I hate lugging around my work laptop because it is bulky and weighs too much. That’s why my personal laptop is a 13″ Macbook Air. I like thin and light. Those of you that prefer the Windows OS and are interested in an ultra portable computer should consider the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook. It’s due any day now and it looks really sexy with its super thin carbon fiber case and 13″ Gorilla glass display. It’s not all looks and no brains though as it is powered by your choice of a 2nd Gen Intel® Core™ i5 or i7 processor. Check out this 30 second Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook promo video where people in San Francisco were asked to choose which skinny laptop the liked best…

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Laptop

The Dell Ultrabook Challenge in San Francisco originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 7, 2012 at 5:56 pm.

Plug this little paperclip-sized dongle into the 30-pin connector on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, and your Apple device can serve as a powerful universal remote control.  The Zapper from VooMote uses the free VooMote Zapper app from iTunes to let you control virtually all the A/V devices in your house.  You can define the layout of your remote screens, even define one-button macros to execute functions like “watch a DVD”.  You can also define different layouts for each room in your house.  If your device isn’t available in the device database, you can teach the Zapper using the device’s original remote control.  The VooMote comes in white, black, gray, pink, blue, navy, green, and red for $69.95.  It’s available now at Apple stores and Apple.com, although the online store seems to only have black and white available.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: iOS accessory, Universal remote control

VooMote Zapper Universal Remote Control for Apple iOS Devices originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 7, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

The topic of journaling has come up now and again here at The Gadgeteer, and has been popular of late.  I’ve been journaling daily for over a year now, and my media of choice is old school: a classic Moleskine notebook and pen.  I typically just toss my Moleskine into my messenger bag so that it is nearby to capture my daily activities, prayers and scribbled musings.  I’d been thinking about trying a case or cover for my Moleskine when I was serendipitously presented the opportunity to evaluate a Moleskine Folio from Rickshaw Bags.  Onward!

Background

Rickshaw Bagworks, also known as Rickshaw Bags, also known as simply Rickshaw, is a small, urban San Fran-based company that is best known for producing bike messenger-style bags and backpacks, many of them custom made-to-order in their shop.  Though they may not yet have the name recognition of some of the bigger boys, their product offering has grown steadily over the past several years.

Versions

When placing an order for a Moleskine Folio from Rickshaw, there are several options from which you can select.  First, you can select which version best suits your needs between the Classic Moleskine Folio and the Smartphone Moleskine Folio.  The only difference between the two is that the Smartphone version swaps a few writing implement pockets for a larger one that fits a smartphone.

Materials

After selecting between versions, you can select your choice of materials from among the following:

• Classic Cordura® – Cordura nylon exterior/Cordura nylon binding
• Performance Tweed™ – Performance tweed exterior/Cordura nylon binding
• Waterproof Sailcloth – X-Pac™ sailcloth exterior/Cordura nylon binding

Colors

After selecting the version and materials, you can select from several stock color combinations for each material.  Alternatively, you can also choose to customize your own Folio by selecting from a growing list of material and colors, and your personal Folio will be hand-assembled to order in Rickshaw’s San Francisco shop.

Dimensions

The empty Moleskine Folio measures 9.75 inches high by 6 inches wide by 1.25 inches deep.

The Outside

I received a Classic Moleskine Folio clad in olive drab Classic Cordura nylon with light green Classic Cordura nylon binding.  I like this particular color combo because it has sort of a military look. The Cordura material feels tough and durable, like it could take a lot of abuse.  In fact, in the few months that I used the Folio before writing this review, I handled and used it several times a day and it showed absolutely no wear at all.

The Classic Moleskine Folio fits nicely in the hand, not too large for the amount of cargo you can stuff into into it.

The Folio includes custom zipper pulls in a black with red trim color scheme which matches the Rickshaw logo.  Here, you’ll notice that the Moleskine notebook’s bookmark has gotten caught in the Folio’s zipper.  Unfortunately, this seems to happen regularly, unless you consciously make the effort to tuck the bookmark inside before you zip the Folio.

The Rickshaw logo sewn into the bottom of the spine, a lowercase “r” with a dot, is in black and red color scheme and matches the zipper pull.

 The Inside

The inside of the Folio is plain black.  The basic layout is an organizer panel for ID or business card, pens, and so forth and also a large zipper pocket.  If you order the Smartphone Folio rather than the Classic Moleskine Folio as shown here, the three rightmost pen pockets would be replaced with a single, larger pocket that includes a small Velcro flap.  In the center of the Folio is a padded neoprene flap used to protect the cover of your Moleskine notebook.

On the right is the pocket for the back cover of the Moleskine, as well as a larger transparent pocket.

