off with your finger? 

Features

• Compatible with all capacitive touch screens (eg. iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire).
• Works in any app.
• Great for doodling, sketching, and writing.
• High quality, durable construction.
• Great for people of all ages.

Our Impressions

The Studio Neat Cosmonaut comes embedded in a cool little cardboard box with an illustration of a rocket flying to the moon on the front and a bit of text on the back, alluding to the myth that pens won’t work in space but pencils will (obligatory Instagram photo). Bordering the actual stylus, two rocket fins are playfully printed on the cardboard. We don’t usually talk a lot about packaging a lot but it’s this type of attention to detail that we really appreciate in a product.

Design

The Cosmonaut’s design is so fantastic because, well, there’s so little design. If we were to describe the Cosmonaut, we’d say it’s a comically large and ridiculously simplified crayon. In terms of size, it’s also reminiscient of an Expo dry erase marker. A rubberized coating wraps around the aluminum core of the stylus while a smoother matte finish covers the actual capacitive tip. The overall monolithic design is great and very clean, with COSMONAUT embossed at the end of the stylus.

Ergonomics

The Cosmonaut is pretty weighty and is wider than most styli but we found that this was relatively comfortable in use, although it’s massive footprint makes it a little difficult for true precision. Don’t expect to use the Cosmonaut for any extensive writing or detailed drawing. Given the size of its tip, this stylus is best suited for some quick doodling or notes.

Compatibility

Another important thing to note is that the Cosmonaut does not play well with screen protectors. Initially, we thought something was wrong with the stylus or even our iPad. But then we gave the stylus a go on our iPhone’s naked screen and the Cosmonaut inputted strokes perfectly without delay. On the iPad, we had to press rigorously to get our strokes to register, which was a bummer. The Incipio stylus we had lying around also required a bit of a push but it was no where near the amount of pressure required by the Cosmonaut.

Overall

All in all, the Cosmonaut is a great stylus for the iPad. It’s nothing like your traditional pen stylus and may not be everyone’s cup of tea. In fact, we’d only recommend it if you don’t plan on doing any extensive or detailed work on the iPad. Otherwise, it’s a fun, comfortable to use stylus with a terrific design.

Pro’s

• Monolithic design
• Comfortable to hold
• Great for doodling

Con’s

• Doesn’t work well with screen protectors
• Not great for writing

Where to buy

Studio Neat / Amazon — MSRP: $25

///4///

We’ve reviewed a number of different bags and carrying solutions in the past year or so but you might be seeing a lot more as of late. Coming to you today, however, is Tom Bihn’s Ristretto bag made specifically for iPad (all generations). 

Features 

• Vertical Messenger bag
• Built speficially to house iPad (any gen)
• Hosts padded iPad compartment
• Exterior lined with U.S. 1050 denier ballistic nylon
• Weight: 1lb. and 2 oz.

Our Impression

When we got our first chance to touch and feel a bag from the Tom Bihn line we knew this just wasn’t any run of the mill messenger you could get at your local department store. The first thing we noticed was how durable its exterior was, which we’re told is made out of U.S. 1050 denier ballistic nylon, the same sort of material used on airmen of World War II. Albeit not enough to stop bullets, it is able to withstand the forces of nature, like wind, rain, or even snow.

Design

The Ristretto is suited with a sling designed flap that comes over the top asymmetrically and attaches itself to a buckle directly in the front. Underneath that flap, when the buckle is undone, is a main compartment that houses the padded area for an iPad, as well as a smaller zipper-shut area that can be used to stow away pens, wallets, or even an iPhone, if you would be so daring.

On the bottom rear of the bag is a removeable waist strap that can be adjusted to your size when you have the bag over your shoulder. I’ve seen this design before on backpacks before but never on a small messenger bag, something that didn’t need to be there but was included for convenience for when you need that added security, especially when you’re riding on any sort of motorcycle or two-wheeled vehicle.

Atop of the rear is also a handle if you don’t feel like actually wearing the bag, and it’s made out of a durable Poron® foam. On the backside is a neatly fitted, thin open-top pocket designed to carry papers, magazines, and that sort of thing — not a whole lot of space for anything besides something paper thin.

Storage

Under the flap on the front are the two compartments we mentioned on the outset; the small bottom one is about half the size of the bag vertically and is closed together by dual zippers. The inside lining is made out of Dyneema/nylon ripstop fabric, which just happens to made out in the land of the rising sun, Japan — and is also given a very stylish checker pattern with colors depending on which style bag you choose (they come in 6 colors).

Inside the zippered compart are three areas to store pens, a power supply, or your phone — they can really be used for anything but the pockets themselves aren’t that big. For instance, when testing the bag I couldn’t even fit my backpocket sized moleskin notebook in the larger sized pocket, so I threw in my 3DS in there instead. 

The only issue that stems from this bag in general comes from storing too many items within this smaller pocket. I’ll explain in a second.

The larger main compartment is where your iPad is meant and designed to be stowed away. There are actually two areas in this section, the first is the padded interior and flap that’s made out of open-cell foam and then laminated with a durable 4 Ply Taslan® on the outside. Once your iPad is fitted in there you can replace the flap back to its original spot and cover over the top portion of iPad that way it’s safe and secure — although there is no velcro to keep that flap from coming undone. The rear of that main compartment is also lined and padded with 1/4” closed cell foam making your iPad secure from all directions.

The iPad we threw in this area didn’t feel like it would be going anywhere, but we were a little worried about the rear padding since it really doesn’t feel like there’s anything keeping it from smashing up against something while in transit. To illustrate, if you faced your iPad toward the rear of the bag then you’d have the glass screen hitting up against your back while your walked, which isn’t that bad but I still thought it should be addressed. 

On the other side of the main compartment is where you could place a book, magazine, folder, or any other sort of vertically sized item which will have its back resting against the padding of the iPad.

On the sides of this compartent are also three O-rings meant to attach a set of keys to.

Comfort

Already fitted onto the Ristretto is the standard shoulder strap which has a very comfortable 1 - 1/2” wide nylon webbing strap that also hosts a pretty awesome wide foam pad that is meant to rest on your shoulder so it doesn’t slip while you’re wearing it. I was actually quite pleased with the included pad since most bags I’ve tried in the past that have these pads are just not made correctly or are constructed out of the cheapest of materials. This one, however, is as comfy as it gets. And with the added waist strap to ensure the Ristretto stays safe and sound, it’s definitely one of the most comfortable bags that gives you peace of mind when carrying a $400+ piece of Apple hardware around. 

As an option, Tom Bihn offers the Absolute Shoulder Strap for an additional $30, if you would be so bold. What’s the upside on that? Well, unlike the standard shoulder strap in which its hooks are made partly of plastic and metal, the Absolute is all-metal, as well as being designed to help carrying heavier loads. We didn’t get a chance to try it but I thought it was worth mentioning, although the standard strap is no slouch.

Going back to the issue we had with the smaller compartment, if you already have an iPad fitted inside the bag then your space for throwing items into the zippered area is going to be limited. The reason is for this is that bag isn’t given too much space to be expanded frontwards or backwards. It’s meant mostly to house vertical objects, again like notebooks, pens, and the occasional book. But if you were to put in a couple paperbacks in there then you’d see exactly what would happen — you’d get a big bulge that would not only look bad but be pushing up against the iPad within the bag itself. 

Overall

If you’re in the market for something that’s not too big and just the right size for towing around your iPad, and a limited number of smaller personal items (notebook, charger, headphones, etc.), then there’s not a whole lot that can wrong by going the Ristretto bag for iPad by Tom Bihn route.

The only issue for some is the asking price of $125 bucks for a simple iPad bag, but then again some people have been able to cut out laptops entirely and stick exclusively to their iPad for most of their work, which you could say this bag is perfect for those types. Of if you’re simply just a freak about your iPad and want to give it the best of care then don’t overlook this bag. Keep in mind, however, the issue with overloading the bag with too many items can make for an uncomfortable experience as well as an eye sore.

Pro’s

• Very comfortable
• Durable and minimal design
• Adjustable waist strap and padded iPad compartment

Con’s

• Can be too snug if fitted with too much stuff

Where to buy

TomBihn — MSRP: $125.00

///5///

Have you ever wanted a personal desk assistant that can update you on the weather, the latest news, and even your Twitter feed? That’s exactly what the successor to the venerable Nabaztag smart rabbit, the Karotz, is aiming to be. Let’s find out if it’s worth the price.

Features

• Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.
• Features a 400MHz Arm 9 processor w/ 64MB RAM and 256MB of flash memory.
• Integrated webcam, microphone, speakers, RFID reader, WiFi antenna, USB 1.1 port, Mini-USB port, volume control, and one main LED.
• Supports English, Spanish, French, and German languages.
• Marketplace currently includes over 400 “appz”.

Our Impressions

Inside the box is pretty straightforward. Slide the cover off the box, open it, and inside you’ll find the manual and a two-piece styrofoam box that snugly houses the Karotz, the USB and power cables, two RFID nanos, and finally all of it’s international power adapters.

Design

Right out of the box, the Karotz is a lot bigger than you would think. For a good size comparison, see the image below. The body is made of a glossy, white plastic that feels pretty durable, although I wouldn’t recommend dropping it from any considerable height. On the front are two eyes and a nose (no real use, just there for show), a large multi-color LED below that, and a small webcam at the bottom that I also presume acts as it’s belly button. The multi-color LED changes color based on what the Karotz is doing, for example solid red means it’s starting up, solid orange means voice-recognition is activated, and flashing cyan means a message is waiting.

On top you’ve got the two magnetic ears, which move when you are interacting with the Karotz. (More on that in applications.) Also on top is a small push button, which is what you hold down when you want to say a command to it. Around back is a good size speaker, a volume wheel, and the USB/micro-USB ports. Underneath, you’ll find the hole for the power cord to go into and a small dial for positioning the webcam. And yes, it does look like a rabbit.

Installation and Setup

There are two ways to setup the Karotz. The first way is to go to the Karotz website, input your WiFi information, and then download a file containing all of the information onto a flash drive that you insert into Karotz’s USB port. The second way is to plug the Karotz directly into your PC using the bundled USB to micro-USB cable and run the Karotz Configuration program (also available on the Karotz website). Both ways are pretty straightforward, but we chose the PC installation route. Once your computer recognizes the Karotz, you just have to input your WiFi SSID and password into the configuration program and it’ll connect. That’s it!

*Note: For users using Windows 7 64bit, as I am, it may be worth noting that the Karotz may not work properly with your computer unless you do some digging around in the Control Panel. After browsing the Karotz forums for two hours, I was able to download an old Acer USB driver from the Microsoft Catalog and install it under the Control Panel as legacy hardware. That finally allowed the Karotz to connect to my computer. There are multiple ways that will work, I’m told, since it’s a pretty widespread issue, so your best bet is to try the forums if you’re having issues. This is a minor annoyance for me, but it may deter some users.

Applications (aka Karotz Appz)

Here’s where the Karotz actually comes to life. Once you’ve got it configured with your WiFi connection, you must log on to the Karotz website, where you’ll then be able to name your rabbit (we named ours Preston, because why not) and access the application store. However, most of the apps are free, so you won’t be spending much money (if any at all) to get your rabbit up and reading you information. To get an app, you simply select it, click download, and it’s automatically sent to the Karotz. Then from your PC you can configure the app with things such as permissions to allow it to pull your information. Using it’s hardware, Karotz can take advantage of these appz to speak to you, see you, listen to you, and obey you.

I chose to test several appz, including Weather, Tai-Chi, Twitter, New York Times, Kotaku, and My Webcam. Weather works very well, after putting in my zip code and simply saying “Weather” the Karotz promptly informed me of the current conditions and well as the outlook for the day. New York Times and Kotaku, both RSS-related appz, work pretty much the same. You say, for example, “Kotaku”, and it’ll read the latest headlines from Kotaku. You can also specify the amount of headlines read. The Twitter app also worked great, allowing the Karotz to not only read my tweets, but also tweet directly to Twitter as well using the integrated mic. The Tai-Chi app doesn’t really have a meaningful purpose, although it is neat and gives your rabbit something to do while sitting idly on your desk. The rabbit will play zen-like music while slowly moving it’s ears around. It’s a nice touch. The My Webcam app allows you to attach the Karotz to your computer to act as a webcam via USB to micro-USB cable. You install the app and then open a Java-based webpage on the Karotz website and you can see what it sees. Then, if you wish, you can have it email you pictures of what it sees. However, in my testing I was unable to get a picture to appear. After trying several different browsers, I determined it could possibly be related to the issues I had during the installation (see above), so that’s definitely not a good thing. Overall though, the appz were pretty good.

Speech, Dictation, and Pronunciation

Most of these appz are based on the Karotz reading information to you, and doing this can be hit and miss. The voice the Karotz uses is a very robot-like woman’s voice, and while it doesn’t sound very natural, for the most part it gets the job done. Depending on how the text is spelled in whatever feed the Karotz is reading from, it can have an effect on it as well. For example, if it’s reading a news feed direct from the New York Times that is grammatically correct, it reads it just fine with one or two studders here and there. However, if it’s reading my Twitter direct messages from some of my friends who abbreviate lots of things, then the Karotz struggled. Namely, when it tried to pronounce words like “lol” and “M$”, it came out as “laal” and “Mmm”. A small annoyance, but I don’t expect it to read everything perfectly (especially since it’s not proper English to begin with).

RFID

Another major application of the Karotz is it’s ability to interact with and read RFID chips. For example, you can pass an RFID chip near the Karotz and it will read whatever is on it, for example a storybook. From the online Karotz store, you can purchase RFID-equipped “Nanoztags” (smaller plastic rabbit figures) or “Flatnanoz” (flat Rabbit-shaped plastic) to use with your Karotz for this purpose for $9.99 and $5.99, respectively. I had the opportunity to test two Flatnanoz that came with the Karotz, and can safely say that they work pretty good. Using RFID technology, you pass one of the Flatnanoz over the Karotz’s nose, which it then will tell you to go online and configure it. Once on the website, it should appear automatically and then you simply select an app that you want it to launch when swiped, and tell it to associate with that particular nano. Pretty simple.

Mobile Integration

Furthermore, you can control the Karotz with your Android or iOS device via an official app that allows you to command Karotz to send messages, take pictures, play music, and more from your device. I was not able to test this due to my lack of a smartphone, though.

There are many other appz that you can use with Karotz, namely the many radio station appz and even some alarm appz that I didn’t touch on in this review, so there is obviously a lot you can do with this rabbit.

Expanding Karotz

Out of the box, the Karotz is a bit limited. Thankfully though, the Karotz online store offers several accessories to compliment the rabbit. For example, a 4GB USB tail that you plug into the Karotz’s USB port that can store music and other files, a battery pack to allow your Karotz to become mobile, and even personalized ears and skins to make the Karotz truly yours. However, these accessories range anywhere from $10 to $20, and to get the added experience it feels like you’d be paying a lot more than $129 when all is said and done.

Overall

The bottom line is that the Karotz is a niche product. It’s a nice toy that overall serves it’s purpose well and for the most part is pretty reliable. However, it’s app marketplace isn’t amazing and the $129 price tag is a bit high. If you’ve got some money to blow though and are looking for a cute, plastic desk assistant that reads you the current weather when you wake up, this is probably one of the best choices out there.

Pro’s

• Does what it’s meant to do well.
• RFID tech is a nice touch.
• Supports all 3 major operating systems, and has an Android/iOS app.

Con’s

• A bit expensive for what it is (a niche product).
• App selection isn’t great.
• Doesn’t always play nice with Windows 7 64bit.

Where to buy

ThinkGeek — MSRP: $129.99

///3///

“Let’s play” videos have become a staple of many video streaming sites, highlighting what a game looks and plays like for people who haven’t decided yet to buy the title for themselves. But you may wonder, “how can I record HD footage from my TV over to my computer and throw it up on Youtube?” Well, the answer and the means to do is a lot easier and cheaper than you think. 

Features

• Includes Component Video gaming cable for Xbox 360 and PS3
• Includes Arcsoft ShowBiz (PC), with upload to YouTube so you can share your best game play in HD
• Original black case and green recording light
• Built-in hardware H.264 high definition encoder, for high performance, high quality video recordings
• Component Video input (YCrCb or YPrPb). Optical or stereo audio inputs.
• Record high definition video at up to 1080i resolution, 720p or VGA/D1
• Record at datarates from 1Mbs to 13.5Mbs, constant and Variable Bit Rate
• Audio / Video component video pass through to allow HD recording and viewing at the same times

Our Impression

I personally owned a Hauppauge branded HD PVR a few years back but got rid of it because of just how bad my PC at the time was. Well, a few things have changed since then on the hardware front (rocking an iMac now), so I decided to check out Hauppauge’s latest offering, which is meant solely to appease their gaming users’ needs.

Out of the box you have the HD PVR, first-party PC software install disc, and a number of cables; power supply, USB cable, component-out cables, and a special “Gaming Edition” component-in cable in which one side has plugs fitted for the Xbox 360, PS3, and even Wii. 

Inputs and Ports

The front side of the HD PVR offers ports for S-Video and composite (Yellow, White, Red) inputs. The rear side of the box is what most of you are actually interested in, which hosts the component (YCrCb or YPrPb) for up to 1080i video pass through. You will notice that there aren’t any HDMI ports, which are not available yet on any sort of model sold by Hauppauge. There are also TOS-LINK (optical audio) in/out ports, though like most audio products, there is not an included cable for this — also, if you want to pass through to your 5.1 surround sound system you’re going to need two TOS-LINK cables, obviously (one to run from your gaming system to the PVR and another from the PVR to your audio system).

Interersting to note, there is an IR Blaster port in the rear, however, there’s no included controller as with previous Hauppuage PVR’s.

Set-Up

Set up is straight forward, although there is a word of warning before beginning:

You have to have your computer (whether it be a desktop machine or laptop) near your game console. The reason for this is that unlike other recording means, such as Avermedia’s Broadcast HD device, where you can capture your gameplay to a hard drive onto the device itself and then move it over to a computer, Hauppauge’s HD PVR acts more like a capture card, where the software does the recording and so needs to be streamed over to a PC through a USB cable. Now the included USB cable is only about 5 feet long so you don’t have much wiggle room in terms of where you set this up.

NOTE: One could buy a longer USB cable from Amazon — seen here — but they only go up to 15 feet, and if you get a repeater or even an extension you’ll lose speed, which could hinder your captured footage during recording. 

Step-by-step:

• Set your game console to display to 1080i or 720p

• Set your TV’s source to Component

• Plug in the USB cable from the PVR to your PC

• Plug in the component cables from your TV to the PVR

• Plug in the second set of component cables from your PVR to your game console

• Turn on the PVR and install the ArcSoft ShowBiz software on your PC

And that’s it. If everything has been put together there will be a live feed of what’s going on the TV on your PC.

But while Hauppauge says this is a “no delay” feed, yeah… that’s not true at all. If that were true you could play games just from watching the feed on your PC monitor, but there is definitely a two second lag from our own experience that would make playing a game just about impossible, let alone staying competitive on titles played online.

Software

The included capture software is ShowBiz by ArcSoft, which happens to be a Windows only program — though we will recommend a few choice 3rd party applications for Mac users running OS X. 

ShowBiz is as basic as it gets, as you’re only given a handful of options on how you’d like to capture your footage, though, there are already presets depending on which console you’re recording from; Xbox or PS3. Footage is captured into the MP4, M2TS, and AVCHD video formats — which can be edited, converted to another file format (using a 3rd party conversion application), or burned to a Blu-Ray disc, respectively. The application even gives you the option of uploading straight to Youtube, if you’d like.

Aside from ShowBiz being all but a simple record button, it also offers a streamlined video editing platform. But anyone who is any bit serious about doing video editing should look elsewhere for editing solutions; something like Vegas Video or Adobe’s Premiere Pro software.

3rd Party Mac software

While Hauppauge advertises the HD PVR Gaming Edition as a Windows device it can still run on the OS X operating system, but you’ll need to find your own supported application.

Here are our favorites that we found and tested:

EyeTV — Our Mac recording software of choice, EyeTV is just as intuitive, user friendly, and even better than the included Windows based, ShowBiz application. In terms of what it does better, when exporting recorded files you’ll be given a wide assortment of file formats ready to be imported to iMovie or Final Cut Pro.

HDPVR Capture — Is a little more complex as it gives you a whole lot more options to mess around with for your own custom preference. If you’re not fully proficient in knowing what you want from your videos then this may be a little more advance than what you need. It’s definitely not for novice capturers, so we say stick to the likes of EyeTV.

Captured Footage Quality Test

After capturing footage from a number of games varying in motion and in overall graphical design (8-bit retro to modern titles) we threw it all up onto one video to give you a taste of what the HD PVR Gaming Edition can do. And while we didn’t get a shot of it in action, whenever the PVR is in use, or recording rather, it gives off a pretty awesome green glow from the top — a change from the original blue glow seen on previous “non-gaming” Hauppauge PVR’s. 

Overall

If you’re any sort of gamer looking to get into video editing of any kind, whether it be for your own Youtube channel to brag about your skills or to simply stream some game footage for your followers to watch, then there couldn’t be an easier way of going about doing this than getting yourself a “Gaming Edition” Hauppauge HD PVR. 

However, word of warning, even though this device is easy to set-up, is relatively cheap, and gets the job done, if you don’t have your game consoles accessible to a close by PC, like within 5 feet of one, then you may need to do some furniture rearranging if you plan to dive in with Hauppauge.

Pro’s

• Easy set-up w/ all hook up’s provided
• Included software is intuitive and user friendly
• Affordable means of capturing HD footage

Con’s

• No 1st party Mac software
• Needs to be tethered to a PC close by

Where to buy

Hauppauge — MSRP: $199.99

///4///

The iPhone 4 is such a sexy beast of a phone that some are so taken in by its shiny glass design that they prefer to forego all sorts of protection and go about taking it around naked. Yeah, we’ve tried that and let’s just say it feels like driving without a seatbelt. Why would you take the risk? SGP has quite the line up when it comes to iPhone cases, so there’s no reason or excuse to leave it naked anymore. Today, CreTouch has hooked us up with a Neo Hybrid 2S bumper case for iPhone 4.

Features

• 2-piece unit (Silicone interior, Polycarbonate Exterior)
• Made available in 11 different colors

Our Impressions

Made up of two different parts; the inner frame of premium silicone with a coat of high polymer, and the exterior frame made out of a UV-coated polycarbonate material; this is pretty simplistic bumber case.

The Neo Hybrid 2S series comes in 11 different colors, though wouldn’t you know it that we got paired with two white colors, (so much for variety and the color palette). Also stowed away within the packaging of the bumper case comes SGP’s own Steinheil screen protector and microfiber cleaning cloth — a bargain at any price.

