Ever been looking through your photos, looked at one and thought ” That’s a great shot, where the hell did I take that?”. Ever wanted a record of exactly where you went on your holiday and in exactly which place your took a photo?  Well geotagging your photos is what you need to do.  Basically longitude and latitude information is put into your photo’s EXIF information and many programs or picture hosting sites can read this information and display where you took the photo on a map.

Some cameras these days come with GPS built into them, but you probably don’t really want to have to upgrade you camera gear just to get GPS information, and it doesn’t help if you’ve got multiple cameras (doesn’t everyone have multiple cameras? ). You could spend the extra money and buy a separate data logger however the good thing is that most smartphones or tablets have a GPS built into it these days, and using the right software you can use your device to geotag with the equipment you already have.  While this article is  based on Android devices, all you need is the right data logger program on your iOS or Windows or other OS device to make use of the tutorial.

There’s two software components to the process of geotagging your photos. You need a program that will talk to the GPS on your device and log GPS position data at specific time periods, and then a program that will be able to read and match the time stamp on your photo’s EXIF information with the longitude and latitude at that time and then write this information into the photo’s EXIF data. One important thing to note is that for the most accurate data, the time on your device needs to exactly match the time on your camera. The best thing is that you don’t have to spend big dollars on these packages; all the applications I’m using here are free.

GPS Status and Toolbox

Before I go into the two packages, if you’re playing with the GPS on your Android device then one of the most useful utilities you can have is GPS Status and Toolbox. This little app shows you a graphical representation of which GPS satellites you can see and which ones you’re locked onto. It can also help in managing A-GPS data,a small file that can assist in getting faster satellite locks. If I’m having GPS issues, this is always the first app I reach for. You can click on any of the pictures to see bigger versions

Open GPS Tracker

Open GPS Tracker is the data logging app that needs to be loaded onto your Android Device. When you start recording, your latitude and longitude is logged into a file at certain time intervals. Depending on your circumstances, Open GPS has 4 different logging intervals.  So if you’re walking or working in a small area, you can probably get away with larger time intervals; if you were taking pictures while in  a moving car you would want shorter intervals. Shorter intervals will give you more accurate tracking of path, but do note that it will also have an impact on the battery life of your device.

• Fine : GPS updates every second after at least 5 meters movement
• Normal : GPS updates every 15 seconds after at least 10 meters movement
• Coarse : GPS updates every 30 seconds after at least 25 meters movement
• Global : Use GPS and WiFi signals to triangulate every 5 minutes after at least 500 meter movement

If there’s no signal for a specified time, an alarm will sound so you know that you’re not logging anymore.  There’s a plethora of other options as well, but for the purposes of geotagging, it’s really only the logging interval that’s the important one. You can see that Open GPS can also make use of Google Maps on your device to display your path live (warning: this may involve data download charges on your device).

Test Rig and Procedure

 So I had to take one of the boys somewhere, so always the opportunist, I set up the above rig.  My HTC Desire running Open GPS Tracker, Swann Freestyle HD  and its remote all “securely” attached via a sticky pad to my dash. It’s no Google Map mobile, but it’ll do All I needed to do was make sure my phone and camera are synchronised, set the time interval to normal (15 sec), start the GPS on my phone, open the app , start tracking and drive away.  At random intervals I used the remote to safely take a picture.

Here’s the final trip shown on a Google Map overlay. While you’re travelling along, you can also use the app to do things like take notes, voice recordings or mark spots with recorded co-ordinates for future reference.  You can see on the picture that there’s even an indication of the speed I was doing at each stage, keyed to the legend on the right. The app can also tell you how far you’ve travelled (15.89km), maximum speed (71.1 km/h), elapsed time (26min) and total elevation (242m), again not information used in geotagging but may be useful just the same for other purposes.  The important thing is that the app logged 93 waypoints, which is the important information needed for geotagging.

Open GPS can export the waypoints in a GPX file format, a standardised format for input and output of waypoint files. The files are stored locally and can be exported and then  transferred off from the phone via standard file transfer, or the app has the ability to export using other installed apps such as Gmail or Dropbox.

So the results of my little trip, 49 photos (basically taken at random, don’t expect any Peter Dombrovskis here) and a GPX file containing 93 waypoints.

GPicSync

GPicSync is another free, Open Source program that puts the GPS information into your pictures. It’s available for Windows, Linux, and OS X 10.5, supports both JPEG and RAW formats and it’s pretty easy to use. Point it at your picture folder, point it at your .GPX file and let it run. GPicSync will correlate the time stamps on your photos with the timestamps from the GPX file and then write the most relevant co-ordinates into the EXIF information for that photo. Once again GPicSync has the ability to do a whole lot more that’s outside the scope of this article.

Viewing

Here’s the details of one of my processed pictures. You can see that GPicSync has put in longitude, latitude and altitude.

Click on “View in Google Earth” in GPicSync and voila, a full picture of your trip and where each photo was taken. Click on the thumbnails and you’ll get a bigger thumbnail of the photo.  Cool huh !

If you zoom into the map, you’ll see what I mean about getting the correct time intervals.  Logging every 15 seconds has me driving through fences, backyards and houses.  If I wanted a more accurate path then I would have been better to use 1 second intervals (with the associated higher battery drain and larger output file).  It really depends on exactly how “accurate” you want the logging to be.

Here’s the photos being viewed in Picasa 3
And here as a Picasa Web picture via Google+

Many online photo-sharing websites now support geotagging, including Flickr and SmugMug. To me, being able to place and visualise a picture on a map gives my photo a bit more “relevance” both for myself and anyone else that views the photo.

Conclusion

Once you’ve set everything up and got a workflow going, it’s easy to geotag your photos.  No longer will you have to wonder where a photo was taken, or if that photo was in this city or that city.  Given that you’ve most likely already got GPS capability in your Android device, why pay more money for additional equipment and why not make use of it?

My only big disappointment? That I didn’t set this all up 1000s and 1000s of pictures earlier. I’ve got so many photos, including overseas holidays in Vietnam, Thailand, Ankar Wat, San Francisco… that don’t have geotagged information in them……guess I’ll just have to go back and retake them  :)

Final words/warnings

• Displaying live maps in Open GPS Tracker may incur data charges
• Using the GPS on your device will affect battery life
• Please do note that GPS positioning isn’t 100% accurate, and there will be some variation from your actual position
• If you are publishing geotagged photos on a public forum, be careful what you put up and what information you might be giving away!

Filed in categories: Android related, Articles, Digital Cameras and Gear, GPS

Tagged: Android, Geotagging, GPS

How to: Geotag your Photos with an Android Device originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 24, 2012 at 11:00 am.

The wristwatch seems to be making a comeback for smart phone owning geeks. Just last month the Pebble E-Paper Watch set a Kickstarter record when it reached 1 million dollars of funding in 28hrs. Now we have another smart phone extension watch looking for backing on Kickstarter. It’s the Cookoo, an Android and iOS compatible watch that will put simple notifications on your wrist. The watch face has small  icons to let you know when you have a new tweet, email, text message, call, appointment or need to charge your phone. A $50 pledge will get you one of the first edition Cookoo watches.

