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.

Though no official word has been made, FCC filings were recently unveiled, illustrating another potential remote control replacement for the iPhone or iPod touch.

Startup company, Zelfy, filed plans for a product called “Peel.”  Images show a small IR port that connects to your wireless router.  After downloading the “Peel” app to either your iPhone or iPod touch, users may control the devices linked with the aforementioned IR connection.

According to Engadget, the product’s tagline states: ”every remote and TV guide now on your phone.”  While this doesn’t provide a clear explanation, their website also shows a woman seemingly controlling her television via iPhone: we can only infer the obvious.

Keep your eyes “Peel”ed!

[Courtesy of Engadget]

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

Tagged: iPhone, iPod Touch, Remote Control, Spotlight Gadgets

Another Potential iRemote? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 10, 2010 at 8:52 am.

As of yesterday, Apple‘s iOS4 (formerly known as iPhone OS4) is available for download through iTunes.  The new operating system, which contains long-awaited new features such as multi-tasking and app folders, can be installed on iPhone 3GS and 3G and the latest generation of iPod Touch; however, only the 3GS will be able to take advantage of the full range of new features.   If you’re curious about all the new stuff you can do with iOS4, Gizmodo has created the following, which looks quite comprehensive:

The Complete Guide to Using iOS4

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

Tagged: iPhone, iPod Touch

iOS4 now available for download originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 22, 2010 at 7:57 am.

By now I’m sure most Apple/iPhone fans, or general gadgetophiles, are aware that last week Apple unveiled a sneak peak of the this summer’s upcoming iPhone OS 4.  If you’re curious but didn’t feel like taking the time to watch the hour-long keynote, here is some addition info.

Apple iPhone OS 4 Event was held last Thursday (8 April 2010).  Per standard modus operandi, Apple CEO Steve Jobs was master of ceremonies for the event, which also included several additional speakers.  The bulk of the presentation was a sneak peak of the upcoming iPhone OS 4.  A video of the roughly hour-long keynote presentation can be viewed via the Apple website.  For anyone who is curious, many of the talking points from both the Apple website and the keynote presentation itself are below.  Please note that there is currently a lot of speculation and discussion on the web about iPhone OS 4, but this post only includes what was presented in the keynote presentation.

Developer Features

Over 1500 new APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for application developers in the iPhone OS 4 SDK (Software Development Kit).   A sampling of what was presented:

click to enlarge

• Calendar access
• In-app SMS
• Photo Library access
• Quick Look
• Full access to still and video camera data
• Full map overlays
• Accelerate
• Automated testing
• Power analysis tools
• iPod remote control accessories

User Features

Over 100 new or updated user features in iPHone OS 4.   A sampling of what was presented:

click to enlarge

• 5x digital zoom for Camera app
• Playlists on iPhone
• Tap to focus on Video app
• Added places in Photo app for geotagging
• Change home AND lock screen wallpaper
• Bluetooth keyboard use
• Spellchecker
• Gifting apps
• Birthday calendar
• File & Delete email search results

“Tentpole” Features

In addition to the above-mentioned new or updated features, the bulk of the presentation focused on seven so-called “Tentpole” features:

1. Multitasking

Developers will have access to seven multitasking services (listed below), which will allow tasks to be performed in the background while preserving performance of the foreground app and overall battery life.   So you’ll be able to make a Voice over IP call while playing a game or checking email, find a restaurant on Urbanspoon while listening to Pandora, and more.  Per Steve Jobs, “We weren’t the first to this party, but we’re gonna be the best.” It will work by double-clicking the Home button within a running app, which will bring up a bar at bottom (similar in appearance to the row of “dock” icons already at the bottom of the iPhone screen) that displays all apps currently running—scroll to the app you want and tap the icon to select.  Games will have a countdown to give you time to get ready to re-start where you left off.  The seven multitasking services are:

• Background audio – Think Pandora.  Streaming audio in the background while continuing to perform other tasks.  We’ve always been able to do this with the iPod app and other Apple-native apps, but now we’ll be able to do it with 3rd-party apps too.
• VoIP - Think Skype.  Similar to the above, streaming Voice over IP in the background while continuing to perform other tasks.  Will also now be able to answer Skype calls when the iPhone is locked.
• Background location – Two types, GPS for turn-by-turn directions (think TomTom) and cell tower for power preservation (think social networking like Loopt).  Also adding a location indicator to the upper right of the status bar, and users will have the ability to enable/disable location requesting by app, as well as an indicator icon displaying if an app has asked for the user’s location in the last 24 hours.
• Push notifications - Pushed through an Apple server to your iPhone
• Local notifications - Sent to you from a local app
• Task completion – Think flickr.  Say you’re uploading a bunch of pics to flickr, but don’t want to wait for it to finish.  It will continue the upload in the background even if you switch to a different app.
• Fast app switching – The running foreground app stores its state and preserves it in background for when you return to the app.

