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

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Laptop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tagged: Laptop, Sun shield

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

Note the variety of angles that can be locked into place with the Crane Stand

Working with electronics in various portable configurations is very flexible. It’s what enables many of our flexible work situations, and feeds our gadget lust. Sometimes, however, you get to a location where there just isn’t a good place to lay out your gear in any semblance of an order that will enhance your task at hand. Other times, you have so many different pieces of gear to use that there’s no way to reach anything, if you don’t have some sort of stacking system. Enter the Crane Hardware company, and their Crane Stand Pro.This unit is not some cheap, light, make-do piece of kit. It’s aluminum, welded at joints, and designed for a life on the road being made to bend to it’s owner’s will in many different situations. And in the testing I was able to do, it behaves like a champ.

The Crane Stand Pro can give you a lot of room between your work surface and the gear it's holding up.

The Crane Stand Pro folded for travel. It's less than 2" thick in this position!

The friction locks are of a heavy-duty metal, not just stamped out of sheet work. When you click this into place, it stays put. Note the heavy o-ring holding the stand off the surface.

Detail of one of the jointed pieces. Note the rubber o-rings protecting the wood of the table, and the silver knurled tension adjustment knob on the right, opposite the friction lock. I cannot stress how solidly this thing is made.

Fully welded joints on every join. This thing is built to take a licking and stand up to it!

It's no lightweight stand!

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop, Stand

Crane Stand Pro Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 9, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Last month I did a review of the Crimson Frame Case for the iPhone 4. While I thought their aluminum case was too boxy and utilitarian, I loved the iPhone 4 screen protectors that Crimson included with the case. So much so, I wanted to see if their screen protectors for the MacBook Air series were just as nice.  So, I made the request and Crimson sent me the Anti-Glare surface protector for 11″ MacBook Air to try on my new laptop.

Contents:

• One (1) piece of Anti-glare screen protector
• Microfiber cleaning cloth

Crimson does an intense job of packaging the screen protector. The plastic sleeve and instructions sheet that the screen protector comes in is MANY times thicker than the product itself. Of course this thick, rigid protection is necessary since the screen protector obviously can not be bent or folded.

Features:

• Made from the highest quality, multi-layered, Japanese-manufactured film
• The ultimate protection against dust, scratches, oil, and dirt for your MacBook Air screen
• Advanced silicone adhesive minimizes bubbles during application and allows for easy removal – without residue
• Surface Protectors can be cleaned with water and reapplied
• No “rainbow” effect
• Microfiber cleaning cloth included

The screen protector is ready to apply onto the Air’s screen once the simple backing is removed. Applying the plastic film is a relatively easy process. Not nearly as ‘dicey’ as the wet process that a ZAGG invisibleSHIELD requires. The application process is very similar to the Power Support laptop screen protector I reviewed years ago.

Like many smartphone and tablet screen protectors I have installed over the years, the first step is to completely clean the screen itself….making sure all dust, fingerprints, and perhaps even a bit of snot is removed. If you are as AR as I am, it totally irritates/bothers me when gunk is caught between the screen and protector, forever trapping it there :-I. Once the screen is cleaned to your satisfaction, you align the plastic before beginning and then squeegee the piece of plastic as you go, minimizing the number of residual air bubbles needing to be dealt with later.

Once applied, the next step is to carefully force the remaining air bubbles out from between the MBAir screen and the protector. This part of the process was surprisingly easy; much more so than a majority of other plastic films I have installed in the past.

If for whatever reason you need to remove it, the silicone layer that enables the protector to adhere to the screen, also allows for (relatively) easy removal. The screen protector can be washed/cleaned with water and then reapplied as desired. I have not attempted this, but according to Crimson it is an option.

Bottom line: the anti-glare film looks great. It uses a special matte finish that effectively reduces glare for easier/better viewing. You can hardly tell it is there. Along with the anti-glare viewing experience, the protection it provides against materials marring the screen is stellar. I find the $30 cost of the Crimson Anti-Glare Screen Protector a reasonable price to pay for the added protection it provides. Considering its relatively simply/easy installation, I would recommend it to anyone who asks….

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: anti-glare, Laptop, Screen Protector

Crimson Anti-Glare Screen Protector for MacBook Air Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 3, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Parts-People.com is a family owned business that was started back in 2002. They have a shop in Austin, TX and a web site that specializes in Dell laptop repair and parts replacement supplies. You can send them your laptop for repair, or if you are a DIY kinda of person, you can purchase the parts and perform the repairs on your own. They sell parts that range from motherboards, bezels and AC adapters, all the way down to screws for a large variety of Dell branded laptops (including Alienware laptops).

Check out their Facebook page where they run contests (they are currently giving away a laptop) and provide additional info about their services.

For the do-it-yourself Dell owner, they even offer a YouTube Channel that has over 200 tutorial videos that show you step by step how to perform many different types of laptop repairs. The videos are easy to understand and include all the info you need to perform the repairs from start to finish, including the list of needed tools. Each video also has a link to the full written instructions for each repair as well.

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Dell, Laptop, Repair

Great Repair Site for Dell Laptop Owners originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 29, 2011 at 3:30 pm.

We dress ourselves. We dress our kids. Those of us who are a little on the kooky side even dress our pets… So it shouldn’t be that unusual to dress our iPads and Macbooks too right? Computer Apparel is now offering the V_Neck Sleeve for iPads and 13″, 15″ and 17″ Macbooks. The V_Neck Sleeve looks like a favorite t-shirt that most of us probably have in our closet. It’s machine washable cotton and features a breast pocket that can hold your iPhone, a zippered pocket for your device and an open pocket for magazines. You can even shove cables down the neck opening. The V_Neck Sleeve is available in 5 colors and is priced between $49.99 and $79.99 depending on size. Personally, I think they look a little goofy… but then I don’t make my cat Max wear clothes either, so I might not be the best one to judge.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Case, Laptop

Dress your Macbook in a warm and cozy V_Neck Sleeve originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 20, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

Using auto-stereoscopic display technology, the new Toshiba Qosmio F755 3D laptop will be the first laptop on the market that is able to display glasses-free 3D and 2D content at the same time on the same screen. Users will have the option to watch 3D content in full-screen or condense it into a smaller window so that they can continue to use the 2D desktop to browse the Web or do other tasks. The Qosmio F755 3D laptop will be available in mid-August with a pretty hefty price tag of $1,699.99. I’ve yet to try a glasses-free 3D device and am really curious if it’s ‘worth’ it or not… What do you guys think?

Press release after the jump.

TOSHIBA DITCHES THE GLASSES WITH ANNOUNCEMENT
OF WORlD’S FIRST GLASSES-FREE 3D LAPTOP

Qosmio F755 3D Ushers in New Way of Experiencing 3D Entertainment; First Laptop to Simultaneously Display 2D and Glasses-Free 3D Content on a Single Screen

IRVINE, Calif. — Aug. 9, 2011 — Toshiba’s Digital Products Division(DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced U.S. pricing and availability for the Qosmio^® F755 3D laptop, the world’s first laptop capable of displaying glasses-free 3D and 2D content at the same time on one screen[i]. Beginning in mid-August, 3D entertainment enthusiasts will have the opportunity to “ditch the glasses” and enjoy the latest in 3D content while enjoying all the amenities of a premium, high-performance laptop.

