On its own, the iPhone has a great build in camera. But if you want to kick it up a notch, you should check out the iSteady Shot M-27 action camera mount. Your iPhone 4/4S snaps into a 16 oz. aircraft grade aluminum fixture that comes with a detachable 37mm wide angle/macro lens that has a 130 degree view. The M-27 features contoured hand grips and several threaded tripod mounts: two on top and three on the bottom. It also has a microphone/light mount which is built into the top center. The M-27 is made here in the US, is priced at $99.99 and is available now.

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

Tagged: iPhone

iSteady Shot M-27 puts your iPhone’s camera on steriods originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 25, 2012 at 2:00 pm.

The iPhone continues to be my favorite smartphone almost entirely due to the fact that I love the built in 8MP camera and all the photography apps devoted to it. But it isn’t just the apps that keep me interested, it’s also the camera accessories created specifically for the iPhone. We’ve reviewed a few of those accessories like the Pixeet Panorama Lens, which is an attachment that enables you to capture 180 and 360 degree panoramic images. I had fun with that product, but I have something even more interesting to show you. It’s the GoPano micro. It also allows you to capture panoramas with your iPhone. But instead of static images, it captures video and audio in 360 degrees. Let’s take it for a spin (sorry, couldn’t resist…).

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

Package Contents

GoPano micro panoramic lens attachment
iPhone 4/4S case
Draw string pouch

The GoPano micro kit comes with an iPhone 4/4S case that must be used to attach the lens. This is a 2 piece slide on case that snaps together like a puzzle.

The GoPano attachment is designed to fit into the case opening for the lens.

The attachment is made of plastic.

It’s designed like a periscope with a funnel shaped mirror at the top and another smaller mirror at the bottom near the attachment point.

You just press the GoPano into the opening in the included case. It’s held there with friction. If you click the image above, you’ll notice that there is extra space around the GoPano. At first I thought the design was flawed, but then I realized that it’s made this way so that you can still use your iPhone’s LED flash when you’re not using the GoPano micro.

Here we see the iPhone 4S and GoPano micro connected and ready to go. I would have to advise NOT using the GoPano if you are going to be in an environment where you could be bumped or are moving around quite a bit. I say this because the lens is only attached by friction and can easily be knocked off if bumped. I’d like to see a better method of attaching the lens to the phone so you could use it in more active / extreme ways.

Unlike with the Pixeet lens, the GoPano does not require you to snap a picture, rotate the camera, snap another picture, rotate, snap, etc in order to capture a 360 degree image.

Its funnel shape can capture video in 360 degrees all at once.

The iPhone’s built in camera application can’t be used with the GoPano. It requires a special free GoPano app which is registered with a code included in the package. The application is very easy to use and allows you to view videos uploaded by other GoPano owners as well as record your own.

The video recording interface has 3 buttons. Done, Record and Calibrate. Done takes you back to the main menu, Record starts video capture and Calibrate  brings up the focus screen. The focus screen is used to make sure the image is as sharp as possible. Unfortunately focus is the biggest problem with the GoPano. But more about that in a minute… The image that you see above on the right is actually the image that the GoPano captures. The software will then turn that image into a more traditional looking flat version.

Once you’ve recorded a video, it can be uploaded to the GoPano website, saved to your iPhone’s camera roll or shared to iTunes file sharing which means it will sync to iTunes and will be available on your desktop/laptop for easy access.

Here are a couple example videos that I captured. You can use your mouse or the arrow keys on your keyboard to rotate the video. Give it a try.

Walking by the Bartholomew County Courthouse in Columbus, IN. It was a cold day, hence my fuzzy hat

Another walk by the Bartholomew County Courthouse in Columbus, IN. I wasn’t in a bad mood while filming this… the sun was in my eyes.

A walk around the Commons Mall in Columbus, IN.

As I had mentioned above, you can export your videos to your iPhone’s camera roll. From there you can email them to your friends. They will be saved as a .MOV (Quicktime) file, and won’t allow for mouse or keyboard panning, but they are still kind of cool because it’s the whole 360 degrees in one long strip. Here’s my walk around the Commons Mall video in .MOV flat format.

I’m sure you’ve noticed an issue with all these videos – they are not in focus. That’s the biggest problem with the GoPano. No matter how many times you use the calibrate feature, the resulting videos are always blurry. My guess is that the process to convert the donut shaped image into a flat image somehow degrades the focus. The picture can also look a bit stretched or warped and isn’t very flattering for the person doing the filming. When I first watched the videos I had captured and panned around to see myself, I was like “yikes!” It’s a shame about the focus, but the coolness factor of being able to make a 360 video that you can manually spin around kind of makes up for the blur. That said, I do wish it was in better focus. Even with its faults, the GoPano micro panorama lens attachment is fun and easy to use.  It is just one more reason why I love the iPhone.

Update: The folks at GoPano explain the focus issue:

The focus issue you mentioned in the article, is not actually a focus problem- it’s because of the lack of usable resolution. Due to the circular nature of video capture, the app discards a major chunk of the image sensor, the app then slices the donut and then wraps it around you. Read more about the tech here: http://goo.gl/S5xX7 (You would notice the videos look perfectly in focus in flat mode, as you see the entire resolution at once). The better the resolution of the base camera the better the final resolution of your 360 videos.

Good news:
- The resolution with the iPhone4S is much better than what you get with iPhone4. The better the resolution gets the better resolution you get on your 360° videos.
- We wish apple gave us the choice of selecting the shape and size on its image sensor – we try to fit the circular mirror in the rectangular image sensor, if we had the choice of chooseing say a square sensor- the resolution increase would have be phenomenally better!

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

Tagged: iPhone, Photography

GoPano micro Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 20, 2012 at 11:00 am.

As headphones become more popular as an audio accessory and fashion statement, some companies have been able to adapt to this evolving market better than others. Some lean more towards the design while others cater to the audiophile crowd. V-Moda has tried to have it both ways. With the over-ear (circumaural) Crossfade LP, they succeeded in pleasing both groups. However, many people prefer a smaller, on-ear (supra-aural) headphone design. V-Moda could have just made smaller Crossfades – and the Crossfade M-80s do look like that – but V-Moda went farther. Here’s a spoiler for you: The new – and smaller – M-80 headphones are better in almost every way.

The whole package feels well made. According to V-Moda, much of the headphone is made to military specs with kevlar wrapped one-button (universal) or 3-button (Apple only) cables and a reinforced steel headband wrapped in microfiber faux-suede. The M-80s can be bent and twisted severely with no lasting effects. They are made to take a lot of punishment.

The original Crossfade LPs are more comfortable than these newer Crossfade M-80s over extended periods, which I think is more the result of the over-ear design as opposed to on-ear. The M-80′s pads are made of memory foam which are good at forming to the shape of your ears. However, on my head, they begin to feel tight after about 3 hours. I know many people don’t wear headphones for that long in one sitting, but I do, so if there are any comfort issues, I feel them. That’s not to say that the M-80s are uncomfortable. As long as the listening times are kept below a few hours, they feel just fine. I also had to extend the earpieces as far as I could to get a proper fit. This has been an issue for me with other brands, as well. If my head size was any larger, then the M-80s wouldn’t fit.

The exoskeleton case is looks practically indestructible, and it is tough. Short of stomping on it, this case will protect the M-80s from just about any mishap. It comes with a carabiner, so you can easily hook it up to a backpack without it taking up interior space.

While there are similarities between the Crossfade LPs and the M-80s, that similarity ends once you hear them. The thing that separates the two more than anything is plain ole’ bass. The Crossfade LPs have more of it. They aren’t bass monsters (pun intended) like the Beats headphones, but bass is more prominent then with the M-80s. In some instances – like Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock and Roll” – the highs become overpowered by the bass on the LPs. There’s a better balance among the frequencies with the M-80s. I also noticed that the volume needed to be turned up a bit on the M-80s to equal the loudness of the LPs.

The high definition version of Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto’s classic “The Girl From Ipanema” has a fantastic soundstage which the M-80s exploit. It’s easy to imagine the placement of each instrument as you listen to the swish of the drum brushes complimented by Getz’s smokey saxophone. The nightclub feel of the song is palpable. Part of the reason for this is what V-Moda calls Bliss Noise Isolation. It uses ports and sound channeling to give a more open soundstage similar to what open-back headphones give but still allowing the almost total isolation of a closed-back headphone design. While I prefer the wide soundstage of genuine open-backed headphones, the M-80s come quite close.

The excessively bright vocals on John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” border on harsh with the M-80s. That can be an issue with some older recordings as they generally are recorded with lighter bass than a modern mix would be. That’s not always the case though because the song, “Operator,” from Manhattan Transfer’s 1975 debut album, has a perfect balance of Alan Paul’s slightly reverbed lead vocals over backup harmonies from the other three members. This kind of song allows the M-80s to shine. All of the audio detail in this song is extracted for maximum effect.

The Crossfade M-80 headphones are an evolution of the Crossfade LPs. If you have the LPs and are happy with them, then save your money. However, I would recommend the M-80s over the LPs if you own neither. The M-80s superior accuracy is hard to ignore. If you are still trying to decide between cheaper headphones or spending a little more, here’s a clue: When you listen to good headphones, you don’t have that desire to turn them up in order to get as much out of them as possible. Good headphones are able to bring out all that aural goodness without resorting to harmful volume. That’s the tragedy of cheap headphones and earphones; that inherent need to use volume to mask deficiencies. Over time, it can cause real damage to hearing. It’s something to consider.

The Crossfade M-80s are not cheap, but given how good they sound and how tough they are made, they look like a bargain.

V-Moda sells the True Blood V-80 headphones which are themed after the HBO vampire show, “True Blood.” With the exception of a different color scheme and a blood-vial styled zipper pull, the V-80 and M-80 headphones are identical.

V-Moda also offers customized headphone shields – those metal plates covering the headphone ear-cup. For a little more money, you can pick a different headphone shield color or upload your own design for a customized look.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Audio, Crossfades, Headphones, iPhone, iPod, Kevlar, M-80, MP3, V-Moda

V-Moda Crossfade M-80 Headphones Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 7, 2012 at 11:00 am.

MultiFrame from Apalon is an easy to use iOS app, which will allow you to create photo collages with 2-4 images. It offers a variety of layouts and frame styles. Let’s take a look.