Closeup of the “BTO SFO” (Built to Order in San Francisco) tag and another Rickshaw tag, both sewn into the interior of the Folio.  The little tags and logos are a nice touch; there are enough of them to get the point of the branding across without being obtrusive.

After snapping the pics above, I immediately loaded the Folio up with my large Moleskine notebook and some other stuff.  Taking a look at the organizer panel on the left side, at top I’ve placed in the upper transparent pocket an iTunes gift card.  Below that I’ve placed a small ruler, highlighter, two pens, and a click eraser.

The large zipper pocket on the left runs the full length and width of the front of the Folio.  It’s big enough for all kinds of stuff, like a passport, maps, other IDs or cards, or even a Kokopelli sticker.

The rear cover of the large Moleskine notebook slides into the large pocket on the right side of the Folio’s interior.  It is a snug fit, but once you get it in, it fits very securely.  Of course, this prevents you from fully utilizing the Moleskine notebook’s rear cover “bellows” pocket, but you can still place some things into this pocket in the Folio.

The large Moleskine notebook fits a bit snug in the Folio; occasionally I had to do a bit of extra work to get the Folio to zip around the Moleskine’s corners.  Note that the Folio has been specifically designed for the large Moleskine notebook.  There are other types of notebooks that are similar in size to the large Moleskine (Field Notes, Rhodia, and others), but I can’t say whether these would fit in the Folio.  They may fit fine, they may not.

Here, I’ve stuffed a pamphlet and a few postcards into the large transparent pocket on the right side of the interior.

Below is a shot of the Folio and everything I stuffed into it.  There’s room for more than this, but adding too much more made the Folio difficult to fully zip closed.

Conclusion

The Moleskine Classic Folio is well designed and constructed solidly from durable materials.  A Large Moleskine notebook fits snugly into it, and it includes several organizational features to hold other items.  It’s a bit pricey, but for you journalers, note-takers, travelers and the like, this would be a great item to haul around your Moleskine notebook and a few essentials and not worry about whether the contents are protected.  As a daily journaler myself, it was great to be able to toss the Folio, loaded with just the stuff I need, into my bag and have everything I need to journal away.  We’re planning to take an extended vacation out west this summer, and I plan to fully utilize the Folio for daily travel journaling.

Filed in categories: Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Moleskine, Rickshaw Bagworks

Rickshaw Bagworks Classic Moleskine Folio Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 7, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Want to watch Television on your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Android tablet ? Perhaps the Hauppauge Broadway is the solution for you. The Broadway connects between your TV source and home Wi-Fi network, converts the TV signal to be displayed on your mobile device, and sends the signal to your device via Wifi or the Internet.  The Broadway converts and compresses the live TV signal to Apple compatible h.264 video format or Flash when transmitted to Mac, PC or Android. It contains a tuner with support for cable and satellite set top boxes, ATSC over-the-air TV signals and unencrypted digital cable TV (clear QAM). You get full control of the TV channel selected via Broadway’s “IR-blaster” technology. In theory (and I’m guessing it would depend on link speeds and latency) you can also stream your favourite shows while abroad from your home to your tablet via the internet.

Available from the Hauppauge Store for $199.

Filed in categories: Android related, Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: Android, iPad, TV tuner

Hauppauge Broadway – Tellie on ya Tablet originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 7, 2012 at 10:00 am.

Today’s LogicBUY Deal is a Droid RAZR 32GB with price reduced from $799.99 to $99.99 with new two year Verizon contract.  Features:  4.3″ Super AMOLED 540 x 960 display, dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB built-in memory  plus a 16GB microSD included (support for 32GB microSD), 8MP rear camera with 1080p, 1.3MP front-facing camera, microHDMI, microUSB, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, 4G LTE, Kevlar shielding, up to 12.5 hours talk time, 7.1mm at the thinnest point, Android 2.3, more.  You can also upgrade for $199.99.  The new-contract price is the lowest found by LogicBUY and is $45 less than their last mention.

This deal expires February 9, 2012 or sooner. Check the above link for more details on this deal, and check the LogicBUY home page for other deals.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Deal of the Day

Deal of the Day – Droid RAZR 32GB 4G LTE Smartphone [Verizon] originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 7, 2012 at 9:45 am.

This is another Kickstarter project.  The cellhelmet case for iPhone 4/4S (US & Canada versions) from cellpig.com is a TPU case with a difference.  This case comes complete with a one-year insurance policy from Global Warranty Group, “one of the nation’s largest and most recognized iPhone insurance administrators”, to repair or replace your iPhone if it is accidentally damaged while in the cellhelmet case.  (Water damage is excluded.)  Each case comes with two colored inserts to give your iPhone a little personality.  You’ll need to pledge a minimum of $40 to get a case.  They met about 84% of their funding as of today, and they have 32 more days in the funding period – still time to get one of these cases for yourself.