“The Qosmio F755 3D laptop is not just a breakthrough in mobile entertainment, but a great example of Toshiba’s ongoing commitment to turning technology innovation into real, usable products,” said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. “We are excited to bring this cutting-edge technology to consumers, as there’s really nothing like it. The unique capabilities of the laptop’s 3D display make enjoying 3D content both convenient and hassle-free. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

A Breakthrough in Consumer 3D Technology
To achieve a 3D viewpoint without the aid of special glasses, the new Qosmio F755 3D laptop uses the latest in auto-stereoscopic display technology. Equipped with a brilliant 15.6-inch diagonal full HD TruBrite^® display with Active Lens technology, the double parallax image display is able to project two sets of images at the same time, splitting them between the left and right eyes to create the 3D effect. Toshiba’s intuitive Face Tracking technology then taps into the laptop’s built-in webcam to further perfect the projection of the image by reacting to the motion and position of the viewer, delivering a broad viewing zone from which to view 3D content. The end result for consumers is the ability to view and enjoy real 3D – no glasses needed.

2D or 3D? The Choice Is Yours
The Qosmio F755 3D laptop offers up two displays in one, giving users the freedom to view content in either 2D or 3D – or both at the same time. As the only laptop of its kind to offer a simultaneous viewing of 2D and 3D content on a single screen, it provides users with the option to watch 3D content in a full-screen or condense it to a smaller window, preserving the 2D desktop to browse the Web or do other tasks. The included Toshiba Blu-ray Player[ii]adds to the laptop’s flexibility by delivering easy “one-click” 2D-to-3D content conversion[iii]for DVDs and videos, giving users the opportunity to enjoy the latest Blu-ray™ 3D movies or experience their existing 2D movie library in a whole new way.

Robust Performance for Demanding HD Entertainment
In addition to its 3D capabilities, the Qosmio F755 3D is equipped with the latest in processor technology and premium components. Powered by the visibly smart Intel^® Core™ i7 processor[iv], NVIDIA^® GeForce^® 540M graphics processor[v], as well as fast RAM and a spacious 750GB hard drive[vi], the Qosmio F755 3D laptop is built to deliver robust multimedia performance. Built-in harman/kardon^® speakers, a suite of sound enhancement technologies from Dolby^® and Waves Audio deliver booming cinematic sound to movies, music and games. An integrated Blu-ray Disc™ rewriteable drive offers record and play capabilities, while an HDMI^® port supports output of video (up to 1080p) to a 3D-ready TV or display. An elegant Fusion 3D Finish in Brilliant Red deliversstandout styling.

Pricing and Availability
The Qosmio F755 3D will be available in mid-August for $1,699.99 MSRP[vii] at select e-tailers and ToshibaDirect.com.

Image Gallery: http://bit.ly/QosmioF7553D

Connect with Toshiba on Twitter at twitter.com/ToshibaUSA and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ToshibaUS.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: 3D, Laptop

Toshiba announces new laptop that displays glasses-free 3D and 2D content at the same time originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 9, 2011 at 5:00 pm.

I’ve always wondered if a reason that I’ve gone through 3 laptops in the past five years might be because they’re running too hot.  For the most part I use a laptop as a desktop replacement and rarely take it on the road.  It either sits on the kitchen counter or on a desk in my home office and there’s no stand or other device to augment airflow.  Now that I have a chance to check out the NotePal Infinite EVO,  maybe it will help minimize the failures.

The EVO device is the latest in a line of laptop coolers from CoolerMaster.  This is the first time I’ve used an accessory like this, so I won’t have any experiences to compare against.

Feature Set:

- Aerodynamic design with unique U-shape airflow to enhance cooling performance by up to 20%.

- Two powerful yet quiet 80 mm blower fans provide superior airflow.

- Adjustable fan speed gives the best balance between silence and performance.

- Ergonomic design for best viewing/typing angle.

- Elegant sand-spray finish aluminum pad for best cooling performance.

- Side cable groove design for easy USB cable management

- Compatible with all 17” and smaller laptops.

Product Specifications:

Upon opening the box I found the EVO cooler, a  USB cable and an instruction guide..  That’s all there is to it.  The cooler seemed solid enough and was pleasing to the eye.

On the left side of the device are several connections and beginning from the left is the mini USB port in which you plug the supplied cable and then plug the other end into available USB port on your laptop.  This provides power to the device and passes the USB signals to the built in USB hub.  Next there is a power on/off switch which turns the blower on/off.  Moving to the right there is a blue LED power status light and then a thumb-wheel which varies the speed of the blower motors.  Lastly there is a 5v jack which accepts a power supply (not included) if the laptop USB ports don’t supply enough current.

On the right side of the cooler are 3 USB ports.  Because one of the ports in the laptop is used to power the device, you effectively gain 2 additional ports.

So, to check this out, I enlisted the services of my Dell 15″ laptop.  My wife uses the Dell on the counter in the kitchen, so it sees its share of abuse.  Using the EVO elevates the laptop which minimizes the amount of detritus that gets sucked into the case.  It also angles the keyboard for a more comfortable typing position.

Here I’ve hooked up the EVO to a USB port on the laptop.  Also I ran the power cord for the laptop in a recessed grove in the EVO to get it out of the way.

Now on the right side I have 3 USB ports that allow me to plug in my devices which are all located to the right of the laptop.

One of the first things I noticed after using the EVO was that it was more comfortable to type.  The wedge shape of the device provides, what to me, appears as a better angle of the keyboard.

I have been running the fan non-stop since I received the EVO and although I can’t objectively confirm that my laptop runs cooler, it would seem logical that the increased airflow on the laptop bottom should be an asset.  I did come to the conclusion that the fan speed control was more of a volume control.  With the fan set to high speed, the noise was noticeable in a quiet room, but could be mitigated by turning the speed down.  The sound wasn’t distracting at all when used at the lowest speed or when used in a higher ambient noise location at high speed.  Something to consider when using this device is that it draws its power from the laptop.  If you’re on battery power this would mean you are going to get less power up time.  This shouldn’t be an issue because the device is not designed for portable use, so you should be plugged into the wall.

It was good to have an additional 3 USB ports and although the instructions warned that I might not have enough power for a scanner, mine worked fine.  The on/off switch for the fans seems a little superfluous, as does the indicator light, however, they are nice touches.

After using the EVO for the better part of a week, I’ve been struggling with how to wrap up the review.  On the one hand the NotePal EVO is a quality product with several useful features.  On the other hand, is it really necessary?  I’ve polled some of my friends and asked them about their use of supplemental coolers for laptops and not one saw any need to get one.  If you’re using a laptop that overheats, perhaps you should check with the vendor and see what the problem might be.  As for the other features such as elevated keyboard and USB hub, these can be purchased for a lot less than $50.

So, if you believe you need a laptop cooler and have $50 to spare, you can’t go wrong with the NotePal Infinite EVO.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop

CoolerMaster NotePal Infinite EVO Laptop Cooler Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 3, 2011 at 5:36 pm.

Do you like to sit comfortably on your couch and rock out to some good music while you check out The-Gadgeteer.com on your laptop?

Anyway, if you have trouble jamming to the wimpy speakers installed on most laptops then the Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N550 may be just what you need. This handy little device simply holds the laptop and provides speakers.  The power for the speakers comes from the computer itself, so there are no batteries to fuss with or plugs, just the USB plug that goes into your computer.

