I was excited when offered the chance to take a look at AGF’s Ballistic HC case for the iPhone 4. As the website suggests, the Ballistic HC is “Designed to Survive Life,” a great slogan considering I had dumped my phone onto a brick patio just a few nights prior to receiving the review unit. The Ballistic HC is a great case, and though it may not be for everyone, it’s perfect for people who can be rough on their phones.
The first thing you’ll notice is that the Ballistic HC is big. It’s a pretty thick case by itself, and if you want it to get even bigger there’s a bouncy silicon wrap you can put around the case for extra protection. The size is a good thing, though. It allows for all of the padding and space necessary to keep your phone safe in the even that you would drop it or accidentally smash it against something. A rubber inner layer separates your phone from the hard outer, protecting the phone from the case and adding some shock absorption. The hard outer shell also has fixed rubber bumpers for an extra layer of protection. The aforementioned rubber sleeve really takes the phone to indestructible new heights.
The front of the Ballistic HC case has a screen protector that allows your touchscreen to still function perfectly. I was really impressed, because I’ve seen a lot of cases for which the screen protector ruins the browsing experience on the phone. With the Ballistic, you almost don’t notice that the protector is there (unless you drop your phone, of course, in which case you’ll just notice that the screen is in tact).
I only had one issue with the Ballistic case, a problem AGF is both aware of and working actively to fix. As you can see in the picture below, the screen protector can get suctioned onto the screen, creating an oil-spill pattern across the screen. It’s not very noticeable when the screen is lit up, but it kinda sucks when the screen is black.
As I said, though, Ballistic is working on a fix. The company posted a YouTube video with a simple, temporary fix for the problem while they continue to work on a permanent solution. Really, though, if you need this case, you are probably more interested in the fact that it will keep your phone safe, and less interested in the way your phone will look while tucked safely away inside this beast of a case.
I have never been satisfied with a laptop bag. They tend to be ugly, unwieldy, and either try to pack too many ridiculous features into a tiny package or leave your cords and chargers to fend for themselves in giant pockets seemingly designed to create a tangled mess. When I got the Booq Boa S Nerve (provided to me by the manufacturer) I figured it would fall under the “too many pockets,” umbrella, but I was surprised. Somehow Booq has managed to make a bag with a pocket for everything without it becoming a cluttered mess. I never thought I would use the phrase “intuitive design” about a bag, but that’s really what it boils down to.
As you can see, the inside is packed with pockets, and that doesn’t even show another set that lean against the book you can see pictured in the pouch. The great thing is that all of the pockets have expandable profiles, so when they aren’t in use they don’t take up much space. On that lowest tier there is a set of neoprene pockets for pens and a larger neoprene sleeve I like to use for my Magic Mouse. Inside the larger pouch where the included laptop sleeve sits there are some larger utility pockets made of the same ripstop material as the rest of the inner lining. Those are perfect for chargers, cords, and battery packs. The thing is, you would know this without me telling you. It’s not that I think bags should have labels on the pockets, but when I open a bag and immediately know how to compartmentalize my gear (instead of trying to figure out the best way to store all of my cords and hope they won’t get tangled) I’m a happy guy.
The Boa S Nerve is great down to the smallest details, too. There’s a tag on the inside with a serial number that gets associated with the buyer so that, in the event of a lost bag, you can hopefully get your bag back. There’s a secondary strap on the shoulder strap that clips to the side of the bag, cinching it tight against your body for riding on a bike or if you need to run to catch your public transportation of choice. There’s a little piece of covered plastic on the back whose purpose eluded me until I set the bag on my chair the other day to load it up and just grabbed the thing by what I now recognize as a handle. No, it’s not revolutionary, and I probably should have thought of what it was, but I didn’t, and the fact that I instinctively grabbed the bag there shows me just how much thought went into the design. Right under that there’s a little pocket for your mobile device of choice.
On the whole, it’s the thought that went into this product that makes it great. If you aren’t interested in a messenger style bag, Booq has an entire line of products designed for geeks and tech professionals with a sense of style and a need for quality storage. You can find their line of products at Booqbags.com.
As with any new Apple release, the iPhone 4 brought along a menagerie of options for the accessorizing individual. Everyone likes to talk about cases, but the thing I look for first is usually a cradle or a dock – something I can set on my nightstand for charging and use with the phone’s alarm clock.
The Konnet iCrado is about as simple a cradle as you’ll find. It’s a curved piece of metal with a slot for you to use your own cable as the actual data dock. There is a little more to it, though. The curve of the device is designed to improve sound quality for use as speakerphone. I have to say, I thought it was a gimmick at first, but it is nice to have the sound directed toward you. It doesn’t really imrpove much, just aims the sound at your face.