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

Tagged: Cases and covers, iPhone 4/4S

Cellhelmet Protects Your iPhone and Insures It, Too originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 7, 2012 at 9:00 am.

If that tax refund is burning a hole in your pocket, B&H Photo can help you with double savings on Canon camera gear. Save $20 – $320 instantly on select lenses and speedlites. Check out the deals here (affliate link).

Filed in categories: Digital Cameras and Gear, News

Tagged: Photography

Canon Double Instant Savings at B&H originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 7, 2012 at 8:07 am.

We’ve told you about Scosche clipSYNC cables before.  Those are handy charging cables, but you’ll still need a source of power.  The flipCHARGE burst from Scosche combines the convenience of a small carabiner accessory with a portable emergency power source for your iPhone (3GS and 4), iPod nano (5th and 6th gen), and iPod touch (3rd and 4th gen).  The 720mAh lithium-polymer rechargeable battery is designed to get you a burst of power to get you where you’re going.  It extends the battery  charge of your iPod up to 70% or iPhone up to 30%.  You recharge the flipCHARGE burst with any powered USB port or charger.  You can even sync your device when the burst is charging on your computer.  Four lights show you the % charge left in the flipCHARGE burst, and the carabiner clip lets you attach the burst to your keychain or gear bag strap.  The flipCHARGE burst is $49.99 from Scosche.

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

Tagged: External battery, iPhone/iPod accessory

Scosche flipCHARGE burst Emergency Battery for iPhone and iPod originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 6, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

Today’s LogicBUY Deal is the 22″ Planar PX2211MW 1920 x 1080 LCD monitor for $124.99.  Features:  height-adjustable stand, swivel/pivot/tilt, vibrant colors, crisp text, and incredibly fast response time.

$239.99 – $115 coupon code = $124.99 with free shipping.

This deal expires February 8, 2012 or sooner. Check the above link for more details on this deal, and check the LogicBUY home page for other deals.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Deal of the Day

Deal of the Day – 22″ Planar PX2211MW 1920 x 1080 LCD Monitor originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 6, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a home body. I’d rather be home than anywhere else in the world. Sometimes I think that I would be perfectly happy as a hermit. Of course I’m not a hermit and I don’t keep myself barricaded in my house 24/7. I go to work every day, go on vacations, etc. For those times when I’m away from home, I like to be able to check up on things remotely. I want to know if my cat Max is up in the windowsill when he’s not supposed to be. Or if the Fedex guy dropped off a package. Wireless network cameras like the D-Link Wireless N Day/Night Home Network Camera (DCS-932L) let me do that with a computer or a smartphone.

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

Package Contents

D-Link DCS-932L camera
Ethernet cable
Mounting screws
AC Adapter
Installation Guide
CD-ROM with D-View Cam Software (Windows)

Hardware Specifications

Built-in Network Interface – 10/100Base-TX Fast Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WLAN
Wireless Connectivity – 802.11b/g/n Wireless with WEP/WPA/WPA2 security
Video Codecs – MJPEG, JPEG for Still Images
Resolution – 640 x 480 at up to 20 fps, 320 x 240 at up to 30 fps, 160 x 120 at up to 30 fps

This D-Link camera is very similar to the Dropcam Echo wireless camera that I’ve been using for over a year now. The main hardware difference is that the D-Link camera has night vision.

The camera itself is made of white plastic. There’s a small LED below the lens that lights up Green when you’re connected to the network and Red when you’re not.

The camera is connected to a base that can be mounted on a wall or any other flat surface. It’s not necessary to attach the base to anything though as it is heavy enough to stand on a table or shelf.

On the back of the camera is the power connector, Ethernet jack, reset switch and a WPS button. WPS stands for Wi-Fi Protected Setup. Some routers have this feature to allow you to easily setup the D-Link for wireless viewing. Sadly, my older Linksys doesn’t have this feature, so I had to go through a little more work in order to get the camera to work wirelessly.

The camera comes with a CD for Windows users, but I had to download the setup app for my Mac from D-Link’s site. The setup wizard allowed me to easily get the camera up and running as long as it was connected to my router with an Ethernet cable. I had to go into the advanced options to set it up for wireless use. This wasn’t difficult, but the instructions do not mention how to do it or where to look for the settings.

One thing to note is that once the camera has been setup, you don’t have to have any computers on to use it. As long as your router is powered on, you’ll be able to access the camera from the web or your smartphone.

As part of the setup procedure, you create a free mydlink account. With this account you’ll be able to remotely view your camera and change the settings. I found the mydlink web interface to be a little slow to load. It installs a Java applet every time you login, which can take a few seconds.

From this web interface you can watch live video, digitally zoom in and listen to audio through the microphone built in to the camera. Video quality isn’t bad, but it’s a little fuzzy and the audio quality tends to have a lot of static / white noise. You can hear things, but the static in the the background gets annoying quickly, so I almost always turn it off.