The sound from the unit is decent, and plenty strong, especially compared to the installed computer speaker.  I have a 10″ Acer netbook, and as you can see the computer is just starting to cover the speakers, so I wouldn’t recommend this unit for use with a computer larger than this.  Logitech has quite a few products so I imagine they would have a unit that could accommodate a larger laptop.

The  laptop has a very comfortable cloth pillow type underside (see photo below) which sits very comfortably and securely on your lap.  I didn’t find the unit slipping at all while using it.

I checked online again today and found the unit for under $40 at several places.  This is well worth the price, as you could easily spend more than that for laptop speakers alone.  Similar units I have seen also come with a cooling fan, which this unit does not have.

The Lapdesk is simple in design.  There are only three buttons and a cord.  The three buttons are volume up, volume down, and mute.  The cord, or course is the USB cord.  My one fault in the design is this cord.  While they have a small clip on the cord that is supposed to allow you to clip the cord onto itself, the cord still constantly flaps around.  A better way to secure this cord would be helpful.

The unit fits very comfortably on your lap, with the keyboard at a convenient and comfortable height.

The buttons on the unit ARE on the right side, proving once again that there are too many “leftists” out there…..

If you look at the bottom of this photo, you will see two small rectangles on the unit.  These are “flaps” that flip up to hold the computer in place.  You can see them opened up in the photo at the top.

This unit is especially nice for a simple laptop holder with speakers.  Things sure sound better through the Lapdesk than when just using the computer speaker, and for the low price, you can’t beat it! Just make sure you check the size of your laptop!

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop

Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N550 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 9, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Eguann offers something rather unique for your laptop- 3D skins featuring a pattern carved into a scratch-proof, water-resistant rubbery skin! There are several plain and patterned options, many with a military theme.

I asked for what looked like a black random pattern and a red ‘dot’ pattern that reminded me of LEGO. They arrived in a flat envelope that had been rather beaten up on its overseas travels from Malaysia. The instructions were printed right on the packaging. Remove one side of the adhesive film, apply to the back of a skin, trim the skin along the guidelines molded in, peel the other backing off, and apply to your laptop.

Easy enough to follow. The skins themselves feel somewhat like rubbery placemats. Thin enough to be quite floppy, but having some weight to them. The black skin’s ‘random pattern’ turned out to be a repeated pattern of rifles and pistols, which is actually quite clear in the closeups on the site and fits with the military theme elsewhere on the site. I’m not sure how I missed it. The red skin looked exactly like I thought it would.

Repeated gun pattern on the black skin that I missed at first

Logo and guidelines in the molded skin

The red skin

Applying the backing to the skin was easy enough. Trimming the skin to fit was a bit more of a challenge. The site claims it will fit any 13″ to 14.1″ laptop, and I knew my 14.5″ HP would be a bit on the outside edge of the envelope, but what really struck me was that the skin’s corners are much more square than my laptop’s rounded corners. Unless I used the innermost guidelines, I would have to trim the corners oddly to get a fit. There is also no provision made for things like the glowing HP emblem on my model. Ff you make any such mods, it will be obvious that it was not part of the original molding.

Adhesive applied, and trimmed to size

So far, so good. Let me share two tips that do not appear on the instructions: first, as you apply the film, burnish it out a lot as you apply it. Next, aggressively seek out and pop any bubbles you can find between the film and the skin! I applied the adhesive pretty carefully and still ended up with what seemed like hundreds of bubbles of varying sizes. If not corrected, these become visible bumps on the applied skin.  Frankly, this step ended up really irritating me.

Once cut and smoothed, applying it to the computer is easy enough, and the adhesive is low-tack enough that you can remove and reposition it if needed.

Laptop without skin

Laptop with skin- see the different roundness in the corners?

I like skins. I have used them on several of my devices, but I really don’t like these. The big logo, the problems with air pockets in the film, the corners, and the ‘rubber pad’ look of them rather bothers me. I also feel like they were designed by someone with an engineering background, but not as much of an artistic background- some more artistic designs (and perhaps a newer, smaller logo) would be very interesting. I would love to see what they could do with things like a 3D tattoo pattern, or the ‘bubbles and swirls’ patterns so often seen lately. I am also enough of a nerd that I keep looking for a skin that makes my laptop seem like it was issued by the Federation of Planets and a 3D skin might do that perfectly (Star Trek-like badge surrounded by circuitry or blueprint images if the designer reads this and is interested in my ideas!)

On the other hand, they are tough, do not add a lot of weight, and would protect your computer’s lid nicely from the daily dings without showing the abuse.

It is admittedly a bit unfair to use a skin on a laptop bigger than the skin is designed for, but the final fit of the skin has nothing to do with my decision to not keep it on my computer. By the way, they come off easily and cleanly. Another positive element.

I do like the overall feel of these skins and keep touching them. As a very amateur magician, these would make nice ‘close-up pads’ (mouse-pad-like surfaces that make some trick moves easier and helps with presentation by offering a sort of stage), and other things. I’d bet there are some other great uses for these waiting to be discovered.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop, Skin

Eguann 3D Laptop Skins Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 21, 2011 at 11:30 am.

I am a hardcore Superman fan. Over my life, I have seen (almost) every show, movie, and cartoon Superman has ever been in; from the original shows from the 1950′s to Smallville. This includes nearly every Justice League show as well. When I saw this Justice League sticker for MacBooks on tuaw.com…. I just had to get one.  So, I ordered one from StuckOff.com soon there after.

The sticker’s Justice League characters are fashioned after the animated series and includes (from left to right) Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, The Flash, and Hawkgirl. I purchased this sticker to go on my new 13″ MacBook Air. According to the website, the sticker would fit nearly any 13″ laptop. Sadly, it took almost three weeks for it to be delivered to my house….way too long of a wait. Based on the way it laid on (and overhung) my MBAir, I thought StuckOff had sent me the 15″/17″ version of the JL sticker. I contacted them and they assured me I had received the correct one. I was still dubious, but thought I would go for it, none the less.

Prior to applying the sticker to my MBAir, I watched the installation video on the StuckOff website. The bottom line is that installing the sticker is similar to putting on a protective film, like invisibleSHIELD or Wrapsol (less the liquid). The first step is to make sure the sticker is completely adhering to the clear plastic sheet it comes on.

Once you have done that, you carefully/slowly pull off the white backing paper protecting the vinyl sticker.

You then place the sticker so that Superman’s ‘S’ is in the middle of the Apple and no other part of the glowing logo can be seen through the sticker. You have to be really careful…..there is no second try at this point.

Once the Superman shield is in the correct location, you press the rest of the sticker into place. I used a plastic squeegee that came with one of my invisibleSHIELDs to press the sticker onto the surface of my MBAir. A credit card or license would work just as well to remove all of the air bubbles.

As you can see, a great deal of the characters’ legs over hung the edge of the MacBook. This plus the fact that the sticker’s not even close to being centered, irritated me a bit.

Once completely pressed onto the top of the MacBook, you carefully/slowly pull back the plastic sheet.

The final step in the installation is to cutoff the portion of the sticker that overhangs the edge of the MacBook. For me, that was a decent percentage of each of their legs. I disliked having to use a razorblade so close to the exquisite surface/edge of my MBAir.

The coolest thing about this sticker is that Superman’s “S” logo is designed to be overlaid on the Apple logo to have a glowing (Superman) logo effect. When you are using your MacBook, this effect makes the Justice League look even cooler .