Unfortunately, I’m not much of a speakerphone guy. For the most part I’ll use a headset if I need to do some hands free work, so that isn’t a big selling point. I also don’t like that it requires you to provide the cord. The unit comes slotted for the owner’s cord with a small plastic clip that holds the cord in place. Your phone then sits upright, attached by the cord and leaning against the high back of the unit. I would much prefer that they give you a cord or have the cord connected to a jack at the back. The current method is inconvenient for traveling, and if you lose the piece that holds your cord in place, you’ve got a $30 paperweight with an iPhone-cord-shaped slot in it.
Speaking of price, that’s really the biggest setback. I would forgive the smaller flaws if it didn’t cost $30. At $15 this would be a fine little stand, available in whatever color strikes your fancy.
For as far as we’ve come in technological advances over the years, one thing that still hasn’t been perfected is video eyewear. I’m not exactly sure why anyone would want to have to wear something over their eyes in order to watch a movie when we have things like iPhones, iPads and portable DVD players, but Vuzix – one of the companies at the forefront of video eyewear – clearly believes it’s the future of on-the-go entertainment. But while it’s a great idea in concept, it’s hard to get over just how goofy you look wearing them. Though the latest line from Vuzix isn’t quite Virtual Boy-big – they look more like a pair of sunglasses that you’d buy at the gas station – they’re still a little clunky for something best used during travel.
Vuzix currently has three different models out on the market – the Wrap 230, 310 and 920 – and although the latter version features the biggest screen and best resolution of the bunch, it’s not worth the higher price tag. The Wrap 310 will work just fine for most users, as it offers a home theater experience akin to watching a 55-inch TV from about 10 feet away. The glasses themselves are actually pretty comfortable, but after you’ve plugged in a pair of headphones, the remote control unit, and your iPhone, it suddenly becomes very awkward to carry around. Still, Vuzix has made them as user-friendly as possible. It takes only a few minutes to set up, and the nosepiece is easily adjustable so that the unit can be shared between people of all sizes.
Where the Wrap 310 really falters, however, is in image quality. Though it supposedly boasts two “high-resolution” 428×480 LCD widescreen displays, it has a screen door effect that severely lowers the overall quality – especially when compared to watching a movie on your iPhone or PC. Unfortunately, that makes its appeal even lower, since a majority of the product’s target audience will probably be tech heads who are obsessed with image quality. That’s not to say that you can’t enjoy watching a movie on the Wrap 310 – the picture is decent enough, and you can personalize video settings like brightness, contrast and color saturation via an onscreen menu – but it doesn’t look as good as it probably should.
Playing video games while wearing the glasses is a little surreal, but it can be a bit dizzying (much like virtual reality), and ultimately isn’t worth it considering most people have big screen HDTVs in their homes these days. Sunlight also creeps through unless you’re in complete darkness, and though Vuzix sells a bulky rubber lightshield for $15, it’s something that really should have been included in the package. Of course, when you take into account that one of the main selling points of the Wrap 310 is its stylish, compact design, I can understand why they wouldn’t want to.
There are a few positives to the Wrap 310 – like offering enough room to wear glasses underneath or providing the option to manually adjust the focus for prescription-free viewing – but it’s simply not enough to warrant the suggested $249.99 price tag. Though you can find them for much cheaper on Amazon, it’s an amenity that most people just don’t need. I loved being able to lay around while watching a movie, and it would be great to have a little extra privacy on a plane trip, but until Vuzix can offer a comparable moviegoing experience, it’s probably best to wait.
Battery tech has gotten better over the years but it still has a long way to go. When the Palm Pre launched, one of its “differentiators” was the fact that it had a removable battery, so you could carry an extra for the days you were burning through the juice. For a lot of gadgets, though, that’s not an option.
That’s where external battery packs come in. Technocel recently sent me a PowerPak, a little battery pack that doubles as a charger, and I have to say, I’m in love with the thing.
With the Technocel PowerPak, you get the charging base along with a bundle of charging tips for various devices. You can connect to pretty much anything – micro USB, mini USB, and proprietary connections like Samsung and Sony – while the pack delivers power from a USB socket. Yes, that means you can plug in your iPhone cord and go.
While the PowerPak charges your device, it also charges an internal 1000mAh battery that can be used later by simply plugging in your favorite device. The front features a simple four-LED indicator for the battery’s charge level. As a point of reference, the iPhone 3GS is just over a 1200mAh battery, so this thing can almost get you up to full charge. In my experience, I would get anywhere from 60-80 percent additional battery life from the Technocel PowerPak, depending on how much I used my phone as it charged.
For anyone who’s ever wanted to try their hand at DJing but didn’t have the cash to invest in a turntable and record collection, Hercules has created a pretty nifty solution. Although it’s not the first of its kind, the DJ Control MP3 e2 (not exactly the sexiest name for a gadget) is one of the cheaper and more portable DJ units on the market. It contains everything you’ll need to get the party started, including two jog wheels to navigate your tracks, as well as a cross fader and two volume faders for mixing. You can also add automatic loops and sound effects, control the pitch of each track, and even scratch using the jog wheels, but chances are, most beginners won’t have any idea how a lot of that stuff works.