Design 

SGP’s Neo Hybrid 2S has a slim fitting style that doesn’t take any points away from the iPhone’s already stellar design. This is a major plus as some cases try to add their own flare to the mix and just end up taking away the exclusive look of Apple’s handset.

The inner silicone frame has hard rubber covers for the volume up / down and power buttons, which we must admit gives a really satisfying click when pressed. You also don’t have to put too much force on them to get them to work, which is a plus over some more expensive cases, such as the Fabshell case by Speck, which gave our fingers a workout whenever we wanted to lock our phones.

Accessibility

Installation takes all but two seconds; first fitting the inner silicone frame onto the siding of your iPhone and then following that up with the polycarbonate case atop. This can be a little tricky if you don’t get it just right the first time. We also recommend doing this while the phone is turned off since if you throw on the harder case while the handset is turned on you may be hitting the power button a number of times until it gets fitted just right.

Like nearly every bumper case available on the market, the headphone jack is recessed, which people may not think is a big deal… that is until you have difficulty fitting in an ordinary headphone jack. For instance, in my car I have an audio plug that goes to a cassette player deck that I use with my iPhone to play over my radio. The style of plug — seen here — will not fit into the headphone jack while this case is on because of the shape of the plug. While Apple’s earbuds will go straight in this isn’t the case even with even some other common headphones, like the Beats by Dr. Dre Studios. So buyer beware when it comes to bumpers.

The speakers are fitted with hollowed out cuts, as are the mute switch and dock port, which are given ample space to do what you have to do with either of them. 

Comfort

When we tried out the SGP Linear iPhone case we had an issue with picking up and holding the phone due to the glossy finish that made it uncomfortably slippery. The Neo Hybrid 2S suffers from the same issue, though it’s much less of a problem since this is just a bumper case so the backing of the iPhone’s glass is free for your hands to grip onto. It’s really a unique problem that I’ve noticed recently, and maybe it’s just me with my greasy hands and all but my wife also had issues picking it up.

Outside from that, however, the bumber gives enough of a bezel around the iPhone’s screen that you don’t have to worry about the precious glass getting knicked when being placed on a flat surface. The bumper comes up over the lip quite nicely and offers just the right degree of peace of mind.

Overall

There’s not much to hate on such a simple bumper case as the SGP Neo Hybrid 2S. It does the jump of keeping your phone a smidge above a flat surface, as well as looking subtle on a white iPhone or accenting a black model. Not only that, but with the 11 different colors that are available to mix and match between this 2-piece silicone interior, polycarbonate exterior, you have a number of ways to have your phone stand out amongst a crowd.

Our only issue stemmed from the slipperiness that we’ve felt before from SGP cases that have a glossy finish to them. It’s something that you may have dealt with the in the past but when compared to other cases we’ve reviewed it’s hard to ignore and give it a pass. 

Pro’s

• Simple 2-piece design
• Easy installation and offers accessible ports
• Rubber button covers are satisfyingly clicky

Con’s

• Glossy finish makes it a tad slippery
• Recessed headphone jack can be problematic

Where to buy

CreTouch — MSRP: $21.99

///3///

While Apple’s Smart Cover may be a great way to protect the front of your iPad, it doesn’t offer any coverage of the back at all. Rather than just making an iPad version of its popular Feather case, Incipio introduced the Smart Feather for the new iPad. It’s basically the same thin hard shell case but with slots for the Smart Cover. How does it work? 

Features

• Hard shell polycarbonate material allows for rigid structure with slight flexibility
• Multiple color options allow for every individual to make a personal statement
• Best-selling ultra-light feather design weighs in at just over 2 ounces
• Functionality is not sacrificed with complete access to all ports and controls

Our Impressions

The first thing we need to make very clear in this review is that the Smart Feather was designed to be used with Apple’s Smart Cover. We were unable to obtain a Smart Cover at the time of publication but we’ll be updating the review when we do.

The Smart Feather comes in a thin plastic box, with a screen protector, cleaning cloth, and application squeegee.

Design and Protection

The hard shell case is very thin, as with Incipio’s other Feather cases. A very nice rubberized, matte finish covers the back of the iPad. While it looks and feels great, we did notice that it picks up quite a lot of fingerprints and stains. If you’re looking for maximum protection, you’re not going to get it with the Feather. The thin, plastic material offers little to no protection, but that’s obviously a compromise made for the “Feather” form factor.

What we really don’t like is that much of the device is left exposed for ports. A sort of L shaped cutout at the bottom outlines the speaker and extends above the dock connector all the way to the edge of the device. The top of the case is the same story - from sleep/wake button to headphone jack, the case leaves an entire strip and no protection.

The volume rocker/mute switch cutout is more modestly sized and we had no issues with the camera cutout. On the left side of the case, two slots and a raise curve are positioned to fit the Smart Cover. When the Smart Cover is slotted in the curved area, it is locked in place and not removable unless you take off the Smart Feather. 

Thin bits of plastic barely wrap around each edge of the iPad and hold it in place. Amazingly enough, we actually didn’t have any issues with the iPad falling out of the shell. Pretty much the entire front of the device is left exposed; without a Smart Cover, the iPad really seems vulnerable to damage.

Overall

Here’s the deal with the Smart Feather - it’s meant for people who bought the Smart Cover and then realized that the back of the iPad needs protection as well. If you don’t already have a Smart Cover, you need to take into consideration that the Smart Cover will run you a hefty $39 or $69 on top of the $35 for the Smart Feather. My question is this - who is the Smart Feather really made for? iPad owners who have the Smart Cover are probably looking for some level of minimalism and would be better off with a thinner and less obtrusive protective film as back protection. Those who want the cool magnetic mechanism of the Smart Cover have plenty of options for cases with the front flap built into the case. And for the people without any sort of protection on their iPad, the Smart Feather is not a particularly good choice because it was clearly designed for use with the Smart Cover. Here’s my suggestion to Incipio - make a regular Feather case without the cutouts for the Smart Cover and with more protection. It’s simply more practical and is way less clunky. If you really want a folio style case, Incipio offers its Slim Kickstand and Premium Kickstand cases, which are quite excellent for the form factor.

Pro’s

• very thin
• matte finish looks, feels great
• works well with Smart Cover

Con’s

• needs Smart Cover to function properly
• matte finish picks up fingerprints easily
• we’re not really sure who it’s for

Where to buy

Incipio — MSRP: $34.99

///3///

Let’s face it, your mobile device or tablet does not offer the amount of volume that you need to achieve when sharing videos and music with friends, am I right? For everything the iPhone and iPad offer their speakers just don’t make the cut. So we need a solution for this and iHome has it in the form of the cute and portable, iDM11 rechargeable Bluetooth speaker. 

Features 

• Bluetooth wireless audio connectivity
• Rechargeable internal lithium-ion battery
• Speakerphone features
• 3.90” W x 3.94” H x 4.49” D 

Our Impressions

Let’s start out by saying that clamshell packaging is the worst invention by man to date, and the box in which the iDM11 speaker comes in is just that… straight out horrible. The only feasible way to get into it is to unholster a hunting knife and slash into the plastic’s thick body. It’s a messy battle that we wish could’ve been easily fixed by just choosing a clamshell box that plucks open.

Once inside, you’ll find the iDM11 rechargeable Bluetooth speaker and a specialized Y-cable by iHome that is more important than you might think. 

Design and Size

The iDM11 is tiny though not small enough to fit in your pocket. A carrying case of sorts would’ve been a delightul convenience but we won’t dock points for that. While it has a pyramid-like shape when its standing upwards, it definitely has a cube speaker persona, and it’s obvious that its desired location is to be placed on a flat surface, preferrably a desk of some sort. It has a concave speaker grill with the iHome labeling set up right on front. 

On the rear of the speaker you’ll find a collection of buttons and illustrations on which option does what — from left to right: power button, volume down, volume up, and the pause and play button which doubles for Bluetooth syncing.

Underneath it is found a switch that changes the speaker from either AUX mode (to be plugged in directly to an audio source) or Bluetooth mode to be paired. And finally, the Mini-USB port for the provided Y-cable meant for charging and AUX out.

On its side there is also a curious little hole which you may or may not recognize as a microphone. Yep, the iDM11 can double as a speaker phone. 

Proprietary Cable

Before we move on to what this little, glowing bad dude can do let’s talk about the provided cable. It’s a proprietary Y-Cable (no, not an audio Y-cable) that on one side has a USB and Male Audio Plug, while its other end features a Mini-USB connector. 

Now you don’t have to use it if you’re going to be pairing stuff through Bluetooth exclusively, but you will eventually need it to charge this sucker — but if that’s all you need it for then you’re in luck. If you ever lose it you can easily replace it by getting a USB to Mini USB connector. — But if you want the luxury (and plus, you never know when you might need it) of the AUX out feature then you’re going to want to make sure you don’t lose this cable, otherwise you can cry to iHome for a new one, which is generously priced on their store for $10 bucks under the name: Audio/Charge Cable for Mono Speaker.

Set Up

Charging the device for the first time is recommended to take up to 3 - 6 hours, but when we noticed it was finished it took a measily 1 hour. To charge the iDM11, you use the Mini-USB connector and insert it into the rear port and then plugging the other side into any USB powered source, we used an iMac. While it’s charging you’ll noticed the LED indicator light on the bottom will glow red.  

After charge, to get the iDM11 rolling you have the options of directly plugging in the provided cable to the audio source through the Mini-USB cable on its back and plugging the Audio Plug into an audio source’s 3.5mm audio jack, or you can simply pair the two up through Bluetooth, if they’re compatibe.

For the sake of this review we synced up through an iPhone, iPad, and our iMac.

To put the iDM11 into discovery mode first turn on the device, switch it over to Bluetooth mode, press and hold the Play / Pause which you’ll then notice the flashing LED on its base meaning it’s discoverable. On your audio device go to Bluetooth settings and make sure its searching, and then once it’s found, select and connect to it — no password should be required while doing this. 

Performance

So everything’s charged, wirelessly enabled, and now you want to hear how it sound. Fair enough. We tested the iDM11 with a number of music and video streaming services, as well as giving it a shot playing some of our own personal music favorites. 

We turned the volume all the way up on Ra Ra Riot’s “Shadowcasting” and Death Cab for Cutie’s “Monday Morning” and we didn’t hear a single hint of noise distortion and were even treated to some great treatment of bass coming from the underlying drum beats. 

Tracks with a mix of heavy vocals and deep bass and guitar riffs do have trouble we noticed. This more is the case with most mobile, singular speakers with such a small casing that allows only one channel for multiple layers of sound coming from a dual channel, stereo audio source. In other words, too much stuff is coming through one speaker. But what are we expecting? The iDM11 is meant for convenience and it does it right with a small design and better than average sound quality. 

When streaming movies the voices, background music, and even explosions were more than just “okay” and were way batter for experiencing and sharing something on my iPhone or iPad without everyone having to huddle around the device just to hear what was going on. 

Speaker phone calls can also be accomplished when paired with a Phone. In this case we used our iPhone and called a few people and we had no trouble hearing their voices, which was awesome for group calls with individuals also in the same room, however they had to be close to the iDM11 or otherwise those on the otherside of the call had trouble hearing. 

The iDM11 lasts a healthy 10 hours, more than enough for any over night party, 2 hour movie, or even the longest of podcasts, (I’m looking at you The Vergecast’s Lumia 900 controversy epsiode).

Overall

The iDM11, which I wish was nicknamed ‘the cube’, is the perfect size to pick up and take with you for any occasion; parties, sharing a video or song with a large group, or even handling a phone call or two while your hands are tied. The iPad and iPhone’s speakers leave a lot to be desired, so having this guy around is pretty handy considering it packs a punch in the sound department and has sound quality that is more than just average. Our only grip comes from the necessary proprietary cable that, if lost, costs $10 to buy separately.

Pro’s

• Small and easily portable
• Loud, undistorted sound
• Beautiful ‘Cube’ design w/ LED indicator

Con’s

• Requires propietary cable

Where to buy

iHome — MSRP: $69.99

///4///

Unique design is pretty important when it comes to any product, especially headphones. A company might have the best sounding headphones but if the design and build quality aren’t good then they’d generally be a pretty tough sell. Designed to look like 9mm bullets, the Munitio [M] BLK headphones don’t have that problem. Not by a long shot. But how’s sound quality and the overall package?

Features

• 9mm speaker drivers with rare earth neodymium magnets for superior dynamic range and quick recovery.
• Titanium coated machined copper alloy housing with Munitio’s inline suppressor 
• [M]ic control for crystal clear voice and hands free operation
• Silicone Hollow Points with noise isolating technology designed for secure comfortable fit,
• Kevlar reinforced fabric cable with 24k gold plated 3.5mm stereo plug providing exceptional audio signal transfer
• Bass Enhancing Chamber engineered to produce the deepest most accurate bass without distortion.

Our Impressions

The Munitio [M] BLK headphones come in a pretty interesting package. Ours showed up in a black Munitio shoebox which contained a smaller circular box. A pull tab released the disk of foam containing the headphones and revealed a fancy leather pouch as well as a cleaning cloth and manual. The headphones were wound around the foam in possibly the most intricate/complicated way possible; three extra sets of silicone tips (in addition to the pair on the headphones) are concealed on the underside of the foam.

Design and Build Quality

The Munitio [M] BLK earbuds have a “love it or hate it” design. Shaped like 9 mm bullets, the matte black aluminum pieces feature intricate embossings of the eagle pattern associated with the Munitio brand. We wouldn’t necessarily describe them as bulky but they’re definitely a little larger than many other in ears. That said, you probably won’t be having any issues fitting them in your ears and they’re fairly lightweight too. Whether you love the design or hate it, one thing’s for sure - the build quality of these headphones is excellent.

Remote and Cable

The braided cloth cable also feels durable and is fairly lengthy. The long, barrel shaped remote module features a single red button for play/pause or track controls for your mobile device and a mic on the other side. It’s a little disappointing that there’s only a single button given the physical size of the module but at least it offers great tactile response and is easy to use. One thing we liked about the cable was the little slider to hold the two sides of the cable together. One side of it unclips so that you can clip it onto the other wire above the remote.

Audio Quality

Let’s talk about sound quality because we had a pretty strange experience with the Munitio [M] BLK headphones in terms of sound. When we first listened to these headphones, we found them to be pretty darn disappointing. The bass dropped pretty hard with these buds but unfortunately it wasn’t a good type of bass. The overall sound signature was muffled and clarity wasn’t great at all. Overall, the headphones sounded really muddled and unpleasant to listen to. However, after burning the headphones in for an extended period of time and listening to them more, the audio quality definitely seemed to improve quite a bit. It no longer sounded like something was covering the headphones and the overall signature was much brighter. Vocals came through loud and clear, and bass (although still monstrous) was no longer so overbearing. Sound stage was present and quite decent as well. 

The package includes several sizes of tips and although they fit comfortably and stay in the ear, there isn’t much passice noise cancellation to speak of. None of the tips provided this type of seal. Some people will like this as you’ll definitely be able to hold a conversation as long as you have these headphones at a low to medium volume.

Overall

After extensive testing, we’d have to say we really do like the Munitio [M] BLK headphones. Our first impression of them was less than favorable but once we burned the headphones in, we enjoyed them much more. The main attraction of these headphones would have to be their unique design and excellent build quality, but they definitely do not lack in the sound department either. The only thing holding these headphones back from a wholehearted recommendation is their high price point. At $180, headphones with simply higher fidelity sound can be had. 

Pro’s

• very slick and unique design
• great build quality
• decent audio quality after burn in

Con’s

• varying audio quality
• only one button on large remote
• seal isn’t great with included tips

Where to buy

Munitio — MSRP: $179.00

///3///

We’ve reviewed tons of cases for the iPhone 4 and 4S, some made of aluminum, and some of plastic. But we’ve never seem anything quite like the Graft Concepts Leverage. This hybrid case features a curious watch-style latch in its corner. How does this idea play out in actual use? 

Features

• Confirmed compatibility with both iPhone 4S and 4 from AT&T/Sprint/Verizon
• Hard polycarbonate case with soft touch matte finish that offers drop and scratch protection
• Luxurious finish on metal latching mechanism that locks the case firmly around the phone
• Removable back plate gives you the option of having minimalist style or full protection
• Unique styling with streamlined design and minimal bulk

Our Impressions

The Graft Concepts Leverage comes in plain plastic packaging containing the bumper case and an optional backplate. Right out of the box, the Graft Concepts Leverage feels rather thin and flimsy, a problem associated with any slim bumper style cases. Just as with the Apple Bumper, however, all feelings of cheap-ness were dispelled once we installed the case on the actual phone. 

Design

The Leverage is one of the most unique cases we’ve seen in a while. For starters, it is a bumper style case so it really shows of the glass sandwich design of the iPhone 4 and 4S. The rim of matte plastic elegantly wraps around the aluminum band of the iPhone and subtlely curves around the edges for extra protection (The Leverage is not compatible with thicker screen protectors such as the GLAS.t).

Look in the top right corner of the case and you’ll see something totally out of the ordinary - a metal watch-style latch. In fact the Leverage was inspired by luxury watches and features a special latching mechanism to secure the case. In order to install the Leverage, you simply lift the latch, slide your phone into the slightly flexible rim of the bumper, and lock it in place. The Leverage fits precisely and the phone feels secure. If ever you need to remove the case, you stick your finger under a little groove in the edge of the latch and lift to release it. The finish of the metal latch matches the stainless steel band of the iPhone; Graft Concepts even built asleep/wake button right into the latch area, in the exact shape and style of the iPhone’s original button. Tactility isn’t quite the same but it isn’t mushy by any means. Only the corner of the case is made of aluminum so you won’t have to worry about any antenna attenuation that may result from aluminum bumpers. One slight issue with the latch design is that small gaps in the aluminum allow bits of dust and whatnot from your pocket to be embedded between your iPhone and the case. A periodic removal and cleaning of the case will do the trick but we thought it was a minor annoyance.

Accessibility and Ergonomics

The Leverage is all about precision; each cutout is perfectly aligned. In fact, this precision could potentially be an issue for some. Allow me to explain, the volume button and mute switch area is outlined by a very marginal cutout. The entire strip is very narrow in general and actually feels quite recessed. People with slightly larger thumbs will have trouble accessing the volume down button in particular without awkwardly turning their hands; this could also be an issue if you use the volume button as a camera shortcut key. 

Take a look at the top of the phone and you’ll see two cutouts - one for the headphone jack and one for the noise cancelling microphone. The headphone port cutout could definitely be a bit bigger and really only fits thinner headphone jacks. The Leverage simply feels amazing in the hand, adding a slight bit of width and thickness to the tiny iPhone 4, while retaining and emphasizing the phone’s slim design.

The speaker and microphone holes are cut out to match exactly. The 30 pin dock connector has an even more interesting design that involve two “levels,” the top one flush with the rest of the case and in the shape of Apple’s larger, rounded dock connector. Inside, a rectangular hole the size of the actual port. Basically, you won’t see any of the metal underneath but will still be able to fit the entire connector. Pretty sweet.

Included Accessories

The included optional backplate is a really nice touch that we don’t see often with bumper cases. The matte black plate matches the finish of the rim surrounding the phone and leaves a perfectly adequate cutout for the camera. The fact that Graft Concepts was able to design a plastic (as opposed to adhesive) backplate that works without compromising the design of the bumper is quite an accomplishment. Including the plate for free is like icing on the cake and will really appeal to those who wish to have a little more protection. However, we think most buyers of the Leverage will prefer showing off the design of the iPhone. One quick thing to note is that the backplate will not fit on your phone if you have even the thinnest of protective films on the back of your phone; that’s the level of precision we’re talking about here. 

Overall

After using the Graft Concepts Leverage for about a month, we have to say we’re pretty impressed by this bumper case. The hybrid design has really grown on us and everyone I’ve shown the case to has been amazed by the unique and premium design. While the $60 price tag may seem high for a plastic bumper, we see the Leverage as a classier approach to the bumper style case that will appeal to 1% who truly wants to stand out. 

Pro’s

• stunning and unique design
• doesn’t add much bulk
• bumper or full case options included

Con’s

• lint and dust get in latch gaps
• narrow headphone jack cutout

Where to buy

Graft Concepts — MSRP: $59.95

///5///

SGP has no shortage of cases for iPhone or iPad, and their Linear Mini series, while being their budget line, is far from being comparable to a generic means of protection for your precious mobile. The accenting colors, glossy finish, and comfortable hold would make just about an iPhone proud to don this, but how would an owner feel about that?

Features

• 3-piece unit 
• Packaged with Steinheil Ultra Crystal LCD Protector (x1), Micro-fiber cleaning cloth, and Mini Lens Hood (x1)
• Available in 4 colors (Yellow, Blue, Pink, Green)

Our Impression

The Linear Mini Series comes in 4 different colors — ours, provided by our friends at CreTouch, gave us the classic Reventon Yellow —, and is made up of 3 separate pieces that come together to built the unit.

Installation is a breeze; slide the U shaped piece over the phone (making sure the cut-outs are on the right side), then slip in the rear backing onto it, and finally finish it off by locking in the case with the buttom piece that goes over the dock connector and speaker ports. Scratches and damage are a non-issue during installation due to the smoothness that this case provides.

Design

Constructed out of durable materials and coated with a glossy finish, the Linear Mini series case is actually quite tircky to handle. Picking it up while it lays flat on the desk can be a little difficult as the sides are pretty slippery. Not to mention that this particular type of design is also prone to more noticeable scratches.

The bezel of the case is also microscopically raised so the iPhone’s screen isn’t flush with a surface if laid face down, but we’re talking about the thickness of a single hair foliclle. Interiors of the phone are not lined with any sort of rubber or foam padding, so if your phone takes a dive you have only the construction of the non-specific materials the Linear Mini is made out of to comfort you.

Accessibility

The headphone jack is slightly recessed into the case and the same holds true for the power button atop the phone. All other buttons, switches, and ports are openly accessible, though the speakers down at the bottom are given deep cut-outs which actually enhance sound. 

The rear-facing camera on the iPhone is given a generous amount of space so that the Linear Mini doesn’t get in its way, although the provided Mini hood lens set should do the trick to reduce contrast issues when using the flash.

Comfort

Holding the phone is really comfortable and it’s also visually appealing, accenting either a white or black iPhone perfectly no matter which set of colors you choose. The edges are rounded to provide further ergonomics and comfort when gripping the phon and makes manipulating the handset with one hand a breeze.

I also decided to add in this section the peace of mind you get with the case despite it being 3-piece unit. Once the final piece locks in the entire case comes together and never feels as if it’s going to come apart. 

Additional Accessories

Also packaged with the Linear Mini is a micro-fiber cleaning cloth, a Steinheil Ultra Crystal LCD Protector, and one set of Mini Lens Hood liners which are designed to reduce interference between the case and when taking a photo with the LED flash. Definite bonuses and a convenience SGP offers with every case they ship.