Other than the fact that the Justice League sticker took three weeks to be delivered, is not centered, and I had to cutoff the planet, their feet, and part of their legs…..I am ‘okay’ with the end result. I am also skeptical how long this sticker will survive my hectic travels and crazy life. But who knows, it might last longer than I expect. At $18, this sticker is a bit pricey and should definitely be tailor fit for each MacBook size. All that said, everyone who see it smiles and says ‘that’s cool….’.

****I will keep you all updated on how long it lasts.****

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Decal, Laptop

StuckOff Justice League Laptop Sticker Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 2, 2010 at 2:27 pm.

Do you love sipping lattes at a coffee shop while writing the next best-selling thriller, crunching numbers, or surfing TMZ while looking like you are doing something more important? In a public place your screen is not always your private space. This can especially be of concern when working with confidential information.  Lets face it; we are curious people and can admit to glancing at a stranger’s computer screen before. The 3M Gold Privacy Filter helps prevent wandering eyes from seeing the contents of your computer screen, and instead they get a vibrant golden reflection.

Left side without filter; Right side with filter

The 3M Gold Privacy Filters claims to provide greater privacy protection and increased clarity, by 14 percent, than standard black out filters. It can also protect a screen from scratches and marks.   Judging from the difference between a black filter and this gold filter, I do see a slight difference in clarity and improvement in distortion with the gold filter.  Its glossy surface provides increased clarity, however, its high gloss finish makes your screen highly reflective even to a user sitting in front of it.  Various lighting situations can increase or decrease the reflection.  I found it to be worse when the light source was directly behind or shining on me. The brighter the object in front of the screen the more it reflects.  It helps to increase the screen brightness to offset the intensity of the reflection.

15.4" 3M Gold Filter on a 15" MacBook Pro

15.4" 3M Gold Filter on a 13" MacBook

Off-axis viewers at 30 degrees get an orangey gold reflection. The reflection reminds me of ski goggles or a pair of sunglasses.  Its intense color boldly proclaims privacy, which can also be a distraction to others.   Its vibrant color may attract more attention then deter it.

Want a break from the gold gloss? Simply flip the filter over for the matte black out filter.

Flip over for matte black filter

Accompanying the filter are clear plastic tabs with sticky adhesive for the side of your screen.  Two long tabs and six smaller tabs are placed on the raised perimeter of the screen to hold the filter in place.  The top of the filter includes a divot that allows you remove it easily from your screen.  The tabs jut out to hold the filter in place. Taking the tabs off and on makes it loose its stickiness, not to mention the adhesive can collect dirt if taken on and off.

clear flat plastic tabs

Tab on side of computer

You are out of luck if you have a screen without a raised edge, like my 15” MacBook Pro, which has a unibody design.  The tabs are useless for most MacBook that use this design (most MacBooks made after 2008).  As an alternative I propped the filter against the screen.  This solution isn’t the best because as you can see, the screen does not get completely covered, leaving the screen exposed on the top and side.  A solution could be to get the next bigger size, but this seems like a waste.

Size was an issue. I tried out the 15.4” filter for a 15.4” inch MacBook. Due to the unibody design of the screen the filter did not fit my screen properly. This is disappointing.  I used the 15.4” on my 13” MacBook and got overlap on the right and left side and it covered half my camera, but at least it covered all of the LCD screen. 3M needs to work on sizing, especially for MacBooks and monitors without raised sides.

Cost ranges based on size. List price ranges from $48 for 10.1” to $179 for 19” versus the black for $40 to $120 in the respective sizes. Compared to a black privacy filter the gold filter is a little costlier.  Why get the costlier gold privacy filter than the black out filter?  It comes down to more clarity, but not much, and a matter of taste in color.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop, Privacy Filter

3M Gold Privacy Filter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 21, 2010 at 3:30 pm.

Laptop speakers aren’t typically known for sounding all that great. You could always add a pair of big boxy speakers that plugin to headphone jacks… If that doesn’t appeal to you, Edifier is offering a more elegant solution with their USB Soundbar Speaker. It features magnetically shielded drivers, efficient bass-reflex design, two 3-inch woofers and two 1-inch tweeters, along with a built-in amplifier. I also has a classy aluminum casing and a one button volume adjuster. The USB Soundbar is compatible with Macs and PCs. It will be priced at $49.00 and will be available in  December at Apple’s online store.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Laptop, Speakers, Spotlight Gadgets

Edifier Offers Better Sound to Laptop Owners originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 24, 2010 at 11:36 am.

I just returned from a very nice vacation in Sanibel Island, Florida. If you’ve never visited, you should seriously consider it… trust me. I decided to conduct a little experiment and did not take along my trusty Macbook Pro. Instead, I made my iPad serve as my only computer traveling companion for the trip. I thought for sure it would perform perfectly as a laptop replacement. I was wrong, it didn’t. But was it the iPad’s fault, my fault, or a little of both? Keep reading and see if you can help me come up with an answer to that question…

First of all, vacations for me are never unplugged. I don’t even know the meaning of being unplugged. Just the thought of it sends shivers down my spine. If I didn’t do some ‘work’ while on vacation, I would be constantly worrying about how full my inbox was becoming and what important messages I was missing. So the first thing I do when Jeanne starts making vacation travel plans is to make sure that the place where we’re going to stay provides WiFi access. Actually, I don’t even have to ask her to do that anymore. A few years ago we ended up at a motel that had really pathetic wireless and I was not a happy camper the entire time. So in order not to deal with my pouting, she puts that requirement at the top of her accommodations criteria list.

But even when we’re told that a place has WiFi, there’s still a worry that it will have crummy coverage and speed. For this trip I planned ahead and brought a loaner Verizon MiFi 2200 Mobile Hotspot as a backup WiFi device. I could have turned on the mobile hotspot feature on my Droid X, but I didn’t want to pay the extra $20 and I already had a MiFi to try out anyway.

For extended typing sessions, I dug out my old ThinkOutside Folding Bluetooth Keyboard to bring along.

It even has a built in stand that works (barely) to hold the iPad in landscape orientation as you type.

To convert the iPad into a laptop replacement, I figured that I’d not only need a physical keyboard, but also a mouse. But Julie, mice don’t work with the iPad you say… You’re right, they won’t work with a stock iPad, but they will with a jailbroke iPad Since my iPad had not been updated to the latest version of the OS (it’s still running 3.2.1), I was able to very easily jailbreak it using JailbreakMe.com which takes about 5 minutes to do. Then installing the free BTstack Mouse app from Cydia, I was able to pair a Bluetooth mouse with the iPad. I tested both the keyboard and mouse with my iPad before I left on my trip and both worked great. I felt confident that I’d be able to do some real work while I was away from my iMac and Macbook Pro.

There was only one other ‘problem’ that I needed a solution for, and that was how to offload images from my Canon SD1100 digital camera to the iPad. Instead of ordering the $29.00 Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit, I opted for a $7.99 application called ShutterSnitch that allows wireless transfers of images from EyeFi cards to the iPad. I love EyeFi cards and have never had problems with them, so I figured this would be a much more elegant solution than packing  another little gadget in my gear bag. Again, I tested the app with my camera and existing EyeFi card before leaving for my trip. Transfers seemed a little slow, but the setup worked just fine.