It’s nice to see that Hercules has included these features in case users want to play around with more advanced techniques in the future, but it’s hard to imagine the DJ Control being used for anything other than casual parties and wedding receptions. This is not a professional unit, nor is it meant to be, but it is pretty user friendly and incredibly well-made for its price. It’s lightweight but sturdy, and can easily be carried around in a backpack with the confidence that it’ll survive the trip in one piece thanks to the inclusion of a tight-fitting, plastic protective cover.
The Virtual DJ software also plays a big part in its accessibility, because while you might not want to mess with all of the knobs and buttons on the actual unit, the drag-and-drop nature of selecting songs from your computer practically guarantees that just about anyone can assume the role of DJ within minutes. Those who upgrade to the Pro version of the software will notice some cool enhancements (namely, the ability to mix music without having to plug the DJ Control into your computer), but it’s really not worth the extra $250 unless you’re really serious about it, in which case you should probably be using a better MP3 turntable.
So is the DJ Control MP3 e2 just an expensive toy? Not exactly. While you’ll need to spend some money to reap the full benefits of the unit (especially if you don’t have a 5.1-channel sound card), it does just enough to warrant its $129 price tag. It’s hard to recommend to those who only plan on using it for simple mixing at parties, but if you also want to record your own tracks and learn the basics of DJing before graduating to something bigger and better, Hercules’ DJ Control does it all without breaking the bank.
Most of the reviews I’ve seen for this summer’s ‘Iron Man 2′ have been fairly tame. No one is telling you not to see it. No one is really bemoaning the movie’s lack of a plot. After finally seeing the film, I realized the reason the reviews are so benign: the movie actually sounds decent when you write it out.
Let me start by saying that ‘Iron Man 2‘ is a bad movie. Yes, bad. It has moments of gripping action, but they are fleeting, stuffed between awkward dialogue and an underdeveloped inner conflict. When, after all is said and done, the primary conflict of a superhero movie is a race for government arms contracts, you’re watching a bad movie. It wasn’t just that, though, because you could hardly say the film had one plot. It was more like each character had their own idea of the plot (not their own story arc, which is a totally legitimate means of character development) and acted only within the confines of their own story. That sounds like character development, but when you see it on screen you know it’s just not.
Take the Justin Hammer plotline – throughout the film Sam Rockwell delivers a great performance as the military’s substandard replacement for Stark Industries weapon development. He plays well off Tony Stark’s brash arrogance, setting the stage to deliver a comeuppance to our superhero later in the film. Unfortunately, I never once believed Hammer could pull it off. He was the bumbling fool, not the villain, so Favreau gives us Mickey Rourke as the terrifying face of Ivan Vanko, aka Whiplash.
With Whiplash we have a real enemy, and though the scene on the Monaco raceway was a bunch of CG masturbation, we saw what a great purpose it served (or could have served) when Stark met with Vanko in a holding cell. Vanko’s point was to “make god bleed” so that the sharks would come after the blood. It’s a great idea, but no one comes. It’s just Vanko, tinkering in a workshop, building what turns out to be just another Iron Man knockoff. In fact, Stark doesn’t even know Vanko is alive for most of the movie, and even when he discovers that this ne’er-do-well is, after all, still breathing, he doesn’t seem to care. It’s the second conflict that could have served as the focal point of the movie, but instead fails to deliver any tension.
Then we look to Stark’s inner struggle. The paladium that runs the arc reactor in Tony’s chest is starting to poison his blood, pushing him ever closer to death. Though he says he’s searched far and wide for a suitable replacement, we never see him actually looking, which begs the question, does Iron Man really care? The first movie was all about Stark’s revelation, and now we have someone so self-absorbed that he can’t even see that his death also means the death of the American military. Without the Iron Man threat, the country is once again vulnerable to attack, attacks that villains like Vanko are surely ready to execute. Again, it’s a story that could have been handled so well, but when you have to mix in all the aforementioned elements while also trying to keep this storyline interesting, it just doesn’t work.
At the end of it all, I think ‘Iron Man 2′ is a lot like the first ‘X-Men.’ It’s a movie that strives to set up the future of the franchise and ultimately can’t stand on its own. Without the prequel, I’d almost wonder if this summer’s Stark movie had been directed by Ang Lee.
I’ve been a big supporter of SLAPPA ever since I reviewed my first backpack from them in 2006, and though it might seem like we’ve done nothing but blindly promote their products since then, the praise has been well deserved. In the four years since receiving the Velocity SPYDER Pro for review, the bag hasn’t exactly been treated with tender loving care. And yet, despite being jammed to capacity (and beyond) and dragged through airport security more times than I’d care to count, it still looks brand new. In other words, it definitely held up its end of the bargain in terms of quality.