Overall

While the Linear Mini is beautiful to look at and easy to handle the case is really, really slippery. Yeah, I’m not joking. As I’m writing this review I’m getting notifications from team members and every time I try to pick up the phone I think it’s going to fall flat on its back. Yes, it comes with goodies and feels great to hold but just trying to reach for it can be a pain. 

Pro’s

• Visually appealing with accenting colors
• Very comfortable to handle
• Affordable and comes with extras

Con’s

• Glossy finish causes pick-up issues 
• Scratches are easily visible
• Bezel raises the case a hair above the screen

Where to buy

CreTouch Store — MSRP: $24.99

///2///

This review was done by Ricardo Trejo, who was provided a Linear case by CreTouch Store.

Speck cases haven’t always fit the mold of what you expect an iPhone or iPad case to be; Originality in design and presentation has always been the company’s bread and butter and it truly shows with their latest entry, the Fabshell case for iPhone 4 / 4S.

Features 

• One size fits all design (iPhone 4 / 4S)
• Reinforced one piece construction
• Hard shell back with original, stretched Fabric design
• Raised rubbery screen bezel and press-thru button covers

Our Impressions

At first glance, the Fabshell case looks beautiful and well constructed when compared to cheap, throw-away cases that are a dime a dozen. It’s made out of a co-molded hard plastic and rubber, with the hard shell being crafted out of polycarbonate plastic, while the soft portions, buttons, bezel, and corners made from TPE. The added protection in how sturdy the case feels will make any slip of your hand and subsequent spill from your iPhone feel that much more insured.

The case weighs less than a pound and is wisely designed to be a one-piece case, a different approach from Speck’s older “Fitted” models.

The case is also packaged with a ShieldView, Speck branded, screen protector that should guard your iPhone from any nicks or scratches that might graze its precious glass. I’ve never personally been a fan of the ShieldView protectors as I believe they are a little thick and add a little delay in responsiveness.

The Fabshell is a one size fits all ordeal with it having no issue fitting onto a Verizon or AT&T iPhone 4 /4S. The edges of the phone are rubberized that give you a good kung-fu grip on your mobile, while the sides and backing are lined with an original fabric design. The backing is comfortable and even after longtime use hasn’t began to be raised off its surface or even on the sides of where the fabric meets the soft edges.

We did, however, have an issue with taking it off, as we commonly do with most Speck cases. You could say they’re such a comfortable, safe, and snug fit that it SHOULD be difficult to remove, and so for that we aren’t docking that many points from it. And, yes, we’re aware that Speck has instructions and even videos explaining how to properly remove such cases, but we’re telling you it still isn’t as smooth a process.

All ports, buttons, and speakers are completely accessible — even the camera gets a generously sized cut-out to make sure there is no interference with taking photos — with the exception of the power and volume up / down buttons, which are given a rubberized cover that you have to press quite deeply to have any effect. It makes sense however since the case itself is a little bulky and to have to reach into a hollowed out spot would be particularly more uncomfortable. However, that said, the volume buttons feel responsive but it’s the power button that needs to be pressed with quite some force to get it to work.

For instance, usually when managing an iPhone with one hand, a person would get their index finger to come over the top of the phone and lock it, right? Well, our hands got a little tired after giving that a try, even to the point that my pinky’s nerve was hurting — something that only happens when I would play too much Gameboy a decade ago. So in our experience, unless you have huge, rugged hands, it’s best to simply use a second hand to lock the phone. 

Also to note, the Phone CANNOT be docked while it is wearing the Fabshell case by Speck, and the headphone jack is a little bit recessed which can cause issues with some designs of headphone jack plugs.

Overall

The Speck Fabshell is quite the case in that it looks wonderful and will make anyone’s iPhone stand out in a crowd, however, it can be a bit of a pain to use it at times. For instance, a phone wearing the Fabshell cannot be docked unless it’s removed, which as we noted can have some difficulties; The power button is a little too hard to press, though it does have all other necessary ports and buttons ready to be accessed; and finally, the headphone jack is a little recessed into the case itself, which for owners of Beats headphones might have an issue with. 

Outside of that, if you can overlook such small inconveniences, then there’s nothing that should stop one from sporting one on their iPhone.

Pro’s

• One piece design
• Stylish, original, and colorful fabric backing
• Sturdy enough to withstands falls

Con’s

• Speck cases have issues being removed
• Pressing the power button can be painful
• Cannot be docked while wearing the Fabshell

Where to buy

Speck — MSRP: $34.95

///4///

While people are oogling over the latest set of Beats, Reid and Heath Acoustics over in Britain are a looking to make headway in the headphones game. But do they have what it takes to offer cheap alternatives to some of the goods the big boys are selling? Their offerings aren’t huge, a line up of 4 different models are currently on the market, so we’re going to be looking at their first two sets; the CA-200 headphones today, and later next week the MA-350 earbuds.

Features

• 40mm mylar drivers
• Lightweight - 156g (0.34lbs.)
• 3.5mm gold plated connections
• Detachable, braided, fabric cable
• RHA ErgoFit system (ability for ear cups to pivot)

Our Impressions

There isn’t much to the CA-200’s right out of the box since the only accessory provided is the removable Y-styled audio cable that plugs into the bottom of each earcup. The headphones themselves are glossed over in black which are huge fingerprint magnets, some of which can even be seen in the photos we took for this review.

When holding the CA-200’s you’ll tend to notice that the earcups jostle pretty easily, which is caused by the “ErgoFit” tech that RHA created though we’ll speak on that later. However, it is a little of annoyance since everytime you pick them up or even move them a bit they rattle. The self-promoted RHA branding was a big “no-no” since it kills a bit of the edge the headphones had going for them in terms of a sleek, glossy design.

Overall, the first impression we had with the headphones themselves were that of a cheap alternative headset one would get to simply get by. 

The provided audio cable is 1.2 meters long, or something to the tune of 3 feet and a couple of inches, although it doesn’t play host to any iPod play controls. The cable itself is lined with a braided fabric which does wonders to prevent tangled up messes when carrying around these guys.

Not to mention the cable is also detachable which makes for easy traveling so that you don’t end up throwing them into your pocket and becoming like commonly seen tattered white Apple earbuds. 

Comfort

In terms of adjusting the size on these, RHA opted to throw in their patented “ErgoFit” system which pivots the each earcup to fit automatically alongside your head’s contour. It’s an interesting idea to say the least, however, it’s not one that I would say was executed to a T, though it does do the trick since they not only pivot up and down but also to the sides as well. Alongside this is also the means to adjust the length of each earcup for small or generously sized heads.

The earcups are made out of a synthetic cushion that after prolonged use of about more than an hour or so really don’t cause any sort of fatigue on your ears. This is a big plus considering if you’re using these as your main listening device when studying, casually listening to music, or whatever you’d do with these, the overexposure to your ears won’t kill your experience. The cups themselves are quite large and even fit my entire ear into the cushions, so that’s quite commendable.

The drivers are easily discernable with a thin mesh material covering them through the center of earcups and come in nice and clear, however, while it doesn’t feel if there’s a barrier between you and your music, there is something of a strange experience in the way the sound resonates into your ear — more on that later though.

It’s also pretty awesome that even with the “ErgoFit” stuff automatically adjusting to your ears and no “lock-in” feature, they remain relatively still while you’re wearing them.

The headband itself doesn’t bend in any sort of way since it’s solidly constructed as one unit the whole way through, which isn’t a big player in comfort and is more of a design choice than anything else since the earcups pivot to your fit anyway. 

Sound and Performance

So the headphones are pretty good so far, “but how do they sound,” you ask? Well, this will all depend on your taste in music as well if you can overlook a certain defect (feature?) that plagues most songs we listened to.

For example, when listening to some mid’s populated from vocal heavy, indie, or folk music, such as Death Cab For Cutie, The Weepies, or the Temper Trap, it sounded as if the artists were cupping their hands over their mouthes to get the sound over to me. I’m not sure if this a problem with the design and placement of the drivers or simply something happening within the drivers themselves but it gives everything a sorta condensed sound.

Surprisingly, though, bass heavy songs performed by artists like Daft Punk or Philter really filled up that space that seemed to be lacking when listening to music rich in vocal auditory. It’s a mixed bag that was hit or miss when it came to each time I went to pick these up and listen to some tunes.

Overall

For £29 pounds, or nearly $50 in US dollars, what you pay is what you get. And with the CA-200’s you’re getting quite the bargain, although sound quality is not bad just… odd. While their design can get some getting used to and a matter of preference, for the price it’s hard to find a glossy pair of headphones that look sophisticated (despite the RHA branding on each side), feel comfortable overall, and actually perform well, but again you’re taste in music will all depend on whether you should take the plunge or not with the CA-200’s by RHA.

Pro’s

• Audio cable provided doesn’t tangle
• ErgoFit actually does the trick and is comfortable

Con’s

• Design is hit or miss
• Sound quality has issues with mid-range sounds 

Where to buy

Amazon — MSRP: £29.95

///3///

The third generation iPad may look the same as the iPad 2, but it is actually a couple of millimeters thicker. As a result, accessory manufacturers have had to tweak all of their designs to accommodate the new dimensions. The NGP is one of Incipio’s new offerings for Apple’s tablet; how does it fare? 

Features

• High-density polymer provides excellent shock absorption for your device
• Dense material protects against accidental drops and dings
• Standard protection guards your device against daily wear and tear
• Complete access to all ports and controls while maintaining full-coverage protection

Our Impressions

The NGP comes in a standard Incipio plastic box alongside a clear screen protector, polishing cloth, and application squeegee.

First of all, what does NGP stand for? Not to be confused with Sony’s codename for the PS Vita, NGP stands for “next generation polymer.” Put simply, it’s a fancy name for the hard plastic/silicone hybrid material that the NGP is made of.

Because the NGP is made of, well, NGP, it has certain properties that in theory, combine the best of both worlds in hard cases and silicone ones. While this material isn’t as flimsy and flexible as silicone, it is more malleable than hard plastic. What are the benefits of this? Well, you get better drop protection and feel. In case you’re wondering, we did inadvertently put the drop protection to the test. Just moments after putting on the case, we dropped our iPad from a couple of feet on carpet. Although we can’t say the same for any surface more rigid, our iPad walked away unscathed, giving a little bounce on impact. The case feels relatively rigid and definitely very durable. The slight amount of flex allowed us to easily plop our iPad in. Fit and finish is very good with the NGP. The surface of the case feels very good to the touch and the case is manufactured precisely for the third generation iPad.

We received the grey version of the NGP and in our opinion, it’s the best looking one. It has an opaque and frosted texture all around, which enables you to see the Apple logo and other print on the back. The blend with the aluminum back is incredibly slick and nice to look at.

The NGP doesn’t add much thickness to the iPad and actually makes it slightly more comfortable to hold, ridding the tablet of its sharp edges in favor of slightly more rounded and rubberized ones. The case subtlely curves around the edge of the iPad so you will have no problem holding the tablet by the bezel or accessing the home button. This design also allows you to lay your iPad on a table without scratching the screen. Cutouts for the headphone jack, microphone, orientation lock/mute switch, dock connector, speaker, and camera are all adequately sized and properly fitted. The sleep/wake button and volume buttons are covered with the hybrid material and molded precisely. While the tactile feedback of these buttons decrease, this was no doubt a compromise made in favor of protection, which is a decision we’re happy with.

Overall

Overall, the Incipio NGP has to be my favorite case for the new iPad. Personally, I have yet to see an iPad case that I truly like but the NGP changes that - it just does so many things right so simply. Without adding too much thickness, the NGP adds protection using a fantastic hybrid material. On top of that, a screen protector is included. We could not recommend the NGP more, especially at the perfectly reasonable $30 price tag.

Pro’s

• great protection
• easy access to all ports
• improved ergonomics

Con’s

• buttons lose tactility

Where to buy

Incipio — MSRP: $29.99

///4///

Are you tired of the black backplate on your iPhone 4? Or maybe you broke the white backplate on your iPhone? Instead of taking your phone to the Genius Bar, you can save some money by replacing the back yourself with a part from iPhone4Parts. But how’s the quality compared to the original? We put the replacement backplate through its paces for a full month to ensure we could evaluate its quality properly and observe any potential changes over time. 

Features

• Brand New High Quality Glass Back Cover For iPhone 4
• Quality material, premium craftsmanship
• iPhone 4 OEM Glass Back includes lens ring and LED flash diffuser
• Features metal mounting tabs for screwing the two bottom screws
• 100% Perfect fit

Our Impressions

The white replacement back comes in a durable ziploc style bag which is well padded by a ton of bubble wrap along with another bag of tools - pentalobe screwdriver, Philips screwdriver, guitar pick, some sort of plastic wedge, and two other plastic prying tools. The disassembly tools are a nice addition that add to the value of your purchase.

Before we start the review, let’s get one thing out of the way - this is not an original replacement back from Apple. It is manufactured by iPhone4Parts and does have some differences from the original part.

Installation

The installation of the white back is easy - just like any other iPhone 4 back plate replacement - unscrew the two screws at the bottom of your device, slide the current back up, align the new back according to the clips, screw in the screws again. Of course, you should always take precautionary measures by powering off your iPhone and grounding yourself of any electrical charges to avoid short circuiting anything.

Quality

 
The first thing we checked on the white back was the lettering, which we did by compared to the black iPhone 4 back and the white 4S back. The iPhone4Parts plate has all the correct print in the correct location - Apple logo, model number, FCC print, etc… although the small text is a little different from the official Apple printing in the sense that the letters are slightly skinnier; they’re not as bold. Only under close comparison with a retail white iPhone will you be able to tell, so most people won’t even bother.

The surface of the glass feels good and does not seem to scratch more easily than Apple’s backs. The oleophobic coating is there, as we tested with a water droplet (the water should be able to retain its drop form rather than spread if there is a coating).

Now we did notice a couple things about the back. First of all, the plastic rim around the glass is slightly different from the original Apple part. It has a slightly grainy, rough texture as opposed to the smooth feel of the original. It also seems to be slightly more raised than it should be. iPhone4Parts does sell backs with different color plastic borders than the color of the glass, so it’s likely that they’ve made some adjustments for this. Secondly, when observed closely, the area around/under the camera seems to be slightly unpainted. You’ll only notice this if you look from an angle but it definitely is a quality control issue to loo out for. On the note of quality control, our replacement part came with a small blemish on the metal ring around the camera. It’s entirely possible that we were shipped a part used by another reviewer so hopefully this isn’t an issue with retail models.

While we didn’t have any significant issues with the camera, there is a noticeable decrease in quality, possibly due to the lack of the UV filter coating on the lens. This drop in quality isn’t as evident in daylight shots but in low light, shots can be pretty bad. While there is a silver ring around the LED flash, it appears to be just a rim of paint. The “diffuser” doesn’t seem to work as well so flash photography can have some pretty unfavorable results.

Overall

All in all, we’d recommend the iPhone4Parts white back over the $30 Genius Bar part, but only under certain circumstances. If you aren’t completely opposed to opening up your iPhone and want to save $10, the iPhone4Parts back is a good pick for people who have have cracked the back on their white iPhone. If you have a black iPhone and are unable to obtain the white replacement from Apple, then this replacement back would be fine if you aren’t highly critical of all the details being the same.  For the most part, this replacement back is high quality and you won’t be able to tell the differences from the official back unless you scrutinize both side by side.

Pro’s

• glass is high quality
• correct text and logos
• comes with toolkit

Con’s

• camera lens not great

Where to buy

iPhone4Parts — MSRP: $14.97

///4///

The concept of a screen protector made of glass is an interesting one. The proposition is that the glass screen protector is much more durable than a plastic one, has better optical clarity, and offers the same smooth feel of the iPhone’s glass screen. SGP is the first company to implement this idea and after a month of extensive testing, we’re convinced this is the best screen protector we’ve ever used. Period. What makes the GLAS.t so incredible? 

Features

• 0.4mm think and made with chemically treated transparent tempered glass.
• surface hardness: 8-9 H
• oleophobic coating
• coated with a strong silicone adhesive that makes installation easy and attaches the film firmly which does not affect the touch screen’s sensitivity
• anti-shatter film

Our Impressions

The SGP GLAS.t comes in a pretty large box (for a screen protector) containing the screen protector in an envelope, 6 epoxy coated home button stickers, an alcohol swab, a squeegee, microfiber cloth, and SGP registration card.

Installation

Application of the GLAS.t is a little different from your traditional screen protector. Its being made of glass means two things - you can’t bend it into a “taco” shape when you apply it and it doesn’t use the standard type of adhesive on plastic screen protectors. The GLAS.t has a special silicone adhesive that begins to spread the second it touches the iPhone’s surface. If you have any dust under the surface, you won’t be able to remove the screen shield and reapply it. Basically, you get one shot to apply the GLAS.t so make sure you work in a dust free environment. Besides that, the rigid piece of glass is pretty simple to align.

The GLAS.t has two cutouts - the home button and earpiece. You’ll notice that there is no hole for the front camera and that’s because the material is clear enough to not interfere with its operation. We actually prefer this design because dust and lint won’t collect on the sides of the now non-existent camera cutout.

The GLAS.t comes with 6 epoxy coated home button stickers because the screen protector is so thick, the home button becomes deeply recessed and hard to press. There are two black stickers, two white, one yellow-green, and one pink. In our opinion, the yellow-green looks nice on a black iPhone while the pink matches the white iPhone. The black and white stickers are self explanatory but the color choice is really up to you. Either way, we’d recommend putting on the home button stickers before the screen protector; we did the opposite and had to use tweezers to lower the sticker and align it properly. The stickers are a useful addition to make the home button easier to access but they feel ridiculously cheap. Besides that, they actually do make the home button easier to press (The SwitchEasy Colors case has the same raised home button design).

Screen Clarity/Feel

So how’s the GLAS.t itself? Put simply, this is the best screen protector we’ve ever used and that money can buy. Once you go glass, you never go back. The feel of the surface is nearly identical to the iPhone’s glass screen as opposed to cheap feeling plastic screen protectors. The GLAS.t is also treated with an oleophobic coating so any fingerprints can be easily wiped off in the rare occasion that they stay on the screen. Obviously, the screen protector is a lot thicker than every other plastic screen protector out there but this doesn’t affect touch operation at all and is quite nice in terms of durability. Screen visibility is stunning - the Retina Display looks clearer and brighter than ever under the GLAS.t - and the front facing camera works just fine.

Durability

During our month long test, we tried to abuse the GLAS.t as much as possible in daily use. We always placed our iPhone face down on all surfaces and were generally more harsh on the surface of the screen protector. At one point, we even took a quarter and starting scratching at the GLAS.t and we’re glad to report it exited our testing without a scratch. A quick wipe with a cloth restored it to its original state. Now having a sheet of glass on a glass screen seems counter productive in the case of a drop. However, SGP claims that the GLAS.t doesn’t shatter and will safely break into pieces on heavy impact.

Accessory Compatibility

Here’s the one downside of the GLAS.t - it may not be compatible with some of your cases. The screen protector is simply too thick and won’t work with cases that wrap around the edge of the screen too much. We tried with a couple of cases and as long as the border of the case doesn’t pass the plastic rim around the screen, you should be fine. We would recommend doing a quick online search to see if anyone has reported compatibility issues with your case before buying a GLAS.t.

Overall

Let’s get down to brass tacks here. Do you really need a $28 screen protector made of glass? For the Average Joe, the answer would most likely be no. Do we recommend the GLAS.t? Heck yes. While it does cost a significant amount more than plastic screen protectors, the quality and longevity justify the cost. If plastic screen shields just aren’t doing it for you in terms of scratch resistance or you despise the cheap feel of plastic film, the GLAS.t is a no brainer. We seriously could not recommend this screen protector more and won’t be going back to plastic screen protectors any time soon.

Pro’s

• incredibly durable
• great screen clarity
• glass surface feels great

Con’s

• not compatible with some cases
• expensive (no back protector)

Where to buy

CreTouch — MSRP: $27.99

///5///

A few weeks back, we took a look at AverMedia’s Game Broadcaster HD and came away incredibly impressed—a PCI-E based solution that did everything it claimed to do. One of the questions a reader asked me after the review was “How can I make similar results, without opening my PC“ ? To answer that question, I reached out to AverMedia and found they had already anticipated my question and had an answer: The Game Capture HD; a standalone device boasting the ability to capture HD files, with an easy setup and no PC required. Too good to be true? Let’s find out—More after the break.

Features

• H.264 hardware compression
• Capture gameplay in 1080i
• No PC required
• Built in 2.5” HDD Slot
• Remote Control Included

Our Impressions

The first thing I noticed when I unboxed the Game Capture HD was the way the device is presented. Typically, PC capture cards have, a certain feel to them, a certain way they’re arranged that caters to the more tech savvy. Not so with the Game Capture HD. AverMedia has presented the device as more a piece of audio-visual gear to pair with a home theater than a capture card—and it make sense. From the deep dive setup manual, to the quick start guide, to the inclusion of literally every cable you could need, out of the box it’s ready to go.

AverMedia has a included a component cable, stereo audio cable, and a universal console cable. The universal cable is nice as it allows a PS3, Wii and XBOX 360 to all be connected to the device at the same time…eliminating the need for extra cables. The actual Game Capture HD unit is surprisingly small—roughly the same size as most media streamers on the market. The unit is also quite light without a hard drive installed, but still felt solidly constructed. Above all else, the inclusion of a miniature remote control is exceptional and allows for complete hands free operation once connected.

The Game Capture HD gives you two ways to store your video: internally or externally. Given your preference, you can opt to install a 2.5 inch hard drive in the underside of the device, or plug a flash drive into the front. AverMedia suggests that you use an internal drive—and has a nice hard drive sizing sheet to help you install the right size drive—but a flash drive should be more than enough. During my testing I didn’t have any issues recording to a flash drive at 15 mbps 720P 60fps. I would suggest though to format the flash drive or external hard drive to NTFS—that way you don’t have to worry about the maximum FAT32 limit of 4gb and deal with merging files later on.

Overall

So how does it perform? Honestly, the Game Capture HD was a surprise. I’m not sure what ASIC is driving the H.264 encoding, or if it’s performing to lab specifications, but in the real world, it works exceptionally well. There were some artifacts on recorded media here and there which is a result of the video compression, but overall everything was clean, crisp and true to the source material—impressive for real-time capturing without a PC at a sub $200 price point. The ability to take snapshots of in-game moments, and fast forward, rewind, or even step frame-by-frame adds to the overall value. Transferring from the hard drive to a flash drive for editing on the PC was equally as easy, and relatively quick. An added feature is the device supports pass through; negating the need for the Game Capture HD to be on when you want to play and not record. As an aside, it also had no problems syncing up with my up-converting Marantz Receiver. This gave me the functionality of capturing from a variety of sources (including TV) and then capturing it straight to the drive which gave the unit an almost “Replay TV” type of ability.