So with gear packed, we flew to Fort Myers, Florida and drove the short distance to Sanibel Island. The first thing I did when we reached our condo, was to check my Droid X signal strength to see if the Verizon MiFi would work well there. Unfortunately, it couldn’t hear me now. Signal strength varied considerably moment to moment inside the room and voice calls were choppy. Luckily the provided free WiFi access on the property was very very good, so I ended up stowing the MiFi for the week. It did end up working great on the travel day home, when we were stuck at the airport for about 3hrs.

During our week long stay in Sanibel, I mainly used the iPad for two things – email and surfing. For emails, I used either Apple’s built in Mail program or Gmail’s mobile site through Safari. I use Gmail for domains and both options work well. I tend to prefer Apple’s email client because it will show the email in full screen instead of the two pane view that Gmail’s mobile site has through Safari. I can say that for email, the iPad works very well. Even using the onscreen touch keyboard is not a bad experience. Jeanne (who typically loathes touch screen devices) even wrote a pretty long email to her soon to be 94yr old grandma and didn’t complain about it. That’s saying a lot!

For surfing, I have been using Safari and haven’t had any major complaints about it till I actually tried to do some real work with it last week. For surfing regular sites, it works just fine. I don’t play Flash games or typically visit sites with embedded flash video, so the lack of Flash hasn’t bugged me. But as soon as I wanted to work on some of my gadgeteer articles using the site’s wordpress admin dashboard in Safari, I ran into problems. The first one was minor – the traffic stats box didn’t show up. Guess why? It uses Flash. Darnit!

The next problem I ran into was more serious and not related to Flash. The visual editor is not available when you use Safari. So I can write / edit articles as long as I do it in HTML mode. I know HTML, but I’d rather not write in that view thank you very much.

Yes, I do know about the WordPress iPad app and I had it installed… But last week when I decided to do use it after Safari let me down, the app decided to crash on me. I’d click the icon and it would launch the app, show me a list of articles and then immediately pop back to the home / icon list view. The first thing I did was delete it and then reinstall it. That allowed the app to launch, but only comments showed up correctly. When I would try to view a list of posts, it would cause a 500 internal server popup error message. Grrrrr… And of course you can’t edit visually through the app anyway.

Oh well, so much for working during vacation By the way, I just discovered (maybe I’m just late to the party) another browser called Atomic Web Browser. So far it’s really nice and I love that you can surf in full screen mode and it has tabs across the top of the page instead of another screen that you have to flip to. It doesn’t solve the issues mentioned above, but the extra features that it does offer are winning me over fast. The lite version is free, but I’m definitely going to buy the full version since it’s only 99 cents.

Ok, so I couldn’t easily work on blog posts with my iPad, so I gave up working while on vacation. Next up, how about offloading my digital images from my camera to the iPad so that we could look at them on the larger screen. Guess what? ShutterSnitch decided to NOT work at all for me. At this point, I felt like the gadget gods were frowning on me or something… From reading the ShutterSnitch forums, some people have had problems with the app and various wireless routers. Whenever I would try to transfer images the iPad would not see the EyeFi card no matter how close together the two devices were positioned. As soon as I came home and tried it, it worked fine. Go figure.

Why did the iPad fail as a laptop replacement? I guess I claim a tiny bit of the blame because I tried to make it work at a task it wasn’t really designed for. I had to jailbreak it to get it to work with a mouse. But I blame Apple for the lack of Flash (yeah, we’ve all heard the arguments on both sides for this one) and I have to complain about the WordPress app and ShutterSnitch apps.

I still love my iPad for emailing, game playing and web surfing, but I will most likely bring a real laptop with me on my next trip. What started as an experiment to lighten my gear load, ended up causing me to carry more items (iPad, mouse, keyboard) and have more frustration than if I would have just brought my Macbook Pro with me in the first place. Live and learn.

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

Tagged: iPad, Laptop, Travel

Why did my iPad Fail as a Laptop Replacement During my Vacation? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 19, 2010 at 11:19 am.

Saddleback Leather Company offers a variety of rugged leather bags, suitcases, duffles, wallets and accessories that have earned the reputation of becoming heirloom quality items that your family will fight over after you’re dead. I don’t know if Macbook Pro laptops will be around at the time of my demise, but if they are, I give my family permission to wrestle over the Saddleback Leather Macbook Laptop Sleeve that I was offered for review.

The Laptop Sleeve MAC as it is called on Saddleback’s website, is a simple leather sleeve that has been designed specifically for Apple’s Macbooks and Macbook Pros. The sleeve comes in 3 sizes:

• Small (13 ¼” x 9 ½” x 1″) – 13″ diagonally measured screen of Macbook & Macbook Pro
• Medium (14 ¾” x 10 ¼” x 1″) – 15″ diagonally measured screen of Mackbook & Macbook Pro
• Large (15 ¾” x 11″ x 1″) – 17″ diagonally measured screen of Macbook & Macbook Pro

Available in Chestnut, Carbon Black, Dark Coffee Brown and Tobacco Brown, I was sent the 15″ version in Tobacco Brown.

The sleeve is an open topped holder made of thick full grain boot leather and lined with pigskin which is super strong. This isn’t a super soft leather sleeve that you’ll want to nuzzle against your cheek. It’s not rough to the touch, but it is semi rigid. If you’re more into soft leather products, give it some time… with use, this sleeve will soften too.

All edges have been sewn with industrial heavy gauge marine grade thread.

My 15″ Macbook Pro fits like a glove in the sleeve. A tight glove though…

Sliding it into the sleeve for the first time wasn’t much of a problem, but removing the laptop required two people. One to hold the edges of the sleeve and one to pull out the Macbook. No, I’m not kidding. Leather stretches with use though, so after a few times, it gets easier.

Although the Laptop Sleeve is made well and looks gorgeous, there are a couple of reasons why I wouldn’t use this sleeve as my only means of protecting my Macbook Pro. The first reason should be obvious – there’s no flap on the sleeve, leaving the whole top open. The other reason is that although the case does have neoprene padding between the exterior leather and pigskin interior on the front back and sides, there’s not enough padding that I would trust  the sleeve to completely protect my laptop from a fall of more than a foot or so to a hard surface. In my opinion, this sleeve works best as transport type of laptop protector inside another more padded case like a briefcase or laptop bag. Or even something just to keep the dust off your laptop when it’s not being used while sitting on your desk. It is also a great way to make your friends envious when they see you using it. With a 100yr warranty, this sleeve will last much longer than your laptop and your friends. What more could you want?

(Note: The Saddleback Leather links in this review to the Saddleback Leather Company website are affiliate links.)

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop, Sleeve

Saddleback Leather Company Macbook Laptop Sleeve Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 27, 2010 at 11:00 am.

Toshiba and Best Buy have teamed up to create a full sized laptop just for kids ages 5-10. Besides featuring an Intel Celeron processor, 13.3-inch diagonal HD display, built-in DVD drive and Webcam, the L635 has a cleanable keyboard and a no-gloss Dura-cross textured finish that helps resist fingerprints. It also comes loaded with special software like KidZui, Net Nanny to keep the child safe on the web. Pre-loaded kid-friendly video games and movies have been been included too. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but the Toshiba Satellite L635 Kids’ PC will be available exclusively at Best Buy beginning Sept. 26, 2010. I’m curious how it compares to the Intel Classmate that I reviewed last year?