2. Folders

Get faster access to your favorites by organizing apps into folders with drag-and-drop simplicity.  And browse and manage up to 2160 apps at once — many more than the current limit of 180 apps.

• Drag and Drop UI – Touch and hold the icon, drag and drop it to another icon to create a folder.
• Intelligent naming – OS 4 intelligently auto-names the folder based on the App Store category of the apps that you are grouping.  Folder names are editable.  Folders can be moved just like app icons.
• 180 –> 2160 apps – The upper limit of apps goes from the current 180 to 2160.

3. Mail

See messages from all your email accounts displayed together in a unified inbox, switch between inboxes more quickly, organize messages by threads, and open attachments in third-party apps.

• Unified inbox – All of your email addresses come into one inbox
• Multiple Exchange support - Now supporting more than one Microsoft Exchange email accounts
• Fast inbox switching – Move quickly between inboxes with just a few taps
• Threaded messages - A indicator will be displayed for emails that are part of a thread of related messages
• Open attachments with apps – Open attachments from any App Store app.

4. iBooks

Easily flip through the pages of a book you’ve downloaded from the iBookstore while listening to your music collection. Browse tens of thousands of books — many of them free — by title, author, or genre. You can even check out reviews and read sample pages before you buy.

• “Delightful” ebook reader – Steve Jobs’ word, not mine! 
• iBookstore – Same as for the iPad
• Buy once, read anywhere – Buy once on any Apple device, transfer to any other Apple device for no additional charge
• Sync page and bookmarks – Wirelessly sync your current page and bookmarks between Apple devices
• Free Winnie the Pooh – Hey, who doesn’t like Winnie the Pooh?

5. Enterprise

iPhone OS 4 offers more useful features for businesses. With enhancements to security, scalability, and compatibility, IT managers have even more reasons to deploy iPhone throughout their enterprises.

• Even better email protection
• Mobile Device Management
• Wireless app distribution
• Multiple Exchange accounts
• Exchange Server 2010
• SSL VPN support

6. Game Center

Later in 2010, Apple will be launching Game Center, with which it hopes to further cash in on the ever-increasing popularity of the online gaming community.

• Social gaming network – Seems like an obvious combo
• Invite friends - Challenge your friends to a game over your device
  
• Matchmaking – Automatically searches for players of similar ability
• Leaderboards – Compare your results with your friends
• Achievements - See how you are progressing through a game and compare to your friends.
  

7. iAd

iAd is a “breakthrough” mobile advertising platform from Apple. With it, apps can feature rich media ads that combine the emotion of TV with the interactivity of the web. For developers, it means a new, easy-to-implement source of revenue. For advertisers, it creates a new media outlet that offers consumers highly targeted information.

• Emotion + interactivity - Basically they are going for a combo of TV-quality ads and interactive web ads
• Ads keep you in your app – Won’t have to find your way back to where you started once you are done with the ad
• Built into iPhone OS – Ad software is integral to the OS and therefore hopefully quicker and more stable
• Apple sells & hosts adds – Centralization for simplification (and allows Apple to maintain control)
• 60% revenues – > developers – $$ in developer’s pocket, $$ in Apple’s pocket.  Pitched as a win-win.

Availability & Compatibility

iPhone OS 4 will begin shipping “this summer” for iPhone 3G and 3GS and iPod touch – 2nd gen and 3rd gen (32 & 64 Gb models).  However, iPhone 3G and iPod touch – 2nd gen hardware will not support Multitasking and possibly some other features.  OS 4 will begin shipping for iPad “this fall.”

Commentary

As alluded to at the top of this post, I realize that there has been much speculation, excitement and criticism over the iPhone OS 4 announcement.  But as an iPhone 3GS owner, I for one am excited about the new features described above.  Hopefully The Gadgeteer will be able to give a detailed review of iPhone OS 4 this summer.