If you’ve wanted to capture video, but were intimidated by all the steps that went in to setting up a machine to do it, you can stop pulling out your hair. AverMedia has designed a one stop shop to let you do everything you want, without all the configuration, installation and setup required of PCI-E based solutions. With an almost zero touch setup, easy navigational menu, flexibility of storage medium, and high quality capture results without a PC, The Game Capture HD is outstanding. Add in the ability to capture from sources other than just consoles, and the Game Capture HD is just too good to pass up. Keep your eyes peeled to AverMedia’s site as well—except big news, announcements, and maybe a giveaway or two :)

Pro’s

• stand alone solution
• near zero touch setup
• no pc required

Con’s

• ocassional artifacts after compression

Where to buy

Game Capture HD — MSRP: $149.99

///5///

At CES 2012 when I heard that the Logitech Cube mouse was selected as a CES Best of Innovations Honoree, I wasn’t surprised. Logitech has always produced solid, and for lack of a better word, innovative products. And to an extent I found myself biased; I expected to see something like what I’d seen before from Logitech: something updated, honed and even more refined from the current product line. It wasn’t until I saw that device that I realized two things: 1) Logitech isn’t afraid to challenge themselves and deviate from convention and 2) I was completely wrong. The Logitech Cube is a mouse unlike anything we’ve ever seen. If I were to describe how it’s affected my workflow I would use two (not to sound cliché) words: paradigm shift. — Our full review after the break!

Features

• Smooth-as-smartphone scrolling
• Built on Logitech Unifying Receiver technology
• Ability to move from presentation to mice mode seamlessly
• Built to last - backed by a 3 year warranty
• Innovative and extremely portable design

Our Impressions

Logitech sends a clear message that you’re about to experience something unique even before you open the box. The small, minimalist square box the Logitech Cube comes packaged in has a sleek presentation that draws your attention to what’s important; just how unique this device is—you won’t find specs, data, or a stat sheet as happens on most packaging; your eyes stay fixed on this intriguing little cube. While I completely understand packaging is, somewhat utilitarian these days, it’s hard to ignore an aesthetically pleasing presentation. From the moment you open the box things the layout is done in a very—dare I say—Cupertino-esque way. In my opinion, Logitech has always produced stylish products—in fact I think the name Logicool as they are known by in Japan fits the brand well—but this is big a departure from what we’ve seen from Logitech in the past.  

After opening the box, a nice message greets you to “Look Inside” as if you’re seeking some sort of buried treasure and this is a map to guide you…more on that later. It’s below this map of sorts you find the package contents: The Logitech Cube, a small yet functional carrying case, the Unifying Receiver, a small white USB charger for the lithium-polymer battery and a quick start guide. At this point, after unpacking the contents, one gets a sense of just how small the Cube really is. 

The Cube has a smooth ribbed touch surface that is well crafted, and show’s a distinct attention to detail—each side of the mouse is composed of what appears is one sheet of plastic instead of being a composite design. It feels similar to a Magic Mouse, but it has striations on the surface that give you a better sense of where your finger is in relation to the primary and secondary click buttons. Black accent lines round the Cube (mirroring the box it came in) which adds to a visually appealing style that easily places it at home on the desk of an iMac or PC. Everything about the Cube screams design, design, design. From the recessed on off on button, to the bottom track interface to the off-grey Logitech logo on the side…make no mistake this is a conversation piece as much as it is a mouse. The carrying case is a nice touch—it’s the right size to hold not only the Cube, but also the USB charging cable in a nice clean package; making it easy to place in a purse or shirt pocket. The Unifying Receiver doesn’t fit as safely into the case as we would like, so be advised to store it somewhere else securely so it’s not lost during transit. Also, given the small size of the Cube, you may opt to simply place it in shirt pocket—just don’t forget it’s in there.

So with all this emphasis on design, how does it actually perform? Holding the Cube took time to get used to. Because of its size, holding it in a conventional way is out of the question. Placing the Cube between my thumb and middle finger while using my forefinger to scroll was the best option. The smooth touch surface on the top of the Cube was responsive and accurate. While browsing web pages, scrolling through documents in Word, or reading PDFs, the Cube responded immediately to my inputs and gestures. The primary click and secondary click buttons performed well as expected, and the lack of a scroll wheel was easy to adjust to after a few uses. The Flow Scroll software worked equally well perusing sites in Chrome and Firefox, after initial setup. One thing to note is that, while the Flow Scroll software operated as advertised, it’s very specialized and didn’t cross over into other applications. Also, as of this writing, it’s only for Windows 7 which is a shame as the device fits aesthetically into the Apple ecosystem and the software would be a nice fit.

The Cube’s Presentation Mode also lived up to expectations. Once the Cube you pick up up off the table, the sensor turns off so the tracking on the mouse so doesn’t move the cursor around on-screen, and now the primary click button advances slides. To go back, simply turn the Cube over, click the primary click, and then the slides advance backward. After a short adjustment period, Presentation Mode became second nature and I was able to zip through a PowerPoint during an ad-hoc training session with ease.

Overall

So do we recommend the Logitech Cube? Well, this is where I circle back to that discussion of a paradigm shift in workflow I mentioned at the beginning. The Cube is a great device… provided you understand what it, and what it is not. The Cube will not replace your everyday mouse or track pad and that’s not really what it’s designed for. The Cube is a companion to whatever it is your already using. If you’re a the road warrior, this will negate the need to have a presentation clicker…or worry if the conference room you’re headed to will have one. The ability to use it as Presenter, to move around, gesture and still have the ability to quickly use it as mouse makes it worthy of consideration to place in your travel bag. The only thing lacking on the device is laser pointer which may not be possible given the tech inside, but would be a nice touch. The Logitech Cube squarely falls in to the old adage of “Using the right tool for the right job”. If the job requires the features the Cube offers then look no further.

Pro’s

• Presentation Mode functionality
• Responsive touch surface
• Eye-catching design

Con’s

• No laser pointer
• Software not OSX compatible

Where to buy

Logitech Cube — MSRP: $69.99

///3///

This review was done by Allen Tyson, who was provided the Logitech Cube by Logitech

The story of how the AnTik came to be is a rather funny one. MNML first designed the LunaTik watchband as an accessory for the iPod nano. It turned out that although using the iPod nano as a watch was cool, it has several issues - it’s expensive, isn’t waterproof, requires constant charging, doesn’t wake quickly, and the display can sometimes be hard to read. The AnTik module is basically an iPod nano shaped clock that slots perfectly into the LunaTik watchbands. If you’re a fan of the iPod nano watch design but don’t want to wear the actual nano around, the AnTik might be the watch for you. 

Features

• Japanese analog quartz 2-hand movement
• Machined aluminum case in satin finish
• 30 meter water resistance
• Stainless steel crown with knurl texture finish
• Hardened mineral crystal
• Compatible with all TikTok, LunaTik and LYNK models

Our Impressions

The AnTik comes embedded in a rectangular chunk of foam, with nothing else. You just remove the clip from the knob on the side, adjust the time, and shove it in. Then, install the AnTik in your LunaTik as you would an iPod nano.

The AnTik is very much like the 6th generation iPod nano at a glance. The dimensions are pretty much the same (they have to be for it to fit in the watchband) aside from a slightly more raised glass surface. Instead of a clip, the raised square on the back exists for the sole purpose of slotting into the LunaTik. Instead if the standard buttons and ports, the AnTik features a centered knob on the right side of the module. The body of the AnTik features a uniform matte black surface unlike the two toned iPod nano, so it really it’s in well with the Blackout LunaTik. Unlike the Nano, the AnTik is water resistant to 30 meters and although the LunaTik bands are also water resistant, we don’t think they were really designed to (water can get in all the nooks and crannies and it takes a while for them to dry out). Although for the most part, the AnTik is physically shaped like the iPod Nano, LunaTik has designed it in such a way to perfectly complement their own watchbands, so you won’t really be able to use it with other accessories (there’s no clip on the back and the glass surface is slightly more raised).

The face of the AnTik is like a contemporary work of art. The effect created by the recessed glossy, orange markings on the matte dark gray surface is stunning. The thin layers create a 3D look which is further emphasize by the thin, flat hands, which are also accented with orange. 12, 3, 6, and 9 are indicated with large bold numbers while the other hours are represented by lines. The only other wording on the surface is between 12 and the center of the watch - LunaTik 30 meters. Overall, we really like the design of the watch face. It’s bold, easy to read, and fit in well with the overall design of the watch. We wish LunaTik would’ve included a date indicator but this compromise was obviously made to maintain the clean design. The other thing we missed was a backlight. This decision seemed rather odd given the almost neon bright numbers and markings on the face. The AnTik is available in 5 color combinations - Ember/Silver (orange on silver), Ember/Black (orange on black, the one you see in this review), Shadow (black on black), Gamma/Silver (green on silver), and Gamma/Black (green on black).

Overall

So would we necessarily recommend the AnTik? Well, it’s difficult to say. One of the main benefits of wearing an iPod nano watch is that you can actually use it as an iPod. While the AnTik is a better watch than the iPod nano, it isn’t necessarily a better watch than other watches in the same price range (remember, you have to buy the watchband and the module separately). If you’re already an owner of a LunaTik band and want a clock module to swap with your iPod nano, then the AnTik is definitely an attractive purchase. If you’re buying the LunaTik just to use with the AnTik you - and your wallet - will most likely be better off buying a “real” watch.

Pro’s

• stylish looks
• better watch than iPod Nano

Con’s

• no backlight
• not compatible with non-LunaTik watchbands

Where to buy

LunaTik — MSRP: $69.95

///3///

Abelplanet is a name that’s slowly become synonymous with headphones in both the noise-canceling and design markets. They haven’t always had the prettiest designs especially when directly compared with other slick headsets like Bose or Sennheiser, but Ableplanet has been inching their way to bigger mainstream success with importance being set on the deliverance of audio quality and growing comfort. The Clear Harmony (model number NC1050) are a new line that compete with said companies above and do quite a great job at putting up a fight.

Features

• LINX AUDIO Noise-Canceling technology
• In-Line Volume Control for Easy Adjustment to Safe Listening Levels
• Flat Black paint with Carbon Fiber ring
• Removable Cord with 1/8” and 1/4” Stereo Adapters
• For Use With or Without a Hearing Aid 
• Includes: 1/4 Home Stereo Adaptor, AAA Battery (1), Hard Shell Protective Carrying Case, Airplane Adapter 

Our Impressions

Packaged inside its simply box is a black hard shell carrying case with the brand name seen clearly on the front with two zippers closing it shut nice and tightly. Inside comes strapped in our NC1050 headphones, and on the above compartment within a zipper pouch are an assortment of goodies; detachable 5ft audio cable, 1/4” stereo plug, airplane adapter, and 2 AAA batteries to use with the LINX audio noise-canceling feature.

The matte black headphones are beautifully decked out with a carbon fiber lining that has a pretty sweet design that keeps this pair of cans pretty unique. The headphones are able to be resized and adjusted to your head size quite easily by moving them down on the headband, and the earcups themselves are capable of being rotated, though they cannot be folded for storage. The Clear Harmony’s are also very light when you first pick them up which makes them feel a little on the cheap side though they are anything but. 

The audio jack can be found on the bottom of the left earcup which also has a hidden latch that opens for the housing of the 2 AAA batteries (included) to power the noise-canceling feature. The on and off switch is also located on the left earcup, and it a small green LED light turns on when the noise-cancelation is being used.

Play controls are lacking on the audio cable, so there won’t be any way to play, pause, forward or rewind the action on your iPod or iPhone. The only available option on the cable is a volume dial. However I must say that the length of the cable is a convenience when plugging into to a computer where the audio jack maybe hidden behind the system. The cable itself isn’t surrounded by any sort of cloth or kevlar material so it’s just your average audio cable.

Comfort

One of the best features on the NC1050’s are their comfortability. I’ve always had issues with headphones giving me countless headaches due to the pressue of them bearing down onto the temples of my head. However the Clear Harmony headphones by Ableplanet gently sit on your head without leaving a mark. Sometimes I even forgot they were on!

The earphones are lined with a cushioned vinyl material that don’t make your ears sweat like some headphones can cause after prolonged use. They create a nice seal around your ears that will definitely ensure that no exterior noise gets in to your audio experience which also comes into play with the performance given by this headset. 

Performance

So far I’d be hard press to recommend paying more than $300 for a pair of headphones that simply look good and come in a nice carrying case. The only thing that eventually matters when looking for a good set of headphones is what they can deliver to your ears. The Clear Harmony’s by Ableplanet do more than their fair share of work to get you the best audio experience you’ve ever had.

Ratata’s “Grape Juice City” has never felt this rich without the Clear Harmony’s help. Their range in defining low’s and bass couldn’t be better exemplified in their ability to demonstrate “Grape Juice City“‘s crazy amount of bumps and beats all happening at different layers of this track.  

When listening for mids I went with The Weepies “Gotta Have You” which is a vocal heavy song that is also accompanied by a guitar and ambient sound in the background that lets the voices stand out. The NC1050’s didn’t have any problem and the voices of Deb Talan and Steve Tannen have never been more clearer.

Highs are usually the one thing that is the most difficult for me to review but rather than go with some sort of orchestral string track I’ve decided to go the route of 8-bit music. Anamanguchi’s “Densmore” is the perfect example of music that encompasses a wide range of human hearing, mostly mid’s to high’s though.

Overall, the headphones do a fantastic job at passing musical notes to my ears without a single hiccup. There’s no distortion and I feel as if nothing’s been altered as it travels from my source of iTunes over to my headset even when I have the noise cancelation feature on, which at first glace seems to do nothing but give the headphones about 50% more juice in terms of volume. 

One issue I did run into however, was a hissing sound when noise cancelation was turned on. It’s not really apparent at all when music is playing but inbetween tracks playing you can definitely notice some extra-curricular sound going on that is more annoyance than anything. I noticed that when plugged into a computer it was more apparent than when jacked into an iPod Shuffle.

Overall

Ableplanet’s Clear Harmony headphones are a real competitor to what’s out in the market right now. At a price point of nearly $350 they do what they say they do, and that’s bring you an excellent audio experience that is hard to rival without putting some serious cash into it. While Bose and Sennheiser have a long history and market penetration in their wake, Ableplanet may be gaining ground if they continue to go in the right direction and these NC1050’s are a clear indication of that. 

Pro’s

• Comfortable even after long periods of use
• Offers a sexy design and color
• Performance is worthy of price 

Con’s

• No play controls for iPod
• Feel a little lightweight and cheap
• Hissing noise while using noise-cancelation feature

Where to buy

Ableplanet — MSRP: $349.99

///4///

This review was done by Ricardo Trejo, who was given NC1050 headphones from AblePlanet.

With the explosion in recent years of Nico Nico Douga—particularly their going live—and Twitch,  sharing, archiving and broadcasting game content has become a part of Internet culture. Even among casual players, the ability to save the unbelievable touchdown or the amazing comeback is quite appealing. Set against a crowded landscape of companies such as Blackmagic Design and Hauppauge, AVerMedia has solution they feel shouldn’t be overlooked: The Game Broadcaster HD. With an impressive set of specs, the question remains: How does it perform? 

Features

• Capture HD Content up to 1080p
• Real-time HD H.264 Recording
• Gameplay Live Streaming
• Auto-resolution Detection

Our Impressions

Upon opening the box, AverMedia included the Game Broadcaster HD card, quick installation CD and guide, component to VGA cable, RCA to 3.5mm audio cable, 3.5mm audio cable, and a low profile bracket.

I’m not sure if it was by design, or by accident but everything in the box was arranged in the same exact way it would be removed for installation; while this is a small point, it definitely added to the presentation of the entire package. AverMedia went the minimalist route with packaging which is appreciated as well; personally, I’m not a big fan of having to cut through packaging with a band saw to get to the item inside

Of all the cables included, one thing of note is there was no HDMI cable included. You could make an argument one should have been included, but with as cheap as cables are today, I can’t knock AverMedia for not including one although you may beg to differ. On the presentation side of things, I’ve seen cards form other vendors with strange solder connects, unique color choices and interesting ASIC placements. While none of those things (for the most part) impact performance, they do affect presentation which is important, I think. The layout and design of the card was clean, unobtrusive and meshed with well with the packaging choice we discussed earlier. A more detailed manual for the uninitiated might have been nice although it was a fairly straight forward install. A tremendous plus is that AVerMedia included a true low profile bracket. This might seem like a small thing, but for people with mobile setups for capturing like myself, and the HTPC enthusiast, having a legitimate bracket that’s actually standard—and doesn’t take up two slots—on hand is extremely important.

The included AverMedia Center software was a nice suite that has a decent range of options for everything from music, to time shifting to capturing. While the interface of the software was functional, I felt that primarily, it’s goal was to capture video with the other things being more additive. For a new user setting up a capture station, it’s entirely possible to use the AverMedia Center as your media content management solution. For the more advanced user, you’re probably using Plex, XBMC, Windows 7 or any wide range of solutions and if it’s the case, I don’t think the AverMedia suite is strong enough to replace what you’re already using.

So how does the Game Broadcaster HD perform? In a word: excellent. Before we move into the results, it’s important to note one of the limitations of the card: The Game Broadcaster does respect HDCP. In attempting to capture from HDCP enabled sources, it functioned as advertised—giving a nice message telling me the “content is protected” As far as it’s ability to capture content, the card is extremely flexible and allowed me to get creative and capture from a variety of sources. First, a few games from the PS3with using the VGA adapter and the RCA cable. As you will see in the video, picture quality was superb on it’s highest settings with no flicker, tearing or very few compression artifacts being visible. The second test was capturing a bit of OnLive Desktop from the iPad 2. The iPad was a bit more forgiving, allowing me to capture direct from HDMI in to the card for pure digital stream. The resulting footage accurately represented the source however the resulting file sizes do get rather large.  In doing a test stream to Twitch using Adobe Media Encoder, the card was selectable immediately negating the need for me to jump through any hoops which I have had to do with other solutions in the past.

Depending on your hardware, the HDCP handshake is either your friend or your enemy. For those interested in placing this in a dedicated HTPC, I tested HDCP handshaking from my Marantz NR1601. In all cases, switching back and forth was on par with other components, faster then my PS3 and notably faster than Motorola DVR. True, there are many variables, and this was not a “scientific” test but I hopefully it gives you an idea at the responsiveness of the chipset. As an aside, the auto resolution detection of the card correctly identified unconverted content passed by the amp from the Wii, PS2 and Dreamcast. My cable provider doesn’t output HDCP from their DVR, and again, the Game Broadcaster capture the native stream over HDMI perfectly.

Overall

Overall, the AVerMedia Game Broadcaster HD is an excellent product for anyone looking for a PCI-E based capture solution. While the AVerMedia Center software is more more utilitarian than some, it does what it’s main focus is well: to capture video. The card, packaging and presentation are all reflective of AVerMedia’s commitment to a quality product. At $149.99 it’s not cheap—but neither the results it produced. In the crowded landscape of capture solutions, the Game Broadcaster HD is worth a second look.

Pro’s

• capture’s pristine video
• flexibility to capture from a variety of sources

Con’s

• Media Center software really suited for capturing only.

Where to buy

AVerMedia — MSRP: $149.99

///4///

This review was done by Alan Tyson who received the AVerMedia Game Broadcaster from AVerMedia.

It’s no secret that Apple products are iconic in one way or another and the keyboard they bundle with their iMacs is no exception. The incredibly slim Apple Wireless Keyboard is constructed of aluminum and features chiclet keys, as opposed to the chunkier keys found on Apple’s previous generation of keyboards. Our friends at Mobile Fun were kind enough to send a unit so we took the Wireless Keyboard for a spin on a Mac, a PC, and even an iPhone. Just how good it Apple’s cordless keyboard? 

Features

• Genuine Apple wireless keyboard
• Intelligent power-management system
• Compatible with iOS 4 (and 5!)

Our Impressions 

The Apple Wireless Keyboard comes in your standard plain Apple packaging. Inside, you’ll find the keyboard and a small stack of manuals. The minimal packaging is the very same we’d expect from any Apple accessories and is quite efficient in practice.

Design and Build Quality

The Apple Wireless Keyboard is quite amazingly designed. Crafted from a single piece of aluminum, the Wireless Keyboard is incredibly lightweight yet durable. The profile of the keyboard measures less than half a centimeter with the exception of a cylinder that spans the length of the keyboard. This tube tilts the Wireless Keyboard to a more ergonomic angle but the main function of this protrusion is to house the two AA batteries required to power the Wireless Keyboard. On the right end of the tube is a power button while the right side features a screw on cap to access the batteries. Only the bottom of the keyboard is covered with glossy white plastic white rubber feet in each corner prevent the keyboard from sliding around on your desk. A tiny green LED indicator light is concealed under the aluminum in the top right corner.

The keyboard is actually pretty compact so there won’t be any issues if you decide to tote it around. The Apple Wireless Keyboard does connect to your device via Bluetooth so you won’t have to deal with any annoying dongles or receivers.

Key Feel

Although the Wireless Keyboard is in fact a smaller keyboard, the chiclet keys are actually quite comfortable to type on. The keys aren’t any smaller than those on the Apple Wired Keyboard or MacBook Pro keyboards and they offer the same great tactile feedback that we would describe as “crisp.” The surface of each key is completely flat and has a slight grainy texture. We found that the slightly concave keys of Logitech’s keyboards were slightly more ergonomic but this didn’t bother us too much. We’re sure the white keys won’t stay white for long under constant use but we couldn’t imagine an aluminum Apple keyboard in any other way.

Layout

Now we are reviewing the Apple Wireless Keyboard with the UK layout so there are bound to be some slight variations from the US deviant. For starters, the enter key is shaped in an annoying upside down L shape. As opposed to the standard rectangular enter key, this one is much narrower and makes it harder to hit the key. We were able to accustom ourselves to this difference quickly but definitely still preferred the larger, wider key.

There are also some minor differences with the alternate text printed on the 2 and 3 keys. We can’t say we we’re big fans of the tiny arrow keys in the corner of the keyboard but this was obviously a compromise that had to be made for the compact form factor.

iOS compatibility

Given the portability of the Apple Wireless Keyboard, it’s a no brainer that one would be inclined to use it with the iPhone or iPad. Does it work? We connected the Bluetooth keyboard to give it a spin in Pages on our iPhone 4 and the results were pretty pleasing. Volume controls (up, down, mute), brightness toggles, and track selection (forward, back, play/pause). The arrow keys were useful for moving through and highlighting text but didn’t allow us to scroll on webpages. The eject key brought up the virtual keyboard and the volume up key doubled as a remote shutter key for the camera app, just as it does with the iPhone’s buttons. Text could be entered in instant messaging apps via the keyboard but the enter key wouldn’t send the message.