Note: The images in this review can be clicked to see larger view.

MultiFrame offers 19 different frame choices that have been arranged for 2-4 images. After you make your choice of frame, then you can add your images to each pane in that frame. The individual images can be moved around inside each pane by sliding them around with your finger or stylus.

The whole frame style can be changed from square, landscape or portrait and there are 6 types of frame backgrounds to choose from.

The individual images in the frame can be customized by rotating, converting them to black and white, sepia or cross process, which is like an over processed HDR type look.

Once you have finished creating your multiframe image, you have the option to save it to the photo album or send it via email, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or Flickr.

Here’s a sample multiframe that I created.

Using MultiFrame is quick and painless. I wouldn’t offer any complaints about this app if it were free. But since it costs $0.99, I have to tell you that there is a better alternative for the same price. PicFrame from Active Development offers more customization options. It has 34 frames that can be adjusted for both width and corner rounding. It also has many frame patterns and colors, as well as more styles that can be applied to each image in the frame. Your completed image can then be opened in Instagram and other image apps that you might have installed on your device such as Evernote.

Hopefully MultiFrame will get more features as newer versions come out. But as it is now, I would look for better alternatives like PicFrame in the app store.

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

Tagged: App, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Photography

MultiFrame iOS Photo Collage App originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 22, 2011 at 3:23 pm.

Have an iPhone 4S (or iPhone 4) and want to protect that delicate back glass when you lay it on the table?  Many people usually use a variation of Zagg’s InvisibleShield or Skin for their iPhone.  But I would also like something more durable and luxury looking.  That’s where Luxe Plates come in.  Luxe Plates are stainless steel stick-on covers that protect the back of your iPhone.  These Luxe Plates are all precision etched with art from premium artists or you can design your own art for them to etch.  The great thing about Luxe Plates is that you can feel the texture and grooves of the etches.  It costs only $26.95 direct from Luxe Plates.

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

Tagged: Cover, iPhone, protection

Give your iPhone 4S a stainless steel backing with Luxe Plates originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 1, 2011 at 9:05 am.

When I find something that I like, I tend to use it for a long time. Six years ago I had the opportunity to review a wallet from Waterfield and I’ve been using that the same wallet ever since. I’ve had the habit of zipping my iPhone inside it for carry convenience. Waterfield must have spy cams following me because they had the same idea, only better. They’ve created the iPhone Wallet which has a special see through area that will hold your phone and still allows access to the display. Let’s take a look.

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

The design of the iPhone Wallet is very similar to Waterfield’s original wallet. The biggest change is the see through window on one side that is made of a clear vinyl material.

The iPhone wallet is available in Black or Brown. I was sent the Brown version and I love it. It’s the type of leather that only looks better as it’s used and collects scuffs and scratches.

The contents of the wallet are kept protected by a sturdy locking zipper. I can confirm that the zippers used in Waterfield’s products are top quality. I’ve never had one break or otherwise fail to function properly.

As you can see, the stitching is evenly spaced and blends in with the color of the leather.

The interior of the wallet has 2 canvas card slots sewn into the right side (as pictured above). The back slot can hold a quite a few cards. I have been carrying 8 plastic credit cards and 8 business cards with some room to spare. The front card slot is a bit tighter and is best used for 2 or 3 most used cards.

I keep my folded dollars in front of the card slots, but behind the ultrasuede divider.

Your iPhone 3GS, 4 or 4S with or without a bumper case can then be placed in front of the rigid divider. The ultrasuede protects your phone from scratches and separates it from the rest of the items in your wallet.

Then all you have to do is zip the whole thing up and you’re ready to go. You will be able to see and interact with your phone through the plastic window. I was really surprised that my taps and swipes work through a layer of plastic, but they do. You can even send text messages, answer calls, listen to voicemails and give Siri commands while the phone is zipped up in the wallet. Nice!

The plastic window is holding up just fine after being stowed and unstowed in jacket pockets and gear bags. I was a little worried that it would scratch easily but so far it seems fine.

I’ve been using this wallet for a couple of weeks and don’t have any complaints. Granted, with your phone in this wallet, it is kind of bulky. But the convenience of being able to carry one item in your hand or jacket pocket instead of two makes the extra bulk worth it in my opinion. I think Waterfield has another winning product, which I’ll be using for years to come.

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

Tagged: iPhone, Wallet

Waterfield iPhone Wallet Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2011 at 4:00 pm.

If you store your music on an iPhone or iPod and also enjoy internet radio, the PURE Contour is a one of the nicer speaker systems that I’ve had the opportunity to review. It offers a dock for playing the music on an iPhone/iPod while also charging its batteries, Internet streaming radio, FM radio and network streaming audio. This is all contained in an attractive compact package. Let’s take a closer look.

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

Hardware Specs

LCD display: 128 x 64 pixel graphical LCD auto-dimming display, large clock and feature icons, light sensor.
Wireless: 802.11b and 802.11g supported with WEP and WPA/WPA2 encryption.
Ethernet: Requires PURE Choice Mini USB Ethernet adapter, available separately.
Speakers: 2 full-range 3 1/2” drive units.
Audio output: 2 x 18W @ Input connectors: 20V DC power adapter socket. iPod/iPhone connector with adapters. 3.5mm Aux-in for auxiliary devices. USB (mini-B type) for product upgrades and Ethernet adapter. (Software upgrades also available over Wi-Fi).
Output connectors: 3.5mm stereo output for headphones.
Composite video out: Composite RCA.
Component video out: 3.5mm 4-pole TRRS connector* (PURE Choice cable available separately).
S-Video out*: 3.5mm 4-pole TRRS connector* (PURE Choice cable available separately).
Remote control: Infrared remote control. 2 x AAA (LR03) batteries included.
Mains power supply: 100-240V, 50/60Hz 20V DC 2.25A external power adapter.
Dimensions (inches): 14.6 wide x 9 high x 6.9 deep.
Weight: 6.39 pounds

Package Contents

Contour speaker
Dock adapters
Remote
AC adapter
Quickstart guide

The PURE Contour gets its name from its dome shape. The design / style will allow it to fit into almost any environment, from living room to office or even kitchen. Although you’ll want to be careful with the knit material that covers the front of the speaker, as it might be difficult to clean. I’d rather it have a metal mesh instead of a cloth / knit covering for easy cleaning.

The front of the system has a pop out iPhone / iPod dock that is compatible with almost all the current and older devices. See review summary box below for a detailed list.

A telescoping antenna for the built-in FM radio is found on the back of the unit, along with a panel of connectors that include power, Aux in, 3.5 mm headphone jack, Composite video, Component/S-Video and Mini USB for software updates, and the optional Ethernet adapter.

Along the top ridge of the speaker are touch sensitive buttons for power and volume adjustment, that light up when the system is powered on.

The power button stays lighted even when the system is in standby mode.

I was happy to see that PURE includes a ‘real’ remote instead one of those cheap membrane type controllers that are usually included with speaker systems.

The remote can do everything that the touch sensitive buttons on the speaker do except for opening the iPhone/iPod dock.

The dock, which doubles as a clock when in standby mode, opens smoothly by pressing in on the top left or right corner.

The Contour works well as an iPhone / iPod speaker system. The sound quality out of the speakers is impressive considering the size of the system. Cranking up the volume does not degrade the sound. The speakers have good bass, crisp highs and clear mid tones.

Using the touch buttons on the front of the dock or the remote, you can skip forwards / backwards through tracks, pause and play. But unfortunately, you can not navigate the Music app menus on the iPhone/iPod with the remote. That means if you’re across the room and want to switch to a different artist, you’ll have to get up and make the change on the device itself.

The PURE Contour has more up its sleeve than just an iPhone/iPod dock though…

It also makes an above average streaming internet radio. You can navigate through lists of stations using the built in LCD or you can link the Contour to The Lounge website.

The website makes it easy to find your favorite type of content by search genres. When you find something you like, you can mark them as favorites and then they will show up in a folder on the device for easy playback. You can even add custom stations. I was also happy to see lists of podcasts too.

Streaming these stations works well. Once in awhile the playback will pause for buffering or a channel will stop playing for awhile for some unknown reason, but for the most part, I can play music for hours and not notice any problems even when I’m surfing via another computer.

The Contour will also play music streamed from your computer after you install the free media server software. It took me a little while to find the software on The Lounge site and set it up, but once I did, I was able to navigate my iTunes folders on my iMac via the Contour’s LCD. This feature makes it really nice to be able to listen any music in your library in any room of your house without having to connect a computer to the system.

Other features that the Contour offers is an FM radio with RDS (shows the titles of songs on the LCD), a sleep timer, ambient sounds like waves, rain / thunder, etc. If you buy the optional cable, you can also connect the Contour to your TV and view video through a connected iPhone or iPod. I didn’t test this feature.

The PURE Contour is a little pricey at $329.00, but it does offer quality sound and quite a few features at that price point. I like it a lot and have no hesitations recommending it, if price isn’t an issue.

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

Tagged: Internet Radio, iPhone, iPod, Speaker

PURE Contour iPhone/iPod Dock and Internet Radio Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2011 at 5:15 pm.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only person who was disappointed a month ago when Apple failed to announce the iPhone 5 after many months of rumors and speculation. Instead, we were offered the iPhone 4S – an evolutionary instead of revolutionary update to the one year old iPhone 4. Even though I wasn’t eligible for an upgrade, I went ahead and purchased one because I’m crazy like that. Am I glad that I spent way too much money for it, or do I have buyer’s remorse? Keep reading to find out.

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

Hardware Specifications

Operating System: iOS 5
Processor: Dual-core A5
Memory: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions available
Display: 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch retina display, 960-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi, 800:1 contrast ratio (typical)
Wireless: World phone
UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz);
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1900 MHz)4
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz only)
Bluetooth 4.0
Digital Camera: 8.0MP, Video recording, HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio
Battery: Rechargeable lithium-ion, Talk time: up to 8 hours on 3G, up to 14 hours on 2G, standby time: up to 200 hours
Internet use: up to 6 hours on 3G, up to 9 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback: Up to 10 hours
Audio playback: Up to 40 hours
Size: 4.5 x 2.31 x 0.37 in (115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm)
Weight: 4.9 ounces (140 grams)

Package Contents

iPhone 4S
Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic
Dock Connector to USB Cable
USB Power Adapter
Documentation

By all outward appearances, the iPhone 4S looks and feels almost identical to the iPhone 4. The only notable exception is that the 4S has a SIM slot on the right side for world phone capability. But other than that, they are dead ringers for each other.