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Kids, Laptop, Spotlight Gadgets

Toshiba Satellite L635 – A Kid-worthy Laptop originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 23, 2010 at 6:05 pm.

The elgato EyeTV Hybrid is a beautiful little USB 2.0 TV Tuner for Mac or Windows computers. It’s “hybrid” in that it will tune just about anything you’ve got: analog cable/tv, Digital/HDTV, and Clear QAM digital cable. It even has adapters so you can hook up a Composite or S-Video source (such as an analog camcorder) to capture standard definition video. The EyeTV is fully supported without additional drivers under Windows 7, via Windows Media Center. If you’re a Mac, the included EyeTV 3 software enables viewing and recording for you.

The photo above shows you everything in the box: the EyeTV receiver, a USB extension cable, the breakout cable for connecting analog sources, Mac software, and the IR Remote. For the review I set the EyeTV up on a couple Windows Laptops (an HP “entertainment” class laptop with Core 2 Duo CPU and Windows 7 Home Premium, and an Acer Aspire One netbook with 2GB ram, running Windows 7 ultimate) and one MacBook.

A Closer Look

Before we get to the nuts and bolts, let me show you the reviver and remote up close.

The device itself is roughly the size of your average USB memory stick. The large antenna/coax adapter on the right is often not shown in promotional/web shots on the elgato web site, but the review unit arrived with it attached and I wasn’t able to remove it with gentle tugging. Not that you can use it with it removed, anyway – but we’ll get back to that later.

On the right edge is the dongle port. The left edge has the IR receiver for the remote.

The remote is one of those standard gray slabs we all know and love. I did not verify this, but I expect the IR codes used are compatible with/the same as Hauppauge-based tuners/remotes, so it may be fairly simple to use a universal remote.

Setup/Install (Windows 7 Media Center)

This isn’t a review of Windows 7 or the Windows Media Center, so I’m going to breeze through this pretty quickly. If you have any version of Windows 7, you should have (or can install) Windows Media Center. Getting the EyeTV to work with WMC is a two step process. First, insert the USB receiver. Wait for Windows to install the drivers, which it should do automagically:

After a while, Windows will tell you it’s ready to use. Fire up WMC and it will walk you through the configuration for your TV source. One of the many many windows you will see is:

This is showing that, when plugged into my very large HDTV antenna coax cable (we’ll get back to that at the end, I promise!) WMC and the EyeTV agree that they can see lots of HDTV over the air channels. Very promising! Continuing on for another few setup screens finally leads to victory:

The EyeTV remote is fully supported under WMC and, assuming you can see the dongle itself with the remote, works fine from normal “couch” distance of 6-10 feet.

I tuned to a couple of HD channels and verified that both 720p and 1080i HDTV works fine. Windows 7 can’t take a screen shot of a full-screen video overlay, so first here is a shot of PBS in a window.

I captured a few seconds of our local NBC and ABC stations to get 1080i and 720p video. A small clip of the ABC nightly news (720p) is available here. Below are two frames from recordings made in WMC with the EyeTV of 1080i and 720p programs:

As expected, digital TV captures (and live viewing) work beautifully.

Setup/Install (Mac – EyeTV 3)

Phyiscal installation on the Mac is identical. Plug in the USB tuner. On the Mac you’ll need to install the EyeTV 3 software to get to the point of viewing/recording video. Installation went without a hitch:

As in the case with Windows, the setup detects the device and walks you though setting up/detecting channels, and determining what guide you should be using based on your service. I used the same Digital over the air antenna, and (not surprisingly!) found the same channels. After a few setup screens, success again:

As with Windows, the EyeTV remote fully controls the software. You can also use your Mac remote, if your Macintosh has one.

EyeTV 3 DVR

The EyeTV 3 software is a full featured DVR, with built in program guide, scheduler, series recorder, and timeshifting/pausing live TV. It performed as expected during the review. Navigation via the keyboard, on screen remote, or physical remote was straightforward, and the software worked equally well in windowed mode (in case you wanted to work with the TV on in the background) or in full screen mode.

In full screen mode, the on-screen remote disappears after a few seconds. It pops back up if you move the mouse (that’s why its in all my screen shots!) but it does go away if you’re using the IR remote.

You can change settings in full screen mode as expected. For example, let’s get subtitles going.

Subtitles are Muy Bueno:

I was able to record digital sources even on a very underpowered Macbook without difficulty. A small clip from the opening of a world cup game, recorded via EyeTV 3, is available here. I actually don’t have any analog sources left in the house to test the analog recording, but it clearly states on the elgato site that analog recording is encoded as mpg2 via software, and not on the EyeTV hardware itself. This shouldn’t be a problem for any Mac with a Core 2 or better CPU.

Tuning, Antennas and Other Small Details

As promised, this is my big problem with this nifty little adapter. Without a fairly decent sized antenna, or a Cable TV source, you’re not going to be seeing anything with it. It seems silly to have to point that out, but you could get the impression that an antenna isn’t needed. What you have here is a really small TV tuner. Depending on where you live (or where you want to watch TV) you’ll need anything from a small set-top antenna to a large rooftop one. I went through this dance in the early 2000s when I got my first HDTV – before the digital transition, and before Comcast even offered HD. From my home to the big HDTV broadcast tower in San Fransisco, I needed not only a full-sized rooftop antenna, but also a 10 foot poll to mount onto the chimney, to put it up high enough. From there, I got a great signal. Fast forward to 2010, and Comcast gives me all the HD I want. The antenna still sits, neglected, on the roof.

When the EyeTV arrived for review I tried it naked, with no antenna, and as I expected got no channels at all. Plugging into that monster on the roof got me upwards of 40 digital channels. I also had a Winegard SS-3000 indoor amplified antenna handy (I seem to collect antennas) and sure enough, it only pulled in the closest couple of stations from inside my house – and it’s nearly three feet across.

So, what’s this mean to you? If you’re expecting this EyeTV to get a picture over the air with no antenna, forget it. Unless you are sitting under the broadcast tower, you are going to need some kind of HDTV/Digital antenna. If you need a big antenna, then that’s going to limit your portability much more than the EyeTV tuner itself.

So, what do you gain from the portability of the EyeTV? Well, if we lived in an analog world, being able to take a small analog capture device with you might be quite handy. I’m not sure that the need to capture analog video comes up much these days, but if you have that need this is a great device for that. Also, it’s possible you’d like to add digital recording to a device that doesn’t support internal expansion. Certainly this is true for many Macs, and for any Laptop device. Being able to set up a system for casual recording, or for regular recording/viewing via the EyeTV is fast, simple, and once completed doesn’t require much more than plugging in (or pulling out) a USB cord.

Conclusion

The EyeTV Hybrid is a good, small TV Tuner/Video capture device. It’s ability to tune and hold a channel lock is comparable to that of “full sized” external or expansion card-based tuners, and it works equally well for Mac and PC based machines. The USB-based device is ideal for all-in-one machines, Laptops, and even Netbooks. If you’re buying the EyeTV for a Windows machine, you’ll pay a premium over Windows-only USB tuners since you’re also paying for the Mac EyeTV 3 software.

Out of the box you’re not given everything you need to watch over-the-air TV, and from personal experience getting an internal antenna to work even from the near-in suburbs can be tricky, so be sure you understand the requirements for an antenna, or a cable box, before you decide the EyeTV is for you.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Laptops and Gear, Reviews, Travel Gear

Tagged: A/V, DVR, Laptop, Mac OS X, USB devices, Video, Windows 7

elgato EyeTV Hybrid Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 2, 2010 at 11:57 am.