Advanced settings allow you to adjust various options for image quality.

By default, the video size is set to 320×240 medium quality. I adjusted it to be very high quality which improves the slightly fuzzy image quality.

Motion detection settings give you the ability to mark areas of the image to watch for changes. By clicking squares on the grid, the software will keep an eye on those specific spots and will notify you via email when motion is detected. You can set it up to send you one image or have it send 3 images before the motion was detected and 3 images afterwards.

You can also specify the day and time period that the software can send email notifications.

The great thing about the D-Link camera is that you don’t have to pay a monthly fee for the email notification feature.

By default, the camera will automatically switch back and forth between day and night vision depending on the level of light. But if you would like to manually schedule when the camera will switch between the modes, you have that ability.

In addition to viewing a live feed from your camera on any web enabled computer, you can also view the feed with your Android or iOS device.

Here we see the free mydlink lite iOS iPhone app. It has a simple interface that loads quickly (much faster than the web browser viewer). There’s also a 99 cent mydlink+ version for the iPad that is full screen.

Turning the phone to landscape orientation provides a larger view. As you can see, the image isn’t exactly crystal clear. It is noticeably fuzzy. It’s not as bad as some network cameras I’ve tested, but isn’t as good as the Dropcam.

Tapping on the display will bring up a few options such as the ability to take a snapshot, toggle sound, and zoom. Like with the web viewer, audio through the smartphone app has static.

This is what the picture looks like when the camera is in night vision mode.

Here’s an example of what the camera shows in a normally lit room. This happens to be my utility room, which has florescent lights in the ceiling. I had one set of lights turned on when I captured this image with the iOS version of the mydlink app.

This is what the camera shows when all the lights are off and the door is closed. The room is in almost complete darkness. The image turns black and white, giving it a Ghost Hunters vibe. The D-Link uses infrared (IR) illumination for night vision up to 5 meters (16.4 feet).

You can also record video via the D-ViewCam interface if you have a Windows PC. At this time, there isn’t a Mac version of the D-ViewCam software. I tried to test D-ViewCam on the only Windows machine I have (an HP Mini netbook), but didn’t have much luck because it requires 1024 x 768 resolution which the Mini can’t quite do.

That’s one feature that the D-Link lacks, a DVR feature built in to the mydlink web portal. Dropcam has this, but they charge you a monthly fee for it.

I wish the picture was sharper, but all in all, the D-Link Wireless N Day/Night Home Network Camera (DCS-932L) is a good choice for an easy to use wireless networked camera. It’s not too expensive and offers decent control over motion detection and email notifications without having to pay a monthly fee.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews, Wireless

Tagged: Surveillance

D-Link Wireless N Day/Night Home Network Camera (DCS-932L) Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 6, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Dutch artist Theo Jansen creates “lifelike” kinetic structures using plastic tubes and lemonade bottles.

Not a product you can buy, not sure what practical use, not sure what else I can say, but I think it’s cool and hope you will too. So sit back and enjoy.   Watch the video after the jump.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Robot

Theo Jansen’s Kinetic Beasts originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 6, 2012 at 10:00 am.

The Prizm Stand from Hub shown here is a universal  stand for tablets.  It’s made of two interlocking pieces of aluminum, and it’s available in a variety of colors for $29.95.  There’s also a smaller version for phones for $24.95.  The Prizm Stands are available from Hub.

Filed in categories: News, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: universal phone stand, Universal Tablet Stand

Prizm Universal Tablet and Smartphone Stands originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 6, 2012 at 9:00 am.

We all have periods of time throughout the day that are essentially wasted – whether it be during a commute, waiting in a doctor’s office, or restlessly sitting through a three minute commercial break until your show resumes.  What better way to kill that time than by practicing guitar?  Pocketstrings is a mini guitar neck with six strings and four frets and is about the same size as a television remote.  The idea is to work on chords and build muscle memory, not to mention some handy calluses, in places where having an actual guitar would be inconvenient.  There is no way to strum though and no prerecorded “correct” chord sounds, so it’s truly only a way to practice formations.  But it’s an awesome idea for hand fidgeters!

The Pocketstrings plastic neck and sliding base come in seven colors including sunburst, yellow, and blue and retails for about $30.  The site is currently sold out, but is taking names and emails to notify you when they’re back in stock.

Filed in categories: Musical Gear, News

Tagged: guitar accessory

Build Muscle Memory on the Go with Pocketstrings originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 6, 2012 at 8:00 am.

iPhone App Roundup (Aurum Blade FREE, Super Bit Dash FREE)

OtterBox TechBargains Exclusive Coupon Code 5-15% off

AT&T Wireless – up to $100 off Cell Phones & Accessories

Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket 4G LTE for AT&T $99.99 Free Shipping w/ 2-Year Contract

Filed in categories: News

Tagged:

This Week’s Top Deals from TechBargains originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 5, 2012 at 9:37 pm.