Filed in categories: Android related, Bluetooth Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: Watch

Extend your Smart Phone with the Cookoo Watch originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 24, 2012 at 8:00 am.

This post brought to you by POWOW Messenger. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you enjoy texting your friends with your smartphone more than you do talking to them face to face? If you also happen to be an Android user, there’s a free app from Handmark called POWOW Messenger for Android that provides an impressive set of features to elevate your texting skills and enjoyment to the next level. The app really comes in handy when you want to text a group of your friends because you can send one text to a whole group and then keep the conversation going on one scrolling screen of messages instead of popping back and forth between individual conversations. To test this app, I installed POWOW on my Motorola Droid X.

After installing the app, you will receive a text message with a link that you have to click to activate POWOW. Once activated, you can create named groups of your friends. Doing this will create a special phone number for that group. The app will send a message to everyone in your group using that number.

POWOW has an easy to use interface that isn’t radically different than most stock messaging apps with a familiar speech bubble style. It has a few extra features that I don’t have on my iPhone though, like the ability to attach, ringtones, slideshows and audio in addition to pictures and video to a text message. It’s also easy to quickly sort your texts by individuals, groups and favorites.

Another nice feature is the ability to “mute” and blacklist people. If you mute them, you’ll still receive their text messages, but you won’t be notified that they are coming in. Messages from blacklisted people won’t even show up, which is a nice option to block out your crazy stalker ex-girlfriend.

Other features that POWOW provides are:

• ZipIt – Blacklist unwanted texters so you don’t see notifications or text messages from them OR “Mute” notifications message notifications for select contacts while retaining their messages in your history.

• PopUp Notifications: Instead of exiting an app or browser to see your new message, have it pop up right on your screen where you can decide whether to respond, ignore, delete, or call.

• Storage of Groups on Server: Quick retrieval of groups if you change phone or phone number.

• Favorites: Easily set your favorite contacts and filter messages without having to scroll through your entire history.

• Emoticons: Supports native emoticons (non-text) available for your Android device.

• Contact Pics: Import Facebook, Twitter, Google Contacts, and/or LinkedIn pics for use in your text conversations.

• Long Date/Short Date: Customize to show date/time in the fashion you prefer.

• Voice Text input capability: Utilize Google’s voice input technology to speak your texts rather than typing.

• Easy Delete: Single-press delete of individual messages within a thread or complete conversations.

• Call shortcuts: Access your phone capabilities and make calls through a single click.

You get all of this for free. The only catch is that you have to put up with ads at the bottom of the display. Some of the ads are annoying as they can sort of trick you into clicking them because they look like a special feature of the application. So just keep that in mind. If you get tired of ads, there’s an option where you can upgrade to POWOW Pro via an in-app purchase.

All in all, POWOW is a handy alternative for Android owning texting fanatics.

Filed in categories: Android related, News

Tagged: Android, SMS

POWOW Group Messaging for Android originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 21, 2012 at 1:33 pm.

Android on a stick anyone? The FXI Cotton Candy garnered a lot of attention and  is slowly starting to filter its way into the wild, but the Chinese market has just released a similar Android based thumb stick.  Not quite as highly specced and slightly larger, the MK802 runs a 1.5GHz A10 CPU,  512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage expandable via microSD or USB and runs Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The MK802 sports an HDMI port compared with the Cotton Candy’s HDMI plug, so you’ll also need a cable to connect this to your HDMI capable device.

And the “best” thing is that the MK802 is only $74 shipping including freight from Aliexpress in China. The bad news, it’s already on backorder expecting to be shipping again mid June.

I’ll probably wait for the first few reviews before I drop the hammer on this one as sometimes cheap Chinese products means well, cheap product but it certainly looks promising

Filed in categories: Android related, Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Android, Thumb Drive

Android Thumbstick MK802 – Cheap Candy originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 19, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

I have been trying out another stylus with my iPad. This one is the BoxWave EverTouch Capacitive stylus with a new type of tip that I’ve not seen before called FiberMesh. Is the BoxWave EverTouch stylus just another clone of the Targus stylus or is it a step up? Let’s take a look.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

The BoxWave certainly looks very similar to the Targus stylus. Side by side you can see that the BoxWave is slightly longer and has a slightly wider diameter. Other than the size differences, my first impression of the BoxWave is that it is very light weight. Almost too light weight in my opinion. On my digital scale, the BoxWave comes in at .4 ounces, while the Targus comes in at .6 ounces. .2 ounces doesn’t sound like much, but in hand, it’s noticeable. Although I prefer a stylus with a little bit more weight to it, the fact that the BoxWave is feather light isn’t really a deal breaker.

Both have a pocket clip and a loop on the top for a lanyard.

Included with the BoxWave are 3 different lanyards. A 2 inch lanyard that has a small plastic plug that can be inserted into the headphone jack of your device, a 12 inch lanyard with an elastic coil and a plastic plug for the headphone jack and a charm ring for attaching to key chains. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I wouldn’t use any of these lanyard thingies…

The biggest difference between the BoxWave EverTouch stylus and the Targus stylus is the stylus tip itself. The Targus has a very familiar hollow Black rubber tip and the BoxWave has a FiberMesh tip.  The FiberMesh tip is still hollow like the Targus rubber tip. I think it’s just a rubber tip with a capacitive knit material covering it. After switching back and forth between the BoxWave and a Targus stylus in various drawing and note taking apps, I found only a slight difference in the way this stylus feels on the iPad compared to the Targus. The rubber tip of the Targus has a slight drag to it that I never really noticed till I compared it with the BoxWave. The BoxWave stylus glides a little smoother across the screen. It’s a very subtle difference that really doesn’t make me want to run out and buy several of these styluses for future use.

Bottom line… the BoxWave EverTouch stylus is fine for playing drawing games, making quick sketches and notes. But I would not recommend it for extended note taking and detailed drawings because the tip is too large to see what you’re writing/drawing.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged:

BoxWave EverTouch Capacitive Stylus Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 17, 2012 at 6:12 pm.

One of the best file managers on Android is ES File Explorer. Most people probably only use it to handle local files and maybe LAN shares, but if used properly, ES File Explorer handles so much more than that.  With the proliferation of cloud-based storage such as Sugarsync, Dropbox, your 50GB Box account,  and sync-enabled 25GB Skydrive account, ES File Explorer has gradually been adding little gems so that it handles Cloud Storage as well. Let’s step through how you can set this all up

Here’s the screen that most ES File Explorer users are probably most familiar with.  (Click on any of the pics to get enlargements). It’s the standard SD-Card directory with all your standard Android directories.

If however you click on the top left hand corner where it says “Local”……

You’ll get a few different choices.  ES File Explorer does a really good job of handling and even allowing you to play media from LAN shares like Windows SMBs.  It supports FTP Servers and Bluetooth shares and even allows you to access root directories, if your device is rooted as well. But today’s lesson is all about accessing your cloud storage so the bottom option, “Net”  is the one we’re looking for.