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

Tagged: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

More details on upcoming iPhone OS 4 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 16, 2010 at 9:38 am.

In case you missed it, yesterday Apple announced this summer’s release of iPhone OS 4.  With this update, Apple is touting 1500 new developer APIs and 100+ user new features including the long-awaited multi-tasking of 3rd-party applications.   Other new features include folder organization of up to 2160 apps, a 5x digital camera zoom, an improved email inbox and iBooks capability.  iPhone OS 4 will begin shipping on the iPhone and iPod touch “this summer” and on the iPad “this fall”; however, not all features will be available with all models, see the Apple site for more, including a keynote video from Steve Jobs.

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

Tagged: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Apple: Multi-tasking and more for this summer’s iPhone OS 4 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 9, 2010 at 8:11 pm.

Have a dark side?  Flaunt it with an officially-licensed Incipio Star Wars case for your iPhone 3G/3GS or iPod Touch 2G.  Available in soft silicone and hard slider versions, and with either full or half Darth Vader or Stormtrooper visages, it also comes in any color you want, as long as that color is black.  What do you expect?  After all, it is the dark side.  $29.95 each.

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

Tagged: iPhone Case, iPod Touch, Star Wars

Encase Your iPhone in Sith Armor originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 16, 2010 at 10:46 am.

This is going to be a very short review. Not because I don’t like the product, but because there really isn’t much to talk about. The iSmartCase is a protective case designed to keep your iPod touch safe. There are a million and one different cases out there that you can buy. However this case is basically a glorified eyeglass case. I do understand the reasoning for this design. I will say that it is fantastic for when you are transporting your device. But not so much when it comes to actually using your device.

While your iPod Touch is in this case you really can’t use it in the way it’s supposed to be used. Again for the transportation of your device or when it is in your gear bag not being used, this case is great. But when you are ready to use your iPod, you still have to take it out of the case to use it and you are still faced with the potential to drop it and damage your device anyway.

If you do decide that you want one of these cases you can hop over to www.iSmartcase.com. And you will find that you have a few options to choose from. At a price point of $19-$23, you can choose from a plain colored fabric or a leatherette covered case, to a bonded leather case. And you also have your choice of colors as well. So in short, this case is very simplistic, a glorified eyeglass case, but is great for transporting your device. It is definitely not the most practical product but at least if people see it sitting out, there is less chance of someone stealing it because they will think it’s your glasses.

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

Tagged: Case, iPod Touch

iSmartCase iPod Touch Case Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 31, 2010 at 9:22 pm.

Wow, the Christmas elves at Sena have been busy creating some very nice leather cases for the iPhone and iPod Touch. They sent me a nice selection to check out and I thought I’d do a quickie review of them for everyone that might be doing some last minute Christmas shopping.

Walletbook

This book style snap case holds your iPhone and can do double duty as a minimalist wallet. It’s available in 13 different colors which include 4 with a crocodile embossed look.

The wallet portion of the case has 2 card slots (one has a plastic see-thru window) with another slot behind them to hold folded currency.

This is a nicely made case, but isn’t one that I would pick for myself. It seems more like a case for a PDA instead of a phone. I would find it really inconvenient to unsnap the cover in order to access the iPhone to answer a call. I also think it would be uncomfortable to hold while talking. I suppose if you’re a Bluetooth headset user, that this would be a non issue.

Price $52.00

Sarach Leather Skin

This is one of my favorites because it doesn’t add a lot of bulk to the iPhone and doesn’t hinder usability.

The Sarach Leather Skin is available in 5 colors. Each one has the same type of saddle stitch that you will probably either love or hate. I love it If you prefer this same case but with a protective flip cover (which is held closed with a magnet), that’s no problem, you just have to pay an additional $10.

Price $59.99 without flip cover, $69.99 with a cover

Corsa

If you don’t want a play-through case, but just something to protect your iPhone or iPod touch during transport, then the Corsa is a good choice.

It’s basically a two-toned leather sheath that has a unique pull strap that is used to eject the device when you need to use it. Just pull the strap and it lifts the iPhone out of the case.

Price $39.99

Laterale

The Laterale looks a little retro to me. It has a soft padded round design with a convenient cutout that you can use to push the iPhone up for easy retrieval. The interior is lined in soft velvet to protect your phone.

On the back is a leather covered spring clip that you can use to wear this case on your belt.

The Laterale is available in 7 color styles with 3 having a crocodile embossed texture.