If you plan on getting the Wireless Keyboard for your iOS device, your experience can be a mixed bag. Text input works flawlessly and many useful toggles are easily accessible. If you need to get some serious typing work done on the go, the Wireless Keyboard fits the bill. However, not everything is perfectly compatible with the external keyboard so don’t be surprised when a certain function doesn’t respond as it would on a Mac.

Overall

The Apple Wireless Keyboard is one of the most well engineered keyboards we’ve ever laid our hands on. The amazingly sleek aluminum keyboard is not only sturdy, but also highly portable. The chiclet keys feel great despite the small footprint and slim profile. If you’re looking for a Mac keyboard, you can’t go wrong with Apple’s Wireless Keyboard. If you’re on a Bluetooth enabled PC, this keyboard is also a great option but the experience isn’t as smooth due to the obvious key labels. On iOS devices, we were pleased to be able to get some serious typing work done, although not every input is guaranteed to work. We’ve typed on a lot of keyboards but the Wireless Keyboard is perhaps the best compact Bluetotoh keyboard we’ve tried to date.

Pro’s

• stunning build quality
• highly portable
• good key feel

Con’s

• n/a

Where to buy

Mobile Fun — MSRP: £59.22

///5/// 

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Apple Wireless Keyboard by Mobile Fun.

Windows 8 development has been chugging along for quite a while now, and with new developer previews of the OS, things are looking a bit brighter every day, but being “good” isn’t enough. Windows 8 has gotta be the sexiest release to ever come out of Microsoft to hit the ground running, but in current developer previews, things still feel a bit Windows 7-ish. What could Windows 8 look like when it’s all said and done? We don’t know exactly, we sure hope it looks like this…

Microsoft should take a look at these

These Windows 8 Mockups were created by Sputnik8 over in the Verge forums, and they are exactly what Windows users have been dreaming of, and hopefully are similar to what the final release of Windows 8 will look like. Sputnik8 has pretty much hit the nail on the head with these, and there’s a bunch of em’ in the Verge forums, so we urge you to head over there to see the Windows 8 goodness!

See all of the mockups

Chances are you have two things on you no matter where you go - your iPhone and your wallet. Accessory makers like SGP jumped on the opportunity to make a product that would eliminate the need to carry both items around. The Valentinus Leather Wallet case does just that, all in an attractive genuine leather wrapping. How does the concept of an iPhone wallet case work out? Full review after the break!

Features

• Premium Genuine Leather
• 100% Hand Made
• Available in 2 colors.
• Soft Micro fiber Chamude Interior

Our Impressions

The SGP Wallet Case comes in a standard clear SGP plastic box, without any screen protectors or extras.

The Wallet Case is fairly well built and we might even say it feels relatively premium. The light brown leather is high quality and feels good in the hand. “VALENTINUS” is embossed in the bottom right corner of the front while the “SGP CASE” logo and “Genuine Leather” are located in the lower central region of the back. On the inside of the wallet flap there are three lines of text - “Stylish people’s Good Partner, www.sgpstore.com, and made in Korea.” We’re not huge fan of all this “advertising” and meaningless text but it shouldn’t be too much of an issue in usage. The wallet’s interior is lined with a grey suede material, patterned by SGP logos. The left flap of the wallet has three pockets for credit cards and a larger space under that for bills. We found it pretty handy to be able to carry these items with our iPhone without adding too much bulk in the pocket.

The plastic frame inside is thin but holds the iPhone securely. The top and bottom are left complete exposed so you won’t run into any issues plugging anything in. Cutouts for the buttons in the side are pretty small but we had no problem accessing the volume buttons or mute switch. The only potential issue with the “case” inside is delamination from the wallet part but it’s pretty well attached as far as we can tell. The large camera cutout on the rear allows you to take photos although you’ll have to hold the front flap in place while you take the photo.

One thing that can be annoying for people who are either left handed or talk with the phone in their left hand is the button strap. While you can flip the top flap back, the little strap will constantly be hitting your face during the call. Another thing we wish SGP would’ve changed about the strap is the button styled clasp. Perhaps a magnetic mechanism would’ve been less of a hassle to open all the time. That said, the button does do a good job of keeping the wallet closed when it’s supposed to. 

Overall

We enjoyed being able to carry around credit cards and other wallet residing items in the same enclosure as our iPhone and we’d have to say that the Valentinus Leather Wallet case does a good job of it. At the end of the day, it all comes down to if you want to have your iPhone and your credit cards together. I personally prefer to use my phone without a case so having it in a wallet was a bit of a pain for me but for those who would like to carry around as few items as possible, the Wallet case can be life changing. 

Pro’s

• premium feel
• works well
• doesn’t add much bulk

Con’s

• latch design needs work
• branding imprinted all over

Where to buy

CreTouch — MSRP: $54.99

///4///

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the SGP Leather Wallet Case by CreTouch.

When one think of the term “gadget,” the first things that come to mind are most likely going to be smartphones, tablets, and other portable connected devices of the sort. However, for most people, watches were really the first gadgets they owned. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the G Shock GW7900-1ER watch from the Tic Watches store. While the G Shock moniker has become more of a fashion item since the original Casio watches used in the military, the GW7900 retains many of the features that make a G Shock, well, a G Shock. Full review after the break!

Features

• Digital display with back light
• Black resin case and strap
• World Time Zones
• Radio Receiver Watch (Time Calibration)
• Moon phase graph
• Water resistant up to 20 ATM (200 metres)
• Casio G-Shock display packaging
• 2 year manufacturers movement warranty

Our Impressions

Inside the cardboard box come some manuals and a large G Shock watch tin, which packs the watch in foam and plastic.

The GW7000-1ER is a very bulky watch. If you have particularly small wrists you might as well stop reading right now because this watch is not for you. Of course, the size of the watch contributes to the impression of “toughness” that it gives. The entire watch is made of a sort of silicone/resin material sporting a matte black finish. Four large pentalobe screws in a gunmetal shade are found in the four corners of the watch face. Other standout G Shock signatures are the large G button in the bottom center and bold white lettering which correspond to a large and easy to press grey button mounted in each corner of the watch. 

Next up, the buttons and what they do. As we mentioned earlier, there are four large grey buttons positioned on the sides of the watch. You’ll have to familiarize yourself with these buttons as you use the features of the watch. The top left corner is marked “ADJUST” which is rather self explanatory. On this watch, and other Waveceptor watches, the adjust feature can be used to select between different time zones rather than manually adjusting the time. The “MODE” button directly adjacent is used to switch between functions - timekeeping, tide/moon data, world time, alarm, stopwatch, and countdown timer (in that order). We found each of the modes to be pretty simple to use. The two buttons on the right side of the watch are “SPLIT•RESET” and “START•STOP”

So now that we know what all the buttons do, let’s talk about the watch display. The standard LCD is divided into 3 “sections.” The top bar shows a three letter abbreviation for the day of the week and the date in the format “2- 14.” The bar in the middle is divided into three areas - a red moon phase circle, a red tide graph, and a blue green second counting circle. The bottom displays an AM/PM indicator (“P”), time (10:58) and the second count (“09”). At the edge of the display are indicators for “power save” and battery levels “CHG, L, M, H.” If you look closely at the face of the GW7900, you’ll see that the bezel around the actual LCD is not completely black as you might expect. Instead, the solar panels are concealed in this area. For this reason, Casio recommends you take extra care to keep your watch out of your sleeve (the watch needs about 5 minutes of bright sunlight or 8 hours of indoor fluorescent lighting to recover from a single illumination. If the watch isn’t exposed to enough light, certain functions will slowly be disabled. Another cool power saving feature of the watch is that the display turns off at night when you set it on a table and only turns back on when you pick it up.

The GW7900 is one of Casio’s Waveceptor watches. This means that it is capable of syncing up to the atomic clock center in Colorado. Every night, the watch will make an attempt to receive the signal for the most accurate time. It’ll keep trying every hour until the signal is properly received (up to 6 times a day). Some tips to make this feature work as expected - place the watch facing a window at night and away from any cellular devices. 

The watchband features 11 slots and a chrome metal latch. I don’t personally have abnormally large hands so I found the third or fourth slots to be comfortable. The GW7900 is water resistant up to 20 bar.

Overall

Overall, the GW7900-1ER is a pretty fantastic watch. It’s rugged and is packed with tons of useful functions. The only problem we think people will have with the watch is its size and particularly it’s thickness. Besides that hindrance, we would definitely recommend the GW7900 to anyone looking for a time keeping unit of the sort.

Pro’s

• rugged design
• solar powered
• atomic time calibration

Con’s

• very bulky (thick)

Where to buy

Tic Watches — MSRP: £120.00

///4///

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the GW-7900-1ER by Tic Watches.

You’re probably wondering two things right now - why is that Magic Mouse black and why is there a Logitech logo printed on it? Well, that’d be because it’s not a Magic Mouse at all. What you’re looking at is the Touch Mouse M600, Logitech’s answer to Apple’s multitouch mouse. How does it perform on the Windows PC? 

Features

• Responsive touch surface: Click, scroll and swipe by touch for more natural mouse control
• Silky-smooth scrolling: Slide your finger along the touch surface for immediate, fluid web page and document scrolling
• Comfortable, stylish design: Feels and looks good wherever you use your laptop
• Multi-device wireless receiver: Tiny Logitech Unifying receiver connects up to six compatible mice and keyboards

Our Impressions

Inside the box you get the mouse, Unifying receiver, a soft carrying pouch, the battery door, two Duracell AA batteries, and some manuals.

The Touch Mouse M600 is definitely not one of the nicest Logitech mice we’ve seen in terms of build quality. While the mouse certainly feels durable, it’s also really plastic-y, making it feel cheap. We’re also not a huge fan of the silver weave pattern around the border of the mouse. The entire mouse is made of glossy plastic so it picks up fingerprint and scuffs like crazy.

We wish Logitech would’ve applied an oleophobic coating on the touch surface to keep it from picking up as many fingerprints. A textured or matte, perhaps even glass, surface would have been a much better option both for appearance and feel. The plastic seems to have some sort of very small texture for smoother tracking but we found that the Magic Mouse’s polycarbonate surface still felt smoother to the touch. The shape and curve of the M600 make it just a tad more comfortable to hold than the almost completely flat Magic Mouse.

On the bottom of the mouse is a design very similar to that of the Magic Mouse. Glide pads are situated at the top and bottom of the base among a laser, power switch, LED indicator, and battery door. Inside the battery door is space for two AA batteries, which are included. You can use one at a time if you choose to do so. Next to the batteries is a tiny slot to store the Unifying receiver we’ve come to know and love.

So how does the Touch Mouse perform? Pretty well considering it’s made for Windows. So what exactly can you do with the M600? First of all, there are no “multitouch gestures.” You can have more than one finger on the mouse at a time but all gestures use only one finger. Any part of the mouse that is black can track your finger for clicking, swiping, and scrolling. You can left and right click by placing your finger on the respective side of the mouse. If you right click, you’re going to have to lift the finger on the left side of the mouse, or else it’ll just register as a normal click.

Speaking of click, the click feedback on the M600 isn’t the best feeling in the world. Rather than a crisp high pitched rapid click, you get a sort of dull and slow click, the feel is tactile enough but it is feels slow for some reason. Perhaps it’s because the entire mouse clamps down when you click: the clicking mecanism is only in the base of the mouse (not the grey trim at the bottom but the flat black base). This can be rather annoying because you can hear the mouse rattle when you move it around and the slightest amount of pressure causes the top shell to depress half way.

Besides clicking you can scroll by dragging. Logitech doesn’t offer the option for inverted scrolling at this point so it’s just like a traditional scroll wheel rather than like your iPhone. The experience is pretty seamless and works well with the curved surface of the mouse (protip - turning on smooth scrolling and setting the scroll increment to 1 line allows for the most pleasurable scrolling experience). Swipes to the left and right act as forwards and backwards, just as the side buttons on a mouse would function. SetPoint, Logitech’s desktop software,  doesn’t allow you to add any custom gestures of your own or even tweak the ones that are there so that is a bit of a bummer.

Overall 

Overall, we believe the Touch Mouse M600 is a much better offering than the Logitech Wireless Touchpad we took a look at a while ago. The few gestures that are there work well although there is simply no option for customization. The M600 hardware isn’t very desirable, especially since we know what Logitech is capable of. If you’re looking for a touch mouse to use with your Windows PC, we’d say the M600 is a good option but we don’t highly recommended it until Logitech puts out an update to the software. As with anything associated with “touch,” the main issue is the software rather than the hardware.

Pro’s

• works smoothly

Con’s

• feels cheap
• no gesture options

Where to buy

Logitech / Amazon — MSRP: $69.99

///3///

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Touch Mouse M600 by Logitech.

Headphone amplifiers: they’re standard in every audiophile’s portable audio rig. Most of the time they just provide the extra bit of power to supplement a weak music player so what does digiZoid mean when they call the ZO2 a “personal subwoofer”? Well. the ZO2 features SmartVektor, a technology that supposedly allows for a richer and more customized audio experience, in addition to improved bass performance. Is the ZO2 as magical as it sounds?

Features

• Two gain modes for use with either headphone out or line-out 
• Compatible with headphone impedances up to 300 ohms
• Digital volume control with 32 selectable levels
• LightBar with 32 distinct color changes for each sound contour profile
• Sound contour profiles tuned for equally spaced intensity changes
• Single-switch operation for all controls
• Memory feature automatically recalls last settings

Our Impressions

The packaging of the digiZoid ZO2 boldly proclaims, “blow your mind, not your ears.” Inside, you’ll find the amp, two skinny audio cables (one long and one short), a miniUSB cable, and a manual.

The hardware of the digiZoid ZO2 is very compact and relatively simple. A soft touch, matte finish covers the entire body of the amp while a light strip accompanies the ZO2 logo on the front. The top features 3.5mm input and output jacks, marked by a music note and a speaker. A spring loaded dial located on the right side of the device is used for turning the ZO2 on and off (press once to turn on, press and hold to turn off) as well as for adjusting the EQ and gain. A miniUSB port for charging is embedded in the left side. When you plug in the miniUSB jack, a small red light glows until the battery is fully replenished. Despite plastic construction and a lightweight body, the ZO2 feels very well built.

So what exactly does a headphone amplifier like the digiZoid ZO2 do? As the tag line suggests, it adds that extra bit of oomph to your tunes. Sound through the ZO2 was much richer and fuller. Bass was significantly boosted while maintaining audio clarity. Not a huge bass head? All you have to do is turn the dial on the side downwards for a different EQ. The ZO2 has 32 presets, or profiles,  to scroll through, as indicated by the fading LED strip on the device. Red indicates a bassier sound while green emphasizes highs. The ZO2 will start out with an orange strip, in “neutral” mode. If you press the dial once, the light strip will turn blue. Turning the dial up will make it turn purple for a high gain mode. The purple mode is much more power hungry than the blue, but will power headphones with higher impedance. Although added bass is one of the primary uses for the ZO2, this amp isn’t just limited to the low end. We found that soundstage was improved and we were able to hear certain details that we had never noticed in songs before. We did most of our testing with our trusty AIAIAI TMA-1 over ear headphones and newly reviewed XePort 7010-9 in ear headphones.  

The ZO2’s battery life is actually pretty good considering it’s diminutive size. With a couple hours of daily listening, a full charge should last you about a week. High gain mode consumes more power (dropping battery life to just a couple of hours) so the ZO2 will automatically switch to low gain mode when power is low, eventually flashing a secondary red light reminding you to charge up.

Overall

The ZO2 is great whether your headphones are a little light on the bass or you have high impedance headphones that require a little more power than your source device can output. Sound quality is considerably improved in areas other than just bass while no compromises are made in the pursuit of improved bass performance. The ZO2 hardware itself is well designed and simple to use. If you’re looking for a quick way to upgrade your portable listening setup, the ZO2 is well suited for the job.  

Pro’s 

• improves audio quality, not just bass
• simple to use
• highly portable

Con’s

Where to buy

digiZoid — MSRP: $99.95

///5///

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the ZO2 by digiZoid.

You want to protect your brand new iPhone but you don’t want a case nor do  you want a boring clear protective film either. What do you do? You get a skin! Skins provide protection and customization without adding the bulk of a case. Today, we’ll be reviewing GelaSkins for the iPhone 4S and iPod classic. Are they any good? 

Features

• Customize and protect your iPhone 4S, 4
• Skins cover the front, back & sides of the iPhone 4S, 4
• Avoid the bulk of other iPhone 4S, 4 cases with GelaSkins
• Works with other iPhone 4S, 4 covers and accessories
• Super-thin (less than 1mm) tough scratch protection
• Includes full access to the GelaSkins Wallpaper Gallery

Our Impressions

Promptly after we placed our order for the skins, GelaSkins sent us a email with the Retina Display optimized wallpaper. You can also download them off of the GelaSkins website or get their free app in the App Store. The GelaSkins come in a plastic sleeve with the 3M skin sheet inside. The iPhone 4S version includes a back decal,  two side strips, and three pieces for the front (top, bottom, home button). The iPod Classic version includes a rear skin, front (faceplate, scroll wheel, button), and a screen protector film.

The skins are fairly easy to apply: just peel off the 3M backing and align with the device. The decal material is different from what clear protective films are made of an have a special adhesive and cross weave pattern. What this means is that they are pretty durable and won’t leave any residue. If you mess up while applying the skin, you can pretty easily remove it and try again although we were actually able to align it on the first try (since these skins have color they are easier to apply and line up than clear protectors). The print on the skins is very high quality, with vibrant colors and great detail. The one issue we had with our particular iPhone skin was that the coloring was off. Whereas the website and wallpaper depicted a gray color, the skin we received actually came in a more purplish hue. We think this might have been an issue with just the Mustache design because our iPod Classic skin came in a color much more similar to what we had seen on the website.

iPhone 4S

The cutouts on the GelaSkins are pretty precise - maybe a little too precise. Let me explain, the left side strip has inividual cutouts for the volume buttons and the mute switch. The volume buttons holes are so precise that they line up exactly with the sides of the buttons. If you aren’t careful when applying the skin, it’ll go on the side of the button and get in the way of pressing the button. Even if you apply properly it still feels a little unnatural to press the buttons. That said, we’re really nitpicking about this and it isn’t that big of an issue at all in usage. The mute switch leaves a longer cutout for compatibility with the older AT&T iPhone 4. It’s a little disappointing that there are only films for the sides and not the top and bottom. We’re glad the side strips are included for extra grip but it leaves an incomplete look around the metal band. On the front of the device, cutouts are also very precise - the earpiece, ambient sensor, and the camera. The precision makes the skin a little easier to apply although the ambient sensor cutout is actually wider than the black spot on the iPhone is. We assume this is also a compatibility measure for the older iPhone 4 (it stood out on our white 4S). We like the back and side films a lot but the front pieces became a bit of an annoyance after a while. They stick out unnaturally due to their thickness and really distract from what you’re looking at on the screen.

iPod Classic

The iPod Classic skin covers the rear and the face, leaving the sides, top, and bottom exposed. Although this looks better in terms of the artwork, the color contrast between the metal and the bright skin can be odd. This skin has fairly precise cutouts as well. We applied the clear screen protector first and then the face sticker, followed by the click wheel and the center button. Lining up the pieces was not an issue due to the clear design on the skin. We were able to put on the skin on our first attempt although we did remove the skin to see how hard it would be to reapply it. It turns out that the 3M adhesive is actually great for reapplication. We wouldn’t recommend taking the skin off too many times but if need be, you’ll definitely be able to put the skin back on with ease.  A word of warning about the screen protector: due to the rigid material that is used, make sure you rid the screen of any dust and that you don’t accidentally get the edge of the film on the aluminum rim of the screen. If you do, the air bubble will never go away (the hard plastic doesn’t flatten to the screen). Now, we had expected that due to the thickness of the 3M decal, touch sensitivity of the click wheel would be impacted. We’re glad to report that the GelaSkins make no difference at all in regards to controls. The button and wheel are just as easy to use as before.

Overall

We really like GelaSkins because of the high quality decals and great art selection on their site. Although we ran into some issues with cutouts and coloring, we were pretty happy with our GelaSkins. If none of the designs on the site are appealing to you, the company offers options for custom skins as well.

Pro’s

• Great art selection
• High quality 3M skins
• Screen protector included (iPod classic)

Con’s

• Coloring is off (iPhone)
• Side film isn’t around entire rim (iPhone)

Where to buy

GelaSkins (iPhone 4S) — MSRP: $14.95

GelaSkins (iPod Classic) — MSRP: $14.95

///4///
This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the GelaSkins by GelaSkins.

When it comes to watchband accessories for the iPod nano, you’ve got a pretty good selection these days. There are cheaper bands constructed of silicone and then there are straps made of more premium materials. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the latter - the HEX Vision Metal. With a clever clip on design and durable metal chain, will it steal the crown from the LunaTik as our favorite watchband? 

Features

• All Stainless Steel construction
• Dock access compatible with Nike + and other accessories
• “Clip-In, Clip-Out” functionality
• Coated clip plate improves scratch resistance
• Additional sizing links

Our Impressions

The HEX Vision Metal comes in a fairly nice looking box that slides out to reveal the watchband, instruction manual, and extra chain links. The first impression is good but the manual almost requires a magnifying glass to read.

Installation of the iPod Nano onto the HEX Vision Metal is actually pretty simple. Unlike the LunaTik which required screws, the HEX takes advantage of the clip on the back of the Nano. Simply pinch open the clip and slot it into the surface of the band, with four arms holding it in place. It’s pretty darn secure so you won’t have to worry about your iPod falling out although the fitting definitely isn’t super precise - when we wiggled the iPod a bit, we could hear the sides clinking against the band. The other thing we don’t like as much about this attachment style is that the entire front and sides are exposed. While buttons and ports may be easier to access this way, there is much less protection from all directions.

The watchband isn’t anything too different from most metal watchbands. It’s fairly comfortable although not exactly a breeze to adjust. The links are standard size so unique tools aren’t required to add or remove them but the trusty manual does recommend taking the watchband to your local jeweler. The clasp is pretty secure and it can easily be released by squeezing the sides of the chain. It never unlatched itself during our testing, so we wouldn’t be too concerned about the watch sliding off of your wrist. Overall build quality is very good and the metal finish on the band is attractive. The only potential issue that could arise is when you set the HEX Vision Metal on a table. If you lay it flat, the edge of the clasp scraped against the rear of the iPod, which would be very likely to cause scratches.

Overall

The HEX Vision Metal is a fantastic “premium” watchband accessory for the iPod nano. It’s well built and the metal watchband makes the iPod nano watch feel much more luxurious. We had some minor issues with precision and a lack of protection but those are easily overlooked if you’re in the market for a product of this type. Although our top pick for iPod nano watchbands remains to be the LunaTik, the Vision Metal is awesome if you’re looking for something different.