Nevertheless, when SLAPPA offered to send over their new M.A.S.K. custom build backpack for review, I jumped at the opportunity – not because I needed a replacement, but because it offered something that their other bags (and to my knowledge, no other bag on the market) didn’t: customizability. With the M.A.S.K., you build your bag from the ground up, like choosing the color of your inner lining and selecting removable faces that offer different looks and functions. For instance, the KOA features three pockets perfect for a camera, some extra lenses, and a few other accessories, while the High Five is a more traditional, all-purpose front pocket. Better yet, they’re a breeze to take off, so if you need to switch faces on the fly, it’s as easy as zipping up a jacket.
To make each bag even more unique, you can also personalize the inside with a wide variety of removable inserts (15 in total with a promise of more to come in the future) ranging from SLAPPA-themed prints to original artwork. And since they’re attached with Velcro, they’re easily interchangeable, especially if you remove the face of the bag beforehand. In addition, the M.A.S.K. boasts the ability to go straight through airport scanners, although I wasn’t able to test if it really works. Then again, the chances that a TSA agent will actually let you go through without removing your laptop are pretty slim, so I’m not too sure how helpful this feature will be to those looking to cut a few seconds off their travel time. You’re willing to try, however, because if SLAPPA says that it works, then I’m inclined to believe them.
After all, this is the same company that swears by the quality of its products, and they haven’t disappointed yet. The M.A.S.K. is water resistant, puncture proof, and nearly indestructible (I was tempted to light it on fire but was afraid I’d burn down my apartment in the process), and it features more room than most people know what to do with. If there’s anything negative to say about the bag, it’s that it’s a little on the bulky side, making it a questionable carry-on item depending on just how much stuff you’ve managed to cram inside it. That’s hardly a bad problem to have, especially when you consider that the SLAPPA M.A.S.K. will not only endure years of abuse, but can change along with your individual needs as well. And with that kind of value, it’s easy to see why we’ve become such loyal supporters.
I learned how to beat mix in 1987. Back then, everyone was using Technics 1200s (the first CD players with pitch bend came the following year), and any effects you wanted to add – which basically came down to two things, phasing and back-beating – had to be done manually with the records themselves. No Pro Tools, no effects processing, no digital anything. Mix tapes were done in one take; I’d plot out each side in advance, press record, and hope for the best. I averaged roughly 3.5 train wrecks per mix tape.
In 2000, I finally upgraded from vinyl to CD. Denon made, and still makes, fantastic DJ equipment for use with CDs, so I bought that, a Numark mixing board, and a cabinet. But making mix tapes was still a pain, the old one-take scenario, and transferring them to digital form was worse. Roxio – which back then was called Adaptec – had a program that could transfer analog sources to digital format if you had the right equipment, but the signal loss was incredible. Once you amplified it to a reasonable level, the tape hiss was unbearable. Eventually, I stopped making mixes, though that had as much to do with a more demanding job and family life as it did with the archaic process of making the tape itself.
All that gear, of course, is woefully outdated now. I haven’t made a beat mix since 2002. Sigh.
Needless to say, when the email promoting MixMeister Express landed in my inbox, they had my attention. The program’s layout is similar to the loop-based remix software Acid, another toy I played with a lot back when I had more time on my hands. And the way MixMeister analyzes songs and plots transitions from one song to the next is, well, ridiculously smart. In a matter of hours, I had assembled an 80-minute mix, and not a single train wreck in sight.
Few things entice me more than a glass of small batch bourbon. Over the past several decades, the list of quality craft whiskeys has grown exponentially, yielding a market place that can be as confusing as it is rewarding. F. Paul Pacult wants to help you navigate the sea of options and blends with an iPhone app called iWhiskey from Jolt OS.
This app is definitely the best resource I’ve found on whiskey for the iPhone. It opens on a “shelf” of whiskey bottles with options for American, Canadian, Irish, single malt Scotch, blended Scotch, and whiskeys from other parts of the world for browsing. There’s a search function if you’re looking for a particular brand and a feature that allows you to save some favorites to your own “My Barrel” section.
Each individual whiskey has a feature page, complete with tasting and bouquet information and a picture of the bottle so you can more easily locate your preference at your bar or the liquor store. There are quite a few with missing pictures, something I’d assume will be updated in the future. The app also features a selection of cocktails made with various whiskeys. The list is small, but again, easy to update.
The app only has two drawbacks. First, it needs a home button. The front screen is so pretty, but there’s just no way to get back to it without closing the app and reopening. The second problem is the price. It’s tough to say whether $10.99 is really worth this kind of information on a phone with web access. Pacult’s reviews are top-notch, and it is a one-stop shop for more than 600 whiskey reviews, but I think you’ll likely only see this on a very serious whiskey lover’s phone.
I’ve spent the last two weeks with the Motorola Debut i856, a feature phone on the Sprint network that makes use of iDEN tech with push-to-talk. It’s the slimmest push-to-talk phone I’ve seen and has solid voice quality and a decent music player. Unfortunately, the keypad makes texting feel like a chore and with increasingly cheap smartphones, the i856 might not have enough features to keep your interest.