Designed by a chiropractor, the LapMate is a unique laptop desk that has a self-inflating mechanism. Just twist the valve on the side and it inflates to provide a soft platform to place your computer on your lap. When you’re finished, you just sit on the LapMate to deflate it (queue the passing gas noise). The LapMate is available in 4 colors and two sizes. One for full size laptops and one for netbooks. The price is $29.95 for either size.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Laptop, Netbook, Spotlight Gadgets

Whoopie Cushion or Laptop Desk? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 15, 2010 at 1:54 pm.

The AViiQ Portable Laptop Stand provides an optimal ergonomic angle of 12 degrees. It is made from Hylite, a composite material comprised of aluminum sheets bonded to a polypropylene core. I’m not sure what the heck that is, the stand is very thin, stylish and folds down to 1/4” for extreme portability. It’s available now for $79.95.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Laptop, Spotlight Gadgets, Stand

AViiQ Announces Availability of Portable Laptop Stand originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 27, 2010 at 6:42 pm.

It has been more than 20 years since I have regularly carried a backpack (college to be exact). It was a ratty (at least by the time I got done with it) old JanSport with mediocre construction, little comfort, and zero accommodations for tech-stuff, being the 80′s and all . Jumping to present day, today’s backpacks not only need to protect and carry all of our fragile technology and miscellaneous stuff, but do so in a much more ergonomic way. After using the Boa Flow M for a few weeks, I can definitely attest to the fact that this backpack by booq has evolved many quantum levels since (way) back-in-the-day.

The booq Boa Flow M is an all black bag with orange and gray trim and stitching.  Like the Boa Slimcase XL and XL90 laptop bags I reviewed a few years ago, the materials are top notch and the workmanship is very well done. The exterior of the backpack is made of a heavy-duty black ballistic nylon with a water-repellent coating. The ‘high-performance YKK’ zippers will withstand countless openings and closings.

The shoulder straps are nicely padded with both a waist and a chest strap; all adjustable to give a well-carried, comfortable ride. The front of the backpack has two zippered, exterior pockets. The back of the backpack is padded as well. Even fully loaded, it is comfortable and distributes the weight well.

The top allows access to the two main compartments designed to hold a majority of your stuff (front) and laptop (back). Between the two pockets, there is  a handle for carrying the bag horizontally.

The main front compartment has a large number of subpockets, of various sizes and shapes, for holding a multitude of tech-stuff. The picture on the right is devoid of any gear, the one on the right has all my tech-stuff within. My point is that, the Flow has a deceptive amount of space to carry stuff in and pockets-galore to keep it all organized (although, sometimes I have to search many pockets to find what I am looking for). Even loaded with everything I typically drag with me there is tons of room for extras.

The rear compartment is for your laptop. It is well padded and my 13″ MacBook easily slides inside. This compartment is large and lined with a soft material providing an ideal, protected place for your laptop. Designed to carry a laptop that is 13-15″ in size, or 13-17″ if you carry an Apple MacBook. This specialized pocket holds the laptop separately from the main pockets, placing the laptop directly against your back, providing even further protection.

Specifications:

• Fits: 13-17 Mac, 13-15 PC
• Max Laptop Size: 14.5″ x 10.5″ x 1.5″ (368 x 267 x 38mm)
• Exterior: 18 x 14 x 9 (457 x 356 x 229mm)
• Weight: 4.5 lb (2.05 kg)

Features:

• Ballistic nylon exterior with water-repellant coating
• Oversized YKK high-performance zippers
• HD foam laptop compartment for optimum protection
• Intelligent interior layout optimized for laptop accessories
• Side pockets for phone, music player or water bottle
• Limited 5-year Warranty

Both sides of the Flow have a moderately sized vertical, zippered pocket. Perfect for a small water bottle, rolled up magazine, or power brick and cords.

On the top/front of the Flow there is another compartment with several pockets, slots, and keyring holder to carry even more stuff.

Like a majority of booq’s bags, the Boa Flow has a metal tag with a unique ID number. And once registered, booq’s Terralinq service may be able to help you find your bag if lost.

The Boa Flow has a collapsible bottom compartment, which serves as a protected, separate place for your camera (or large headphones), specially sized for a DSLR camera. When the pocket is not in use, it can be collapsed to maximize space in the main compartment.

The Boa Flow sits nicely on my shoulders and is extremely comfortable. Back in the 80′s (at least in Renton, WA), few people wore their backpacks on both shoulders. Instead, we use to sling it over a single shoulder….pretty much as bad as it gets, ergonomically speaking. But either way, booq has engineered the Flow to distribute the weight of your load extremely well. Enabling you to carry a bunch of stuff along way.

Best thing of all is how well this backpack looks and fits my motorcycle gear. It is perfect for getting my laptop, gear, and lunch to and from work.

Overall, I (& the Gadgeteer Kid) really like the Boa Flow (he is trying to sweet-talk me into letting him use it (he likes black and orange lately)). This backpack is well made with high quality materials. It has a good amount of space to carry your laptop and gear around. booq has put a great deal of thought into the Boa Flow’s interior layout with protecting your laptop as this backpack’s primary concern plus a specially engineered compartment for your DSLR camera. At $200, the Flow is not inexpensive, but in this case you are getting what you pay for.

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

Tagged: Backpack, Laptop

booq Boa Flow M Laptop Backpack Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 27, 2010 at 2:27 pm.

Barbie Samsung X170 laptop. Photo courtesy of Tech Tickler

If you remember, a few months back, I broke the  “big tech” story on The Gadgeteer with Mattel’s new offering of Software Engineer Barbie.  She had all the nerdly accouterments and stylish outfit to boot.  Mattel’s intention (?!) was to “empower” young girls and motivate them towards exciting careers in computer technology.  However, I will reiterate that Software Engineer Barbie was the adult’s favorite pick.  The favored career by the actual demographic targeted by Mattel( i.e. young girls) was  News Anchor Barbie.  Better clothes, more makeup, and let’s face it, in this  economy, better pay.

Mattel isn’t giving up.  And neither are the geeks, married to non geeks,  who are determined to see at least one of their children in a laptop by age five.    That’s the situation in my household.  My husband is a software engineer.  I’m the practical, aspiring writer and accidental housewife with the biting wit.  He wants any children we might be blessed with in laptops and Bluetooth headsets (Blueteeth?) by age five.  I say no.  Mattel just made a case for my husband should we ever have a daughter.  Enter the  Samsung   X170 Barbie Special Edition laptop.  It’s nicely spruced up with a Core 2 Duo CPU ,4GB of RAM and 500GB of storage.  The X170’s stock battery is being advertised as being able to last for up to 9 hours . Available in pink or black with the iconic Barbie logo, it’s aimed at and for girls with lots of Barbie avatars and purported “bloatware”.

Would I get one for my daughter if I had a daughter?  Good question.

[Via Engadget]

Filed in categories: Kid Gadgets, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Barbie by Mattel, Kids, Laptop

Barbie Goes Geek Follow Up originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 10, 2010 at 1:00 pm.

You’re probably saying “do we really need another mouse?”.  These were my sentiments before I received the Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 (it is a mouthful).  The device does have a hook that makes it a reasonable investment.