Pro’s

• durable
• well designed
• easy to access ports/buttons

Con’s

• lack of face protection
• small precision issues

Where to buy

HEX / Amazon — MSRP: $69.95

///4///

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Vision Metal watchband by HEX.

We know two things about Thinksound already; 1.) they make consistently great earphones, and 2.) they know how to package their products just about better than anyone out there. We were first introduced to their unique approach when we reviewed 2010’s offering in the ts02+ earphones. The Thinksound name isn’t as big as a brand like Beats or Bose, but what they lack in exposure they more than make it up in overall audio excellence. And the latest addition to their monitor series, the ms01’s, don’t stray away from the that high standard.  

Our Impressions

As mentioned in the outset, Thinksound approaches its packaging and presentation in the same light that Apple does their products. You only get one shot to make a first impression and they certainly hit the mark dead-on in this case. Shipping in a neatly and tasteful earth toned box, the earphones and branding are highlighted in white and green which humbly gives you a warm sensation.

Constructed out of recycled cardboard, and hosting no plastics, besides one tiny zip-bag that holds the interchangeable ear-tips, the packaging is as eco-friendly as you can get. 

The contents come the same in every Thinksound product; earphones, cloth carrying case, x4 s/m/l/xl Comply ear-tip’s (not shown above), along with active lifestyle hooks, cord clip, and warranty insert. 

8mm drivers offer a frequency response of 18Hz to 20 kHz and are housed within a lightweight wooden casing. As you’ll notice the pattern with wooden housing is that you get a much warmer sound, which for earphones are a must, especially if you’re listening to music with vocals (folk, indie, soft rock, 80’s). 

The cord itself hosts kevlar reinforced PVC-free cable that ensures they won’t get tangled up in your pocket, which my ridiculously stupid, white Apple stock earbuds continue to do so no matter what precautions I take. 

Active lifestyle hooks are packaged alongside the ms01’s which will please folks who like to jog with the help of a few tunes. The hooks gently surround the back of your ears and run the earphone cords on the top, which are snug enough for them to not easily get loose, but not too hard that you can’t adjust them for the proper amount of slack to be comfortable. Also, don’t forget the cord clip which you’ll need so you don’t tug at them while bouncing up and down during a run. 

The earphones are also pre-packaged with 4 different sized Comply ear-tips (fittings) designed to give you the most comfortable fit for your ears.

Passive noise-isolation is a concrete-like barrier between you and any outside noise not coming from within your earphones, so don’t expect to hear a shouting match even if it’s a foot away. A seal is created when the silicone tips are properly placed within the ear canal and they don’t let anything leak out either, which won’t bother others who are sitting next to you on your preference of transporation (plane, bus, etc.)

And in terms of performance, what can I say? When it comes to Thinksound you can’t go wrong. High’s and mid’s are as rich as you can imagine. We listened to “We Are The People” by Empire of the Sun and could hear guitar strums and the vocals clearer than we ever experienced before. And what’s great about that particular track is its use of a heavy and consistent beat which also was able to demonstrate the low’s that the ms01’s could handle. Layers of music are dissected like a knife through warm butter and we couldn’t be more satisfied.

On the downside of things, the ms01’s do NOT feature play or volume controls. That being the case, there’s also no onboard microphone to answer phone calls with if you’re using them along with a smartphone. This a major bummer considering their last earphones (ts02+’s — the + stood for the added micrphone and play controls) offered such a feature. We assume the next iteration will likely host something similar. 

Overall

No matter how you slice it, Thinksound treats and designs their audio products just as great as anyone else without any needed fluff and flair, letting their products do all the talking. The acoustics made available through these particular earphones are the some of the warmest and smoothest you’ll ever hear at this price point. Why pay hundreds of dollars for big named stuff when these earphones, priced at Thinksound’s own store at under a single Benjamin Franklin bill, can do everything you’d ever want a pair of earphones to do?

Our only complaint comes from the lack of play and volume controls, which can be a missed convenience seeing as having to actually take out a device to change a song during a morning jog can be pretty distracting. Outside of that however, you may want to seriously consider giving them a shot as your primary, personal audio gear.

Pro’s

• Eco-friendly packaging
• Steller audio quality
• Additional packaged ear hooks and multiple sized ear-tips

Con’s

• No play and volume controls
• No onboard microphone

Where to buy

Thinksound — MSRP: $99.99

///4///

This review was done by Ricardo Trejo, who was given ms01 earphones by Thinksound.

Especially when you’re using your iPod Nano as a watch, screen visibility can be a big issue when you’re out and about. Of course, our friends at CreTouch had a solution for us - the SGP Steinheil Anti-Fingerprint Screen Protector. It was one of our favorite matte screen films for the iPod Touch but how does it perform on the iPod Nano?

Features

• Screen Protector with Enhanced Optical Hard Film
• Matte Type Hard Film to Prevent Smudges and Fingerprints
• No Rainbow Effect
• Good Surface Hardness : 3H
• Premium Silicon Adhesive : No Residue
• “Dry” Self Adhesive Application. Easy, Bubble Free Application
• Anti-UV Ray Coated

Our Impressions

The SGP Steinheil screen protector came in the standard SGP yellow envelope. Inside, you get two sets of film, a microfiber cleaning cloth, a squeegee card, a couple of dust removal stickers, and an SGP registration card.

Application of the film is pretty darn simple. Since the iPod Nano’s screen is only 1.5”, air bubbles are hardly an issue as long as you wipe the screen clean prior to application. The film is a tad smaller than the glass surface of the Nano but the screen area is covered completely. If you use a watchband accessory with your Nano, you won’t even have to worry about this. In fact, the Steinheil Screen Protector will fit perfectly with bands such as the LunaTik, which enclose the entire iPod.

The surface of the screen protector is great. Although it decreased screen clarity (as expected), glare was greatly reduced in sunlight. In addition, the smooth feel is unmatched and fingerprints on the glossy screen no longer were an issue. Since you’re probably not staring at your iPod Nano’s screen all day, the slight decrease in screen clarity is negligible. The larger issue about having a matte film is that you’ll have to turn the screen brightness up a little in order to see everything properly. Your battery life could take a hit as a result, although anything around or above the default brightness setting should be fine.

Overall

The SGP Steinheil Anti-Fingerprint Screen Protector for the iPod Nano is a great matte film for those who are tired of fingerprints or those who are tired of poor watch visibility in sunlight. The main issue you might encounter with this matte film is the need to crank up the screen brightness a tad. $12 for two sets of the screen protector is definitely not cheap, especially considering the small screen of the Nano. But if you can look past the screen clarity issue and the high price tag, it’s a great product.

Pro’s

• no fingerprints
• better visibility in sunlight
• compatible with many watch accessories

Con’s

• fairly expensive
• may need higher brightness setting

Where to buy

CreTouch — MSRP: $11.99

///4///
This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the SGP Steinheil Screen Protector by CreTouch.

Paper Monsters, no, we are not talking about the solo album done by Depeche Mode, we’re talking about Paper Monsters for iOS. Yeah, I know, even way more hype. So what’s it all about? Well, think of Paper Monsters like a pop-up book of Mario dressed in a cardboard box suit (ummm…Paper Mario?). It’s just an awesome cardboard box dude that goes from purple pipes to purple pipes and collects silver and gold buttons and paperclips instead of coins. Yeah, this is nothing like Mario… 

Paper Monsters

App type: Game
Price: $0.99
Compatible: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad — iOS 4.2 required 
Developer: Crescent Moon Games

Our Impression

Ever find yourself going into the app store and choosing a random game and come to find out that it wasn’t the right choice to satisfy your appetite? The usual cause for this is that it was boring and didnt have much “umphh” to get your fingers interested, which led to a wasted dollar or two. But with Paper Monsters you won’t have to think about getting wrapped up into that type of mess.

As soon as the game starts you’re invited by a warm title screen with different modes to select through; there’s the main adventure, Drag’N Dash mode, (which scrolls the stages by itself, leaving it up to you to do all the jumping), and then there’s a seasonal mode that changes up the environments of the game depending on what’s going on around the year, (in this case it was Heartbreak Shakedown).

Your mission is put an end to Lord Papyrus and his minions, and to do so you traverse a number of worlds side-scroller style. There are no power ups, and your only means of defense is cracking the skulls of the reptilian villains with your weight, (a.k.a jumping). You only get three hits per life with an infinite amount of lives to get through dinosaur box like monsters that would otherwise like to rip you into shreds. Thankfully, those infinite lives will come in handy. Oh, and have no fear, you get colored pinwheels as checkpoints and present boxes loaded with health items to make each attempt a little easier.

You have two opitions in control types; virtual joystick or classic touchpad. The first lets you touch anywhere on your screen for your controls, but the second has actually virtual buttons for you to press which enable you to jump, bounce, port, swim, and fly your way to saving the world!

OCD about collectibles? The fun part about collecting gold buttons is that you are rewarded by dressing up your box dude (that’s what we call him) with different buyable costumes, this is just one way to add some more spice. Though, there is a faster way to get all of the gold buttons, all you have to do is buy buttons, with your hard earned real cash, that is, at the botton store. And whala! You got s-t-y-l-e: Style.

Paper monster is neatly folded into classic side-scrolling with vibrant and lively 3D character models and environments. Each level shines in its own theme; forest, desert, icelands, under the sea, yeah, you get the picture. There are 4 worlds and 16 levels, which for this type of game is a little short, though this may had to do with price. But if they ever do decide to add some more stages; perhaps a space, sky, underground, or cityscape, it would definitely add more bang for your buck. And though it may seem short, levels are fairly long and challenging, nothing to rip your hair out about or throw your phone across the room. There are a lot of hidden places that are sometimes dangerously hard to pass, which will lead to valuable paperclips.

Now in most side-scrolling games there is a window of invincibility after getting hit by an enemy, well in Paper Monster that window is pretty short. The game isn’t too difficult but if you don’t keep moving you could find yourslf dying pretty quickly due to this small instance. Boss battles are pretty simple for the most part. One complaint we had however was during the final boss, (don’t worry, no spoilers) they should have added a skip button during the introduction cut-scene that plays every time before taking on the boss. Due to its difficulty this can be time consuming and annoying, and it ends up sound more like a broken record over and over again. 

Overall

Paper Monsters is a pick up and play kind of game, and once you get your hands on it you’ll fall in love with it right away. The cutesy character designs, magnifying bright colors, and various enemies demand your attention, and all it takes is just one Washington bill to start your adventure. And while it’s fimiliar (with the same Super Mario formula we’ve all come to love), Paper Monsters brings it into a new whole mobile world that fits into your pocket.

Download now on iTunes
Available on iPhone and iPod touch

Bluelounge is probably one of our favorite companies when it comes to cool accessories. While they’re not necessarily made specifically for Apple products, they work best with them and have a similar design purpose: to make something as simple and functional as possible. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the Bluelounge Milo stand that uses a suction cup to hold your device upright. 

Features

• It is perfect for hands-free movie viewing, video conferences, or just as a convenient home base.
• It works in both landscape or portrait modes and works great with almost any smooth surface.
• Works with any cellphone or MP3 player

Our Impressions

The Milo comes in a white cardboard box without just a quick instruction card in the box. 

The first thing we noticed about the Milo was how light it felt. The entire thing is made of plastic and as a result, it is really light and doesn’t feel particularly premium. Don’t get us wrong, the plastic is quite sturdy but we would have preferred something like aluminum rather than glossy plastic. A Bluelounge logo is embossed on the rear of the stand while the suction surface and bottom strip are accented black. An antislip pad ensures that the stand won’t slide around while you’re watching a video. 

Does the suction cup idea work? Yes, but there are some drawbacks. If your device has a glossy, flat back (like the iPhone 4), you really don’t have to worry about it falling off of the suction cup at all. You just give it a bit of pressure and you’re good to go for a long time. In fact, we tried to remove our device shortly after we attached it and needed to pry it off with a ruler. If your device has a non-suction friendly back, you’re going to have to resort to using the vertical orientation method by simply sitting it onto the stand. The bottom of the Milo has a subtle lip that allows this to be possible without your phone sliding off. We think it’s pretty cool how Bluelounge thought to make the Milo compatible with all devices in one way or another, rather than making it just for the iPhone 4 and other glossy backed devices. While the device is on the stand, you’re free to gesture all you want without having to worry about it falling off. Although the stand is made of hard plastic and thus non-adjustable, the angle it’s set at is pretty ergonomic. The drawback? You have to take a piece of tape and remove any dust from the suction cup to maintain it’s strength. It’s a minor annoyance but for the lazy, it’s a huge pain to have to clean something like a phone stand.

Overall

We like the Milo as a stand a lot. Although it’s made of plastic and the suction cup requires cleaning every once in a while, the Milo is a very well thought out product with support for more devices than just ones from Apple. It’s a very simple product and one that works great whether you use it for FaceTime-ing, watching a movie, or as an alarm clock stand.  

Pro’s

• support for glossy backed devices and not
• very strong suction cup
• works with many cases

Con’s

• plastic construction
• need to clean suction cup ocassionally 

 Where to buy

Bluelounge — MSRP: $14.95

///4/// 

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Milo by Bluelounge.

We’ve gone over cord taming solutions before. Remember that aluminum cable catcher called the Pinza? That was pretty great but today we’ll be taking a look at Bluelounge’s own offering - the appropriately named Sumo. How does this dual cable manager work? — Our full review after the break!

Features

• Micro-Suction
• Cables can easily be at the ready when held by Sumo. There are two grooves for cables to be placed underneath Sumo.
• Occasionally clean the feet with adhesive tape to remove dust and regain non-slip strength.
• Sumo can be used on a workstation or bedside table to have cables easily ready.

Our Impressions

The Sumo comes in a nice white Bluelounge box. All you get is the Sumo and a quick instruction sheet. 

The Sumo is a rounded plastic square with a glossy white finish. It’s a little over 2 centimeters tall and about 5 centimeters wide. The underside features two large, black anti-slip feet and a cord divider on the bottom. All you have to do is put the Sumo on top of any cable on your desk/by your bedside and boom, you’re all set. Most standard gadget charging cables should fit - we tested with a couple styles of the Apple 30 pin cable, as well as several microUSB cables. We never had an issue with the cable not fitting under the Sumo and you won’t either unless you try to fit an unreasonably wide cable (which you probably don’t need to drag onto your table). When we needed to plug in our gadgets, we simply gave the cable a tug and connected. This is especially useful if you have a desktop computer under your desk and have cables coming from the back of your table. The other scenario in which we used the Sumo a lot was our bedside gadget charging area. 

Overall

In case you couldn’t already tell, this is a short review. Why? Because the Sumo just works. There are no features to run through or any design flaws to complain about. It’s just a darn simple paperweight of a cable manager; if you have an issue with charging cables for your gadgets, give the Sumo a shot! 

Pro’s

• it works
• anti slip base
• manages two cables at once

Con’s

• no larger version for more than two cables

Where to buy

Bluelounge — MSRP: $11.95 

///4///

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Sumo by Bluelounge.

There are backpacks and then there are Powerbags. You better learn the difference right here and right now because it could save the battery life of your various devices. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a bag that powers your stuff up while you’re on the go. It’s a pretty awesome idea when you think of it, and it might make you wonder why something like this hasn’t taken off by now. Well, we’re here to let you know whether this is the future or just a concept better left undiscovered. 

Our Impressions

To start this off, the Powerbag is just a backpack; there are pouches, pockets, and zippers. And while you may be a little shocked at the price tag (over $100) just for a bag, you’re getting one that’s guaranteed to last you for the long haul. The exterior is solid in construction, zippers are tough and won’t fall off any time soon, and is loaded with enough places to store everything you’d ever think of taking with you. The adjustable arm straps are contoured and the backing is lined with padding so you don’t get uncomfortable even when carrying a full load. On the bottom of the bag is a rubber-wannabe material with bumpers so that your bag doesn’t slide all over the place when placed in an upright position.

On the side pouch are convenient Apple, mini-usb, and micro-usb connections to hold and charge your smartphones and/or mp3 players. On the inside there’s no included wires to charge a laptop, which is a wasted opportunity seeing as backpacks are usually meant to stow away notebooks for students and/or the business-person on the go.

Set Up and Use

The bag comes loaded with an instruction manual, 3000mAh rechargeable battery, and a wall charger. To use, remove the orange battery from its base and plug it to the wall charger and allow it to charge until the the LED light turns off. Once it’s fully charged you can place it back into the base in the secondary compartment where it is now ready for use on your various devices. And if you don’t feel like taking the battery out and more interested in having the bag itself near the wall charger, the bag also hosts a port on the front that lets you charge the bag while the battery is still in the base.

Pressing in the Powerbag logo on the front of the backpack will let you check the status of the battery’s life, and pressing and holding for approx. 2 seconds will turn the battery on and off. This is pretty important since simply plugging in a device won’t do much unless the bag is actually turned on. That being said, to conserve energy make sure you have the bag turned off if it’s not in use.

It can’t charge laptops, so what can it charge?

I’m sure there are a ton of products that could work with the Powerbag but the official site has a list of specific products it knowingly supports:

Amazon Kindle™ (All generations)

Barnes & Noble NOOK™

Samsung Galaxy Tab™ - The Galaxy Tab requires a unique USB power source to charge at full speed. Powerbag will supply only 500mA (similar to computer charging) to your tablet. During this time, the Galaxy Tab may state that it is not charging, when in fact it really is.

*Tablets must be charged with their own USB cable through Powerbag’s on-board USB port.

*iPod nano^® and iPad^® may be charged with their own USB cable through Powerbag’s on-board USB port.

iPad^® and iPad 2

iPod touch^® (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation)

iPhone^® 4, iPhone^® 3GS, iPhone^® 3G, iPhone^®

On the iPad side of things, the battery station within the secondary compartment has a USB port that will charge an iPad. It’s a pretty good addition, seeing as most iPod / iPhone charging accessories don’t have the means to power an entire iPad, which is a guzzler in the energy department. Our only issue with the iPad and this bag is that the pouch made for it is a little snug, especially if your device is wearing a thick case. 

We’d also would’ve loved if the Powerbag had something like a portable wall socket plug, that way we could take our DS’ and other portable gaming units with us to be charged instead of being forced to use only USB capable chargers.

One thing we’d like to point out is the design choice to make it as minimal looking as possible, without its branding showing all over the place. Yes, you’re a geek and you know what’s needed for your devices, but you don’t always want to wear that badge with pride, especially if you’re trying to bump up your professional credibility. That’s something we have to salute the folks over at Powerbag for, since we love our products looking as sleek as possible.

Overall

As a backpack it gets the job done. It’s got the pockets and pouches you need and want, and it’s also constructed with durable materials, down to the zippers. And when it comes to the main attraction of being able to charge your devices while on the go, it’s better than anything we’ve seen before — even if it has a few hiccups. It’s a pretty expensive bag when it comes down to it, but for its utilitarian way of getting your devices charged, holding all of your personal effects, and looking good and not standing out while doing it, we have to give this one a recommended grade.

Sure, its biggest flaw is its inability to charge a laptop, but for all the other great things that it does right there’s no way we could pass up an opportunity at give it our thumbs up. There are a few things we’d love to see added to the Powerbag in future iterations; like the means to charge a laptop, but also maybe an added connector for portable gaming systems.

Pro’s

• Contstructed of durable material, inside and out
• Ability to charge an iPad w/o converter
• Has variety of cables and ports for all types of devices

Con’s 

• Can’t charge laptops
• iPad pouch is a little snug

Where to buy

Powerbag — MSRP: $139.99

///4///

This review was done by Ricardo Trejo, who was given a Powerbag backpack by Powerbag.

USB flash drives. These days, they’re ubiquitous. But most of the time you’ll find that flash memory is packed into mundane sticks that really are quite full to look at. To solve this issue, our friends over at Think Geek sent us a variety of thumb drives available on their site. Today, we’ll be taking a look at seven that come in all shapes and sizes, some serving an unexpected function and each unique in its own way. Which one was the best? 

How We Tested

A couple of things come into consideration when buying a flash drive; the first for most people would probably be storage size. The drives we’re looking at today come in sizes ranging from 2 GB to 8 GB. The second deciding factor is the read/write speed of the drive. Most people tend not to want to sit around all day waiting for a file transfer, so we tested by copying an HD copy of Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never (1.73 GB). Aside from these basic elements, we’ll also compare size and build quality. 

Golden Robot

 
First up, the Golden Robot flash drive. This flash drive came padded with foam in a fancy grey box, one of the nicer packages we’ve seen for a thumb drive. We were actually pretty surprised by the how heavy the flash drive felt. A reflective golden coating covers the entire body of the robot, giving the flash drive a C3P0 look. The legs and arms are all able to rotate freely, Lego-style. In fact, there is a joint at the knee area so the Robot can be contorted in a variety of stances. The large, rounded cap of a head is featureless while the body has a circular pattern. As cool as the Golden Robot flash drive looks, there’s one real issue that bugs us. As we mentioned previously, the thumb drive does have some heft to it; while we didn’t run into any issues during our testing, we’re afraid the weighty flash drive could be a problem for horizontal USB ports. It won’t break the port instantly but downward pressure on a port over a long period of time is never good.  The width of the drive is also something to take into consideration. You might not be able to plug anything into the port adjacent to the Golden Robot.

Max Speed - 2.80 MB/s

Actual Size - 3.94 GB 

Where to Buy - Think Geek ($24.99)

///3///

Mimoco Mimobot x Batman (Joker) 

Next we’ve got the Mimoco Mimobot X Batman series of flash drives. Think Geek offers the Batman and Joker designs, of which we received the latter. It’s a fairly compact flash drive compared to the Golden Robot but is a fair amount wider than most flash drives. The elongated egg shape head of the Joker comes off to reveal the USB plug, which has the capacity and Mimobot embossed on it. On the rear of the drive, between the feet, is a indicator light. While made of plastic and sporting a glossy finish, the Mimobot feels pretty well made although it’s a little lightweight. We like the Mimobots a lot because they are relatively compact for novelty drives and don’t compromise on performance or storage space. The 4 GB drive comes loaded with a folder full of themed avatars, icons, wallpapers (iPhone, iPad, and desktop), and screensavers.

Max Speed - 7.36 MB/s

Actual Size - 3.75 GB

Where to Buy - Think Geek ($24.99)

///4///

Mimoco Mimobot x Star Wars (Wampa)

Maybe you like the Mimobot design but aren’t a big fan of Gotham City’s superhero? Think Geek has you covered with Star Wars Mimobots - Boba Fett, C3PO, Han in Carbonite, Lando Calrissian, Jawa, R2-D2, Stormtrooper, Darth Vader, Wampa, Wicket, and Yoda. We tested out the Wampa version and although it was pretty similar to the Batman Mimobot, there was a minor difference we found odd - the Star Wars drive we had was slightly slower than the Batman stick and the Wampa had 0.01 GB more storage than the Joker. We’re not sure if this is simply a manufacturing issue or if the Star Wars and Batman drives use different flash memory chips. The Star Wars Mimobot also comes with a folder of Mimoco goodies. 