Design
The i856 is definitely a good looking phone. I’ve always preferred sliders to clamshells, and again, the thin body is a nice addition to the world of iDEN devices. At 4.19 inches long by 2.0 inches wide by 0.59 thick, it’s small enough to tuck into a pocket or a small purse. The front of the phone has a ring with four navigation buttons and a selection button. The left, right, and selection buttons control the media player whenever you have music playing. The rest of the time they’re used for standard browsing. The side of the phone has your volume rocker, the push-to-talk key (which also pulls up the contacts page) and a volume toggle. You also get a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing the use of your headset of choice.
One confusing design feature is the placement of the microSD slot. It’s inconveniently tucked under the battery cover – not a huge deal, but a pain if you like to switch out your music regularly.
The keypad design is where the i856 suffers most. It looks good, but the buttons are spongy and close together, making it almost impossible to text with two hands. The keys are raised, so it’s easy enough to dial by feel with one hand, but doing anything else is an exercise in frustration.
Features
With any feature phone, I look for it to do one thing really well. If I wanted something that could multi-task well, I’d step up to a smartphone. The i856 actually has a great little media player. It organizes tracks by artist, album, and genre, and (my personal favorite feature) it supports podcasts. You can set the phone to play music in the background while performing other functions, and the keys that toggle on the front of the phone make it easy to control what you hear. The player supports a wide range of formats, so you shouldn’t have trouble getting what you want on the phone.
The i856 also has a 1.3MP camera. It takes pictures of about the quality you’d expect, worse in low light. There’s a 600 capacity contact list with the ability to group contacts for push-to-talk and customize caller ID photos and ringtones. Beyond that you get the basic downloads for wallpapers, ringtones, and games.
Quality and Performance
I was really impressed with the call quality on the i856. It’s crystal clear on both ends, so much so that my friend thought it was a VoIP call. Speaker phone was good enough for occasional hands-free use. Again, media features are strong and easy to control, just make sure you’re using a headset. The external speakers sound tinny and thin.
Overall, this is a decent phone if you’re really committed to push-to-talk. Beyond that, your $100 could get you a Palm Pre if you’re committed to Sprint (the i856 is also available through Boost), which is a much more flexible device.
Giveaway!
Motorola has offered us two of these handsets for a giveaway. As soon as we have details for the contest I’ll post them here. Don’t forget to check out our other reviews at the Gadget Teaser Reviews section.
I’ve got another app review for you today, this time from Cycle World (which is published under Hachette Filipacchi Media along with Car and Driver). The app, appropriately named “Best of Cycle World,” can be picked up from the App Store for free.
Before installing the app I read a few users reviews complaining about the update schedule and limited content. I would wholeheartedly agree if the app was billed as digital magazine, but it’s not. It’s a companion to a subscription magazine and should be considered as such. Bearing that in mind, I think the app is a great way to carry CW content in your pocket.
The app works like a content-rich RSS feed for the magazine’s best articles. It’s a simple list that links to individual articles, all of which have a picture gallery. While the content is decent, a few simple updates could improve the app. I’d recommend a system by which the reader can see what’s been read and what hasn’t. Also, adding a picture count (1 of 8, etc.) to the galleries would be a small improvement.
Overall, can’t complain much about free content. If nothing else, it saves you the embarrassment of carrying a magazine into the bathroom while your girlfriend’s over. That is, if you still care about that sort of thing.
When I look at mobile apps for popular magazines I always look for the same thing: content. A lot of publishers skimp on content just to have a name in the App Store. Luckily, that’s starting to change, and Car and Driver’s Buyer’s Guide is part of a welcome shift toward content-rich apps. The Buyer’s Guide is a great companion for anyone shopping for a new car, and best of all it’s free.
The app is simple and straight-forward. You search for cars based on make and model, whereupon you can find reviews, photos, specs for every trim level, and a list of competitor’s vehicles to consider against your choice. The main page also has general categories like “Latest Reviewed,” and “Fuel Misers.” These are especially helpful if you’re just starting your search or are unsure where to look. In any case, there’s always plenty of information. Of the 20 or so cars I browsed through, I never left the app thinking they’d missed something.
The app also has a general advice section including articles like “How to Test Drive a Car,” and “What’s the Right New Vehicle for Me?” The articles are full-length and offer the same kind of advice you’d get from the magazine or any male relative over 40.
If I have one complaint about the app it’s that there are ads, but that’s the price you pay to get a free app. Otherwise, it’s a great tool for anyone in the market for a new vehicle.
In the rush to release an iPhone app, a lot of publishers have missed the mark, omitting their best content for something quick and dirty that kicks your ass outside after you’ve had your five minutes of fun. FHM’s iPhone app is different, though. It’s loaded with content, frequently updated, and it only costs $1.99.