We live a much more sedentary life these day with hours spent in front of the television or your PC.  Get some exercise while charging your favourite smartphone, tablet or handheld games console with K-Tor’s pedal powered Power Box.

Measuring 4.5×4.5×8.75 in. and weighing less than two pounds (28 oz), the Power Box can be used to generate power for devices of 20W or less and comes equipped with a standard power socket. It’s also a useful device in emergency situations such as disasters or blackouts where you need to charge critical equipment.  You could put one under your desk while working, get some exercise, and generate clean, green power.  The device was an honoree in the 2011 CES Innovation Awards in the category of portable power.

No pricing is available yet but it’s coming soon.  Fire up the spandex and watch some Tour de France highlights for inspiration while you’re waiting.

Filed in categories: Fitness, Sports, News

Tagged: Portable power supply

K-Tor Power Box – Pedal to the Metal and Charge Your Devices originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 5, 2012 at 10:00 am.

When I bought my Little Swift bag from Tom Bihn, I also ordered a couple of their Clear Organizer Wallets.  I wanted one of these little wallets to carry my “overflow cards” that don’t fit in my regular wallet, and my husband, Butch, was looking for something to replace the leather brick he’d been carrying in his back pocket.  So, what do we think of our Tom Bihn Clear Organizer Wallets?

All images can be clicked for a larger view.

The wallet has a clear front made of 0.015″ Urethane.  The backs are made of either 500 or 1000 denier Cordura, Vulcana hemp/recycled rubber (like my Little Swift), or cork.  Butch chose the steel Dyneema fabric.  His wallet perfectly matches the lining in my Little Swift. If you read my Little Swift review, you’ll remember I was torn between choosing the Vulcana hemp/recycled rubber or the cork version of that bag.  I selected the hemp bag, and thought I’d order the cork wallet so I could see what that fabric was like.  I didn’t consider the Dyneema because I thought it would “disappear” inside my bag.

Butch’s wallet looks “lumpy” compared to the cork wallet in the above photo.  When empty, both wallets lay flat.  Both wallets were photographed “fully loaded”, and his wallet has roughly twice the cards in it.  The Dyneema fabric isn’t stretchy by any means, but the wallet is flexible enough to mold around the contents.

The cork wallet measures about 5.75″ wide X 3.8″ tall X 0.25″ thick and weighs 0.7 oz when empty.  It closes with a plastic zipper along the top front.  A Tom Bihn logo ribbon is sewn into the zipper seam.  The edges are bound with a very sturdy-looking fabric.

One of the top corners has a plastic clip that’s used to attach the wallet to the O-rings sewn inside Tom Bihn bags.  Although it works great clipped into my Little Swift, I usually carry it inside one of the large clear pockets inside my bag, like the one holding my Sony PRS-T1 reader seen in this picture.

It’s called an organizer wallet because of the two Ultrasuede dividers found inside.  They are cut with “tabs” that extend above your cards so you can easily see how the cards are divided.  The dividers in my cork wallet are blue and red, but the colors vary.  The Dyneema wallet has light gray and red Ultrasuede dividers.

Here’s my wallet loaded up with my overflow cards.  You can clearly see the Ultrasuede dividers inside.  I don’t carry my driver’s license in this wallet, but Butch does (see lead photo in the review).  The Urethane front is clear enough that you can present your license for an ID check without having to remove it from the wallet.

I have 12 cards and a couple of Levenger wallet-sized note cards in my Clear Organizer Wallet, and it’s barely 0.5″ thick.  Butch’s wallet has 27 cards inside (6 paper, 21 thick, plastic cards) and is about 1″ thick.

As I mentioned, I carry mine inside my purse, but Butch carries his Clear Organizer Wallet in his pants pocket.  He always used to carry his wallets in his back pocket.  Always having a wallet in that pocket made the fabric wear faster, and sitting on it caused him back and hip pain.  He didn’t like to carry his normal wallet in his front pocket, but he always carries his Tom Bihn Wallet in a front pocket.  The thinner profile of the Clear Organizer Wallet looks nicer in a front pocket than the leather brick does.  And not sitting on his wallet all day has greatly reduced the pain in Butch’s back.

Here’s a closer look at the cork.  I’ve seen cork tiles before.  They’re thin and flexible, but they can be broken.  I was a bit worried about the structure and strength of the cork used in Tom Bihn bags.  There’s an article in the Tom Bihn blog that shows a cork bag after five years of daily use; the bag looks in great shape, so I decided I’d risk buying the cork wallet.