For that fact, I’m not going to go over the buttons, switches, display and body details. You can go read my iPhone 4 review if you’d like more info on those features. This review will focus on the main updates to the 4S, which are mostly under the hood and include:

• Updated processor
• Updated antenna design
• Updated camera
• Siri voice assistant

Processor

Let’s start with the brains behind the iPhone. The CPU has been upgraded to an A5 dual-core chip, which is said to deliver up to two times more power and up to seven times faster graphics than the iPhone 4′s single core A5 chip. I’ve been using the 4S for the past month and so far I really can’t tell THAT much of a difference in speed between it and my 4 for every day tasks.  I did some side by side testing of both phones and found that booting from power off and launching all my normal apps was only about 1-2 seconds faster on the 4S. This wasn’t something I even noticed until I did the side by side comparisons. I’ve actually never had a complaint with how fast apps launch on iOS devices, so if they are now 1 second faster, it really doesn’t make me want to jump up and down with glee.

On the graphics side of things, I purchased a couple games to do some more side by sides between the 4 and 4S. I decided on Modern Combat 3 and Infinity Blade just because they are both high end games that are very rich in graphics. It’s crazy how large mobile games have become. Modern Combat 3 requires a little over 1GB and Infinity Blade takes up almost 600MBs!

Since both phones have the same resolution displays, the games look the same at first glance. But upon closer inspection, the biggest difference that I noticed were that objects on the 4S are brighter and have more reflections. Here are a couple examples.

Modern Combat 3 on the iPhone 4. Notice how dark the soldier is.

Modern Combat 3 on the iPhone 4S. The soldier is quite a bit brighter. And yes, I had both phones set to the same brightness level when I did these comparisons.

Another example shows a screen shot of Infinity Blade on the iPhone 4.

Here’s Infinity Blade on the iPhone 4S. Notice the highlights, brighter armor and reflections?

Game play also felt a little smoother when panning around a detailed screen. I think it will really depend on the games themselves to be optimized for the 4S. You’re only going to notice improvements on high end type games though. Titles like Cut the Rope and Angry Birds, which have simple graphics will not feel or look any different on the 4S.

When it’s all said and done, the speed and graphics updates on the 4S are nice, but the improvements aren’t so great that the performance gap between the two phones really makes that much of a difference in my opinion. After playing games on the 4S and then playing the same games on the 4, I didn’t feel like the 4 was too slow.

Antenna

The iPhone 4S has a new antenna design which is supposed to improve call quality and download speeds even though the 4S isn’t a 4G phone.

“iPhone 4S is the first phone to intelligently switch between two antennas to transmit and receive, so call quality is better. It also doubles the maximum HSDPA data speeds to 14.4 Mbps.8 Which means faster connections, faster loading and reloading, and faster downloads.”

It’s nice to know that this new design has solved the whole death grip issue. But I’m not so sure it improves call quality and / or download speeds all that much - at least not for me. I’ve not had any issues with call quality on the previous iPhone once I switched from AT&T to Verizon and am not noticing any significant changes with the 4S.

The same is true for download speeds. I really haven’t noticed any significant difference on the 4S. Even when I have full bars and a 3G connection, updating the weather, reading news via the USA today app, checking for app store updates, downloading mail, etc all seem to be just as fast or slow as before. 3G speeds via Verizon have never been all that consistent for me in the first place. I can do speed tests using the free Speedtest.net app every hour and see wildly varying results each time.

Camera

Honestly, the reason why I decided to go ahead and splurge on the iPhone 4S purchase, was the upgraded camera from 5MP up to 8MP. Resolution isn’t the only upgrade though. The whole camera has been redesigned with a  custom lens that has a larger f/2.4 aperture to allow for better low light photos.

Here are some sample images comparing the iPhone 4 and 4S.

iPhone 4 picture

iPhone 4S picture

iPhone 4 picture

iPhone 4S picture.

Video recording has been improved from 720p up to 1080p. That’s 1280 X 720 lines of resolution vs. 1920 X 1080 progressive lines of resolution. More lines means a sharper picture. Here are some sample videos.

iPhone 4s video sample. Max the gadgeteer mascot makes a few cameo appearances.

iPhone 4 video sample.

If all you ever do is view your pictures and videos on the iPhone’s display or your computer’s display, the upgrade from 5 to 8 megapixels and 720p to 1080p probably won’t seem like a big deal. The increase in pixels is helpful if you ever decide to print the images or watch the videos on a larger screen though.

Siri

Besides the upgraded camera, the other feature that I was most anxious to try on the 4S was Siri. In case you’ve been living under a rock, Siri is a built in personal assistant that listens to your voice commands spoken in regular words. Here are just 2 quick examples of things you can ask:

The quoted text in each screen shot is a question that I have asked Siri. You can get Siri’s attention in several ways. If you hold the phone up to your ear when you’re not in a call, she’ll ask you what she can help you with. You can also hold down the Home button to talk to her. If you use earbuds with built in microphone, you can hold down the mic button to talk to her. Bluetooth headsets can also be used by holding down the call button for several seconds.

In addition to asking questions and getting answers like the ones shown above, you can also say things like “set the timer for 5 minutes”, “wake me up in an hour”, send a text message to Jeanne saying I’ll be late getting home”, “remind me when I get home to call Dad” and lots more.

In actual usage, I’ve found that my voice commands are recognized pretty well as long as I speak slightly slower than normal and remember to enunciate instead of mumble. Siri is fun to play around with… and that’s the problem, I seem to only use it for entertainment, just to see what she’ll say to kooky questions. I’ve spent way too much time asking things like “Do you love me?”, “what’s the meaning of life?”, “open the pod bay doors”, “are you real?”, etc. I wonder just how many “real” commands Siri responds to every day vs. silly questions. I ask this because on numerous occasions, I’ve asked a question only to be told that the network couldn’t be accessed.

After some initial testing / goofing around with Siri, I find that I almost never use this feature. I definitely do not use it at work or in public because it just seems way too dorky to talk to your phone like it’s a person. In the privacy of my car or home, it’s another matter though. But even so, I just don’t seem to use the feature much at all. I’d like to start using it to dictate news and/or reviews while I’m driving to and from work. So we’ll see…

Battery Life

So far battery life on the iPhone 4S has been somewhat disappointing. I seem to be charging my phone more often than I did with the iPhone 4. Even after updating to iOS 5.01, which was supposed to fix battery issues, I’m not seeing much of an improvement. I’m still usually able to get through a day without charging, but my old iPhone 4 was able to last at least 2 days or longer. I am almost always close to a power source, so it’s not a big deal for me, but of course I wish it was better.

Bottom line

If you’ve read this far, you’ve probably already figured out the answer to the question in the first paragraph of this review: Am I glad that I spent way too much money for the iPhone 4S, or do I have buyer’s remorse? The answer is that I’m suffering from a moderate case of buyer’s remorse. It would have been different if I didn’t already have an iPhone 4 and/or I had been eligible for an upgrade through Verizon. But neither of these cases were true and I spent $649 on a 16GB iPhone 4S that has only a slightly better user experience than my perfectly fine iPhone 4. Oh well, that’s one of the down sides of being a gadget freak. It’s just too hard to resist the lure of a new device.

Those of you that don’t already have an iPhone 4 and are considering the 4S, go for it. It’s a great phone (and will be even better once they get the battery life issues sorted out). But if you already have the 4, my advice is to wait for the mythical iPhone 5. You’ll be glad you did. In the mean time, anyone want to buy a month old iPhone 4S that is in mint condition with no contract? Seriously…

Filed in categories: Featured Items, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Apple, iOS, iPhone

Apple iPhone 4S Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 18, 2011 at 11:00 am.

I’ve read in a few audiophile articles that a good, reasonably priced set of stereo speakers paired with an amplifier will trump the best iPod speaker/dock no matter the cost. While that may be true, when I heard the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air, I began to have some doubts. The British company, Bowers & Wilkins is famous for some of the best (and expensive) speakers available. They’ve ventured out into the highly competitive iPod/iPhone market with innovative products like the original Zeppelin iPod speaker/dock, the MM-1 computer speakers, P5 headphones and the new C5 in-ear headphones. B&W have become popular not only because of their product’s forward design, but because they sound even better than they look.

Case in point: Last summer, I attended a friend’s wedding. Since he and his fiancee were getting married in an old, wooden chapel, there was no wired sound system available. It fell on him to supply any music beyond an upright piano, so he asked if I had any ideas. Well, it just so happens, I had received the Zeppelin Air the previous day, and I thought this would be a perfect testing opportunity. Boy, was it ever. After hiding the Zeppelin at the back of the small stage, I then sat in the second row pew with remote in hand ready to press the play button at just the right moment we had rehearsed.  The perfect exit song was cued on my docked iPod Classic. When the moment arrived, I pressed Play and … nothing. After a few awkward moments, I realized that the Zeppelin had shut down since it was just sitting there and not doing anything. So, once I recovered from this little heart attack, I pressed the On and then Play button when suddenly, the whole chapel was filled with the Turtles singing “Happy Together.” It was magical. No distortion, no harsh frequencies; just music. Everyone assumed the sound was from a larger speaker system somewhere in the chapel. The bride and groom’s exit was flawlessly timed with the music as they walked past the smiling guests. This was a great test.

The Zeppelin Air lives up to Bowers & Wilkins design and quality standards. It has 2 x 1 in. aluminum tube tweeters, 2 x 3 in. midrange speakers, one 5 in. subwoofer and digital signal processing packed into a gorgeous 150 watt package. There is nothing like it anywhere. It screams “look at me” with its all black plastic and cloth covered elongated football shape. It really does look like a zeppelin. Well, a zeppelin with a 30-pin easy-to-grasp iPod dock attached and a slim, shiny metal divider that contains on/off and volume buttons. It also has a dedicated digital audio converter (DAC), which is important because it overrides whatever DAC your computer or iPod/iPhone uses. B&Ws MM-1 computer speakers use the same DAC and trust me, you want B&W’s DAC instead of the one your current device uses. The difference is that great. The digital signal processing chip allows the Zeppelin to sound big and powerful without distortion. Like the MM-1 speakers, you can’t push the Zeppelin Air beyond where it can safely go. That makes for big, distortion-free and “safe for the speakers” audio.