You can see up in the top left, the “Local” has changed to “Net”, and I’ve now got access to my cloud storage drives. Here I’ve got two Dropbox, a Sugarsync, and a Skydrive account.

By clicking on the “+ New” button, you get a choice of adding a new Box, Dropbox, SugarSync or Skydrive account. Once you’ve chosen one, you’ll be asked for your credentials, and voila! Your favourite cloud storage is available in the familiar ES layout. One thing to note is that I can’t actually get an authentication screen up to add my Box account at the moment.  I keep getting a network error, but I’m sure that’ll be fixed or work soon.

I can now just tag my way down into, say, my Dropbox account to an individual file level just like I normally would under ES File Explorer.   From there I can manipulate all the files or directories just like normal: make directories, create or delete, copy or move, anything you could normally do with a file system.

So why is this all important and so powerful ?

• You don’t have to download all the individual provider apps
• You can use the familiar ES File Explorer interface to manipulate all your files both local, LAN, and cloud-based
• You can easily use multiple user accounts for the same provider, compared with  having to login and logout of apps all the time.
• You can copy or move files between all your different cloud providers or your local storage without having to temporarily store it somewhere. Using the apps to move a file from one cloud provider to another, you’d have to download from one provider via their app to your SD card, then upload it to your other cloud provider from SD.  Using ES File Explorer, it’s an easy copy and paste from one to the other.

One “shortcoming” to take note of is that the Dropbox and the Box apps keep local cached copies of file structures when you’ve got no network connectivity. As such, you can actually still upload files into these apps when you’re not connected, and the apps will sync your files once you’re connected again. ES File Explorer needs to be connected to the internet to be able to do anything with your cloud storage.

To me ES File Explorer was always the best option for a file manager, but now with Cloud Storage support I’m on cloud 9.

Filed in categories: Android related, Articles

Tagged: Android app, cloud storage

How to: ES File Explorer for Android – Cloud Management Heaven originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 17, 2012 at 10:00 am.

If you’ve been thinking of stepping up from your feature phone to a Android smartphone on Verizon’s 4G network, you currently have 4 sub $100 phones to choose from. There’s the Samsung Stratosphere for $99.99, LG Lucid for $79.99, Pantech Breakout for $29.99 and Droid Charge for Free. Why should you consider paying $79.99 for the Lucid when there are two less expensive choices? Here are a few reasons:

• 4-inch 480 x 800 resolution nova display that is readable in bright sunlight
• Gesture applications so you don’t have to use the delete/cursor –you tap the side of the phone instead; also turn it upside down to stop the incoming ring
• 350 minutes of talk time on the battery/lower battery drain
• Camera captures 1080p video – The others only capture at 480p or 720p
• 1.2Ghz dual core processor – The others have 1Ghz
• 8GB internal memory – The others have 1 – 4GB

I got a chance to spend a little time with this phone and found it to be more than capable in a nice sized form factor that is not much bigger than an iPhone. For an inexpensive phone, I was impressed with the LG Lucid.

Filed in categories: Android related, News

Tagged:

LG Lucid – Verizon’s Entry Level 4G Smartphone with Higher End Features originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 17, 2012 at 8:00 am.

I recently spent two weeks with the Droid RAZR MAXX by Motorola. This phone runs on Verizon’s 4G LTE and its claim to fame is battery life. It is very similar to the recently released RAZR, just thicker to accommodate the larger battery. I can’t tell you how excited I am that someone finally designed a phone with battery life in mind.

I always approach every phone review with trepidation. Will this be the phone that makes me disappointed with my current everyday phone, the Droid X? Let’s see.

First off, in theory, you sacrifice some thickness for the increased battery life. I managed to talk a RAZR owner into letting me get a shot of the two phones together:

As you can see, not a big sacrifice. They smooth out the bump a little. Frankly, I can’t even bring myself to see this is a disadvantage. The size difference is almost indistinguishable, and the increased battery life is very welcome.

The Specs:

• 4G LTE
• Dual-core 1.2 GHz processor
• 8 MP rear-facing camera 1080p HD video capture
• 1.3 MP front facing camera with 720 HD video capture
• 130.7 x 68.9 x 8.99 mm
• 4.3-in., Super AMOLED Advanced qHD(540 x 960)
• 145 grams
• Made with Dupont™ KEVLAR® fiber and scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass
• MicroUSB, HDMI Micro and 3.5mm headphone jack

The power and volume buttons are on the right side of the phone. I did not care for the buttons. Part of it was adjusting to having the power button on the side, rather than the top, but the bigger issue was the size and feel of the buttons. It does not feel like a lot of thought was put into the functionality of these buttons.

In addition to the rear-facing camera, this phone comes with a 1.3 MP front-facing camera. You can see it just below the A in Motorola:

The back side has the 8MP camera and an LED light for taking pictures. I am never impressed by the LED-enhanced pictures, but I always like having it for the shots that just won’t work without the light, and for the convenience of turning your phone into a flashlight. The camera quality is OK. I would not mind seeing a phone that did not obsess on MP and focused on image quality instead, but I think the camera is in line with other phones in its class.

Performance

I’m not a big benchmark fan, but I did find the phone noticeably more responsive than my Droid X. In addition, you will definitely tell the difference with 4G speeds if you live in a 4G area. Like I said, I noticed the increased performance, but was not blown away by it while using the phone. However, I think I learned something about myself: I am less sensitive to increased performance than decreased performance. It took me about one day back with my Droid X for the performance boost to hit home. I really miss this phone.

Battery Life

Did I mention battery life? They pack a nice sized battery in this phone, and it shows. After over 14 hours with the phone, using it a lot, I still had 20% battery life. Not mind-blowing, but significant for a 4G phone under heavy use. That will get me through an entire day easy.

In fact, later in my time using the phone, I was well into day 2 before the battery got low.

Keep in mind, this is dual-core processor and 4G network. I feel guilty saying just over a day is great, but, well… just over a day IS great with a high-powered smartphone on a 4G network. In fact, if I had to pick just one pro for this phone, it would be the battery. I truly hope this phone represents a turn of the corner for phone manufacturers.  We don’t want thin phones that last half a day, we want phones that have some battery life.

Conclusion

This is the first phone since I got my Droid X that has been hard to return. I like the looks, the use of Gorilla glass, and, oh yeah, the battery life. This is the first 4G phone I would consider owning. I don’t like that the battery is not user-replaceable, and many won’t consider it because of Motorola’s use of a boot-loader to prevent rooting, but I am OK with these compromises. I love the concept of rooting an Android phone, but I have owned an Android since the G1, and have never actually considered rooting that much. If that is important to you, though, look for a different phone. Me, I’d take this in a heartbeat. Now to check when I qualify for my next phone upgrade.