I spend a lot of time at the airport and get to see hundreds of business flyers every week passing through security.  It’s not unusual to observe several of those flyers retrieve their laptops to put back in the bag and have them bemoan the fact that their mouse dongle was broken off during the process.  The Mobile Mouse 3500 attempts to address this problem.

On the left is my previous version of the Microsoft mouse with the 3500 on the right.  Notice the different in the receivers.

This photo and the next illustrate the contrast between the two devices as they are plugged into my laptops right side usb port..  You can see where the larger receiver would be prone to snagging on the laptop bag.

The 3500 receiver extends a modest amount, limiting the possibility of getting snagged.

On the underside of the 3500 is a slot to insert the receiver if you need to take it out of your computer.  I have personal experience of the need for this slot.  While testing the mouse and while taking photos, I misplaced the receiver.  If it’s not in the usb slot you may want to put it in the mouse.  Sticking it in the slot turns the mouse power off. ( I got my mice confused). Also there is an on/off switch, so when you don’t use it for a while you can turn it off.

I had no problem using the mouse on my laptop.  I plugged it in and it was recognized immediately by Windows 7.  For greater control, I downloaded the Intellipoint software which allowed me to adjust several parameters including scroll speed, tracking speed and button configuration.

If you’re in the market for a new mouse, the Mobile Mouse 3500 is a reasonable choice.  It comes with 1 AA battery which should last 8 months.  It’s small enough to stuff in the laptop bag, but big enough to feel comfortable in my large size hands.  Its laser tracking is precise and works on most surfaces ( not glass or mirrors).  The 3 year warranty and modest price convinced me that this is a good buy.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews, Wireless

Tagged: Laptop, Mouse, USB

Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 29, 2010 at 2:05 pm.

The LapDawg Pug is a convertible laptop desk that has some features that are designed to make couch computing as comfortable as possible. There’s an integrated silent USB fan under the laptop holder, left and right mouse friendly surfaces and the most important feature of all – a cup holder! The Pug can also be used as a TV tray or book holder and is available for $59

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Laptop, Spotlight Gadgets, Stand

Couch potato computing at its finest originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 12, 2010 at 10:30 am.

The guys at Just Mobile have managed to design some rather awesome looking and interesting accessories recently.  From multi-functional, gravity controlled pens to aluminum mouse pads and from iPhone stands, to full size MacBook holders, their designs are striking, intriguing and classy.

My appreciation for their design technique and craftsmanship was made even stronger when GearZap kindly sent the Aluminum Cooling Bar to try out.   

The cooling bar arrived in a very modern, sliding box which oozed class!

The concept is quite simple.  A laptop or Macbook can get a tad hot when in use, right?  So, the cooling bar provides not just elevation to help the computer stay cool, but elevation coupled with style!

The cooling bar is a beautifully machined, 15″ length of aluminum, with both stylish and modern looks.  It has a silky smooth brushed finish and with its precision diamond-cut edging it really goes hand-in-hand with a Mac.  Although, you can use it with any laptop really.  It certainly wouldn’t look out-of-place in any modern office.

Brushed finish, diamond-cut edging and rubber protection rings

It features protective rubber rings (three on each side of the bar) that provide scratch protection for your laptop/Macbook when it’s resting on the bar itself.  These also work alongside the rubber padding on the underside of the bar, which prevent movement during use, so your kit remains secure on the desk at all times.

On the left side of the bar you’ll find a groove, which you can use for ‘cable management’.  You can either slot your laptop’s power cable, mouse cable or your MagSafe connector when you’re not using it.  Actually, you can use the groove for pretty much any cable you like.  Although, the downside is there is only one groove provided.  It would’ve been a bonus had the other side been given the same treatment.

The groove provides space for a cable

Elevating my Dell laptop - would suit a Mac better though!

I’ve been using a small docking station for the past couple of years at home, but now it’s been replaced with the cooling bar.  It not only looks simply awesome, but it fits easily into my gear bag with tremendous ease.  So, wherever I may be, my laptop can stay cool and look stylish at the same time!

As mentioned, it’s 15″ in length, so will comfortably accommodate a laptop up to this size, without it spilling over the sides of the bar.  Bear in mind though, if your laptop is 15″ or more, you may not be able to utilise the cable management groove.

It costs £27.97 (Approx $40) from GearZap and although the concept of it is quite basic, you need to take into consideration the design, feel and craftsmanship, then and you’ll really appreciate it.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop

Just Mobile Aluminium Cooling Bar Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 5, 2010 at 11:19 am.

SLAPPA laptop cases from left to right: Ladies' 15.4 " Red Diamond, Men's 15.4" Black Diamond waterproof Crest and Ladies' 10" Black Damask

With everything that is out there on the market for laptop protection, you almost can’t beat SLAPPA laptop sleeves.   I’m a serious laptop bag/laptop sleeve person.  It’s not that I can’t get enough protection for my devices, I just dig sleeves and bags.  The protection from scratches, bumps, chips, dirt and spilled things doesn’t hurt either.  SLAPPA solves several of my problems:  the comfy-cushy sleeves protect my laptop from my clumsiness ; I bump and smack my machines terribly.  Not out of abuse but because I travel from room to room with my trusty machines in tow and I’m an inveterate klutz.  SLAPPA cases also provide a “travel light” aspect.  Unless you carry everything around with you in a laptop bag and believe me… I’ve tried, the SLAPPA cases are sleek and provide a nice pocket on the side for power cords, documents, folders, and whatever else you need to get up and go with your lap top.   Handy elastic corners keep your machine and sleeve in place and when you’re done, you zip up and go.

SLAPPA fills several needs for several computer users.  I have two machines in two sizes and I have SLAPPA cases that fit both of those machines.   SLAPPA cases fit 15.4” and 10” laptops.  If you’re a guy, a girl or a chic fashionista out to make a statement, SLAPPA is right there with you.   I have a black “Lady Damask” 10” sleeve for my Acer.

Ladies' Black Damask patterned 10" laptop sleeve for netbooks.

It’s a chic black case with a raised Gothic pattern and the SLAPPA logo button.  For the guys, the Rubber Sole 15.4”  case has the SLAPPA crest on the front and an ornate crest on the inside which I, as a woman, find cool as well.  It also features a water repellent dimpled rubber outer shell.  As a former Pacific Northwesterner and a coffee klutz, I like anything water repellent.

Inside Crest of the Men's waterproof Black Diamond 15.4" laptop sleeve.

This case is listed under the Men’s section on the SLAPPA website but honestly, it’s made for men but cool enough for women.

For the chic fashionista, you have the Diamond Pillow Red zippered case.  This laptop sleeve is sharp!  The red and black accented diamond motif is a raised pattern, cushy red interior, sturdy zipper and just shouts “chic”.

Ladies' Red Diamond patterned 15.4" laptop sleeve

What I like about these laptop sleeves is that they are well constructed with sturdy zippers, the prices ($22.49 ) are not outrageous and SLAPPA stands behind their product.    If I had to complain about anything, I’d like to see more girly colors (i.e. pale pink) and shoulder straps for the laptop cases.  SLAPPA does sell shoulder straps for their laptop bags however but sometimes, hauling around a full sized laptop gets heavy.  I wouldn’t mind a nice sturdy strap so I can sling it on my shoulder and keep my hands free.

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Laptop, Netbook, Slappa

SLAPPA Laptop Sleeves Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 4, 2010 at 11:59 am.