Max Speed - 6.70 MB/s

Actual Size - 3.76 GB

Where to Buy - Think Geek ($24.99 - $29.99)

///4///

Voltron

Not familiar with Voltron, the Defender of the Universe? He’s basically like the combination of a Power Ranger and a Transformer. Pretty awesome right? The USB thumb drive version even comes with a gigantic sword for him to hold with his swiveling arms. Did we mention the emblem on his chest glows when you plug him in? The Voltron thumb drive obviously looks super cool but we had a couple issues with using it as an actual storage medium. Voltron, disconnecting at the torso, is pretty wide and that makes him a little difficult to fit into ports. On top of that, his rotating arms don’t feel very sturdy so they sometimes feel like they’re going to fall off. The details painted on Voltron are pretty nice although we’re not big fans of the rubbery enclosure Voltron is built in. Write speeds aren’t bad with the Defender of the Universe but he can’t seem to hold very much data at a time.  

Max Speed - 7.65 MB/s

Actual Size - 1.87 GB

Where to Buy - Think Geek ($36.99)

///2///

Bottle Opener  

The Bottle Opener flash drive was very promising at first. The clean, aluminum design was already a plus in our book, although the edges are a bit too pointy to be safe. The bottle opener feature made it even more appealing. Everything seemed great until we put the thumb drive to the test. The first bottle we tried to open was a standard Apple Cider bottle (the cap is no different from any beer bottle). The thumb drive broke on the first try. No, the whole thing didn’t snap in two, but the bottle opener edge bent and fell clean off the thumb drive. If you want a nice looking aluminum thumb drive or a thumb drive with a bottle opener, you’d be better off looking somewhere else. This one simply doesn’t work. 

Max Speed - 4.33 MB/s, avg. around 3.8 MB/s

Actual Size - 1.95 GB

Where to Buy  - Think Geek ($14.99)

///0///

Brick 

The Lego thumb drive has been an idea popular among many geeks. Many a Instructable will teach you how to split apart your thumb drive and retrofit it in a two by four Lego brick, but that takes a lot of work, and you don’t always end up with a nice looking product. The Brick thumb drive by ZipZip is actually pretty small and comes with a useful lanyard attached to it. The cap is a two by two block, which can be stored by stacking on top of the other block housing the flash memory. The two pieces fit securely together when not in use. This is one of our favorites due to its balance of novelty and practicality. Great for anyone who enjoys Legos and wants a relatively small thumb drive. 

Max Speed - 5.21 MB/s

Actual Size - 3.79 GB

Where to Buy - Think Geek ($29.99 - $39.99)

///4///

Super Talent Pico 

The Pico flash drive is the least geeky looking thumb drive of our roundup, but it’s perhaps also the geekiest of the group. It’s one of the smallest flash drives we’ve ever seen yet it houses up to 32 GB of storage. Our unit came with 8 GB and transfer speeds were pretty amazing. Oh, and did we mention that the Pico is waterproof? The only problem we can foresee is that the Pico is so small you might lose it. but Super Talent has already thought of this by attaching a small metal chain. We did run into a little bit of trouble plugging the drive into our USB ports - it does require a bit of pushing - but it wasn’t a major issue and nothing broke. Great option for anyone who’s looking for a highly portable and very fast thumb drive.  

Max Speed - 10.50 MB/s

Actual Size - 7.45 GB

Where to Buy - Think Geek ($24.99 - $99.99)

///4///

So there you have it! Think Geek literally has crazy thumb drives for any type of nerd. Whether you’re looking for the world’s smallest drive or one in the shape of a robot, you’ll be able to find it in the store. So which flash drive will you be buying?

If you remember the 2010 Apple keynote event, you might be able to recall Steve Jobs’ joke that an Apple board member was going to wear the new iPod Nano as a watch. If you look at the accessory market for the iPod Nano today, you’ll find that maybe accessory manufacturers took Steve’s comment too seriously. Started as a Kickstarter project in 2010, the LunaTik remains one of the best watchband accessories for the iPod Nano. Why? 

Features

• black anodized aluminum case and black PVD plated buckle and hardware for mil-spec durability 
• premium permanent conversion kit designed for those wanting to dedicate their iPod Nano primarily as a wrist watch
• forged and CNC’d from aircraft grade aluminum
• straps made from compression molded high-grade silicone rubber with an anti-dust coating

Our Impressions

The LunaTik comes in a simple square box containing the watch wrapped around a chunk of foam, two hex keys (one straight and one L shaped), and a manual.

Installation 

Installation of the LunaTik kit was pretty simple. While holding one key in the side of the frame, we twisted the other key on the opposite side and separated the LunaTik into two pieces. We carefully slid our iPod nano into the frame and joined the two sides. The iPod goes in “sideways” so you’ll have to rotate the screen for it to work properly as a watch. Note that the LunaTik may push up any screen films you have on so attach it slowly and with caution. The other thing about installing the LunaTik is that it’s intended to be a “conversion kit” so you won’t be able to easily remove your iPod from the casing on the fly. If you’re not sure you want your iPod to be inside a watchband all the time, you may want to give it some thought. 

Hardware 

The LunaTik is crafted with amazing detail and precision. We were blown away at how well the aluminum frame fitted with every aspect of the nano. The polished anodized aluminum on the Blackout version of the LunaTik is especially nice on the black screen. The overall look is seamless - edges are carefully lined up at the clip area, screen edges, and the sides of the iPod. The rear of the iPod is left exposed so as to make the LunaTik thinner; scratching isn’t a big issue because that area is on your wrist at all times.

Buttons and ports are easy to access on the sides of the iPod. We’d recommend having the buttons on the right side of the watch (if you wear it on your left hand) for a couple of reasons - 1) the buttons will be a little easier to access, 2) your iPod won’t short circuit as easily if you accidentally splash water on it (while washing your hands for example), and 3) you can run the headphone cable directly through your sleeve. The headphone jack and 30 pin dock port weren’t too dificult to get to unless the plug on your headphones is particularly large. The relatively wide AIAIAI TMA-1 jack fit just fine, as well as the older “pinch-style” Apple cables. 

The wristband is made of a nice rubbery silicone material that is very comfortable on the wrist. At first, we weren’t sure how we’d like the extra wide designl compared to a standard 6900 series G Shock, the LunaTik band is considerably wider. A metal latch locks into one of the many notches on the strap as would any other watch. A plastic nub in one of the notches secures the end of the strap. The nub can be removed and rearranged on one of the other slots depending on where you insert the buckle. The main complaint we have with the watchband is that it gets dirty very quickly - the black rubber-y finish picks up dust and link like no other. Thankfully, you can remove the strap with a quick turn of a screw although it’s still rather disappointing that the “anti-dust coating” is non-functional.  

Overall

We think the LunaTik is one of the most well designed watchband accessories around for the iPod nano. The aluminum precision is stunning and the wristband is comfortable as well as durable. The LunaTik is also very thin and well made. If you’re looking to use your iPod nano full time as a watch, you can’t go wrong with the LunaTik.

Pro’s

• very precise aluminum construction
• slick design
• nice feeling watchband

Con’s

• watchband gets dirty quickly

Where to buy

LunaTik — MSRP: $89.95

///5///

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Blackout LunaTik by Minimal.

Nintendo’s 2011 E3 reveal of the Wii U was anything but impressive. Aside from the “real-time” gameplay of Zelda Wii U (read as: PR talk), there seriously was nothing to get excited about the Big N’s next console. It was definitely a huge contrast to the type of reaction the Wii first originally got, with wait times to try out the thing no where near the 6 hours people sacrificed to first demo the Wii. Well, Nintendo is hoping to shed off some of those bad memories and it’s optimisitic about its future, despite a continuous plunge in overall sales. Satoru Iwata, the company’s CEO and President, announced earlier yesterday that the Wii U is set to hit retailers sometimes in late 2012. Oh, and there’s talk of it getting a new name. 

Reuters reports that Nintendo President and CEO, Satoru Iwata, announced that Wii U will launch, most likely simultaneously worldwide, in late 2012:

Nintendo will launch a successor to its Wii game console in the U.S. and other key markets in time for the crucial year-end shopping season later this year, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told reporters on Thursday.

And while Nintendo may have done a horri-bad job at unveiling the Wii U at last year’s E3, Capcom veteran and Street Fighter producer, Yoshinori Ono, has told people to not count the console out yet:

“It isn’t something like Kinect or similar accessories, it’s something different.

[…] I can’t tell you more about it because, if I do, Nintendo will send assassins to finish me! But let’s say that Wii U will be a console with so many unique possibilities that it will be difficult to show them in the box they are going to sell it in, or be published in magazines and other media.”

Is Nintendo changing the guts of the hardware? Will it run faster, better, and stronger? No word on that yet, but it does seem to have developers happy, which is always a good sign of things to come if you look at the trend of critical acclaim amongst dev’s and outside-the-box tech; such as Kinect and the Wii. 

More often than not, a brand name is one of the main factors that compel a buyer to purchase a product. In order to have a well recognized brand name, a lot of marketing and endorsement are required. That extra cost for marketing then goes into the final price you pay for the product. Why am I saying all this? Today, we’ll be taking a look at headphones from a little known company called XePort (pronounced Z-Port). The 7010 headphones cost $20 but you might be surprised by our conclusions. 

Features

• Ceramic housing made in color black
• 1.2m Nylon braided cables with extra durability and flexibility
• Wide and smooth frequency response from low to high to give the most realistic reproduction of original music 
• Three sets of ear tips to support the best fit and noise isolation
• Line stopper to avoid cable tangling
• Meeting all ROHS requirements

Our Impressions

Overall

All in all, we’re really happy with the XePort 7010 headphones. The exterior design is appealing and build quality is very good. Sound quality is very impressive, especially if you enjoy a healthy serving of bass with your music. These headphones are very fun to listen to and at $20, they’re a steal. Perhaps we’d like to see a version with iPhone-compatible inline controls and mic in the future?

Pro’s

• affordable pricing
• great sound
• well designed

Con’s

• n/a

Where to buy

XePort / Amazon — MSRP: $19.95

///5///

This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the 7010-9 headphones by XePort.

Oh, Qwikster, how shortlived was your existence? Were you but a mere speck of dust in the stream of this infinite universe’s everflowing hourglass that you were concieved and then forgotten? Life has moved on without you and not a single tear was shed. Not even the wind carries your tattered remains because you were not properly realized, as you were just a silly idea born from the fantasies of a few men’s heads who wish they could bend reality to their will. However, they surely learned from their mistakes, and though you will not be missed Qwikster, your absurd identity will always be remembered. td;lr Netflix will not be renting games. 

Engadget is reporting that during a conference call on Netflix’s Q4 earnings, it was made official the service will not be moving forward with a video game rental strategy:

[…] CEO Reed Hastings confirmed the company has “no plans” to offer videogames for rental, which had been announced as part of the later-retracted Qwikster spinoff.

Well, that’s that then. Sure, it may have been more convenient to go with a single service to rent games and movies instead of having to subscribe to both Gamefly and Netflix, but at this point would it have even mattered? When the original plans were to split up Netflix into two separate beings customers would still have to pay multiple bills.

I think the more wise plan would to simply offer Gamefly a deal and come under the Netflix name. That and get OnLive to partner up and offer their technology for streaming games to them too. One big monolopy of entertainment bliss, full of movies and games streamed directly to your TV. Oh, we can dream can’t we?

Year in and year out at the Anaheim Convention Center, just a block away from Disneyland, Blizzard holds their annual convention, Blizzcon. Well, except for this year. Apparently, the developer and multi-million dollar Warcraft provider, have too much on their plate for 2012 that they had to simply cancel the event, citing a “jam-packed schedule” as the reason. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t be doing something else in its place; something like a world tournament for Battle.net. 

Blizzard announces they’re too busy to hold Blizzcon this year, and have opted to delay it ‘til 2013 in favor of Battle.net World Tournament for 2012:

Blizzard Entertainment is proud to announce the 2012 Battle.net World Championship, a major global eSports event featuring some of the best pro-gaming competition in the world. Slated to take place in Asia toward the end of 2012, the Battle.net World Championship will host this year’s StarCraft II and World of Warcraft Arena World Championship tournaments. Blizzard gamers and eSports fans from around the world will be invited to attend and witness some of the most skilled pro players on the planet battle it out for cash and glory.

We’re excited to be showcasing Blizzard eSports on a truly global stage this year. We’re also heavily focused on getting Diablo III, Mists of Pandaria, and Heart of the Swarm into players’ hands as soon as possible. In light of our jam-packed schedule, we’ve decided to hold the next BlizzCon in 2013.

More details about the 2012 Battle.net World Championship and BlizzCon 2013, including specific dates and locations, will be coming in the months ahead.

Sorry folks, I’m afraid your recently completed Blood Elf cosplay will just have to wait lonely in the closet for another year before it can be proudly worn amongst your online brethren. ‘Til then, I leave you with Joe at Blizzcon:

As for the tournament, we’ll post details about it as soon as info as released.

When Capcom’s Senior VP, Christian Svensson, says that they have “top men” hard at work, discussing the future of the Megaman property it’s hard not to wander back to that famous closing Indiana Jones scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. And as one commenter (abigsmurf) on Siliconera put it, “*mental image of Megaman being wheeled in to a giant warehouse, never to be seen again*” Yeah, I’m hoping that doesn’t happen, but as he also went on to say, “Knowing capcom, it’ll probably be ‘updated’ so it’s a Gears of War clone”, maybe I do want it to happen so that can never be a reality. 

In an “Ask Capcom Q&A” video, Christian Svensson said that future of the Megaman series are currently being discussed by “top men”, as well as what the 25th anniversary of the property will consist of:

“We are continuing to noodle what our plans and what our celebration should be,” Svensson shares. “There’s a whole bunch of things that we know we kind of have to get in a row before we actually really divulge or start to celebrate Mega Man[…]

[…] I hesitate to say exactly what, because I don’t want people reading more into it than is there,” Svensson says. “Let’s just say there are top men thinking about and actively discussing where we’re going to take the brand for the next ten years and how we’re going to do it.”

What’s that mean exactly for the Blue Bomber? Well, as abigsmurf said in our outset, they’re going to have to redo the whole series entirely if they want Megaman to be relevant to a new generation, (read as: Gears of War clone).

The 7 - 15 year old crowd is certainly not into games with high difficulty, and Capcom can’t depend on the nostalgia factor anymore and continue to craft and design games fitted to resemble the games of the past; it can only go so far, as we saw with the amazing return to the Classic series in Megaman 9, but then realized how old that can get, as well as how lazy Capcom can get in game design, with Megaman 10’s release, shortly thereafter. 

The only way to get Megaman back into the fore is to reimagine him from the ground up. It doesn’t have to be an FPS, but a new way of realizing its side-scrolling gameplay roots. A reintroduction, if you will, to the world of 20XX and the way that world runs and lives, and why a “Megaman” character would be needed. But now that I think about it, that sounds almost like Batman. Yeah, that’s why I’m not a game designer, otherwise we might end up with a grim-dark version of Rock that no one cares about, sorta what happened to Bionic Commando, and look what happened to that. 

We can only hope that the “top men” at Capcom know what they’re doing, and by the look of it, they have an idea of how to continually bust out success after success even all these years later.

Oh, and here’s that Indy video we were alluding to earlier to:

It’s been about a year or so since we last took a look at Audioengine’s A2 desktop speakers, and just by a mere glance at these A5+’s there are a number of definite improvements. But before I go into what makes these speakers great or not you may be asking, “why would anyone shell out nearly $500 for a pair of speakers?” Well, we all love to listen to music, watch movies, or even play games. Sound is a must for just about anyone who owns a computer. Getting the best sounding speakers, undistorted, with enough volume are a pain, if not sheerly impossible to find in department stores. Not to mention some one of you have already paid over a grand buying a nifty looking Mac. So why not go the extra mile and buy a pair of premium speakers that will survive the test of time, and also give you better audio quality than anything a small-time consumer set of speakers would ever offer? And so here I introduce to you, Audioengine’s A5+ premium speakers. 

Features

• Power Output: 150W peak power total (50W RMS / 75W peak per channel), AES
• Inputs: 1/8” (3.5mm) stereo mini-jack, RCA L/R
• Outputs: RCA L/R audio (full-range, adjustable), USB Type A (power/charging)
• Drivers: 5” Kevlar woofers, 20mm silk dome tweeters
• Frequency response: 50Hz-22kHz +/-1.5dB
• Protection: Protection: Output current limiting, thermal over-temperature, power on/off transient protection, replaceable external main fuse
• Dimensions (each speaker HWD): 10.75” (27cm) x 7” (18cm) x 7.75” (20cm)
• Weight (LEFT speaker): 15.4 lbs (7 kg) -  Weight (RIGHT speaker): 9.6 lbs (4.4 kg)
• Hosts USB port for charging devices; such as iDevices, 
• Packaged with all necessary audio and power cables, as well as a cloth carrying bag: (6.5 ft.) speaker wire, (6.5 ft.) 3.5” audio cable, RCA cables)
• Available in three colors: high gloss white, satin black, and carbonized bamboo

Our Impressions

Packaging — Simple, without the need for a ton of plastic. Upon opening the box there are two large speakers concealed under fitted cushioning, as well as hidden inside two cloth carrying bags. A few plastic bags house the speaker wire and provided cables (RCA to RCA, power cable, and 3.5” audio cable), as well as the set-up guide, and a remote control for wireless control over the set’s volume. All in all, very minimal and takes little effort to get things all out and unboxed, ready for use.

Features — Looking back on the A2’s from last year’s line, there were a ton of things that we wish the next set of speakers Audioengine came up with would host. And man, did they deliver! Aside from moving the volume knob from the rear of the main speaker to its front side, they also added a number of new features that take it to the next level. 

First, a new USB port is situated at the top on the rear of the main speaker. What this does is let you plug in any USB powered device and charge it while in use, or not in use, with the A5’s; such as an iPhone or iPod. This doesn’t substitute for an audio jack however, since you’ll still need to plug it in via the audio cable provided to get sound — but it does solve the issue of a low battery without having to get your iDevice’s wall-plug adapter. 

And as for the aforementioned volume knob, yeah, it’s great to see that it moved to the front. For being used as desktop speakers this is a definite must — heck, for use on anything it’s a must! Who reaches to the back of their speakers to change up the volume? Also, instead of a smooth turn that slowly increases the speaker’s volume, you get increments that raise the volume only slightly with each click. Both methods give you precise control over the volume, but something about doing it this way makes it feel a little cheaper, though it definitely doesn’t anger us — it’s just an observation. Our only real complaint with the knob this time around is that it was made out of plastic, instead of that fine shiny metal last seen on the A2’s rear volume control.  

Aside from the new ports and knobs, there’s a new white, LED light that remains on when the speakers are in use, and pulsate when they are put into Sleep mode. Sleep mode can be activated by pressing the volume knob in or pressing the Moon button on the included remote control. This mode sorta turns the speakers off without actually pressing the on / off switch located on the back. It simply cuts the audio. The white light also will blink when the speakers have been put under Mute, which can be switched on through the remote. 

Build quality — You’ll notice immediately that these dudes are almost two times as taller than their previous A2 incarnation; growing from 6 inches to nearly 11 inches! That said, they are monsterous when it comes to playing clear, crisp, and vibrant sound without becoming distorted in the least. Watching a movie on an iMac, or even hookinh them up on a PC gaming setup you could say is overkill, but we mean that in the best way possible. But to be frank, for a minimalist or anyone with a small desk, the A5’s look pretty huge, not to mention sorta outta place no matter how you slice it.

Their look is quite simple, but since they’re so large it’s hard to find the proper placement. However, there’s no denying that Hans Zimmer’s Inception score will have nothing on you when that “dunnnnn dunnnnnnnnnn” plays over these, more than capable, A5+’s… even if they look sorta ugly while doing it, (but then again, maybe it was just our black speakers that got in the way. Perhaps the bamboo or glossy white may have persuaded us otherwise.) 

In terms of build you’d be hardpressed to find a substitute for quality and durability. Most speakers nowadays are easy to break, flimsy plastic creations meant to rip off those trying to save a few pennies. But if you truly care about your sound and audio experience however, then investing a little coin will take you a long, long way. For instance, the woofers are lined with strong kevlar (yeah, the same stuff that bulletproof vests are made from), and the tweeters are made from silk. And on the backside of the main speaker, you’ll notice a heatsink meant to cool down the system after prolonged use. The drivers are video shielded, which means that if placed close to a monitor or video source you won’t notice that magnetic purple creeping onto your screen. The shielding also works against interference for hard drive-based music players (iPods and such). Oh, and there’s also a 3-year warranty that comes with the purchase of your A5+’s

Sound — The moment of truth, if you will. Speakers that can endure a nuclear winter, and that look stylish and heavy duty aren’t enough to warrant a purchase. Nope, in the end it’s all about how they sound — hence, speakers of audio must provide an excellent experience for those listening to them. Well, let’s just say that the A5+’s do more than just that. 

When we first hooked them up we really got a taste of their volume by turning up them up on Daft Punk’s Around The World and Madeon’s Shuriken mix— always our first go-to artists to check out bass, low’s, and overall clarity. If speakers can perform well under these tracks right off the bat then we have a good start. The A5+’s during this test offer a crystal clear sound that make you want to bob your head with each beat. The music took over our room with bass and low’s reverberating with the help of the clear stereo sound when both speakers are placed at least 6ft. apart from each other, as per the instructions packaged with the speakers. We had them a good 5ft. away from each other and the stereo sound was de, which the instructions say 6ft., but who’s counting?

Yael Naim’s New Soul provided a good listen for a test in mid’s and heavy use of vocals with music playing more of a background job. The speakers provided a smooth and intimate party vibe, one that could not easily be replicated on cheaper speakers. Distortion was non-existent. The Bird and Bee’s rendition of Rich Girl was a pleasant mix of vocals in the mid-range and a great use of bass. And The Decemberists’ Down By The Water guitar strums and harmonica again excellently displayed how the A5+’s could handle multiple layers of music all on different levels.

And when it came to the high’s, we tried out some random, high quality classical music that hosted lots of stringed instruments; like violins and a choir. But for the ultimate test we tried something a little different; during our time with the A5+’s it just so happened a wedding was taking place at our house…. my wedding. We were doing the traditional backyard setup and my fiance and I thought it would be approriate to give them a try for use when walking down the aisle, as well as when the wedding party would walk back down before dismissal. Well, it goes without saying that everything went perfectly and the A5+’s stood up to the challenge, otherwise I would not be here writing this right now, and I’d probably be looking for my bride instead.