Filed in categories: Android related, Reviews

Tagged: Android smartphone

Droid RAZR MAXX by Mototrola Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 16, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Who needs a fancy and expensive smartphone stand when you can have a Limb.al ? Another Kickstarter project that’s already been fully funded with over 20 days to go, the Limb.al  is a rigid yet flexible USB to Apple/Micro-SD cable that allows you to position your smartphone directly in your USB port while charging and syncing your device at the same time. No more annoying cables across your desk or having to worry if your docking station will fit the next generation device

A microUSB one can be yours for $17 or an Apple one for $19 from their funding page.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: Android accessory, iPhone and iPod accessories, USB charging cables

The Limb.al Charging Cable and Stand in One originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 15, 2012 at 8:00 am.

If you’re like me you’re probably sick of all these US only Deal of the Days on The Gadgeteer, so here’s a fair dinkum Aussie one and it’s actually not just for the day.  If you’re after a cheap and cheery Android phone, Coles has a special Flybuys deal on the LG Optimus Spirit (P690) for $49.50.

It’s certainly no state of the art phone but running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), an 800MHz CPU with 1500mAh Li-Ion battery, 3.2″ capacitive HVGA/320X480 screen, 150MB internal memory (expandable by up to 32GB microSD), Bluetooth and WiFi it’s no lightweight either. It even comes with a 2GB SD card to get you started and is Telstra Blue Tick approved.

It is locked to Telstra and will only work for 3G on 850MHz but there are unlockers out and even alternate roms if you want to root it

I’ve just bought two for my boys and playing with the they’ll do them just fine. The only comment I’ll make is that the LG menu system is a bit laggy, but is easily replaced with say Go Launcher EX.

If you’re after a spare phone, a phone that you can use as an auto GPS (just add Metroview or Tom Tom or Sygic and you won’t even need a SIM card), an MP3 player or a games unit for the kids, it’s pretty good value.  You’ll even get a $10 prepaid SIM and if you purchase and activate before 22 July, 1000 bonus Flybuys points.

Oh and don’t worry if you’re not a member of Flybuys, the checkout chick just scanned a temporary membership in when  my 16 year old picked up his

Full specifications are here.

Filed in categories: Android related, News

Tagged: Android smartphone, australia, Deal of the Day

Australian Deal of the Day – LG Optimus Spirit $49.50 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 13, 2012 at 10:08 am.

At some point, most tablet and smartphone owners think about buying a stylus. Today I have threes styluses from LOGiiX to show you that can be used for writing, drawing and even presenting at your next meeting. LOGiiX isn’t a company that I was familiar with before they contacted me to ask if I’d review some of their offerings. I’m happy to say that the quality of their products is top notch. But let’s delve in a bit deeper.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

LOGiiX sent me three of their styluses including the Stylus Titanium, Stylus Presenter and Stylus Diamond. To be perfectly honest, I was only looking forward to trying the Stylus Diamond. The others look like every other stylus I’ve seen in the past few years. At least that’s what I thought when I was browsing their website before actually receiving the samples. Let’s start with the Stylus Titanium.

LOGiiX Stylus Titanium

Price: $19.95

The Titanium was the LOGiiX stylus that I figured I’d photograph, try once, write about and then shove into one of my gadget castoff drawers.

The reason why I thought the Titanium wouldn’t impress me, is that it looks very similar to the generic standard of capacitive styluses: The Targus Stylus. That’s not to say that there’s actually anything wrong with the Targus, It’s just that there’s nothing unique about it.

The Titanium has a nice heavy pocket clip and is available in seven colors. It is slightly shorter and wider than the Targus, but weighs the same and has the same hollow style rubber styus tip. It’s just a silver (titanium?) color instead of Black like the Targus. Using the Titanium on my iPad feels no different than using the Targus.  Because the tip is large, this stylus is better suited for anything that does not require detailed lines. I wouldn’t use this stylus for drawing, with the exception of using it to play Draw Something. I also wouldn’t like to use it for writing text in apps like PhatPad or Paper because you can’t see what you’re writing, which tends to cause you to write larger than necessary.

Bottom line: The LOGiiX Titanium Stylus is no better than the Targus Stylus, but costs $5 more. For that fact, I’d skip this one.

LOGiiX Stylus Presenter

Price: $39.95

The Presenter Stylus has a nice matte black metal body with a definite heft to it. That heft translates into  1.6 ounces. It feel good in my hand and has a nice balance.

The Presenter is actually three “tools” in one. First of all, it’s a stylus with a large hollow rubber tip. Nothing special there. The same comments that I have about the Titanium stylus also applies to this stylus. It’s fine for anything that doesn’t require a lot of detail.

The The lower part of the stylus can be unsnapped from the barrel, flipped and then snapped back in, to convert the stylus into a ballpoint pen. Included in the package are 2 extra pen refills – all of which have black ink.

The only things missing from the Presenter Stylus is a cap to protect the pen or stylus tip when it’s exposed and a way to retract the ballpoint tip.

The third “tool” that the Presenter Stylus offers is a Red laser pointer for presentations. Included with the stylus are 3 button cell batteries that install in the cap. The button on the side of the cap activates the laser for as long as it is held down.

The Presenter Stylus is well made and would make a nice gift for your favorite corporate gadgeteer.

LOGiiX Stylus Diamond

Price: $34.95

Out of the 3 sent to me by LOGiiX, the Stylus Diamond is the one I was most looking forward to reviewing.

The stylus has a matte black metal body with a pocket clip. You’ll also notice that there’s a protective cap on one end.

If you remove that cap, you’ll see why this stylus excites me…

It has a unique plastic tip which is clear so that you can see through to the screen and the line that you’re drawing.

The tip isn’t exactly a new design. It’s similar to another popular stylus – The Adonit. The Adonit has been my favorite stylus for drawing due to the clear tip makes it much easier to draw close lines.

In my opinion, the Diamond Stylus has a slightly better design than the Adonit. Instead of using a ball joint, it uses a spring. The spring allows the tip to easily maneuver around the screen no matter which angle you hold it, but unlike the Adonit, it will not get loose and potentially stop working. Note, I’ve not had any problems with my own Adonit styluses, but I’ve seen complaints that they sometimes stops working.

Included with the Diamond Stylus is a spare tip and 5 circular protectors that you can stick on the bottom of the tip if you’re concerned that it might scratch your tablet’s display.

Writing with the Diamond is much easier than writing with either of the other two LOGiiX styluses because you can see through the stylus tip to the display below it. It allows you to write smaller and make detailed drawings as it glides smoothly across the screen. This stylus even gives me slightly more control than the Adonit.

The LOGiiX Stylus Diamond is a keeper and is my new favorite stylus to use for drawing and writing.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Stylus

LOGiiX Styluses Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 6, 2012 at 8:53 pm.