I was more than happy to consider reviewing the app since I knew what hid between FHM’s magazine covers. Everyone knows FHM gets the hottest women alive – just look at the Megan Fox shoot – and that’s the bulk of material the app delivers to the iPhone. The app works on a card system that’s actually a lot like the Palm Pre’s OS. The two most prominent cards are “Non-stop Honeys” and “Girl of the Week.” Each section allows you to view FHM photo content in a grid of four per screen, or zoomed to full-screen. You can then save or share the pictures you like and vote on your favorites.
The app also has a videos section with behind-the-scene content for a lot of the photo shoots. Again, content is updated regularly, so you should be able to find something new to watch as often as you come back to the app. To top things off, FHM feeds articles into the “Take Once Daily” sections, and adds that special FHM flavor with the “Useful/Useless Facts” section (who knew a five-minute kiss was illegal in Iowa?).
The whole thing is delivered in a slick little package courtesy of Zumobi. If you’re a fan of the FHM magazine, there’s no way you’ll be disappointed in the $1.99 you spend on this app.
We have flat-screen TVs that mount directly into our walls, laptops that can pick up wi-fi in airplanes, and cellphones that can browse the Web, play music, and take 10MP pictures — so why are most of us still stuck with old-fashioned wired speakers?
Because wireless systems are clunky, expensive, and prone to all kinds of interference, that’s why. Until now, anyway: thanks to a combination of a low $299 price point and deep Amazon discounting, you can get your hands on an Eos Wireless Audio System starter package for less than $180. Given that this includes two speakers — one of which acts as a docking station that charges your iPod while it plays — this is an intriguing development. (Additional speakers — each station can handle up to four — are $115-$150 each.)
So now that Eos has established itself as an affordable option for the budget-conscious wireless audio enthusiast, the only question is whether its system has managed to avoid the “clunky” and “prone to interference” part. And the answer, at least according to several weeks of home testing with the docking station and two speakers the company loaned me for review, is “yes and no.”
On the positive side, these things definitely aren’t clunky. Whether you buy your system in black or (slightly more affordable) white, the Eos is all curves and smoothly sculpted lines, and it’s dead simple to install: I literally plugged in the docking station, plugged in the speakers, and I was on my way. The system links to its satellite speakers via top-mounted antennae with blue LEDs that flash on or off depending on whether they can detect a signal (more on that in a minute). The station, controllable by remote, has its own volume setting, as do each of the speakers, which are controlled by a volume/power knob. It’s kind of a low-tech wrinkle for a high-tech gadget, and if you’re trying to precisely triangulate sound in a large room, it might be an annoyance, but if you’re that kind of listener you’re probably not in the market for the Eos system anyway.
The system’s sound itself will be another issue for audiophiles — but again, because of the limitations of wireless, audiophiles probably won’t be looking at something like this anyway. For what it is, the Eos is more than adequate; it doesn’t have the broadest dynamic range you’ve ever heard, but the company has tried to compensate for a rather thin bottom end by adding 2.1 sound and SRS to the mix. The result is a system that you probably wouldn’t want to blast at top volume, but for ordinary around-the-house listening, it’s just about perfect.
The only real drawback to the Eos — and it is, admittedly, a pretty major one — is an annoying tendency to drop its signal. My kitchen, dining room, and living room are all in one open area, and I arranged the dock and speakers in a triangle far smaller than the system’s advertised 150-foot range, but the Eos kept bumping up against some kind of interference, and the signal would go through random bursts of flickering. It might run for an hour with no issues, then go another hour with each speaker dropping its signal at least once a song. It isn’t the end of the world, but if I’d paid for the system, I’d probably be pretty aggravated, especially since the one option Eos gives you for boosting the signal doesn’t really work if you have the components in the same space — the system’s signal amplifier causes a slight echo that ends up being more annoying than the fade, and in my case, it didn’t even fix the problem.
Hiccups like these are probably to be expected when you’re going the extra mile to avoid dealing with speaker wire, however, and I wasn’t able to find reports of anyone else experiencing the same issue, so it could just be something specific to my environment. And even with the signal fade, the Eos is an attractive, affordable option for anyone looking to free themselves from the tyranny of speaker wires. Just make sure you buy them from a store with a good return policy…just in case.
I’ve spent some time over the last month playing with my new favorite iPhone accessory, the Mophie Juice Pack Air, which Mophie was kind enough to provide for this review. The concept is simple – provide extra power for your iPhone in as small a form factor as possible – and Mophie’s nailed it. The Juice Pack Air is the perfect case if you need your phone but won’t be able to charge it for some time.
The Juice Pack Air is basically a backpack for your iPhone. The plastic shell is a size increase for every dimension of the phone, as you might expect from an external battery, though the largest increase is just over a quarter-inch on the bottom of the phone. It’s a fully enclosed case with a removable top, a feature that comes in handy if you’ve got an oversized headphone connector. The remaining charge is indicated by four blue LEDs along the lower back of the case, which are activated with a push button. There’s also a power switch on the bottom to toggle between your phone’s battery and that of the case.