The Zeppelin Air is almost completely redesigned even though it looks and costs the same as the previous version. Upgraded speakers each have their own amp (5 amps total), Ethernet, and Apple’s AirPlay are now included.

Airplay is the big draw here.

Think of AirPlay as Bluetooth on steroids. With AirPlay, you can wirelessly stream music from your computer, iPod touch/iPad/iPhone in CD quality. Bluetooth can’t even touch it for musical quality. As I write this review in my studio building, I’m streaming Apple Lossless music from my iMac using iTunes to the Zeppelin Air across the room. There are no snags, dropouts or other audio anomalies. There is only a slight delay when I press Play (and Skip) in iTunes. Incidentally, this is why you can’t watch video on your iPad using AirPlay with the Zeppelin Air. That slight delay throws audio and visual syncing out the window.

If you have the required wifi where you plan to use the Zeppelin Air, setting up is a one-time affair, but not very intuitive. There’s a lot of “do this” and “don’t do that.” Plus I had to set up wireless AirPlay while wired to an ethernet cable. Think about that for a minute. The good news is that B&W have recently provided an alternative, wireless method for setting up AirPlay. Go here to see the new info. It just wasn’t available when I did the setup. There is also a helpful video tutorial on the B&W web site.

After that, you’re good to go. Whether it’s iTunes on your computer, iPad, or iPhone, the AirPlay icon is available. Just click it, choose the Zeppelin and that’s it. Even out in my studio, which is about 100 feet from my house, the Zeppelin Air with my iMac worked just fine off the Cisco router in my house, without any signal boosters or repeaters. Note that the regular iPod doesn’t do wireless, so you will need the attached dock.

Included is an egg shaped remote with play/pause, on/off, volume up and down and a button that switches among the different connections on the back of the unit. Those choice of connections located at the rear of the unit are: Ethernet for hooking up the network, USB for a wired computer connection and firmware updates, AUX for music players other than Apple or digital connection and  Composite video output so you can use the Zeppelin Air with your TV if you wish. There are two bass ports (Flowport) with “golf ball” dimples that B&W says improves airflow resulting in better bass at any volume. These little design cues help make the Zeppelin Air visually striking from any angle. However, good luck seeing what color the tiny lights are on the front of the Zeppelin Air from across the room. Each color means something and I can never remember what. I have to keep referring to the manual.

Upgraded specs and cool features like AirPlay are nice, but how does the Zeppelin Air sound? For this review, I decided to play some of my “go-to” songs. These are songs that I know intimately and if there is anything out of place or other audio oddities, I’ll hear it immediately.

While preparing what I was going to listen to, I discovered something surprising. I’ve always been a fan of The Beatles and when the remasters came out in late 2010, I grabbed both the stereo and mono mixes. Since few people owned stereos in the 60s, The Beatles spent all of their energy on mono leaving the stereo mixes to recording engineers and producers. Only “Let It Be” and “Abbey Road” were stereo only. While those mono mixes may be what The Beatles wanted us to hear and are great from a historical perspective, I preferred the stereo mixes because to me, they had more impact and life (purists may argue that point). However, while walking around the room letting the sound of The Beatles in mono bounce off furniture, walls, etc., these mixes sometimes trumped the stereo versions. The reason is simply based on the Zeppelin’s limitations. Even though the Zeppelin Air has amazing audio, the fact that it is an all-in-one unit diminishes stereo separation at a distance. There is simply no way a single speaker unit can beat separate (quality) speakers spread farther apart. But in The Beatles case, it allowed the mono mixes to compete more favorably with the stereo versions, leveling the playing field, so to speak. This helped me understand better why some preferred mono over stereo.

I recently purchased Neil Young’s remastered “Harvest” CD album. “Harvest” is arguably one of the best albums of the 70s and a favorite in my collection. “Out On the Weekend” opens the album with Young singing in sync with a thumping bass and drum line letting his voice rise and fall in time to the insistent beat. The raw power and a lonely harmonica come through with a clarity I haven’t heard in this song before. Part of this aural ecstasy is the remastering that Young supervised himself, but a good bit of the credit also goes to the Zeppelin Air. Remember, this is wireless from my iMac, not a docked iPod. The files are lossless and streaming at full resolution (not possible with bluetooth) through the Zeppelin’s DAC and DSP processors.

AC/DCs “Thunderstruck” has always stood out among heavy metal songs with its pristine production. The song begins with a blistering guitar riff from Angus Young which doesn’t let up until the end. As the song begins, you can hear each string individually struck and then the rest of the band kicks in with a thunderous onslaught. While the rest of the group’s wall of sound rolls on, Young’s guitar licks remain clear and biting. With its separate sub, mids and tweeters, the Zeppelin Air keeps this song from dissolving into a mess as it so often does on lesser speakers. This is a dock made for loud rock.

Then there’s Pink Floyd. I downloaded the 2011 remastered “Saucerful of Secrets” and turned the volume up. Knowing that the title song of this album was released in 1967 and not exactly audiophile quality, I wanted to give it a shot because I know this song completely; every note, every beat, every thing. Wow. Even though the download is a barely respectable 256kbps, it played at ear piercing levels with no distortion other than what is already present in the original. I heard sounds that I hadn’t before and the thundering noise that is sandwiched between Nick Mason’s drum solo and Richard Wright’s organ playing reminded me of the scene from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” when the mother ship appears over Devil’s Mountain. This low end rumbling can cause an unpleasant buzz in many speakers, but not with the Zeppelin Air. Wright’s church-sounding organ riffs that close out the song had both lows and highs together but each sounding distinct and not bleeding into one another. The song has always been an amazing, psychedelic masterpiece but now, it has never sounded better.

After “Saucerful of Secrets,” I had to try “Welcome to the Machine” from “Wish You Were Here.” This is a song custom made for headphones with its severe, mechanical left-right stereo effects. As I mentioned earlier, a bit of that stereo separation is lost due to the close proximity of the Zeppelin’s speakers, but boy, does it pack a punch.

For a classical piece, I listened to “Heroes’” from Philip Glass’s orchestral tribute to David Bowie and Brian Eno, “Heroes Symphony.” Complete with Glass’s trademark repetitions, the title track rumbles and soars, like a musical bird in flight. The piece switches between delicate and booming over and over, back and forth, leaving the listener exhausted at the end. The Zeppelin Air didn’t care that I had the volume jacked up to complaining-neighbor level.

It may not seem like it in this review, but I’m not a fan of really loud music for long periods, but the clarity of the Zeppelin Air kept me from lowering the volume to a sociable level. I was happy as a clam alone in my studio with all those decibels assaulting me for hours.

One other song I had to try with the Zeppelin Air was Roxy Music’s “If There Is Something” from their self-titled 1972 debut album. This song contains some ear-splitting sax playing by Andy Mackay that can’t be truly appreciated unless it borders on painful. On the Zeppelin Air, it does and it was thrilling.

There is no headphone port on the Zeppelin Air, which, to me, is a serious omission. You might wonder why a headphone jack would be desirable, given the fact that this is a speaker dock, after all. But if used as a computer speaker, wouldn’t you want to take advantage of the onboard digital audio convertor instead of the inferior DAC in your computer for those times you need to use headphones? I would.

Bowers & Wilkin’s Zeppelin Air is an expensive speaker dock. There’s no getting around that. B&W equipment has never come cheap, but the Zeppelin Air does look and sound as expensive as it is. But consider; if you compare the Zeppelin Air to an equally good amp and speaker setup and are tight for space, then the price looks more realistic. Also, since it is one of the few speaker docks featuring Apple’s AirPlay technology, it has an air of exclusivity (but not for long because many more AirPlay speakers are coming).

Let’s just say this up front: If you are looking for a holiday gift for someone who is into music and you have the money, then you need to hear the Zeppelin Air. There is no other iPod dock as good or as audacious. It is much, much better looking than my photographs.

Update 1: After the review was finished, I updated the firmware which completely broke my wireless connection. It took over an hour to figure out how get it back. It was not fun and a very convoluted fix for a $600 product. Plus, it was the weekend and tech support was not available until the following Monday, so after following the manual and much trying and retrying, I finally got it working again. I’m still not really sure what I did, though. I received an email from B&W early the next week with some helpful directions. From now on though, I think I’ll hold off doing the firmware thing unless absolutely necessary.

Update 2:  Bowers & Wilkins has released an iPhone app – Zeppelin Air – for music sharing. If you are having a party, you and your friends can download the app, create playlists on each iPhone and let the Zeppelin Air choose among the iPhones randomly for a mix of musical styles from various partygoers. The app can be found in the iTunes store.

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

Tagged: Apple Airplay, audio gear, docking speakers for iPod/iPhone, iPhone

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air Speaker/Dock Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 1, 2011 at 11:00 am.

The Re-Case is made of 100% recycled trash. The actual material is called POLLIBER and is a combination of reprocessed rice husks, a by product of rice farming and post-consumer thermo-plastics. Wow, that’s a mouthful! In addition to your phone, this case can also hold 1 credit card stored under the phone. The Re-Case is available in several colors and can be purchased for $24.95 from Amazon.

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

Tagged: Case, iPhone, recycle

iPhone 4/4S Case Made Entirely of… Trash originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 26, 2011 at 7:45 am.

Hornettek’s Vader aluminum case is third in a string of iPhone 4 case reviews that I am in the process of doing. After a near catastrophic mishap my iPhone had a few months ago, I decided it was time to raise the bar on protecting my smartphone. Before that close call, I had been using my iPhone sans any sort of case/protection (other than a Zagg invisibleSHIELD screen protector). The Vader by Hornettek is a finely machined, aluminum case form fitted for all variants of the iPhone 4 and worth a look.

Package Contents:

• Vader case
• Vader Tool Kit: (Hexagon Screws x 4;  Hexagon Screw Driver x 1)

The Vader has an interesting and somewhat unusual shape. While the sides run tight to the side of the iPhone, the edges bulge out a fair amount to give more grip-ability and strength to the case. Which is good due to the aircraft aluminum the Vader is made of is just as slick as the iPhone itself.

As you can see, the Vader case is very form fitted to the iPhone 4. It is built from a single piece of solid aircraft grade aluminum alloy with an accuracy of 1/2000 inch.