With all the touchscreen devices being introduced, it seems like every day a new stylus appears.  Well, here’s another.  The HAND Stylus is a new Kickstarter project that boasts the “world’s smallest tip, a mere 4mm in diameter, plus a host of other features that set it apart from all other styluses.”  With the knurled grip of a drafting instrument and hexagonal barrel of a traditional pencil, it is made from anodized, laser-engravable aluminum in six different colors and either gloss or matte finish.  The replaceable, retractable tip rotates automatically so that it wears more evenly.  The stainless steel pocket clip is removable and magnetized to attach to your iPad’s Smart Cover.  It is currently available only as a Kickstarter project and has 43 days left to go (Jun 17 end) so go place your order today.  $25 minimum pledge with prices and perks upward from there.  I don’t own a stylus yet, but this might just be my first one—it reminds me of my favorite Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic drafting pencils I used in high school!

UPDATE May 8, 2012: I’ve taken the plunge and become a Backer on this project.  Stay tuned to The Gadgeteer for a review of the Hand Stylus in the future!

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Stylus

Simple, Elegant HAND Stylus is Loaded with Subtle Features originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 3, 2012 at 3:00 pm.

Verizon recently gave me the opportunity to try out the new MOTOACTV.  Well, what exactly is it? A music player? A GPS Tracker? A watch? Actually, it’s all of those. They also lent me the Sports armband. I am definitely a casual runner, and I don’t run much at all when it is cold, but this got me out on the road to give it a spin.

What’s in the Box

The box includes:

• MOTOACTV
• Clip
• AC Adapter
• USB Cable
• Headphones
• Selection of ear pieces
• Quick Guides

The MOTOACTV comes with a nice set of headphones. They are the “hang over the ear” style I prefer for working out. They also have a nice selection of earpiece sizes.

The AC Adapter is your standard Motorola adapter and cable. It’s a nice minimalist design. A nice add is two USB ports on the adapter.

The clip is designed so that the MOTOACTV slides into the clip. This also allows the device to slide into the arm or watch band without the clip.

The Specs

• 46mm by 46 mm by 9.6 mm thick
• 35 g
• Corning Gorilla Glass
• 258 mAh Lithium-Ion battery
• 1.6 ” 176 by 220 display
• ANT+ Enabled (Heart Rate monitor straps)
• Bluetooth 1.5 or higher enabled
• BLE enabled
• GPS
• Wi-Fi
• 8 or 16 GB models

You can’t help but compare this device to an iPod nano. I’ve been using an older nano for running, and have often discussed with friends how cool a “running” version of the nano would be. One that does not use a dongle and was wireless. I did not expect Motorola to create the device.

The screen is slightly bigger than the nano, but it has slightly lower resolution. The body is slightly bigger in every dimension, but then you get to the additions. Bluetooth for wireless headphones, Wi-Fi for wireless syncing, GPS for accurate routing, and ANT+ to support heat-rate monitors. It is a great combo.

The Device

It’s a very small device. There is a back button silkscreened on he front, and the entire front is touch-sensitive.

The power and volume buttons are on the side of the device. The size and position make it simple to determine which is which while fumbling for them on a run.

The top has two buttons on it. The workout button is on the left, and the music button on the right.

Workout Button:

• Press while in the workout screen to pause or resume the workout.
• Press on any other screen to go immediately to the workout screen.

Music Button

• Single press to play or pause
• Double press to go to the next track
• Triple press to go the previous track
• Long press to return to the music screen

In addition you can control the features with on-screen controls. This includes the ability to swipe left and right to get to different metric screens while working out, tap to get audible alerts, or even display a watch face of your choice.

There is a microUSB connector that is protected by a rubber flap on on the bottom, and a standard headphone jack on the side.

How Accurate?

I was a little skeptical about how well the GPS would work. I find the quality of tracking to differ significantly among phones, and this is a lot smaller. On the plus side, I have found my Droid X is one of the best performing GPS accuracy-wise, and both are Motorola products. The MOTOACTV performed very well on the two runs I was able to make with it. I run in an urban environment, so buildings can be a challenge, but even at one of the hardest turns, it performed well.

You can see a slight wiggle going east, I promise I do not unnecessarily cross the street there, but that is not as big of a wiggle as I have seen on some phones, including the iPhone 4. It took a little longer than my phone to get that first lock, but kept it throughout the run.

The Website

The MOTOACTV web site is an attractive, well thought-out site. It even has some cool features, like the ability to see your music list and what you listened to at a specific time:

You can even see a breakdown of music you listened to while working out by time, distance, or calories burned. Incidentally, if you are straining your eyes out of curiosity on how good a runner I am… I am really bad, save your eyesight.

The site is continually improving, and I have seen new features added since I had to return the MOTOACTV. It is really nice, but I am disappointed I cannot sync directly to RunKeeper. I have been using that for over a year, and I don’t want to start on a new site. You can manually export and then import into RunKeeper, but that kind of defeats a key purpose for me.

Battery Life

There were initial issues with battery life. I heard that it would not last 3 hours with GPS on, which is too short for most folks on a marathon. They have tweaked things, and included Marathon mode, and the latest discussion I saw regarding that was complaint that it would not last 6 hours in marathon mode. I never came close to pushing the limits of the batteries. My longest runs are typically 7K, and though I am slow, I’m not that slow.

The Motorola support forum looks fairly active, and the manager was trying to help the user with the 6-hour issue (he is long-distance bike rider). So be aware of that, but I can’t imagine that would be an issue for most users.

Other Activities

I focused on running, since that is my primary interest, but this can be used for any number of activities. The GPS functions for any outdoor activity (walk, run, bike). It also can be used without GPS as a step counter. That is all recorded on the website.

A new addition to the device is Golf. You can now record your golf game using the MOTOACTV. To ensure that you can use the Golf app, I recommend the 16 GB version. It appears there are some issues with the 8GB version. Owners of the 8 GB had the opportunity to update to the Golf app, but appears that windows is now closed, so if that is a key feature, get the 16GB version.

Accessories

One of the coolest accessories for the MOTOACTV I saw in the initial press release were Heart Rate monitor ear phones. These sounded too good to be true, if you have ever worn a chest strap. The idea of having the sensors work on the ears was great. Unfortunately it appears they were never able to get this feature to work. These no longer exist. That however leaves:

• Heart Rate Monitor Strap (will work with most Ant + straps)
• Bluetooth headphones (again, likely works with third party)
• Bike Speed and Cadence monitor
• Wrist Strap
• Bike Mount
• Armband

It’s a nice selection of options. The armband worked fine, I am just not a fan of armbands and quickly changed to using the pocket in my SeV performance Tee. I think combining the wrist strap with the Bluetooth headphones would be a great combination.

Conclusion

This is a great setup. Essentially it is the “Runner’s Nano” I have wanted Apple to produce (they just never listen to me). It’s not cheap, but when you consider that it has GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and ANT + built in, I think it is a good value. If I could have it sync directly to RunKeeper without having to export/import, I think I would buy it.  But since it doesn’t, and my DroidX does, I just can’t justify the purchase for me. But if you want to run without your phone, or you like the Golf features, this could be a great device for you.

Filed in categories: Android related, Fitness, Sports, GPS, Reviews

Tagged: Portable GPS accessory

Motorola MOTOACTV GPS Tracker Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 3, 2012 at 12:40 pm.