That should be a clear indication of how much we love the A5+’s. We trusted them with a once in a lifetime experience: a wedding… MY wedding, at that! Volume was not a problem even when handling outdoor situations and heavy chatter amongst a group of 50 family and friends. 

Overall

You get what you pay for here, and I mean that in the best way possible. Sometimes going the cheaper route sounds like the smartest, but if you’re someone who truly cares about their audio experience, especially if you’re a gamer, a big movie-watcher, or someone who enjoys more than their fair share of music, then sometimes it’s better to put some money into your speaker system. We’re not talking surround sound, basically we’re just saying if you’re looking for a solution to your desktop or gaming setup this is where it’s at. Audioengine has perfected their design and have added a host of new features with a remote control, relocated volume control, and a heatsink to ensure they don’t overheat after long usage.  The A5+’s are a pretty penny at $400, but if you have the cash and are looking for something in the audiophile market, then look no further than this premium speaker set.

Pro’s 

• New features; USB port and remote control give added convenience
• Sound is crystal clear, loud, rich, and vibrant
• Build quality is top notch, w/ added heatsink 
• Worth its value of almost half a grand 

Con’s

• Would prefer metal volume knob instead of plastic
• Can look a little bulky in some set-up’s 

Where to buy

Audioengine — MSRP: $399 

///5///

This review was done by Ricardo Trejo, whow as given A5+ speakers by Audioengine.

So I made the plunge and bought an iMac after I recently tied the knot. Think of it as starting anew both in real life and in my digital one. And while I was happy setting up the brain child of Steve Jobs, I soon discovered that my world had been turned upside down. After more than a decade of exclusively being tied to Windows machines, here I was having to learn the basics of keyboard shortcuts all over again. And one that that really go on my nerves was wondering just how the heck does one “shift-select” on a Mac, for instance when wanting to select a groupf of photos to edit at one time without manually clicking on each one? The solution was a strange one. 

To my amazement, “shift + select” is still a useable shortcut even on the Mac’s configuration. But there are some restrictions, unfortunately. When within Finder you can “command + select” on anything and you’ll get the same Windows results, but when holding shift it’s a little more selective.

Definition

“Shift + select” allows you to click on one item within a folder and then click on another item either further down the page and have all the items within the first and second items selected. This is great for working with a number of files without having to click and drag, which can be a pain on Apple’s Magic Mouse for some. 

How to

To use “shift + select”in the Finder on OS X Lion you need to set your folder’s view options to anything except “Icon view” (the first choice inside the green circle below). When in “list, columns, or coverflow view” you are able to use “shift + select” to work with multiples files within the range in which you define, and you can “command + select” (Windows version of “ctrl + select”) to deselect or select items within the range:

When items have been defined, if you then select “icon view”, you’ll notice that the same items have been selected from the other view options. To my knowledge, this is the only way to go around it. This philosophy also holds true when working on a Mac’s Desktop.

“What’s wrong with education cannot be fixed with technology,” Steve Jobs once said. It’s true that little can be done in tech field to make teachers, their school districts, and parents change the way in which they prepare a proper lesson plan. But they CAN take steps to nudge them in the right direction. Apple has focused on the consumer market for decades now, and with its appropriate household name, it hopes to be one synonymous with education reform and getting kids back on track to want to learn again by giving them, and their teachers, the tools needed to spark their interest. 

Apple launches iBooks 2 for iPad, strikes deals with major textbook publishers to offer cheap, interactive, always-up-to date text books for students and teachers:

“The new iBooks 2 app is available today as a free download from the App Store™. With support for great new features including gorgeous, fullscreen books, interactive 3D objects, diagrams, videos and photos, the iBooks 2 app will let students learn about the solar system or the physics of a skyscraper with amazing new interactive textbooks that come to life with just a tap or swipe of the finger. With its fast, fluid navigation, easy highlighting and note-taking, searching and definitions, plus lesson reviews and study cards, the new iBooks 2 app lets students study and learn in more efficient and effective ways than ever before. 

iBooks Author is also available today as a free download from the Mac App Store and lets anyone with a Mac create stunning iBooks textbooks, cookbooks, history books, picture books and more, and publish them to Apple’s iBookstore. Authors and publishers of any size can start creating with Apple-designed templates that feature a wide variety of page layouts. iBooks Author lets you add your own text and images by simply dragging and dropping, and with the Multi-Touch™ widgets you can easily add interactive photo galleries, movies, Keynote® presentations and 3D objects. 

Apple today also announced an all-new iTunes® U app giving educators and students everything they need on their iPad, iPhone® and iPod touch® to teach and take entire courses. With the new iTunes U app, students using iPads have access to the world’s largest catalog of free educational content, along with over 20,000 education apps at their fingertips and hundreds of thousands of books in the iBookstore that can be used in their school curriculum, such as novels for English or Social Studies.* The iTunes U app is available today as a free download from the App Store.

*Some content is available only for iPad.”

What Apple hopes to accomplish with iBooks 2

When the iPad was first announced everyone knew that this day would come, and now it’s becoming a reality. I believe that with the announcement of iPad 3 there will come a swift price cut to the iPad 2 that will make it competitive and affordable for any parent looking to get their kid one. Should we say $199 for the base model? It makes sense, especially going up against the Kindle Fire.

As for details on iBooks 2, it was mentioned that high school textbooks would cost as much as $14.99 and lower. And with the newly unveiled iBooks Author, just about anyone could create and sell their own interactive books on the iBooks store. 

With the focus of information shifting from physical books to digital media, learning is more convenient than ever. But again, tech cannot be the focus of education… it has to start elsewhere. The late Steve Jobs knew the importance of education, but was keenly aware at what steps were needed to make it relevant:

“When you have kids you think, What exactly do I want them to learn? Most of the stuff they study in school is completely useless. But some incredibly valuable things you don’t learn until you’re older — yet you could learn them when you’re younger. And you start to think, What would I do if I set a curriculum for a school?

God, how exciting that could be! But you can’t do it today. You’d be crazy to work in a school today. You don’t get to do what you want. You don’t get to pick your books, your curriculum. You get to teach one narrow specialization. Who would ever want to do that?

These are the solutions to our problems in education. Unfortunately, technology isn’t it. You’re not going to solve the problems by putting all knowledge onto CD-ROMs. We can put a Web site in every school — none of this is bad. It’s bad only if it lulls us into thinking we’re doing something to solve the problem with education.”

And with that we’ll have to see where this latest breakthrough takes us. 

Get your pitchforks ready, ‘cause At&t is raising prices again! But before you get your panties all in a bunch and throw a hissy-fit let’s get something straight. With the rise in data use through mobile apps, made popular due to the iPhone and Android offerings, from a business standpoint it makes sense to make a quick buck off a couple million people by raising rates up a few dollars. Okay, I don’t mean to defend the provider, since I’m with them and I hate them with each day that passes, but you gotta at least see where they’re coming from. And now that I’ve written that I wish they would simply do the same for us and give us what we’ve wanted, and actually had, from the start: an unlimited data plan. 

At&t officially announces new data rates for smartphones and tablets, going into effect starting Sunday, January 22nd:

The new smartphone plans include:

• AT&T Data Plus 300MB: $20 for 300MB
• AT&T Data Pro 3GB: $30 for 3GB
• AT&T Data Pro 5GB: $50 for 5GB, with mobile hotspot / tethering

Smartphone customers needing additional data can pay $10 per additional gigabyte on the AT&T Data Pro 3GB and Data Pro 5GB plans; AT&T Data Plus users will receive an extra 300MB for $20.

The new tablet plans* include:

• AT&T DataConnect 3GB: $30 for 3GB
• AT&T DataConnect 5GB: $50 for 5GB

Existing smartphone and tablet customers will have the choice of keeping their current plans or choosing one of these new plans, and the current $14.99 for 250MB plan for tablet customers will remain available.

At&t’s reason and rate hike justification

At&t had this to say on their blog post introducing the new rates:

“Customers are using more mobile broadband data than ever before.

More content downloading, more video streaming, more apps. Connecting with family and friends 24-7. Mobile broadband has become part of our daily lives – and data usage has skyrocketed.

And as the AT&T network gets even faster with 4G LTE deployment – up to 10 times faster than 3G – and devices and applications become even more sophisticated, it’s clear that data usage will surge even more.

Taking all of this into account – and our ongoing commitment to deliver value to our customers – we’re launching new smartphone and tablet data plans on Sunday, Jan. 22. The new plans give customers more data for more value. You can read about the plans here. Existing customers will be able to keep their current plans but can also choose from one of the new plans.”

While it is a comforting thought to know that current subscribers won’t need to worry over their bills looking any different should they choose to stay where they are, it will make potential customers do a double take and give other providers a look first — especially if they’re looking to get an iPhone on their plan.

There’s a shift in the tectonics plates in what is now known as “video game journalism”. People are moving, sites are being formed, and new Avenger teams are being assembled. But what does it all mean? Maybe not a lot, but as in the words of Ben Kuchera, Penny Arcade’s new editor in charge of video game coverage (for lack of a more precise title atm), “I don’t think it says much, other than the fact people are starting to really invest in good writing, as egotistical as that sounds.” It makes sense considering that the biggest sites like IGN and Gamespot attract viewers through headlines, whereas the refined gamers who enjoy editorials flock more towards sites with large editoral personalities. So what does this mean for Penny Arcade?

Penny Arcade to offer their own video game coverage as gaming editor of Opposable Thumbs for Ars Technica joins the ranks of Gabe and Tycho:

Tycho (Keith Gerald “Jerry” Holkins né Parkinson)
Writer at Penny Arcade 

“There’s an incredibly short list of people I trust to tell me the truth about the industry, even if I don’t always want to hear it, and Ben Kuchera is on top of that list.  You may already be a reader of his at Ars Technica, where he’s been in charge of their gaming coverage for…  well, ever.  Until today, I guess, when I hired him.

We’re bringing him on to create industry coverage you can read without holding your nose, essentially; I want a perspective, I want a Curator for the Internet’s gaming content.  In a couple words, I want something less insulting and disposable.

We used to rail about IGN in our innocence, back when we couldn’t imagine anything worse.  News is pretty much busted at the moment; you may be shocked to hear it, but deadlines every twenty minutes put you on the wrong side of quality versus quantity.  We have a track record of seeing broken things, and making an attempt to fix them; this is our attempt, and Ben is at the core of that.  I’ve wanted something like this for awhile, and so we’ve begun to make it.  Of course, you’re welcome to read it as well.

Do you want to meet Ben, figure out what his deal is?  He’s running a Q&A in the forums now.”

At the moment it’s not quite apparent what sorta verbage and words we’ll see on Penny Arcade in terms of gaming coverage. According to his Q&A, Ben will do more of an editorial role, posting on specific days rather than reporting daily press releases as most sites do (us excluded, of course).

Though it seems like we’ll get more a commentary on what’s happening within the industry, different aspects of the daily happenings we usually read in an objective way simply for info. I doubt we’ll see game reviews in any shape or form, but more critique’s on game mechanics and the direction genre’s are heading, but that’s just our best guess. 

What does this all mean?

I loved reading Kotaku for the opinions and un-related subject matter of some of their posts, even though many would say that the site was pretty late to some of the biggest stories already posted on other sites. But again, I was drawn to the people behind the written words — just as many will follow Kuchera as he leaves his longtime role at Ars to head over to Penny Arcade.

In my own head I like to think of game journalism the way in which media was portrayed in the 40’s; very cut throat and first to scene gets the prize. Nowadays it’s not really like that anymore. The smaller sites get the facts and then the bigger fish regurgitate those and earn the hits off their massive site. It’s a nice change of pace to see the leaders of these school of fish move over and do more editorial stuff than simply just posting for the sake of having more content on their individual sites. Just look at how The Verge has flourished after the events in which put Arianna Huffington in charge of AOL blogs. The masses who enjoyed Josh Topolsky and his crew of minions took their views with them to his new interim site, and subsequently over to The Verge. 

Will we see a mass exodus from the larger sites over to more boutique and well focused blogs run by the independent? I highly doubt it. But for the best in gaming criticism I like where the trend is going, and we wish Ben the best of luck as he takes Penny Arcade into uncharted waters.  

Ah Bethesda games, they’re always so special. Huge open worlds to explore and huge amounts of entertainment are in all of their games if you can deal with the large amount of bugs and issues those games were riddled with. And here we are at the fifth Elder Scrolls game, a series that has become ridiculously popular since its inception, and it really doesn’t get much better than this. Bethesda has made their newest trek into the snowy north of Skyrim it’s most memorable and effective yet with fantastic graphics, design and, as always, the best sidequests in the buisness bar none. Not only does Bethesda meet the huge bar they’ve set for their series, they’ve exceeded it by leaps and bounds.

Story 

From Morrowind onwards, the Elder Scrolls seems to have started a tradition with the way each game begins.  You wake up as an unnamed prisoner being taken to your death for an unknown crime and, after a short tutorial, are given free reign to do whatever you want, whenever you want and however you’d like. Skyrim is no different in this respect: You create your character just as your sent to the chopping block but after making your escape through the almost required tedium and linearity of the opening dungeon, the game gives you free reign to explore anywhere in Skyrim, the frozen northern landmass of Tamriel. With the ever present threat of the dragons running rampant throughout the world… Oh, who am I kidding, I just ran in the opposite direction of the quest marker and explored the world for a little bit. And my goodness, what a world it is.

It’s interesting that I’ve never really enjoyed the main quests of Elder Scrolls games. Most of them feel like afterthoughts in the grand scheme of your 80+ hour journey as the characters, missions and places you go never really reach the magnificience of the side quests that you embark on. While the main story is of a decent length, introducing that you are the last of the Dragonborn, a mortal race that can absorb the souls of slain dragons and focus them into “Shouts”, which are essentially strong spells that can really change the tide of battles, is a really interesting concept and one that is explored fairly effectively in the beginning of the game as you journey up the tallest mountains in the game and also take part in some interesting and varied dungeons, each with their own stories to tell as you explore them. While it never truly reaches a peak of any sort, with forgetable characters and a little too much going on between them, it’s a very serviceable story which provides a nice chunk of content to enjoy and, by the end, you really feel like you’ll be able to take down some of the toughest dragons with ease. All in all, after Oblivion’s god awful, repungnant stench of a main quest, Skyrim’s looks like a delicious cake in comparison. 

But let’s be honest here, Bethesda is known for having the best sidequests in the buisness bar absolutely no one and, in Skyrim, it’s come to the point where, after 80 hours of playing, I still have about 20 - 30 quests in my journal to do. And you know what’s great about all of them? It’s that they all feel sufficiently different enough to warrant doing. What’s absolutely brillant about Skyrim in particular, is that it succeeds in adding context into just about anywhere you explore. Similar to the Vaults in Fallout 3 but on a much larger scale, as in addition to characters giving backstory on an area, you might find books, writing on walls or rooms inside that give you insight into the backstory. It’s seen here on a massive scale and it’s fascinating at just how effective if it can be if you stop for a moment to read the absolutely astonishing number of ingame books you can find all over the place. 

Getting into specifics, you have the ability to join any or all of the guilds in the game, from the fan favourite Dark Brotherhood to new one’s like the very Warrior/Viking group of Companions. All of these guilds provide you with wildly varying experiences too and all contain their own stories that can last the length of other full games in their entirety. While there’s a wonderful sense of variety in these guilds, this negatively effects Skyrim’s ability to create a structured narrative. Along with it being such a large game, you’ll find yourself moving to and from a ridiculous number of places in your travels, most of the time leaving a handful of quests to collect dust in your journal until some later date. The large amount of NPC interactions don’t really help this fact either, as almost every quest has some new character or group associated with it, making it hard to connect with them as a whole. Now don’t get me wrong, a few of them have good personalities and dialogue but you’ll end up forgetting many of the characters just because of the sheer volume of things they do. For example, the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood questlines were some of Bethesda’s best storylines that they’ve crafted but I can only remember one standout character’s name from at least 15 hours of content between the two factions. 

Alongside the fact that you’ll be forgetting characters, we need to talk about them a little more as well. Skyrim undoubtedly has the best dialogue of any Elder Scrolls game yet, which means that all of it isn’t painfully terrible. There’s not one point in this game where you’ll want to jam your eyes out from hearing Brother Jauffre’s voice actor every five minutes. Overall though, many of the NPCs are made a little more interesting through smaller things like their interactions with your character and the variety of dialogue between all of them. While it isn’t all that noticeable, it definitely makes for a positive experience since you’ll naturally be seeing lots of characters as you explore the massive world of Skyrim. 

Gameplay 

And just what exactly will you be doing as you explore this lovely landscape? Skyrim starts in the usual manner, you create a character to represent yourself but you’ll immediately start to notice an important, and more importantly, excellent change in the way you play the game. In past Bethesda titles, you were forced to specialize in a variety of skills early on while Skyrim just improves the skills you choose to use with them all contributing to an overall leveling bar. You immediately notice the difference as you aren’t forced to be the typical class archetype in any way, shape or form when you play through the game. I played through the game as a sneaky assassin who used a variety of axes and maces. Sure, it may not be optimal, but the game doesn’t punish you for trying anything out. Alongside this system also comes the addition of a Fallout style perk system, where you can dump points into a skill of your choosing whenever you hit a certain milestone. The more perks you put in, the higher you can get into the numerous trees as you advance in level. It’s a nice way to reward a particular playstyle that you know you enjoy, even if the freedom of choice isn’t really adhered to with this mechanic. 

Primarily however, that sense of wonder really translates well into gameplay as you’ll be battling creatures both big and small as you explore and discovering new, interesting places for your character to plunder and hang around in. You’ll be doing this with a new combat system that feels much improved compared to the old style. They give you free use of the two hands you have for whatever you see fit; want a pure mage? Equip yourself with fire in both hands or any other mix of the elements. People who enjoy playing characters that are more up close and personal can choose to use two swords, shields or add in some magic in one hand with another. The possibilities here are really excellent in all respects and it’s great that Bethesda truly succeeded at letting you play any way you like without confining you to a chosen role throughout the entirety of the game like they did in Fallout 3 and most of their previous games. 

Most importantly perhaps is the effect that the newly returned Dragons have on Skyrim’s gameplay. Anytime your exploring the world, this potential encounter presents itself in spectacular fashion. The first time you see a dragon land and attack makes a huge impression and they’re hulking beasts that require quite an effort to take down. And when you do destroy it, you feel a huge sense of accomplishment that doesn’t really diminish the numerous times you’ll be attacked by one. 

On the downside, the melee combat in particular still feels clunky and simple. Generally mashing the button will win you the day and the game never gets outright challenging unless you try a gameplay style that’s a bit more unorthodox, which definitely can provide you with some challenges in survival.

Visuals/Audio

Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series have always prided themselves on having an enourmous world with interesting aesthetical designs but, technically, their last few games are showing the considerable age of it’s Gamebryo engine. I’m very happy to report then, that Bethesda has taken some major steps to really up their game in this area. Technically, the world is no longer a chunky slouch, with the view distance for things up close as well as things far away looking quite brilliant. The mountanous north of Skyrim is well represented in this respect, with the plentiful amount of interesting structures really just begging you to explore them. When you get up close however, some of the textures can look a bit low res alongside some of the further vistas popping in when you get closer. Regardless however, I feel that Skyrim really takes large strides in making the world of Tamriel just that more believeable. Simple things like snow getting heavier as you ascend a particularly tall mountain, an aurrora appearing during the night, and a lovely amount of variety in the areas you’ll explore really help make up for Skyrim’s technical issues, which are not as prevalent as they were in the previous games. 

Even better than that is that they’ve solved Oblivion’s problems of repetition with ease in Skyrim. Wheras you’d see only a handful of dungeons that all looked fairly identical in Oblivion, Skyrim’s dungeon usually bring something original or different to the table for each and everyone you enter. And there are quite the number of them that you’ll just stumble upon too. After 90 hours, while you’ll begin to see textures used for the environnments start to repeat, Bethesda still introduces completely different dungeon designs alongside an interesting gimmick for each of the hundreds you can find each time you sit down to play. Similarly to this, the towns and cities you’ll stumble into all bring out the Nordic (read: Viking) architecture in each, meaning you’ll be seeing lots of battle brothers, wooden villages and large axes. And here’s the thing, the developers always keep the illusion that you’re in the frozen north of the world well and alive, with there always being some snowy peek off in the distance or a cold storm brewing off in the distance. However, this is offset by just enough places that are more of your typical fantasy tropes, from old dwarven ruins and grass lands that made me feel like the game had lots of variety in its areas while also keeping it firmly planted in your mind that some of these places looked cold. With such a fantastic amount of places to visit, the hours you’ll pump into Skyrim just exploring these fantastic vistas will be astronomically high. 

Moving on to the subject of audio, the first thing I think of is the music because it’s absolutely fantastic. From the game’s utterly brilliant main theme, which builds in power about as fast as your anticipation to play the game, to the slower, more atmospheric compositions for when you explore the world. The key thing to notice here is that it never abruptly switches and there’s enough depth and complexity to each song to ensure that you don’t get tired of them over such a large amount of game time. 

On the other hand, if you know Bethesda, you know that they’re dialogue work has been the polar opposite of their music. I mentioned Brother Joffrey above but I’m happy to report that the voice work that is delivered here is like something out of heaven for a Bethesda title. This basically means that all the voice actors are decidely average, with, thank god, no real sticklers or too many repeat voice actors among the large crowd of people you’ll meet in the game. In all my playtime, I can count the number of outstanding voice actors on about half of my left hand, which is still dissapointing considering all of Bethesda’s phenominal work in other areas. 

Final Thoughts

Bethesda’s finally succeeded in making the game they’ve been trying to make since their creation. While their previous efforts were still great games, some of their combat felt clunky, the gameplay wasn’t as open minded and their worlds just weren’t as well realized in comparison to Skyrim. 

With such a vast and detailed world to discover, I’ve pumped in a huge 120 hours to just see the whole thing. As you explore you’ll come upon some fantastic side quests in most of the guilds around Skyrim and some not so fantastic ones like the main story. The graphics are sharp and detailed and the music will absolutely stay in your head for months to come. While the usual Bethesda tropes of bugs are present and the average voice acting are ever present, Skyrim is just such a joy to playthrough that you’ll always want to keep playing.

Pro’s

• Unbelievable world 
• Excellent Graphics and Aesthetics
• Awesome Music

Con’s

• Main Story is still weak
• Voice Acting is a mix between average and mediocre
• Skyrim is still a very buggy place

Of all the experiences in the past year, Skyrim really stands out to me as one of the finest. It’s incredibly well made, exceedingly huge and bursting with interesting content that really blows Bethesda’s last few games out of the water. They’ve said they’ll be taking some time to develop more meaty DLC and I can’t wait to sink even more hours into such a brilliant title. 

///5///