Price $39.99

Kutu

The Kutu is similar to the Corsa. It’s a rigid leather sleeve that is reminiscent of an instrument case. It’s available in 3 colors and has a soft lining.

Like the Corsa, it has a pull tab device lifting feature. There’s also a card slot built into the back of the sleeve.

Price $44.95

All of these cases are made very well. I was unable to find any defects in the material or workmanship. In my opinion Sena Cases are a very good alternative to Vaja Cases when it comes to a wide variety of styles and colors, for an affordable price.

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

Tagged: Case, iPhone, iPod Touch

Sena Cases for the iPhone and iPod Touch originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 20, 2009 at 11:57 am.

To preface this review, for months I have been thinking about MacGyvering a device that could safely and securely hold my iPod Touch while I run on the treadmill. So, when Julie posted the Spotlight Gadget blurb on the In Your Face (IYF) iPhone/iPod Touch Stand I quickly asked if they wanted me to try it out. Fortunately they agreed and sent me one of their holders straight away.

While convenient and usable, the gym that I use at work it is less than high-tech (aka no multimedia distractions)…..making a good amount of my time on the treadmill drudgery. My iPod Shuffle does a decent job at motivating me but being able to watch movies or my shows would definitely help pass the time while slugging out the miles.

The IYF Stand is engineered to securely hold your iPhone/iPod Touch in places like exercise equipment, your vehicle, a table/desk, the tray on an airplane, or the like. The IYF Stand is comprised of three main components; the clamp, flexible 8” metal neck, and spring loaded padded top grip.

The IYF Stand is held in place by its relatively strong clamp. The clamp can expand to approximately 2 inches which enables it to hold onto most of the cardio equipment in our gym at work and my treadmill at home. The clamp is strong enough to hold the stand firmly in place on both the exercise bike and ellipse machine (my desk and airplane tray as well). However, due to the vibration, the stand did list to the side while I was running on the treadmill. I had to right the stand every 4-5 minutes (a minor inconvenience). I might try some velcro on the front pad of the clamp to strengthen its hold while I am running.

The iPhone/iPod Touch grip expands to hold either device with and without a case. The grip holds the device with a good deal of strength and is unlikely to be accidentally pulled/yanked from its hold. The grip’s padding does a fine job at keeping the Stand from scratching or damaging your device.

The grip head is adjustable, allowing you to angle and tilt the iPhone/Touch for better viewing. The head is held in place by a screw-cap compression fitting located where the 8″ metal neck meets the back of head. The metal neck is flexible, yet stays in the position you move it to.

Overall, I really like the In Your Face iPhone/Touch Stand for hands free viewing of your device. My initial thought when I saw that it cost $30, was that the price was a bit high,however I remembered how much the pieces were going to cost to create something like this myself and it was more than a wash (especially if you consider my time and potential failed attempts). I will definitely keep it at work for when I need a bit more distraction while pounding out the miles.

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

Tagged: iPhone, iPod Touch, Stand

In Your Face iPhone/Touch Stand Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 18, 2009 at 12:48 pm.

Up for a friendly Air Hockey match anyone? I thought so! It’s a good thing then that iPhone & iPod Touch App newcomer, Brainjuice, has just released their simple, user-friendly and addicting version of arcade hockey!

Just plant your finger on your iPhone or iPod touch, move it around, hit the puck, score, get scored – it’s just that easy. I’m not exactly the best at hitting the puck at my expert computer opponent, and I did lose just about every time I played, but it’s a fun way to shoot the breeze after a frustrating round of Flight Control.

Nice thing is that I can listen to my iTunes music while I attempt to slam my puck at the goal, and if I want to go head-to-head with someone, they can just hop on the other side of my iPhone and start beating me. Apparently, you can also challenge your opponent over WiFi, assuming that you both have the application and are under the same wireless network.

The application is a tad pricey ($2.99) for the limited playtime it supplies, and there isn’t an opportunity to save high scores or tally up your total wins. If you do a half hour or even fifteen minutes to kill a best of 15 round is the highest you can go, and that sure isn’t going to last more than 3 to 5 minutes at most.

There are a few customizing options. Choose between a big or small puck, blue or red puck hitter, and easy, intermediate or difficult game play. If you were planning on that shiny marble air table, with zebra stripped puck hitters, well better luck next time.