Gaming on smartphones and tablets is increasingly popular, but the proliferation of stick-on joysticks would indicate that people miss the tactile feed back of a physical controller.  The iControlPad goes beyond a simple stick-on joystick and adds a full controller to your smartphone.  The controller has “dual analogue nubs, digital D-Pad, 6 face buttons and 2 rear buttons,”  and it connects via Bluetooth to devices with HID keyboard, joystick, and gamepad modes.  It’s compatible with many emulators, including NES, SNES, Megadrive/Genesis, MAME, PC-Engine, MSX, Gameboy, Amiga, C64 and more.  With an iPhone, you can play 30 iCade games from the app store, with no jailbreaking required.  It has an internal 1360mAh battery for many hours of gaming, and you can even use the iControlPad to top off your iPhone’s battery.

There’s an adjustable metal clamp that holds your smartphone in place as you play, and it’s compatible with a wide variety of smartphones.  You can stow or remove the metal clamp and use the iControlPad with your tablets.  The firmware is upgradeable, too.  Learn more about the iControlPad and the BluTrol iOS app that let’s you map controls to iOS games at the iControlPad website.

The iControlPad is $62.49.

Filed in categories: Android related, Bluetooth Gear, Gaming Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Gaming controller

iControlPad Bluetooth Gaming Controller for Smartphones and Tablets originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 3, 2012 at 10:00 am.

I don’t find cellphones or smartphones especially comfortable to hold for my marathon phone calls with my friend Leah or my husband while he’s away on a business trip.  I purchased the iClooly Phonestand and use that wired handset when I’m making long calls.  The Solo Travel handset from Native Union would be great for my husband to throw in his laptop bag for our conversations while he travels.  The Solo Travel has a long, straight, nylon-wrapped cord that I actually prefer to the coiled cord on my iClooly handset.  There’s a button on the handset for answering/disconnecting calls directly from the handset.  The handset is black with a soft-touch finish; the cord is available in red or gray.  It has a 3.5mm audio connector for use with your iOS device or laptop.  It comes with a travel pouch and a cable splitter if your device has separate connectors for headphones and microphones.  It’s $29.99 from Native Union.  Adapters are available for phones that use a different headphone connector.  And FYI, using handsets like this reduces your exposure to radiation from the phone.  Native Union says the Solo Travel reduces your exposure by up to 99% compared to a direct use of your mobile phone.

Filed in categories: Android related, Health Related Gadgets, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: mobile phone headset

Add a Handset to Your Smartphone with the Solo Travel originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 1, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

For 99.9% of the things you do on your smartphone you don’t really need a stylus. But if you’re as addicted to Draw Something as I am, you may find that a stylus is almost a necessary accessory (say that 3 times fast for bonus points). At least if you want your opponent to be able to guess what the heck you’re trying to draw. Keeping a stylus handy is the main feature of the MicroStylus, which claims to be the world’s smallest capacitive stylus. It’s definitely tiny. But when is small too small? Let’s find out.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

This is the MicroStylus. See, I told you it was tiny!

It’s machined from billet aluminum and from end to end it’s only about .8 inches long.

It’s available in Silver or Black, with the same type of hollow stylus tip that we see in many other styluses on the market like the Targus.

The shaft the MicroStylus is designed to fit into a standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

When inserted, it will not fall out even with vigorous shaking.

Also, when it’s inserted, it does not trick your smartphone into thinking that you have earphones plugged in. At least on my iPhone, I was able to play music through the built in speakers with no problems while the MicroStylus was stored in the earphone jack.

Here’s the good news… The MicroStylus is a handy little stylus that you never have to go searching for because it’s attached to your device. Although I would not want to use the MicroStylus as my primary stylus, it does get the job done for a super fast round of Draw Something, written note in BugMe or any other time when using my finger doesn’t allow for more finely detailed drawing and writing.

The bad news is that the MicroStylus is so tiny that the .4 inch long shaft might make this stylus just as useless as big fingers for large handed folks. Because it’s so small, your whole hand blocks the view of what you’re trying to draw / write, instead of just your finger tip.

Another thing to consider, is where the heck do you put it when you actually want to use your earphones with your phone? The stylus is so tiny, that if you don’t store it in the earphone jack, it will most likely vanish without a trace.

I also had an issue with one of the MicroStylus samples that were sent to me. As you can see in the image above, the stylus tip looks deflated. It didn’t come that way. It seemed fine for the first couple of minutes I was inspecting and trying it. It was only after I inserted it into my iPhone’s earphone jack and then pulled it out, that I noticed the dimple. The only thing I can think of that happened is that I accidentally pinched the stylus tip when removing it from the phone. I must have damaged the tip in some way. No matter what I have tried, I have not been able to repair it. Squeezing it, rolling it between my fingers, etc, hasn’t caused the dimple to go away. So far I’ve not damaged the other sample in the same way. This is just something to be aware of if you decide to order a MicroStylus. Be very careful how you insert and remove it from the earphone jack, so that you can avoid ruining it.

The MicroStylus is a clever idea. It can be useful for apps that require finer control than what our fingers can provide. That said, the size makes it feel a bit awkward to use and the price of $9.99 for one or $15.99 for two seems pretty inflated for what you’re getting. At least shipping is free.

Do you use a stylus with your smartphone? If so, which one?

Update 4/29/12

The MicroStylus people saw my complaint about the deflated stylus tip and told me that the rubber they are now using is a bit thicker and should not have that problem. They also informed me that you can disassemble the MicroStylus by pinching the tip and unscrewing it. I did this and now the stylus is fine.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Stylus

MicroStylus Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 28, 2012 at 3:56 pm.

If you enjoy painting on canvas, you might find that you also enjoy “painting” on an iPad. Or if you’ve never painted before, doing so on a tablet is fun and way less messy. I am a doodler and don’t claim to have any talent whatsoever. I just enjoy drawing cartoons and thingamabobs whenever I’m bored. Lately I’ve been interested in trying to paint instead of sketching. I happened to see the Sensu Artist Brush capacitive stylus on Kickstarter and thought it would be a great new addition to my growing collection of styluses. I’ve been testing it for a couple of weeks with several popular drawing programs for the iPad. If you’re a budding digital artist, you’ll want to read this review.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

I mentioned above that I have a growing collection of styluses, but the Sensu Brush is only my 3rd paintbrush style stylus. Pictured above you can see it next to  two of my other brush styluses (Nomad Brush and iClooly). With one look at the Sensu, you can see that it resembles a traditional paint brush a bit more than the other two. Its look isn’t all the Sensu has going for it though…

First of all, it’s the first stylus I now of that comes in a thick felted sleeve. The sleeve is a good idea because it protects that shiny chrome finish when the stylus isn’t being used.

In the closed position, the Sensu looks like a little like a Fisher Space Pen.

In this position, you can use the rubber stylus tip. The tip is a standard hollow style tip used on a lot of styluses on the market like the Targus Stylus. This Tip works best for sketching and writing, but the tip is large and isn’t my favorite for detailed doodling/sketching.