As for battery life, which is the big deal for this type of case, the 3GS will get nearly double life out of a single charge. Under heavy use I was getting a 65-70% extended life from the Juice Pack Air, but in most cases it was at or above 80%. The case’s battery has a 1200mAh capacity, which is among the lowest for this style case. As I mentioned, the capacity is a tradeoff for size, which is something I like about the Mophie. If you need something that gets you through two full charges or more, you should definitely look elsewhere.
Though I think Mophie hit the mark on a small, protective battery case, there are a couple things I would change. First, the connection is micro USB, which means carrying an uncommon cable type for charging. That can be frustrating on the road, where I like to pack as light as possible. I also don’t like that the case sits flush with the face of the phone. Just a little lip would mean you could set the iPhone face down without worrying about scratches. If you like to use a screen protector even that will be sitting higher than the edge of the case and without a lip may get peeled back when stuffed repeatedly into a pocket.
On the whole, though, I really like the Juice Pack Air. It’s small enough to still fit into a pocket with enough battery power to get you through most any day. You can get Mophie’s Juice Pack Air from the company website for $79.95.
There’s nothing quite as lovely as a brand new piece of tech gadgetry…and nothing quite as heartbreaking as that first permanent scratch or smudge on said gadget, which is why there are so many options for tricking out and covering up our precious grown-up toys. One of the latest contenders in the skinning sweepstakes is the aptly named MusicSkins, which takes the basic essential ingredient — a piece of adhesive vinyl — and adds a couple of interesting twists.
The first — and arguably most important — of MusicSkins’ claims to faim is the sheer ease with which the stuff goes on and comes off. The company sent me a skin for my iPod Touch, which I decided to put through its paces by sticking it on while I was sitting in the front seat of a car with the iPod in my lap. Having tried (and failed) to achieve a bubble-free Belkin screen protector under what were close to lab conditions, I expected I’d have to re-fasten the MusicSkin indoors, with the iPod on a flat surface. I was pleasantly surprised, though — the stuff goes on easy, and isn’t prone to bubbling; what’s more, it comes off just as easily as the company promises, leaving behind very little in the way of residue. And, of course, while it’s on, it acts as a slick barrier for pretty much any scuffs or scratches; in order to even mark the surface, you’ve basically got to rub your device over asphalt. Ordinary wear and tear don’t even show up.
The other feature that sets MusicSkins apart is the fact that the company not only offers a huge assortment of skins (everything from phones to game controllers to guitars) and a wide variety of (largely celeb-focused) skin designs, it also allows you to customize your skins by uploading your own artwork or photos, thus giving you the opportunity to choose between covering your iPod, phone, or laptop with a picture of Madonna, Bob Marley, your company logo, or your cat. Not as important as whether or not the stuff really works, of course, but in a crowded product field, it’s the little stuff that sets brands apart, right?
Say goodbye to your FM tuner, and the static and frustration that come with it. With the Sony Xplod’s USB 1-Wire, you can now hook your iPod, iPhone or any other USB-compatible digital music player right into your car’s stereo system and get the kind of crisp sound quality an FM tuner could never provide. And with Bluetooth hands-free calling capabilities, MP3/WMA/AAC playback, Satellite radio and HD Radio compatibility, and a wireless remote, the Xplod MEX-BT5700U, provided by Sony for this review, is ready for just about anything you can throw at it.
Give Sony credit for coming up with a menu style that makes browsing through your iPod’s library to find a particular song much easier than similar units. The Quick-BrowZer function allows users to search for music by artist, album, genre or playlist, but when you’ve got hundreds of artists and thousands of songs on your player, that’s just not enough. Fortunately, the Jump Mode gets you where you need to go much more efficiently by fast-forwarding through a category in 10% increments. No worries about having to turn the dial for five minutes just to get to your “R” artists. Finally, Zappin mode will play music in six-, nine- or 30-second segments to help speed up your search for that one elusive song.
Of course, some of us are stubborn and have grown very comfortable with our music player’s navigation menu, making the switch to a new format – no matter how intuitive it may be – a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, the Xplod features Passenger Control, which puts the menu back in the palm of your hand and allows you (or, ostensibly, your passenger) to control your tunes directly from the portable player. While it doesn’t take long to learn how to navigate the Xplod’s menu, it’s pretty handy to have the option of switching to Passenger Control when needed. Unfortunately, this feature doesn’t work with iPod Nano 1st generation and iPod 5th generation, much to my chagrin since I have no plans to replace my iPod 5G anytime soon. Ah, but don’t forget about the handy front auxiliary input, which lets me hook into the stereo while still controlling everything from my iPod. Of course, connecting this way won’t charge your portable music player, but it’s nice to have that option.