Compared to many other aluminum cases, Hornettek is very minimalistic in their use of padding. In my use of the Vader that design choice did not seem to be an issue. That padding is there to keep the iPhone from being marred by the case itself and it accomplishes its designed function.

Specifications:

Compatibility:

Fits all iPhone 4 models for both AT&T and Verizon.

Colors:

I like the silver and titanium color scheme I received. The two colors look very nice together. Although, it would nice to have the option to order the Vader in solid colors or even mix and match colors as well.

The top of the Vader has a push through button to actuate the power button and cutout for the earphone plug. The thickness of the case does prevent many of my high-end earphones from working. The L-shaped plugs of my Etymotic Research ER•4PT, Ultimate Ears 7 Pros, and JHAudio JH|5 Pros, cannot be inserted far enough to work properly. Earbuds that have a straight and narrow plug work just fine. Like the Case-Mate Jett Metal iPhone case I reviewed last, this design choice is definitely a design/engineering negative for me. In addition, the Vader does not allow my iPhone to work with any of my dock-enabled stereo systems either.

The left side has cutouts for the volume buttons and mute switch. Because of the enhanced/strengthened corners, the Vader does a great job of protecting the iPhone’s sides and edges.

The bottom of the case has a cutout for the iPhone’s speakers and sync/dock port.

The right side of the case has nothing to note. Although, you can see how precisely machined the case is; how perfectly the two sides come together.

The Hornettek Vader iPhone case has a nice feel, adding little bulk or weight to the iPhone 4. As I said earlier, even though the aircraft aluminum it’s constructed of is as slick as the iPhone itself; it has decent grip-ability because of the pronounced corners.

Another, and yet very significant, issue I have with this case, is the degradation of cell reception it causes. I have a half dozen locations I test iPhone cases I am reviewing to have a semi-objective and systematic way to see how much the case impacts reception. In downtown Seattle and other places with a strong signal, my iPhone looses a bar or two but continues to send and receive calls and data with little impact to quality or speed. However, in locations that have marginal signal strength, my ability to send and receive calls goes to zero; all incoming calls get kick to voicemail and I am unable to call out or hit the internet. This is definitely a deal killer for me.

Being priced at $80 does not help the Hornettek Vader case either. In an overcrowded market, that price tag seems too high considering its competition and bang for the buck…. The Vader is a nicely made/constructed aluminum case, but it has too many negatives working against it for me to recommend it to anyone. They are many alternatives that provide just as much protection and better reception for less money.

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

Tagged: iPhone

Hornettek Vader Aluminum iPhone 4 Case Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 11, 2011 at 5:15 pm.

From the same company that created the HyperDrive, comes the iFlashDrive. This is a 2-way USB flashdrive that can has a 30 pin connector that can plug into iOS devices like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. On the other end is a standard male USB connector that allows you to plug it into a PC or Mac. A special app (free) on the iOS side will give you the ability to store, view and manage files. The iFlashDrive is an easy way to transfer files to and from the iOS device without using iTunes or WiFi. There’s also a built in music player, text editor and contact backup feature. The iFlashDrive is available in three different capacities of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB for $99, $149.95 and $199.95.

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

Tagged: iOS, iPhone, Storage, USB

iFlashDrive – 2 way storage for iOS and PC/Mac devices originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 11, 2011 at 10:00 am.

If you haven’t gone fully digital and still takes notes with a pen, you might be interested in the new A4 Digital pen from APEN. Full press release after the jump. It’s a digitizing pen that does not require a special pad of paper. Just clip the receiver to the top of your notepad and then take your notes, draw sketches, etc with the included ball point pen. The A4 can store up to 100 pages of info. When you’re ready, just plugin the 30 pin connector into your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad and the stored documents will transfer to your device. You can then share the images to Facebook, Flickr and other social media sites. The A4 will also allow you to do real time annotation via a Mac or PC. The APEN A4 is available now for $129.99

E FUN Introduces Apple-Compatible APEN A4 Digital Pen for iPhone and iPad

Note Taking Has Never Been Easier for iPhone and iPad Owners

WEST COVINA, CA, – October 6, 2011 — E FUN, a consumer electronics marketer of fun, lifestyle products, announced the latest APEN Digital Pen – the A4 for iPad and iPhone users. An app-based accessory, the APEN allows users to write freely on any paper or notebook, and have their notes simultaneously sent to their Apple product via 30-pin cable. Valuable notes or drawings are a finger swipe away, safely stored on your iPad or iPhone.

With the A4 Digital Pen, instant digitization of notes with or without a computer saves time and leads to increased productivity for both students and professionals. It is a great solution for anyone looking to quickly complete assignments and collaborate with others.

“Today, more and more students and professionals are on-the-go with an iPad or iPhone. The A4 allows those users to save even more time by instantly digitizing handwritten notes and displaying them on their screens,” said Jason Liszewski, managing director for E FUN. “Within seconds, images are digitized and synced to your iPad or iPhone where they can be shared with friends, family, or coworkers.”

The APEN A4 digital pen’s key features are:
•       Compatible with Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
•       Digitizes and records handwriting while the unit is not connected to a computer
•       Works on regular paper
•       Records up to 100 pages in the receivers’ memory
•       Photo sketcher for annotating written words or drawings on computer images
•       Share photos on Facebook, Flickr and other social media sites
•       Share handwritten documents and photos via email

The APEN is simple and user-friendly, enabling any user to use as they would a traditional pen. Via a 30-pin cable, you can transfer data to your iPad or iPhone in real time. Handwritten notes and images may then be saved for future use or immediately shared via email or uploaded to social networking sites.

When connected to a computer, APEN allows users to perform real-time computer annotation such as eSignatures within MS Office applications and on digital photos. The APEN A4 Digital Pen supports Microsoft® Windows XP, Microsoft® Vista, Microsoft® 7 and Mac 10.5 above.

For more information on the APEN A4, and a tutorial video, please visit: http://apenusa.com/productdetail.asp?product_id=4

Availability
E FUN APEN’s A4 Digital Pen is available at national retailers in Canada and the U.S.

About APEN Technology
Technology for the APEN product line was developed by Yifang Digital (Shenzhen, China) in cooperation with Pegasus Technologies Ltd from Israel, a fully owned subsidiary of Yifang Digital. Yifang and Pegasus hold together a wide portfolio of patents, which include 27 worldwide granted patents and more than 40 others pending.

About E FUN
As its name implies, E FUN is a designer and marketer of fun, lifestyle e-products that are easily accessible. While appreciated by techies, E FUN products are primarily designed for consumers who desire the latest technological products, but are more concerned with what they do, not how they do it. E FUN’s ongoing product innovation focuses on making electronics and computing more fun! Initial product offerings from E FUN include the APEN digital pen and Nextbook Android tablets. E FUN is headquartered in West Covina, California.

For additional information please visit E FUN at www.E-FUNusa.com, APEN at www.APENusa.com, and Nextbook at www.Nextbookusa.com

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

Tagged: iOS, iPad, iPhone, Pen

E FUN Launches APEN A4 Digital Pen for iPhone and iPad originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 10, 2011 at 10:00 am.

My iPhone 4 replaced my Canon SD1100 point and shoot pocket camera quite awhile ago. Not because it takes better images, but because I have with me all the time and am able to snap photos whenever the mood strikes me, which is pretty regularly. I recently captured the cool image you see above (at least I think it’s cool…) and wondered what it might look like blown up into a 12″ print. Lucky for me, a company by the name of Fracture had offered to send me one of their 12″ printed glass images if I would review their process and resulting product. I happily agreed and here is the review.

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

First of all, the image above of the rusty mailboxes was taken with my iPhone 4 using the stock camera app. There’s no applied filters or any post processing. You can click it to see the full sized 5 megapixel image. I wish I would have taken more time to compose the shot just a little better, by allowing more of the large mailbox on the left to be displayed. Either way, I still like the image quite a lot.

The Fracture website is very easy to navigate. All you do is upload your image, which they suggest be 1mb – 10mb in size. Then you’re presented with some editing options for cropping, resizing and aspect ratio.

I opted for a borderless print, but there is a large selection of patterns…

and solid colors that you can choose from if you desire a frame around your image. Be aware that this ‘frame’ is actually printed and not a physical frame.

After you finish editing and choosing the framing option, you can choose a size. I was giveing the 12″ sized print, which is only $15. That seems like a great price considering it’s a glass print and not a paper photo.

Your last customization option before checking out is to decide if you want to to hang the print on the wall or put it on a stand. I choose the wall.

There are 4 shipping options in addition to being able to pick the print up in person for free, if you happen to live near  Gainesville, Florida.

US Priority Mail – $9.09
FedEx 2nd Day – $32.96
FedEx Next Day – $53.06

I ordered my print on 9/16 and didn’t receive it until 10/1, which seemed a bit slow given that US priority mail should only take 2-3 days. That said, the resulting image is impressive.

As advertised, the image is printed on a sheet of glass. Don’t worry, the edges are completely smooth. The image will not fade and can not be scratched because it is printed on the backside of the glass. That means you can clean the front side with glass cleaner as much as you like.

The Fracture image won’t shatter either, because it’s affixed to a thin piece of black foam board.

They even provide a screw and a slot to hang the image on the wall if you like.

Even though I chose the wall hanging option, I’ve set mine up on a stand.

Other than the time it took to receive the image, I’m very happy with the Fracture print and have no qualms recommending their server.  I wondered how well an iPhone image would blow up and am glad to say that at least for a 12″ print, they look great as it is bright and crisp. Looking very closely, I noticed no banding or any other imperfections in the print. Now I’d like to try an even larger size

Have you used picture that you’ve taken with your iPhone as art for your home? If so, tell us about it in the comments.

Filed in categories: Digital Cameras and Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: iPhone, Photography

Fracture Printed Glass Images Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 7, 2011 at 2:44 pm.

For those of you that read my reviews, you’ve probably seen me mention the fact that I’ve been carrying a WaterField wallet for the past 5 years. I’ve loved the shape, and style and that it has a zipper that keeps the contents from falling out. On numerous occasions, I’ve zipped my iPhone inside so that I would only need to carry one thing in my hand as I went out to lunch or shopping. The only thing missing has been a way to see and interact with my phone while it was housed in the wallet. WaterField just solved that problem and I’m really excited about it. Their new iPhone Wallet takes their original design and adds a special iPhone 3G, 4, 4S section with a play through window so that you can see an alarm or respond to a text message. Now you can protect your cash, credit cards and iPhone in one zip up leather wallet. Offered in Black or Brown, the iPhone wallet will cost $39 and be available for shipping on 10/31.