The magic happens when you pull the stylus out of the protective cap, the Sensu Artist Brush tip is revealed.

Placing the cap on the end creates a 7.25 inch long paint brush.

Looking at the smooth bristles, you wouldn’t guess that it would work as a capacitive stylus. But it really does. The brush feels comfortable in hand due to the soft touch rubber around the handle. It’s well balanced too.

Depending on the painting app (some of my favorites for painting are Procreate and ArtRage), the Sensu feels and behaves exactly like a real paint brush. The only difference is that you don’t have to wash the paint out of the bristles at the end of each painting session.

The Sensu works really great as a paint brush, but don’t expect to be able to easily create detailed sketches with the brush tip (or the rubber tip end for that matter) because it’s just not made for that. In the hand of a true artist, I think it could help make some great art. I might not be an artist, but I really enjoy using the Sensu. It’s my favorite paintbrush style stylus in my collection. Ok, I have to get back to my Bob Ross how to paint videos.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Stylus, Tablet

Sensu Artist Brush Capacitive Stylus Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 26, 2012 at 9:33 pm.

RepairPal.com. The Angie's List for car repairs.

Ok, apparently everyone thinks this app is the bomb.  HuffPo likes it, New York Times and Edmunds.com both like it.  It’s available for iPhone and other Smartphone users and it’s free.  And if it’s free…it’s me.

Whether it’s an auto emergency, a roadside breakdown, or just a small problem, RepairPal can help. The award-winning RepairPal website and smartphone apps for iOS and Android (find links to these apps on the RepairPal website) tell you the right price to pay for your repair, find you a great mechanic in the area, track all your repairs, and give you one-touch access to roadside assistance.   Be prepared 24/7 for a car emergency.  With RepairPal, you’re covered everywhere you go in the United States.

What Else?

Beats calling around or being given a hard sell by a mechanic.

SAVE MONEY.  In addition to the app being completely free, you can get an accurate and unbiased repair and service estimate. Know the fair price to pay before you take your car to the shop. VERY helpful if you’re a woman – and ladies, you know exactly what I mean.

FIND A GREAT SHOP. With the most comprehensive GPS-enabled repair shop directory, RepairPal helps you find a recommended repair and maintenance shop near you. And if you tell them a cool app like RepairPal was how you found them, chances are they’re going to do what they can to keep that favorable rating.

GET ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. RepairPal brings roadside assistance into the 21st century by allowing you to pay only when you actually need the help, instead of paying an annual membership fee.  I haven’t tried this feature out yet and until I do, I’m still sticking with AAA, but hey….not a bad Plan B.

TRACK YOUR REPAIRS. Keep your complete repair history with you. Record what you’ve done and make a checklist of what you need to do next. All data is synced between the app and RepairPal.com.

STAY IN SYNC. Sync your MyCar account on RepairPal.com, checklist, and repair history – Everything you need is with you, wherever you are.

RepairPal.com  Piece of Mind all for the low, low, price of FREE.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: Android app, car repair, iOS app

Free App of the Day: RepairPal originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 24, 2012 at 8:00 am.

Asus announced the new Transformer TF300T tablet and B&H Photo now has them in stock. Priced at $399.00, this Android tablet offers the latest and greatest OS version (4.0 Ice Cream) along with a 1.2GHz Tegra 3 Quad-Core CPU, 10.1 1280 x 800 Resolution display, Micro HDMI Port & MicroSD Card Reader and 1GB internal memory & 32GB Flash Storage. If you’re interested in snapping one up, you better be fast because Asus tablets tend to be pretty popular. If I was in the market for an Android tablet, this is the one I’d buy. You can order and read more about this tablet at B&H Photo.

Filed in categories: Android related, News, Travel Gear

Tagged: Android, Tablet

Latest Asus Transformer Pad Tablet now Available at B&H Photo originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 23, 2012 at 10:30 am.

A couple of years ago I reviewed a very unique Canadian made stylus called the oStylus. It had a very unique design with a bullseye style swivel tip. At the time I really liked the stylus because it made it much easier to draw due to the fact that I was able to see the tip of the “ink” as I moved around the display, giving me much better control over my work. Now the folks at oStylus have a new version called the oStylus DOT which is more geared towards writing than drawing. Let’s take it for a spin.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

First of all, let’s compare the original oStylus (top), with the new DOT (bottom). Both have a comfortable bead blasted anodized solid aluminum handle that gives the stylus a nice heft and balance.

The hinged tip is attached to the handle by two titanium wires.

The tip is made of stainless steel. Unlike the original oStylus, this is not a see-thru style tip. It’s a solid 6mm dot.

The ability of the tip to rotate 180 degrees is supposed to provide natural contact with the display so that holding and using the stylus is comfortable.

The area of the tip that comes in direct contact with the display is protected with a vinyl film that will not scratch the display. The DOT comes with 2 replacement stick-on films.

The overall design and construction of the oStylus DOT gives off a cool industrial arts type of vibe. Looks aside, the stylus performs pretty well. I like it better than the average hollow rubber tip style stylus like the Targus and Tuff-Luv because the tip is significantly smaller, allowing you to better see what you’re writing and drawing. I can write smaller text and draw more detailed doodles with the DOT.

So while it can be considered an improvement over the generic stylus, it’s not quite as nice as the Adonit Jot Pro stylus which has a tip that swivels in all directions allowing it to always remain in contact with the display. That’s where I had some problems with the DOT. On numerous occasions while doodling SketchBook Pro, I would draw a long stroke and the line would not start until halfway into the stroke. I noticed the same issues while writing in PhatPad. Sometimes my efforts to cross my T’s and dot my I’s will go unnoticed. I know this is due to the DOT’s tip not coming into full contact with the display. Since it’s a very small tip (only 6mm), if you don’t have it fully touching, it will not make an electrical (capacitive) contact. Once you’ve used the DOT for awhile you start learning how to hold it so that you minimize these skipping problems. After several days using it, I have noticed less problems, but they still happen here and there…

I like the look and feel of the oStylus DOT, but it’s hard to fully recommend it due to the problems I’ve had with skipping while writing and drawing. I think the tip is just a little too small for its own good. Have any of you tried this stylus? If so, please share your thoughts about it.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: iPad, Stylus, Tablet

oStylus DOT Capacitive Stylus Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 20, 2012 at 6:49 pm.

We posted news about the upsoming Sony SmartWatch back in January, but now it is actually shipping and we have more details. This $149.99 device connects to your Android smartphone and displays various pieces of information. You can order the SmartWatch at the Sony site.  The specs include:

• 1.3″ OLED display
• 128 x 128 pixels
• 65k colors (16 bit)
• Standard USB connector for charging
• Battery life: 3-4 days typical usage, up to 14 days on standby
• Bluetooth 3.0
• 36mm by 36mm by 8mm (12.8mm including Clip)
• 15.5 g (Watchband is 26g)

It’s kind of hard to tell from the limited information and pictures online, but it appears there is an adaptor to support USB charging, so the USB port may not be standard. It also appears there is only one button.