One lingering, irking component to the game is that when you use your finger to move around the puck, it tends to get in the way and you can’t always see what you’re doing. Maybe in future releases a virtual game-pad might improve the physics and mechanics of the potential puck hitting experience.

Arcade Hockey has its highs and lows, but is this game worth $2.99? Probably not.

Although, If you happen to be experiencing an air hockey kick, and you just can’t seem to find one in the physical world, then hop on this train because it’s unlimited puck shooting for only $2.99.

The app is available for limited time for $0.99.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: Air Hockey, iPhone, iPod Touch

Brainjuice Presents: Arcade Hockey for iPhone & iPod Touch originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 14, 2009 at 7:45 am.

When I got an iPhone, I abandoned the harsh wake up of my old alarm clock. (Love the “Harp” sound…) One of the first things I do in the morning is check the weather and read the online news. With Mendelini’s iPhone app, Glance, I can see the time, the weather and a scrolling RSS feed before my feet hit the floor. Considering there are over 200 different alarm clock apps in the iTunes App store… not to mention the very effective built-in Clock app… Glance is an elegant, customizable clock application for Apple’s iPhone or iPod Touch.

If you keep Glance on in a dock or stereo, and set the “Do Not Sleep” option, you’ve got three types of instant information at… well, a glance; clock, weather, and news. The button on the main display allows the user to dim the display for nighttime use. The alarm clock has nine possible sounds, none of which are system sounds. “Good Morning, Your Majesty” is my favorite, or maybe I just like the name.

The app displays a scrolling RSS feed and offers eight News Feeds: BBC, BoingBoing, CNN, Digg, Fox, Google, Onion and WSJ, Sports Feeds: ESPN or Sports Illustrated, Tech Feeds: Engadget, Gizmodo, Slashdot, TechCrunch, Mac News Feeds: Apple Hot News, Apple Insider, MacNN, Mac Observer, MacRumors, and TUAW. There are also two Gaming Feeds, four Entertainment Feeds and three iPhone/iPod News Feeds.

Glance went live in the iTunes store on August 1, selling for .99. The developer is actively seeking feedback through Facebook and Twitter, so new RSS feeds and additional sounds are sure to be added.

Mendelini’s Glance is a colorful and useful three-in-one app that will certainly evolve with time and user input. The scrolling RSS feed, weather and alarm clock all in one screen is handy and makes Glance stand out from the over 200 alarm clock applications available in the iTunes app store.

Some of the Glance settings...

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

Tagged: iPhone, iPod Touch, Utility

Mendelini’s iPhone App – Glance originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 11, 2009 at 6:05 pm.

If you’ve watched movies or videos on your iPhone or iPod Touch, you can appreciate this product. The iBend is a thin, rigid vinyl stand for any version of the Apple iPhone or iPod Touch. Unlike most stands sold for electronics, the iBend is not bulky, heavy, nor is it made of metal. It’s so thin you can store it in your wallet or right in the case with your device. I store mine in the slip-in pouch of my book-style Touch case.

The iBend is designed to hold your device only in the horizontal position.  You simply pinch the ends of the iBend toward each other and slide the Touch into the end channels.  The iBend seemed flimsy, and it was a little scary to trust it to hold my Touch.  However, it was stable with the iPod in place.  The stand holds the iPod at an angle for easier viewing.  You can adjust the angle a bit by sliding the ends closer together or further apart.  It would have been easier to see the screen if I could have tilted it back a bit more while it sat on my desk.  I didn’t get a chance to test the manufacturer’s claim that it’s ideal for use on an airplane tray table, but the limited tilt angles may make comfortable viewing difficult, especially if you are taller.

The people at iBend say the stand works even when your iPhone or Touch is in its case.  It did hold mine in its leather case, but the front of the case hanging up in the air made it tend to tip over backwards.  I think it would work better with a sleeve case.  I’ll just slip my Touch out of the case when I want to use the stand.

I don’t have a charging cradle, and I found the iBend works well as a usb charging stand. If you use your Touch as an alarm clock, the iBend should make a great stand on your bedside table. I was only able to test the iBend with a Touch; hopefully, it will prove as useful with the iPhone.

You get two iBends for $4.99 – one black and one white. At this price, both you and a friend can go hands-free!

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: iPhone, iPod Touch, Stand

The iBend Stand for iPhone and iPod Touch Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 14, 2009 at 10:13 am.