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

Tagged: iPhone, Wallet

WaterField just announced my next favorite wallet originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 5, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Along with thousands (millions?) of other geeks, I have been pressing refresh on my browser for the past hour and a half trying to get the latest Apple news via the various live blogging sites which have been crashing with all the traffic. I’m not sure if I remember ever having this much trouble with prior Apple events. Regardless, Apple had quite a bit to talk about today. From the announcement that iOS 5 is due out next Wednesday (10/12), to updated and lowered priced iPod nanos, lower priced iPod touches with a white version coming soon and finally what we’ve all been waiting to hear about, the new iPhone!

Unfortunately, Apple did not announce an iPhone 5 <sob!>… Instead we get the iPhone 4S which looks just like the current iPhone 4 on the outside, but packs a lot of extra sauce under the hood. First of all it’s a world phone that is both GSM and CDMA.  It has an A5 dual-core processor inside which makes it about 2x faster than the current iPhone and dual-core graphics that are 7x faster. The camera has been completely updated with a 8 megapixel sensor which is 30% sharper, has 73% more light, 26% better white balance and 1080p video recording with image stabilization. Another new feature is a new antenna switching system that allows for 2x faster download speeds that claim to be faster than phones on 4G networks.

But that’s not all… one of the really interesting new features is Siri. Where they came up with that name is beyond me… Siri is a voice activated assistant that responds to your spoken commands when you hold down the Home button. From what I saw from the demos on the live event, this feature is seriously impressive. You can say things like “remind me to pick up milk after work”, “do I need to take an umbrella today?”, “wake me up at 6am” and Siri will respond with the answers and / or will create reminders, alarms, text messages etc. I can’t wait to try it out in the privacy of my own home or car… but I’m not sure I would use it in public for fear of looking like a dork though. Would you?

The iPhone 4S will be available in Black and White versions for 16GB: $199, 32GB for $299, 64GB for $399 all with a 2yr contract. Pre-orders for the 4S start this Friday October 7th via Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint and will be available on October 14th.

Who else is more than a bit disappointed that we didn’t get the iPhone 5 today? I was all set to whip out my credit card, but I think I’ll hold off for now… I’ll just live with my current iPhone 4 and iOS5 until the iPhone 5 is available.  <sniff>

Update 10/5/11

I’ve been thinking about the 4S since yesterday. I was really disappointed that Apple didn’t announce the iPhone 5 instead… But then I asked myself, what was I really disappointed about? When I looked at all the updates in the 4S (CPU, GPU, Camera, Antenna system, Siri, etc), what else would/could I have added? Bigger display? Yeah maybe… but I’ve come to love the size of the iPhone 4 MUCH more than my Droid X with the larger display. After a little thought, I realized that I was most disappointed in the case… that the iPhone 4S looks exactly like the iPhone 4 and that makes it feel like there’s been no update at all when in reality there have been a lot of changes that would have been perceived as much more exciting if the phone would have looked a little different and had the name iPhone 5. I think Apple may have bad a mistake in this regard. Even if they would have introduced another couple of colors, I think it would make a big difference.

I said I wasn’t going to upgrade from my iPhone 4, but I’m waffling on that decision now. That’s saying a lot because I’ll have to buy mine without the upgrade discount because I’m not due till April of 2012. Why they heck am I thinking about upgrading? In truth… it’s the camera. I  know that sounds insane, but for me, it’s one of my top favorite features of the phone.

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

Tagged: Apple, iPhone, iPhone 5

Apple’s “Let’s Talk iPhone” event wasn’t just about the iPhone originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 4, 2011 at 2:44 pm.

I often say how much I like the iPhone 4′s camera. It takes very good pictures considering that it has a 5 megapixel fixed lens. It’s no DSLR, but I find that I take many more pictures than I ever have before, mainly due to the fact that it’s always in my pocket or gear bag. I must not be the only one, because there are quite a few photography accessories that have been designed specifically for the iPhone. The one I’m going to show you today is the Pixeet Panorama iPhone Lens Kit.

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

Package Contents

Pixeet fisheye lens
Protective lens caps
Drawstring pouch
Silicone iPhone case
Stick on steel lens attachment rings
Lanyard

The Pixeet fisheye lens looks pretty professional for an iPhone accessory. The case is made of aluminum and the lens is made of optical glass.

The base of the lens is magnetic.

To attach it to your iPhone, you can use the included silicone case / skin, that has a metal ring over the phone’s lens.

The lens magnetically sticks to the ring, holding it in place.

If you don’t want to use the case and aren’t squeamish about sticking an adhesive ring to your phone, you can use the one included in the package. There’s even a notch in the ring for the LED flash.

Once you’ve attached the lens to your iPhone, the next step is to download the free Pixeet app.

The Pixeet interface is pretty simple to understand. Just click the New Panorama button to get started.

You can then decide if you want to create a 180 or 360 degree panorama. The 180 degree panorama only requires one image, while the 360 requires 4.

To take a 180 degree panorama, you hold the phone in landscape orientation. If you forget, the Pixeet interface will remind you with the green / red orientation indicator (see image above). Line up your shot and press the onscreen shutter button. That’s all there is to it.

Here’s a shot without the Pixeet lens.

And here’s a shot with the lens attached using the iPhone’s normal camera app. Notice how it looks circular and sorta of warped? That’s where the lens gets the name “fisheye”.

Here’s another example without the lens…

And with the lens.

Here’s a completed 180 degree panorama:

Pretty cool right? 360 degree panorama’s are even better… except that they require 4 images instead of 1.

To capture a 360 degree panorama, you have to hold the phone in portrait orientation and rotate a quarter turn for each shot.

The app will indicate which way to rotate and will help you line up your shots. It’s not difficult to take the 4 shots, but if you’re in a public place taking them, it might make you feel a little weird twirling around.

Here’s an example of a 360 degree panorama:

Your panoramas can be viewed through the app’s interface, or you can sync then to a free account on the Pixeet website.

The free account allows you to upload up to 50 panoramas per month. Pro accounts have no limit, higher resolution and commercial features so that you can add your own branding and audio to the panoramas. The price for the pro account is $19.90 per month or $199.9o per year. That yearly price will also get you a free upgrade to iPhone 5 hardware. That’s a lot of money for the pro account, but I can see realtors opting to pay it so that they can create virtual tours of homes.

I was a little apprehensive of the fact that there didn’t seem to be a way to archive the panoramas off the Pixeet website. However, with a little digging, I found that you can download the images that can probably be loaded into other software to recreate the panoramas if needed.

The Pixeet fisheye lens is a fun accessory to have for your iPhone. It’s not extremely expensive and offers some unique photographic options.

Filed in categories: Digital Cameras and Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Camera, iPhone, Photography

Pixeet Panorama iPhone Fisheye Lens Kit Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 3, 2011 at 5:56 pm.

Exercising, working out, getting fit, whatever you want to call it, is a chore that a lot of us don’t enjoy doing. Finding ways to make physical activity actually beneficial can increase the enjoyment. Because, let’s face it, if your workouts aren’t helping you lose weight or get fit, what’s the point in doing them? Scosche wants to help your workouts count. The myTREK Wireless Pulse Monitor for your iPhone or iPod Touch keeps a close eye on your heart rate so that it knows when you’re slacking and need a little kick in the pants to burn off that morning donut.

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

Package Contents

myTREK monitor
3 arm straps
USB charger dock
Quick start guide
You might be wondering how a heart rate monitor can help make sure your workouts count. Did you know that getting your heart rate super high doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily lose weight? Based on your health information, there are specific target zones (heart beats per minute) that you need to be in in order to lose weight or for cardio fitness. This monitor helps you stay in those zones.

The monitor itself is a black plastic module with an elastic arm band. There are 2 LEDs and 3 buttons on the face of the monitor. The LEDs indicate charging, pairing and power. The buttons control music playback while you’re working out. There are volume buttons and a multi-function center button that pauses/resumes playback and can also skip song tracks.

Attached to the monitor on one end is the sensor that has to touch your skin in order to detect your pulse. You’ll also notice two contacts on the back of the monitor. These mate with the USB charger to charge the internal lithium ion battery.

While the myTREK is charging, one of the status LEDs will blink Red.

When charging is completed (this takes about 2hrs), the opposite LED will glow Green. You should get 5hrs of workout time in between charges.

The monitor is worn on your forearm. It’s a lot more comfortable than typical  heart rate monitors that use chest straps. The bands are stretchy and easy to adjust for a good fit. I didn’t have any problem with the band slipping down my arm while walking briskly. Another benefit to an arm strap is that it won’t get all icky from sweat as easily or quickly as a chest strap.

To use the myTREK, you first charge it via USB, then pair it with your iPhone or iPod via Bluetooth. Once paired, the device will prompt you to download the free myTREK app via the app store.

The application has an easy to use interface that will let you create workouts that can be based on various activities such as walking, running, biking, etc.

You can then choose which zone you want to use be in for the workout.

You can also decide if your workout is going to be based on time, calories burned or distance traveled. If you opt to use the distance traveled feature, you’ll need an iPhone as it requires GPS to determine distance. This feature won’t work well indoors either…

Once you have your workout created, you just press the play button to start the workout and you’ll see a large real-time readout of your heart rate. I compared the pulse rate from the myTREK to the pulse rate via my treadmill’s hand grip monitor and found that for the most part, the rates were within 5-6 beats up or down of each other.

Below the heart rate display is a colored bar that shows you which zone you’re in. As you work out, a voice will periodically tell you to speed up or slow down. This voice can be set to either male or female. One problem I ran into was that the voice is very faint. Even with the voice volume set to max in the app settings, it’s almost impossible to hear if you’re also listening to music while working out. Hopefully this will be fixed with an app update. Luckily the visual cues allow you to easily see if you need to speed up or slow down to remain in the desired zone.

After your workout is over, you can take a look at the stats that provide info on your average pulse rate, calories burned etc. These workouts are saved on your phone so that you can reference them whenever you like.