The cork has a matte surface and a vaguely woodgrain-like appearance.  (Cork does come from trees.)  It has a mostly smooth texture, but you can feel a few very low “ridges” in the surface.

It appears the cork “fabric” structure is similar to a vinyl fabric.  Inside the wallet, you see the woven backing for the cork.  It seems that a thin layer of cork is adhered to a fabric backing.  I’m sure this fabric is there to add strength and to stabilize the structure of the cork layer.

By the way, the cork bag has absolutely no smell that I can detect.  And I have a sensitive sniffer.  I used to be called “the canary” at work – as in the canary in the coal mine.

Both Butch and I love our Tom Bihn Clear Organizer Wallets.  Mine fits easily in my bag, and his makes a great front-pocket wallet.  Both wallets are so lightweight that they don’t seem to be any heavier than the cards themselves.  At $15, they are an inexpensive, sturdy, convenient alternative to traditional leather wallets.  If our previous experiences with Tom Bihn products are an indication, we can expect years of use from these Clear Organizer Wallets.

Filed in categories: Bags, Backpacks, Reviews

Tagged: Wallet

Tom Bihn Clear Organizer Wallet Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 5, 2012 at 9:00 am.

Gadgeteer reader Sandee Cohen writes in with some potentially good news for Amazon Kindle Keyboard owners:

Julie,

You might want to write this up as a post.

I got a Kindle Keyboard model Christmas 2010. ByNovember 2011, some of the letters on the keyboard had started to fade. (I play a lot of word games that require typing on the keyboard.)   By the end of January 2012 the “I” “O” and “A” were completely blank. And it was very hard to read the “S”.

I wrote to Kindle-feedback@amazon.com and told them how disappointed I was with the situation.   Almost immediately I got an email back telling me to contact Amazon by phone. (They have a cool way of entering your phone number on their web site and then your phone rings and Amazon is on the line.)   After explaining the situation, the fellow told me that “your machine is out of warranty, but we make an exception for this issue.”   I take that to mean that this is a known problem with the Kindle Keyboard versions. And although Amazon doesn’t sell the keyboard models anymore, they do have ones available to exchange for damaged ones.

The new machine arrived and indeed the letters on the keyboard are raised from the plastic and look like they will last much longer.   I think this information should be made more public so those who are struggling with faded letters can get a new machine.

Perhaps you will use the Gadgeteer to publicize it.

Best,
Sandee Cohen

Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.

I asked Sandee to send me some close up images of her old Amazon Kindle Keyboard reader and the replacement she just received.

Old Amazon Kindle Keyboard	New Amazon Kindle Keyboard

In the image on the Left, you’ll notice the I, O and L keys are worn pretty badly. Sandee commented that they look much worse in real life than they do in these macro shots.

It’s good to know that Amazon will replace this older model eBook reader even when it’s out of warranty. That’s great service!

Thanks to Sandee for sending in this info. Hopefully it helps someone else.

Filed in categories: eBook Readers and Gear, News

Tagged: Amazon, Kindle

Does your Kindle Keyboard have fading letters? Amazon might send you a free replacement originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

ZunZun is a Dutch company that has a great idea.  They make sun visor shades for computer laptops 10.5″ and 15.6″ and even GPS units. These shades are essentially flexible hoods that attach via elastic bands around your computer to shade the screen so you can see it and still type on your keyboard.  For the record, I like the idea of this product.  

I celebrate this idea.  I love writing outdoors.  I hate being cooped up and lately, my living situation being what it is, I am more prone to cabin fever than ever.   While I am no fan of the State of California per se, the state does boast some lovely parks and fabulous beaches.  All perfect for kicking back, enjoying the fresh air, temperate climate (seriously…it’s early February and even in January…highs were in the mid 60s) and the crashing of the waves.

I’m a surfer…internet surfer.  But still it’s cool to take my laptop out to the beaches near Pacifica or Half Moon Bay and watch the real surfer guys.  I’m a (struggling but aspiring) writer so there are a lot of times I just want to be on the beach doing my thing.   It’s not possible when you can’t see your screen. Computer screen technology has evolved over the years, yes, but Mother Nature on a California beach still has the last word, and I can’t see what I write half the time.

The hood works.  It definitely improves the clarity and reduces glare from the sun.  I have not used the ZunZun GPS sun visors, but the design of the GPS visor is what the design for the laptops should be.

The visor for the laptops encircles the screen while the visor for the  GPS units are really more of a hood covering the top and sides.  As you can see, the visor completely boxes in the screen. You view the screen almost as you would one of those eye exam machines where you view an image through a tunnel.  I’ve taken the bottom half of the visor off so that it’s now a three sided gabled hood, much like ZunZun’s GPS visor.  A hood design, like the computer sun shade featured here, does not interfere with the user’s keyboarding activity.