The Xplod’s appeal doesn’t end with the iPod connectivity. The unit’s Bluetooth capabilities are impressive, to say the least, and are fully compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The new Phonebook Access Profile feature allows you to browse your linked cell’s phonebook to make a call, save a contact, or download your entire phonebook (up to 300 contacts) for easy access via the Xplod’s Bluetooth menu. Speaking of the menu, there are all sorts of options to play with, whether you want to choose your phone’s ringtone or the stereo’s default tone, enable “Auto Answer” or “Echo Canceller/Noise Canceller Mode,” or set the microphone’s default volume level. And since the unit comes standard with an external microphone in addition to the built-in mic, you’re able to easily improve your audio quality. Finally, if your portable music player supports Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), you can stream your audio via Bluetooth.
In short, this is one heavy duty car stereo with more features than most people would probably ever use. As a bonus, the in-dash unit looks great, with a customizable, bright and easy-to-read display that offers up to four lines of music and phone call data, the ability to choose between red, blue or green illuminated keys, and a flip-down, detachable faceplate. Anyone who’s ever battled with an FM tuner will fall for the instant iPod connectivity the Sony Xplod MEX-BT5700U offers, but the fun most definitely doesn’t stop there.
The Joby Gorilla Pod has become one of the most popular tripod solutions that allows you to mount a camera almost anywhere. Joby’s taken that idea and shrunk it down to provide the same flexibility for mobile applications.
I’ve always been impressed with the quality of Joby products and the Gorilla Mobile is no exception. The joints hold up well, even under constant use (I used mine to entertain an 18-month old for a couple hours). Joby has also added extra functionality by including interchangeable mounts for different devices. There’s the standard camera mount – which is perfect for your point and shoot or a Flip video – an adhesive mount for anything without a camera bracket, and a suction cup which is for anything with a smooth surface (yeah, it’s pretty much for the iPhone, though your Blackberry might be alright there).
There’s really nothing bad to say about this little tripod. It’s functional, fits most any device, and can be tucked into a pocket. My only hang up was getting the suction cup to fit the phone, but a quick cleaning and little spit gave it a solid hold. My one piece of advice is to make sure the interchangeable lock is in place before setting your camera anywhere. If you don’t have the locking ring in place, any kind of tilt could send your camera/phone sliding to its death.
You can get the Gorilla Mobile direct from Joby for $30.
Today I’ve got another video review for you. This time it’s the iSkin Revo2, a rubbery case designed for maximum shock absorption and a little moisture protection.
It’s a decent case, though it can be tough to get a good fit around the phone. At $39.99 it’s a little too expensive for what the product offers, but a decent buy if you can find it on sale. If you’re looking for a simple case that looks nice with decent shock protection, check out the iSkin Solo or Solo FX.
Nevertheless, when SLAPPA offered to send over their 
Few things entice me more than a glass of small batch bourbon. Over the past several decades, the list of quality craft whiskeys has grown exponentially, yielding a market place that can be as confusing as it is rewarding. F. Paul Pacult wants to help you navigate the sea of options and blends with an iPhone app called iWhiskey from Jolt OS. 
![41EDzowMqRL._SCLZZZZZZZ_[1]](http://www.gadgetteaser.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/41EDzowMqRL._SCLZZZZZZZ_1-300x199.jpg "41EDzowMqRL._SCLZZZZZZZ_[1]")
We have flat-screen TVs that mount directly into our walls, laptops that can pick up wi-fi in airplanes, and cellphones that can browse the Web, play music, and take 10MP pictures — so why are most of us still stuck with old-fashioned wired speakers?
![EXDOG-TECH-DP-(TOUCH)[1]](http://www.gadgetteaser.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/EXDOG-TECH-DP-TOUCH1-300x300.jpg "EXDOG-TECH-DP-(TOUCH)[1]")
There’s nothing quite as lovely as a brand new piece of tech gadgetry…and nothing quite as heartbreaking as that first permanent scratch or smudge on said gadget, which is why there are so many options for tricking out and covering up our precious grown-up toys. One of the latest contenders in the skinning sweepstakes is the aptly named MusicSkins, which takes the basic essential ingredient — a piece of adhesive vinyl — and adds a couple of interesting twists.
The Xplod’s appeal doesn’t end with the iPod connectivity. The unit’s Bluetooth capabilities are impressive, to say the least, and are fully compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The new Phonebook Access Profile feature allows you to browse your linked cell’s phonebook to make a call, save a contact, or download your entire phonebook (up to 300 contacts) for easy access via the Xplod’s Bluetooth menu. Speaking of the menu, there are all sorts of options to play with, whether you want to choose your phone’s ringtone or the stereo’s default tone, enable “Auto Answer” or “Echo Canceller/Noise Canceller Mode,” or set the microphone’s default volume level. And since the unit comes standard with an external microphone in addition to the built-in mic, you’re able to easily improve your audio quality. Finally, if your portable music player supports Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), you can stream your audio via Bluetooth.