The Scosche myTREK Wireless Pulse Monitor is an easy to use device / app that might help motivate you to workout more and make those workouts really count by keeping you in the right heart rate zone for the type of workout you’re doing. Also, the price does not seem out of range of other feature rich wireless heart rate monitors currently on the market.

Filed in categories: Fitness, Sports, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Fitness, iPhone, iPod Touch

Scosche myTREK Wireless Pulse Monitor Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 27, 2011 at 4:30 pm.

After months of rumors, blurry pictures of prototype cases (or someone’s old loafer) it appears that Apple is going to introduce a new iPhone model and I see little reason for all this excitement.

Okay, give me a few minutes before you grab your torches and pitchforks. The iPhone is a fine smartphone. It has a nice web browser, allows you to play Angry Birds and even allows you to download a slew of apps that let you pretend it’s used for serious work. I even heard that some Verizon customers actually use it successfully for phone calls.

This year’s model will probably be lighter, thinner, have a bigger screen, run a little faster and maybe even have a better camera. Nice features, but hardly a reason to camp out at your local mall. What makes an iPhone special is the operating system (iOS). Apple is set to release the latest iteration of iOS sometime in mid-October. Because of the developer beta releases we all know most of the new features. That operating system will run on an iPhone 4 and even the two-year-old iPhone 3GS.

Over on the Android side of things it’s even worse. About twice a week, Samsung, HTC, or Motorola announces another phone that looks pretty much like the last phone. It’s then given about 12 different names by the various carriers. Sure, there are differences. Some have bigger screens, some have keyboards that slide out, some are a bit faster, they all play Angry Birds, and some even make phone calls.

Google also has a new operating system coming out; they’re calling it “Ice Cream Sandwich”. If nothing else, this is proof that we have run out of good names for our technology projects. Unlike Apple though, Google and its phone manufacturing partners and carriers like to make the upgrade process much more of a mystery.

We seem to be stuck in the same place that the PC industry has lingered for about a decade. The phones all pretty much lookalike, and even with the various operating systems they all basically work alike. After waiting months, standing in line for hours and spending hundreds of dollars you end up realizing you’re still playing Angry Birds and hoping your phone call goes through.

While the operating systems are incrementally getting better there’s little to get excited about. C’mon while iOS 5’s new notification system is certainly welcome…it’s hardly a game changer.

So, I’ve decided to make a short list of what I’d like to see in the next generation of mobile phones and phone services:

1. Screens – I’m tiring of peering at tiny screens, zooming in, zooming out and sliding back and forth. Let’s start projecting that display out to nearby TVs, computer monitors, car navigations screens…or my windshield for that matter. Sure, there are times when you want to use the smaller, more private screens, but most of the time we find ourselves near a bigger display unit. I know someone may suggest holographic imaging, but I’m going to save that for my list in 2016.
2. Battery Life – Yes, I know it’s getting better, but I still have to carry a charger around…and for every improvement in battery size there’s a new feature to drain it even faster. In the old days our home phones didn’t require a “wall wart” or battery and were able to live off the power that came over the phone line. I’m thinking it’s time for the carriers to come up with a way to send a few amps along with those text messages.
3. Too many radios – My current phone has a GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, 2G, 3G and 4G radios inside. They’re now starting to include NFC (near field communications) in the devices. Multiple radios means added complexity and added battery drain. Let’s cut this down and speed the whole lot of it up.
4. Text input – Fix it. I’m tired of typing on glass, or tiny keyboards. All of the auto-correction systems should be renamed “auto-aggravation” . Voice input works sometimes, but generally leads to frustration and the utterance of a few words that seem not to be in the device’s dictionary. There’s got to be a better way.
5. Phone Size – Remember when the hottest phone on the market was the Motorola StarTac and even better the Razr. I know that some consider their phone a fashion accessory…to me it’s just pocket ballast. The smaller and lighter the better. I guess I’m one of the few that liked flip phones. Perhaps something similar in style to the old Treo 300 would be possible.
6. Phone Call Quality – For many decades after Alexander Graham Bell (or Antonio Meucci if you prefer) the quality of phone calls improved. By the 1970s you could actually hold a comfortable conversation over the device and there was really no such thing as a dropped call. When cell phones were introduced things were a bit dicey at first, but we’re now almost 40 years out from the first mobile phone and things aren’t getting much better. It’s time garbled voices and dropped calls become history.

Motorola gave us mobile phones, Handspring, Palm, RIM and a few others bumped us to the next level and then Apple and Google made smartphones more than email or texting devices. Who’s next? Can Microsoft re-enter the contest after years of sub-par products?

Better yet, maybe a couple of people will meet in line at the Apple Store, grab a napkin and start to design a revolutionary mobile communications and computing device. Just make sure it plays Angry Birds too.

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

Tagged: Android, iOS, iPhone, Mobile Phone

The New iPhone is Coming; the New iPhone is Coming…Who Cares? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 27, 2011 at 2:28 pm.

I’m a big fan of the iPhone’s camera. All things considered, it takes really good shots. But I’m all for making it even better, so I was happy to take a look at the Wide & Macro Lens Set from Focalprice when they offered to send one for review.

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

Package Contents

Wide angle / macro lens
Lens cover
2 stick on magnetic rings
Metal lens cover

The lens in this set has two parts that unscrew. The smaller lens is the for macro shots and the larger one is for wide angle shots.

The lens has a magnetic mount and comes with two stick on metal rings that can be attached to your phone. Although Focalprice sells this set as an iPhone lens set, it can be used with any phone that has a flat back and the ability to stick on the metal ring.

I didn’t end up sticking the metal ring on my iPhone 4 to do this review. Why? Check out the image above. The metal ring is just sitting on the back of the iPhone…

If I were actually to stick it on, you can see that the ring covers the LED flash. Oops… this is probably a deal breaker for most people. I know it would be for me.

I was still able to review this lens because by chance, I am reviewing another lens and it happens to come with a special case that has a built in magnetic ring… I know that won’t be any help if you buy this particular product, but here are some sample images to show what it can do…

Wide Angle

Here’s a shot of my car (it needs a bath!) without the lens attached to my phone.

And here is my car using the wide angle lens. I took both pictures from the same distance.

Macro

Picture of tree bark taken without the lens attached.

Close up on the same bark with the macro lens.

Image of a penny taken without the lens.

Same penny with the macro lens.

The wide angle shots that this lens can capture aren’t as impressive as the macro shots. I’ll admit that I took only a few wide angle shots while conducting my review. I focused mostly on macro shots. It’s funny that I said “focused”… because with the macro lens attached, you can’t really use the iPhone’s built in tap focus feature. You have to actually move the whole phone closer your subject till it comes in focus on the phone’s display. This is kind of hard to do and almost impossible if you’re trying to take a macro shot of a moving object like a flower slightly swaying in the breeze.

This lens set is fun to play with, but that’s about the extent of it. Yes, it can take really good macro shots if you have a steady hand, but the metal ring attachment issue if you’re using this phone with an iPhone 4 makes it an accessory that you’ll probably not purchase in the first place.

Filed in categories: Android related, Digital Cameras and Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Camera, iPhone, Smartphone

Focalprice Wide & Macro Lens Set for iPhone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 26, 2011 at 4:31 pm.

Over the next few months, I will be reviewing a half dozen or so iPhone 4 cases to better protect my smartphone. For a long time, I used my iPhone without a case….at least until a very scary tech-moment. I was in the gym working out on an ellipse machine, watching a show. When I finished working out, as I was getting off the machine my iPhone went flying across the gym (every AR tech-geeks worst nightmare). Thankfully before going to the gym I put on the Sena Sarach Leatherskin case I reviewed a few months ago which did a great job protecting my iPhone while skidding across floor. At that point, I decided that I needed rock-hard protection on my phone 24/7 but without too much added bulk or weight. Case-Mate’s Jett Metal case for the iPhone 4 seemed like an ideal candidate to get the job done.

The Jett Metal case is machined from a single block of aircraft billet aluminum (T6061). It is tumbled and deburred with ceramic media for over three hours. It is then anodized which increases corrosion resistance and overall toughness and infuses the aluminum with color. Their laser etched logo completes the look. The case is form fitted for the iPhone 4, completely surrounding the corners and edges. The case is available in black, gray, red, hunter green, and blue.  It is compatible with both Verizon and AT&T iPhones.

Along with the Jett Metal case, Case-Mate includes screen protectors for the front and back of the iPhone, push-thru buttons for power, volume, and mute, two extra screws, and a tiny screwdriver.

There is a bit of assembly required but the case comes together very nicely, like a jigsaw puzzle.

In good Gadgeteer style, I attempted to install the Jett Metal case without consulting the instructions. It took me several tries but I figured it out on my own (thankfully without hurting anything in the process). Admittedly, taking a peek at the instructions would have been easier and faster .

The inside of the case has a soft micro liner in the corners and on the sides to keep the iPhone from rubbing against the case.

As you can see, the push-thru buttons are perfectly fitted and work just as designed.

The left side has the push-thru buttons for volume and slider switch for mute. This side and the top have a plastic seam that I assume is to allow better signal reception. The case’s raised edge holds the front and back of the iPhone off of whatever surface it sits on.

Along with the plastic seam, the top has a push-thru button for the power and recessed cutout for the earbud port.

The only thing on the right side is the laser etched Case-Mate name and logo.

The bottom of the case as cutouts for the sync/power plug and speakers. Case-Mate also designed a hard-point into the case for attaching a lanyard to wear around your wrist.

Like the sync/power port, the earbud port is recessed 3-4 millimeters making it impossible to insert L-shaped plugs into the iPhone.

Straight shaped plugs, like the Sennheiser/Adidas MX 680i Sports earbuds you see here, work fine with this case. But sadly none of my high-end earbuds and monitors (all with L-shaped plugs) work with the Jett Metal case. A definite negative…..

…..another negative is that the case does not allow the iPhone to work with any of my dock-enabled sound systems. I know there are extender plugs and cables that solve these issues, but you have to acquire/buy them and then lug them around.

Since the case completely surrounds the iPhone edge, it does impact signal reception, not heinously so but noticeably. I tested reception at many locations. The case reduces signal reception by one full bar (maybe a bit more). There are several places where cell services is marginal and with this case on I can not receive calls, email, or dance the net.