Simply put, the product works.  It does what it says it’s supposed to do.  But the box-like design of the laptop visor makes it awkward to use your keyboard.  I’m a type-by-touch kind of person but many keyboardists are not…they look at their fingers to see what buttons or keys they’re hitting.  The box-like construction makes that uncomfortable.  A better design for the laptop visor would be the design that ZunZun uses for their GPS units:  the gable-like hood.

At 19.95 Euro or $27.13 (depending on currency rates), you need to love this product in order to purchase it.  ZunZun is a Dutch based company and their products are sold from their website, not sold in stores in the USA.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Outdoor Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop, Sun shield

ZunZun Computer Laptop Sun Visor Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Samsung has a created their own version of a robotic vacuum called the NaviBot.  It is to offer a more efficient and intelligent way of cleaning your home.  NaviBot features a visionary mapping system, multiple cleaning modes, a triple brush system, and auto recharge and resume.

The Samsung NaviBot is engineered with 38 sensors, which features three cliff sensors to detect the edge of stairs and other surfaces, three anti-tangle sensors that automatically unwind cord or carpet tassles if it encounters them, and auto-stop at lifting sensor to immediately shut the NaviBot off if it falls over or is lifted up.  It also has a self-adjust function that allows it to overcome obstacles of up to 1.5 cm and can automatically adjust for different types of flooring.

It is also equipped with an onboard camera that captures 30 frames per second to create a virtual map of the home.  It captures a picture of the ceiling in the room it is about to clean and then can analyze the space it is to clean. The picture is then utilized by the NaviBot to create a virtual map and create the most efficient route to clean the entire floor.  Just set it to go as you walk out the door, or use the delay function to start at a specified time during the day.  It has a “virtual guard”  feature, which can make an imaginary barrier and not enter other rooms.

The NaviBot features a rotating triple brush system underneath to work efficiently on picking up dirt, dust, and hard to capture pet hair.  The NaviBot effortlessly picks up hair and fluff without it wrapping around the brushes due to Samsung’s patented pet hair care system.  It can hold up to 600 ml of debris with its bagless dust collection and is equipped with a HEPA filter.  The noise level is at approximately 73dBA.

There are various cleaning modes to the NaviBot.  They include:  Auto, Max, Manual, Spot and Edge. The edge mode uses the spinning brushes to clean along walls and other hard to reach places.  The delay start mode can be used before leaving the home so it runs through its routine hours later, or you can rely on the daily schedule time to create a specific time of the day to run.  The manual mode allows you to control the robotic vacuum with its remote control.

The Samsung NaviBot needs minimal human intervention.  When the battery is running low, it will automatically return to the charging station.  It can even resume cleaning where it left off before recharging.  The NaviBot  SR8855 has up to 90 minutes run time when fully charged, and the charging time is to be 33% faster than other robotic vacuums.  There is also a Samsung NaviBot SR8845 available, and a more quiet-to run-version is a new addition to the line.  Samsung’s robotic vacuums have a suggested retail starting at $599, price varies with each model.

Filed in categories: Gear, Home Tech, News

Tagged: robotic vacuum

Samsung’s Take On Robotic Vacuums – The NaviBot SR8855 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2012 at 10:13 am.

This highly ornate case isn’t going to be everyone’s taste, but I think it’s beautiful.  The Nouveau Art iPhone 4/4S case from Ion is a polycarbonate snap-on back cover.  It’s available in iridium-coated silver or goldtone, so it doesn’t interfere with the signal strength.  The camera and all ports and controls are open and accessible.  The Nouveau Art cover comes with an anti-glare, moire-free screen protector.  It’s $35.99 from Ion.

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

Tagged: Cases and covers, iPhone 4/4S

Ion Nouveau Art iPhone 4/4S Case originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2012 at 9:00 am.

The LogicBUY Deal for Saturday is a $40 coupon for the Clickfree 2TB C6 USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive (model no. CA3D20-6C) for $129.99.  This is the lowest price found by LogicBUY for this Clickfree hard drive.  Act quickly, because this is an expiring deal.

$169.99 – $40 coupon code = $129.99 with free shipping.

This deal expires February 4, 2012 or sooner. Check the above link for more details on this deal, and check the LogicBUY home page for other deals.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Deal of the Day

Deal of the Day – Clickfree 2TB C6 USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2012 at 8:00 am.

If you’re in a multi-iPad/multi-iPhone household like me, you know how hard it can be to get everything charged at once without using half the outlets in the house.  With the Sydnee iOS Recharge Station from Kanex, you’ll be able to charge up to four iPads and/or iPhones in one compact charging station.  The Sydnee has four USB ports in the back, and each supplies 2.1A of power to quickly charge an iPad.  There are two slots and one stand to hold three iPads or iPhones; the fourth unit will have to lay on the table.  You’ll receive three USB charging cables for iOS devices.  Each DC output has circuit protection to actively condition the DC power, and there’s a fuse to protect against AC power surges.  The Sydnee is perfect for home, office, or school use – anywhere you need to charge multiple iOS devices.