Scosche announces the availability of their new IDR350M noise isolating earphones for the iPhone 3GS, iPod shuffle (Gen 3), iPod touch (Gen 2), iPod nano (Gen 4) and iPod classic 120GB. They have an integrated tapLINE control technology that allows users to play/pause, adjust volume, skip tracks, navigate playlists, record voice memos, activate the voice control feature, and answer/end calls without having to take their iPod or iPhone out of their pocket or bag. This functionality is particularly useful for iPod shuffle Gen 3 users given that model’s lack of control buttons. The IDR350Ms also give users a chance to customize their earphones with six different interchangeable color caps to match their mood or outfit.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: iPhone 3GS, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPod Touch, Spotlight Gadgets

Customizable 3rd party iPhone 3GS earphones from Scosche originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 30, 2009 at 5:17 pm.

Are you good at pattern matching puzzles? Do you like games that move at your pace, not the game designer’s pace? hExistentialism – the “Casual Puzzle Brain Game” by Ayumusoft might be for you. Just resist the urge to fling your iPhone into the wall while you’re figuring out how it works.I’ll admit it, I really enjoyed the phase in my child’s development when we used to play all those memory/matching games. hExistentialism plays right into that space, but it does so in a very unique, almost maddening complex way. This is a double edged sword – in my case I was really close to giving up on it until it “clicked” in my head and I started to grasp what they were trying to get me to do in the game. Now I see it as a game with real staying power – you’re less likely to get bored of the approach to “matching” used, that’s for sure!

Install and setup/tutorial

Like all iPhone/iPod Touch apps, you purchase hExistentialism in the App Store and then sync it onto your device, or it just appears there if you buy it on the device itself. Launch time is a reasonable 8 or so seconds while you stare at the company logo, and then you’re at the spartan main menu:

Going into the tutorial, you’re gently walked through the various ways three hexes are considered a match:

Game Play

Once you’re feeling confident, you can begin a game. Here’s one after a few moves:

“sum” is your score. I have no idea how its calculated, but it goes up as you remove more hexes. Apparently “inErtia” has something to do with your score – it’s the number of sets of three hex tiles you’ve removed correctly in a row. Make a mistake and it resets to zero. You may get more points for more difficult matches, but I’m not really sure! Tapping a tile selects it (shown with those yellow triangles) – tap it again to de-select it.  Tap three of the tiles and if they match, they disappear. If they don’t they just de-select.

The “mEnu” button goes back to the main menu – but keeps your game state intact if you change your mind. “nExt hEx”, if it’s not grayed out, adds the next hex tile onto the board if there is an open space for it. It also resets your inErtia.

Here we are a little further into the game, after a particularly satisfying run of matches (hence my inErtia of 5… yay me.)

Above you can see we are nearing the end of this game. There are no more hEx tiles available.  If I’m not mis-recalling there is only one match left… After I tapped it in, I got to this screen:

I have no idea if that’s a good score or not, but I was really happy to get here!

Impressions

hExistentialism is a seemingly simple, yet maddeningly additive game. The ability to combine the “types” of patterns/series into a three tile match gives you a lot of flexibility and variety when playing the game. I’m not sure my brain is any better off after playing it, but it sure passes the time.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: game, iPhone, iPod Touch

hExistentialism iPhone/iPod Touch Game Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 3, 2009 at 8:07 am.

Ever wish you could compete in a track and field competition while waiting in line at the store, commuting, or otherwise sitting around like a blob? Grab your iPhone or iPod Touch, be sure to stretch first, and then load up “International Athletics” by Ghostlight Ltd.

This is a port of the Sony PSP game by the same company, but I’ve not played it on that device. I have to wonder how well it would play with the PSP controls – the touch-based interface is pretty easy to grasp and is physical enough thay you might be able to break a sweat. You’re sure to attract stares as you get into some of the events.

Install and setup

Purchase the game from iTunes, and sync, or purchase it on your device and it’s there. Launch the app, and after a few static images display to cover the 10 second or so loading time, you’re presented with the character setup screen:

I went with a bigger guy for the sprints:

Game Play

Once you’ve set up your profile it’s retained between games, so on future launches you go straight to the main menu:

You can get back to your profile and make other game settings changes, compete in a single event, try a decathlon or tournament (a series of events), or visit your metals room and bask in the glory of past achievements. Let’s try an event:

I’ve not been training much, so I go for the Rookie setting. Then I pick the event.