The Jett Metal case does add weight (1.2 oz) and a bit of bulk to the iPhone (4.8 oz). Actually not that unreasonable considering the added protection the case gives the iPhone. The case has a nice look, feel, and (believe it or not) heft to it.

Even though the case’s design/engineering has negatives in terms of accessories and signal strength, it is currently my case of choice….by far. The Jett Metal case is well made, feels nice to hold, great protection, and accentuates the iPhone’s good looks. Pricing on form fitted aluminum iPhone cases, has definitely become more reasonable and at $50 the Jett Metal case is a worthy contender in a crowded market.

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

Tagged: iPhone

Case-Mate iPhone 4 Jett Metal Case Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 21, 2011 at 5:00 pm.

The problem with alarm clocks is that they wake you up in the middle of a dream, and not just you, but also all the people at your place. Furthermore, alarm clocks don’t know if you are already awake or not, and therefore they don’t know when to stop the alarm and when to continue with it. The Lark wants to change your awaking experience. The product consists of a wrist band, charging dock and an App for your iOS device (Android App will be available later). The functionality is simple, you set the alarm on the iOS device and then the wrist-band will vibrate and wake you up quietly. In addition to that, the wrist band also monitor your movements during your sleep and can provide you with details like, how long  it took you to fall asleep, how many times you woke up, how long you slept and the quality of sleep. You can use the ‘sleep coach’ software that enhances the lark to enable you to achieve your sleeping goals and to receive feedback on how to improve your sleep quality. The product was developed by ‘sleep and pro sport experts’ and it costs 99$ or 159$ with the personal sleep trainer bundle.

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

Tagged: Clocks, iPhone

Lark wants to change the way you sleep and wake up originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 18, 2011 at 9:00 am.

Do you cringe when you see another iPhone 4 that has scratches? Protecting your investment while still having a cool looking phone can be a challenge if you want to avoid a bulky case. The Incipio iPhone 4 feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case is a very light weight and non-bulky option. They sent me a sample of this case in a funky Glossy Orange Soda color. Let’s take a look.

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

The feather lives up to its name as it’s less than 1mm thick and weighs only 0.4 oz. In addition to the case, Incipio also includes a screen polishing cloth and 2 screen protectors.

The case is made of polycarbonate and is easy to snap on and remove from your iPhone 4 as it is semi-flexible.

The case will protect the back and sides of your phone. The edges wrap up and over the metal sides.

The large cutout over the camera lens allows you to take flash pictures with no issues.

The equally large side cutout provides access to the mute, and volume buttons. The size of the cutout makes this case compatible with both AT&T and Verizon’s versions of the iPhone 4.

Here’s a view of the top of the case. You’ll have no problems accessing the headphone jack or wake button.

The bottom of the case does not cover the speakers or docking port, so there are no issues there either.

I like the look and thinness of the Incipio feather case, but there’s one thing it doesn’t do well… and that’s provide a better grip on your phone. We all know that a naked iPhone 4 is a slippery little bugger and the feather case unfortunately keeps it slippery due to its slick surface. That’s really my only complaint about it. Other than that, it is easy to snap on, easy to remove, comes in a bazillion colors and doesn’t add additional bulk to your phone.

What is your favorite iPhone 4 case?

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

Tagged: Case, iPhone

Incipio iPhone 4 feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 16, 2011 at 4:38 pm.

If you love RC cars and iOS devices, how about combining the two with a Dexim Monster Truck that can be controlled by your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Using the included transmitter and the free AppSpeed app, move the truck either by using the on-screen touch controls or use the device’s accelerometer. The car can be moved by tipping your iPhone forwards, backwards or sideways. The AppSpeed Monster Truck will retail for $69.99 and will be available this Fall.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: iPhone, RC Toy

Dexim Announces New AppSpeed iOS-controlled Vehicle originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 8, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

With all of the accessories available for your iPad, Kindle, Nook, TouchPad, Xoom, or other tablets, it isn’t surprising that there are some great accessories and some not so good ones on the market.  Knowing which ones to consider for your own use can be a challenge at best, so I am always excited to review an accessory and share my thoughts on the ultimate question “Should I buy this accessory, or not?”.

Today’s review is for an accessory that I must admit that I was skeptical about, The Stump Stand, available for $24.95 from The Stump Store.  Why was I skeptical you ask?  I am skeptical by nature and when a company delivers an accessory for the tablet market I think to myself “here comes another accessory that I don’t need, but would love to have.”  Usually, after buying an accessory for my tablet, an iPad 2, and using it for a few weeks, I am onto a new one – having forgotten about the last one that I have purchased with great intentions and expectations.  If you could see my accessory graveyard I think that you would understand – it is littered with accessories that I only used for a few weeks or a month and then forgot about, or worse yet, I bought the accessory only to find that it did not deliver as promised.  The Stump Stand is advertised by its creator as “The portable stand for your iPad” and after using the stand for the past week I have to admit that they did a good job creating a very functional and useful accessory.

The Stump Stand is one of the accessories that will not be finding its way into my accessory graveyard – it delivers where other accessories have failed.  It isn’t glamorous, nor does it need to be.  The Stump Stand unobtrusively sits on my desk, or by my bedside and holds my iPad 2 up for me to use and does so with aplomb.  It isn’t supposed to be flashy or sparkly to distract me from my work, it is supposed to be a desk accessory that provides functionality for my iPad 2, holding it upright and making it instantly available while I work.  I was surprised to find that I think the Stump Stand is cute and functional in a way that I think many other accessory vendors should consider taking note of as they build their accessories.  It feels simple, yet I know a good deal of thought went into designing and manufacturing the product.  The most simple products usually require the most thought to ensure that the initial idea is conveyed without additional layers of complexity.  One of the well thought out and simple yet useful design elements of the Stump Stand is a rounded cut out that makes selecting the Home button of the iPad 2 simple when in the vertical position.   The Stump Stand comes in a rainbow of colors and can even be customized with your company’s logo should you want to give them away to promote your company.

The Stump Stand will support any tablet or mobile phone with a width of less than .5 inches.  This is perfect for my iPad 2 as I can leave the cover on and it fits snuggly and securely in the Stump Stand.  The Stump Stand has .5″ notch cut into it with two different positions shaped into the notch on the accessory allowing for two different upright positions of my iPad 2.  As well, the Stump Stand has an angled flat surface with a design that I am assuming increasing adhesion so my tablet does not slide off.  In effect, there are three positions that the Stump Stand provides:

1)  Vertical with a slight angle

2)  Vertical with a more aggressive angle – this is my favorite so far at my desk as it is just the right angle for me to utilize my iPad 2, and

3)  Horizontal angled, or as the creator of the Stump Stand calls it, a “Ramp Position” as it resembles a ramp

When reviewing an accessory for the iPad or other tablet, I first considered the Apple provided accessories.  With the Stump stand it is easy to compare it with the $30 synthetic or $40 leather cover that everyone who has an iPad 2 has purchased.  It is sleek and functional as a cover, but in my experience the “stand” part of the cover could use some major reworking as the magnetic folding stand, while an engineering marvel, does not deliver in the real-world.  All too often falls off, leaving the iPad 2 flat on the desk, or on my bedside.  The Stump Stand delivers as advertised and is a welcome addition to support my iPad 2 on my desk.

The Stump Stand has a solid feel to it, and on the packaging the vendor challenges the market to “TOUCH ME” which is a clear message that the accessory is different.  It is soft to the touch, yet sturdy, made from a dense rubber compound.  Weighing in at 8.5 ounces the Stump Stand is sturdy on my desk, or any other flat surface that I put it on.  The Stump Stand holds my iPad 2 securely at the proper angle so I can easily access all of my Apps and information without having to move from my position, where I am also accessing a couple of laptop computers.  I could see the Stump Stand team adding an adventurer’s version of the Stump Stand based on the sand infused holders that have become a mainstay of the in-car GPS market.  This way the Stump Stand could work on non-flat surfaces as well as flat surfaces.

Back to the packaging for a moment – in my opinion, it is innovative – combining a cardboard backer with a notch cut out of it so it can be hung on a retailer’s display with a second notch cut out of both sides to support a rubber band that holds the product in place.  The cardboard backer is a combination advertisement and holding spot for the Stump Stand.  A custom imprinted rubber band holds the Stump Stand to the backer securely.  I can imagine seeing an end-cap in a retail outlet, such as Fry’s or Best Buy with a rainbow of Stump Stands to attract the consumer.  Again, the simplest of designs usually require the most thought to execute and the team at Stump Stand delivered.  Maybe the team should design packaging as well as tablet accessories?

I am not sure I would consider the Stump Stand a portable product that I would take on trips, as it adds a good deal of weight to my already heavy bag.  I would like to see a Stump Stand Mini for travel that cuts the weight down considerably as the iPad 2 cover is not very good for travel.  As stated before, the iPad 2 cover does not work as promised – great ideas and engineering, but poor execution, as the magnets are not strong enough to prevent my iPad 2 from toppling over, or it could just be that I am not very delicate when the plane is jumping up and down during turbulence.  I am going to take the Stump Stand on my next trip and see how it fares on the airplane and let you know.

I only had one other concern, besides the travel applicability of the accessory;  when using the Stump Stand with my iPad 2 it was challenging to use it in the vertical orientation with the power connector attached as the Stump Stand does not have the depth necessary to support the iPad 2 with its power connector in place without turning it upside down, putting the Home button at the top of the iPad 2.  This is not a major inconvenience for me as I usually use my iPad 2 in the horizontal orientation, but it would be nice to be able to should I want to do so.

Overall, I would highly recommend the Stump Stand for those that are looking for a great way to hold their tablet on their desk, bedside, or any other place they need to easily access their iPad 2.

Update:  September 28, 2011 – I took the Stump Stand with me on a recent trip to Europe and used it on the airplane.  It was very simple to use and I enjoyed having it on my tray to watch videos and type out a few messages.  I did have one interesting experience at security with the Stump Stand, as the security screener asked me what it was as it showed up on the X-Ray while traveling through Europe.   Not sure if it was the material the Stump Stand is made of, or the shape that caused the concern.  As far as the concern on the weight, to be honest, I did not notice any concern, as I used a wheeled briefcase for this trip, so it was not hanging on in my shoulder bag or in a back pack.

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

Tagged: iPad, iPhone, iPod, PDA, Stand

Stump Stand Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 31, 2011 at 3:13 pm.