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

Tagged: Charging station, iOS accessory

Charge Up to Four iPads at Once with the Kanex Sydnee iOS Recharge Station originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 3, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

Steve Holt did a popular review for Avid Studio (see the related posts for a link) last year, so I thought many of you might be interested to know that this software is now available as an iPad app.  Avid Studio for iPad has “distilled the world’s leading film-editing technology into an easy-to-use app that enables you to edit video, audio, and photos at the speed of your creativity.”  You can edit any video, audio, or photo file on your iPad, access files on external devices with the Apple camera connection kit, or capture video or photos within the Avid app.  You can edit your files frame by frame, enhance your project with multi-layer 3D animations, transitions, and titles, and add soundtracks using your own files or the included sound effects.  You can share your files via YouTube, Facebook, or email, and you can even export your files to Avid Studio for the PC.  It’s only $4.99 in the iTunes App Store, so this might even be a great way to try Avid Studio before you purchase the much more expensive PC version.  And keep your eyes peeled for Julie’s upcoming review of this Avid Studio app.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: A/V editing, iPad app

Avid Studio is Now Available as an iPad App originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 3, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

In my article Amazon Kindle 3G-The Perfect Travel Companion, I talked about how useful I found my 3G Kindle while travelling overseas.  One of the comments left on that article pointed to a blog that said that Vietnam was one of the only places that the author couldn’t get any 3G signal.  This confused the heck out of me, as I had full coverage (and also full web access) from North to South for the 3 weeks I was over there. What was going on?

US Kindle 3 3G Coverage

I went to Amazon.com to look at the 3G coverage map. Huh? No 3G coverage in Vietnam? Had I slurped back too much Pho, or had the sun addled my brain, or was it just like an episode of Dallas and it was all a dream?

Then I remembered there’s actually two versions of the 3G Kindle , a US one that is only available in the US and uses an ATT sim card and also an International model that uses a Vodafone sim card.  Now, Australia being NOT being part of the US meant I had an international model. So I went to Amazon.co.uk and check the Vodaphone 3G coverage map there.

Intl Kindle 3 3G Coverage

So you can see while the US (ATT) Kindle 3 offers ZERO 3G coverage in Vietnam, the International version (Voda) gives almost full 3G coverage. The same applies for Cambodia.

US Kindle 3 3G Coverage

Intl Kindle 3 3G Coverage

Tasmania US v Intl 3G Coverage

For interest sake I then had a look at Australian coverage.  I live in Tasmania, that little island just underneath Victoria, but couldn’t get my screenshot to include in the map above, so I added separately. (We hate being left off the map of Australia ).  You can see  that there’s dramatically different coverage between the International and the US Kindle 3 3G . Looking at the maps above, in reality I’d be much better off with a US Kindle 3 3G than the International model. Vodafone has notoriously bad coverage in Australia, and it’s a bit ironic that a US Kindle would give me better coverage than an “International” version.  But of course if I had a US model, I’d have NO coverage while in Vietnam.

A quick comparison of the maps shows some obvious areas where coverage is different, Morocco (I), Namibia(I), Cote D’Ivoire(I), Belarus(I), Malawi(I),Ecuador(U), Tanzania(U) and Bolivia(U) amongst others, and the degree of difference in coverage varies.

I’m guessing that this “anomoly”  has to do with the partners that the respective Telcos have in the different countries. The long and short, if you’re intending to use your Kindle while travelling, it’s worth checking out if the US or International will give you the best coverage in the countries that you’re going to visit. Be aware though that it’s not possible to get a US Kindle 3G directly from Amazon internationally and conversely an International Kindle 3G in the US, but there are ways of doing it.

Happy travelling

Filed in categories: Articles, eBook Readers and Gear, Travel Gear

Tagged: 3G, Kindle, Travel gear

Amazon Kindle 3 3G International Coverage – US vs International model originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 3, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Today’s LogicBUY Deal is the 27″ ViewSonic VX2753MH-LED Full HD LCD Monitor for $269.99.  Features:  920 x 1080 resolution, LED-backlit display, speaker, adjustable display angle, two HDMI inputs, 1ms GTG response time, 30,000,000:1 MEGA dynamic contrast ratio, more.

$329.99 – $60 coupon code = $269.99 with free shipping.

This deal expires February 4, 2012 or sooner. Check the above link for more details on this deal, and check the LogicBUY home page for other deals.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Deal of the Day

Deal of the Day – 27″ ViewSonic VX2753MH-LED 1080p 1ms LED-backlit LCD Monitor originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 3, 2012 at 10:00 am.