Wow, that’s a lot of menu choices. OK, so I am going to do a Track event, the 100m Sprint, in France. Phew, I’m exhausted already! Next up are the reminder screen(s) on how to move your guy. Yes, these come up every time.

Finally, after a brief progress bar, you get to the race itself.

The gun fires (yes, it uses a starter pistol sound – perhaps not the best sound for a subway ride, without headphones!) You rub your iPhone like a madman, and if needs be perform other taps or drags (hurdles are a bit tricky, but after plowing them down a few times you get the hang of it!) until you cross the finish line to the cheers of the crowd.

At the end, as you watch everyone gasp for breath, you see if you’ve beaten the world record or your personal best time.

Then the instant replay, and finally…

The medal presentation. Then you can decide to race again or go back to the main menu.

Impressions

It’s a very attractive game, with nice graphics and good sound effects. Tracking your personal best/world record scores is a nice touch, and gives you a reason to keep improving your skills beyond stuffing your trophy room with gold metals. I wonder if I’ll end up with “athlete’s finger” though! Actual game-play is brief, preceded and followed by menu selections and animations. In that way it really does model a track and field event well – lots of build up, a few seconds of action, and then lots of rehashing and analysis. There isn’t much to master in this game, so I’m not sure how much staying power it has. It’s unfortunate that’s true, since the graphics are so well done. Perhaps the ability to play head-to-head (rumored to be possible for games with the 3.0 OS) would allow for an interesting twist.

Filed in categories: Gaming Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: game, iPhone, iPod Touch

International Athletics iPhone/iPod Touch Game Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 30, 2009 at 7:47 am.

I recently upgraded from a first to second generation iPod Touch with more capacity. Surprisingly, many of the cases I had for my original Touch fit my new iPod. But sadly not perfectly….. So, I decided to try a few cases specifically fitted for the second generation Touch. Sena was kind enough to send me their LeatherSkin and UltraSlim cases for my new Touch.

Sena LeatherSkin Case for the 2G iPod Touch

Sena’s LeatherSkin case is very well made, constructed of a full grain, top quality European Napa leather. The case I received is the Croco Black version and like the name implies, the leather has a faux crocodile texture. The case is nicely finished and well stitched. This open-faced case allows easy access to the screen and home button. Sena also engineered an opening for the backlight sensor.

Sena includes the LeatherSkin case, removable ratchet beltclip system, and soft protective bag.

The case is very form fitting, adding little additional bulk to the sleek and slim Touch. Although, this does sacrifice padding as a means of protecting the device against a fall.

Sena engineered a left-side cut out allowing access to the Touch’s volume controls.

The top of the case allows access to the power button. The Touch is held securely in place by a strap that goes over the top and snaps to the back of the case.

The bottom of the LeatherSkin case allows access to the iPod connector and earphone ports. The case leaves the Touch exposed on all the edges. If you are not careful it could definitely be damaged or marred if dropped.

Sena engineered the ability to easily add (or remove) a belt clip with their Removable Ratcheting Belt Clip System.

I doubt I will ever wear my Touch on my belt. But it is nice to have the option to do so if i’d like….

The Sena LeatherSkin case comes in seven colors; black, white, red, orange, tan, croco black, croco red, and pink.

Sena UltraSlim Pouch for the iPod Touch

The Sena UltraSlim Pouch is very similar to the LeatherSkin in terms of quality of materials and workmanship. However, unlike the LeatherSkin, this slipper case is designed to protect the Touch while in transit versus during use. The cases very slim design adds almost no bulk to the Touch. The pouch protects (a majority of) the device from getting scraped or scratched while in a pocket or purse, but provides little or no protection from a drop. Obviously once the Touch is out of the case, all bets are off…..

The horizontal pouch protects the Touch’s front, back and approximately 80% of the sides. The stitching is nice and will definitely standup to everyday use.

You can listen to music while the Touch is in the case by inserting the device top first, leaving the iPod connector and earphone port exposed.

The Sena UltraSlim pouch comes in five colors; black, white, red, tan, and pink.

Both of these Sena cases are made of fine European leather, individually hand-crafted, and compare well with cases that cost a lot more. They might not be quite up to Vaja’s styling or Orbino’s leather quality, but they are very close at half the price and definitely worth considering.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: Case, iPod Touch, Leather

Sena Apple (2G) iPod Touch Leather Cases Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 25, 2009 at 10:00 am.