The apps they list are:

• All Events (from your calendar)
• Messaging
• Corporate e-mail (they specify Sony/Sony Ericsson Android phones only)
• Gmail Calendar notifications
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Music Player
• Call Handling (call, mute, reject, answer, send pre-defined SMS)
• Battery Strength
• Find Phone
• Weather
• More apps on the Android market.

This looks pretty intriguing to me, and had the advantage over the I’m Watch of actually existing. Of course, it is not going to work if you have an iPhone, but you still have the Pebble. What do you think, do you like this trend of wrist-bound computers?

Filed in categories: Android related, News, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: Android, smart watch, Watches and Clocks

Sony SmartWatch: Now Shipping originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 17, 2012 at 8:00 am.

Wacom just released an update to their Bamboo Stylus.  Their new Bamboo Stylus Duo adds a ballpoint pen on the other end of the stylus.  This new design makes much more sense as you won’t have to carry an additional pen.  They will sell for $39.95 when they come out in May.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Capactive stylus pen, Stylus

Wacom’s Upgraded Bamboo Stylus Duo originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 14, 2012 at 10:00 am.

Hands up!  Who likes to start their morning with a coffee and a catchup of the daily news?  In “the old days,” this meant grabbing the latest newspaper to read, but these days with all the digitised content out there, you’re no longer constrained to having to read a single source about a single subject.  You could go and visit multiple web sites every morning, but that’s cumbersone and time consuming.  Some sites I like don’t update that often, but I do want to know when they do update.  That’s where a good news aggregator comes in handy. Feedly is a multiplatform aggregator that allows me to collect blogs, RSS feeds and other assorted information to keep me up to date and amused during my day.

Feedly is available for a number of platforms – iOS, Android, Chrome, Safari and Firefox – so you’ve pretty much got all the major ones covered.  The nice thing is that Feedly will synchronise across all platforms, so depending on where you are or what device you’re using, you get consistent feeds.  Being  centrally managed means that adding, deleting or changing feeds automatically happens across your devices. I’ll concentrate on the Android client, but the principle remains the same across the platforms.

So here’s my home Feedly screen on my 10.1″ Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet (you can click on any of the pictures to get bigger and better pictures ). It’s customised to my content, and down the left hand side you can see the list of sources that I’m viewing. Actually you can see SOME of the sources I’m viewing, I’ve got around 30+ feeds that I check each day. These include local news and newspapers, technology news, motorcycle news, and a wide variety of other sources. I lump everything into one single feed, but I could easily break them up into different subsections if I wanted.  The presentation and layout is pretty nice, and to me, it’s similar to reading a magazine with lots of articles.It mixes up all the sources, but that’s fine because it’s the articles I’m interested in not the source.  If I want to go to a particular source, I can click it on the left hand side. I can easily scan the articles and quickly skip those that don’t really interest me.  A quick swipe to the left and the next page of news items appear.

Feedly is one of the few apps that I actually like viewing in portrait mode, maybe because it’s more reminiscent of a book or newspaper.

If you see an article you want to delve deeper into, you can just click on that article to get more information.  The amount of information you get will depend on the RSS feed source that you’re looking at.   For some it will just be a larger reproduction of what is on your summary screen, but for some the entire article will reappear.  From here you can post to Twitter or Facebook or share via other means by using the icons in the top right hand corner.

If you really like an article, Feedly has its own web browser and you can go to the full web page.  Note that it’s not really a fully-functional browser.  It’s a bit slower than  normal browsers, and some things like embedded video don’t tend to work all the time.  If you ever want to go back to your summary screens on any of the pages you can just hit the cross in the top left hand corner.

If you find the need to add more sources, this can be done from the mobile clients as well.  Just type in what you’re looking for or an RSS feed address to add new feeds on the go.

Being multi platform, I can also view and manipulate my feeds via Chrome Browser. Above is the web interface, which you can see is very similar to the mobile interface. Because it synchronises between all your devices, you can read on any device and not end up having to reread the same articles again. Personally I actually prefer the mobile client to the web client. With the web interface, to go to the next page of items you need to click “Mark Items Read” and then “Refresh”, while on the mobile client I can just swipe to the next page.

Here’s Feedly on my Android phone. Not as good as on my tablet given the smaller screen real estate, but fine at a pinch to get my information fix.

A neat thing that Feedly does is recommend other feeds that you might like based on your subscribed feeds, and it also integrates well with Google reader for subscribing and changing feeds.

Having gone through quite a few different news aggregators, I find that I really like Feedly. It has a nice, clean magazine article type format, is low bandwidth and flexible. I can read on my Android phone, Android tablet, or my notebook.  Finally, it also makes it really easy to find interesting articles to write for The Gadgeteer.

If you’re looking for a way to consolidate all the information you want during a day, then Feedly is definitely worth a closer look.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Apps, news aggregator

Feedly News Aggregator Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 13, 2012 at 11:00 am.

This Pebble E-Paper Watch is a Kickstarter project.  It probably set a funding record, receiving pledges of over a million dollars in 28 hours.   The Pebble watch connects to an iPhone or Android smartphone via Bluetooth, so you’ll be notified of incoming calls or emails with a vibrating alert.  You can access functions of the phone on your watch – for example, bikers or runners can use the GPS functions of the phone to display speed, distance and pace data.  You’ll be able to control music playback from your watch.  The developers are also working with Freecaddie to “create a great golf rangefinder app for Pebble that works on over 25,000 courses world-wide.  Instead of using your phone, view your current distance to the green right on your wrist.  There’s an SDK available, so other developers can make apps for the watch.”  The watch has a 144 x 168 pixel E-Paper display, so it will be visible in direct sun.  There’s a lot more to learn about the Pebble Watch on the Kickstarter page.  Even though there are still 35 days (at the time of writing) left in the funding period, they’ve far exceeded their funding goal.  You still have time to make a $115 pledge (minimum) to receive a Pebble of your own.

Filed in categories: Android related, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: Android watch, iOS watch

Pebble E-Paper Watch for iOS and Android Smartphones originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 13, 2012 at 9:00 am.

The Feinger system consists of an mount attachment for the back of your phone and a finger sleeve to attach the phone to your hand.  The neoprene finger sleeve is available in sizes to fit fingers of most sizes.  The mount has an adhesive pad that attaches to your phone or small, handheld device.  Snap the finger sleeve into the mount, and your phone will be securely held to your hand.  You’ll also get a keychain mount to store your finger sleeve when you aren’t using it with your phone, and you’ll get a unimount that you can use to attach the phone to your car dash, a wall, or other similar surface.  The Feinger is available for pre-order for $14.95.  You can purchase accessories, like lanyards to extend the usefulness of the Feinger system.

Filed in categories: Android related, Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Phone Holder

Never Drop Your Cell Phone Again with Feinger originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 11, 2012 at 12:00 pm.