February 2007

Spectec SDW-822 miniSDIO WiFi Review

When Judie asked me if I was interested in reviewing the miniSDIO version of the Spectec WiFi card similar to her SDIO one, I was thrilled. My Treo has been pretty well perfect since I got it, except for internet access. Up until recently I have had to make do with only a 10MB data allowance, which is pretty small if I surf with pictures, especially on sites that aren?t designed for mobile devices. With a WiFi card I can surf as much as I like at home without having to worry about going over my 10MB. But therein lies…


The Logitech V450 Laser Cordless Mouse Review

What kind of mouse do you like to use when you are working at your desktop? Mine is a Logitech MX 1000 Laser which I’ve had for a couple of years, and it’s still going strong. I like it so much because it fits my palm, tracks exceptionally well, has multiple scrolling and button features, and it has a long-lasting rechargeable battery. Today I am going to take a look at a mini laser mouse, also from Logitech. This one is the V450 Laser and it is specifically for notebook computers – although it will also work as a regular…


TSA Nudie Show at the Airport: Perfect Dieting Incentive

So let’s say that you haven’t exactly kept up with your New Year’s Resolution of doing 30 – 50 minutes a day on the treadmill, with a little bit of upper body weight lifting every other day. You didn’t think anyone would ever notice, right? Well the TSA will notice, so if you travel, you’ll now have a new reason to get your butt back on track…and as quickly as possible! According to Yahoo News, “Sky Harbor International Airport [in Phoenix, AZ] became the country’s first to begin testing a controversial new federal screening system that takes X-rays of passenger’s…


The Digital Innovations airDr. Air Blaster CO2 Review

I’ve mentioned before what a problem dust can be in my workspace, and nothing aggravates me more than watching it try to settle into the crevices of my keyboard. One of ways I regularly combat this unwelcome desktop addition is by blasting it with compressed air. When the folks at CO2 asked if we would be interested in taking a look at some of the items on their site, for obvious reasons the Digital Innovations was one of my first choices.


Motorola Motofone F3 Review

My Treo 750 is a fantastic device that does email, web browsing, PIM, and if you want it to it can even make phone calls. The price of all this functionality is size. The Treo is by no means a small phone. With the likes of the Dash, the Blackjack and even the JAQ3, the Treo (all models) are quite chubby. Normally I don’t find that a problem. I am addicted to email on my phone, so the tradeoff of size for WM5, thumboard and UMTS (and soon HSDPA) is well worth it. But there are times when I don’t…


The MP4 Watch Review

We’ve all seen watches that can play MP3s before, heck – I’ve reviewed two of them, and both could even serve as voice recorders. Well, today we are going to take a look at the MP4 Watch, which is the first watch I’ve tried that can not only play MP3s and record voice memos, it can also display photos and replay movies. Pretty crazy, right? Are movies on your wrist something you’ve always dreamed of? Or something that you’ve never really thought about, but the idea of being able to intrigues you just a little bit? Or maybe you are…


The JetArt Cooling Products Review Part 1: VC2600 VGA Cooler

Over the last few weeks I have been thinking about building a new PC. My current PC is fine, but that it part of the problem. It is running too fine. I am afraid if I do anything to it I might mess it up. That and the fact it cost me a fair bit sees me resisting the urge to do anything like modifying it. I decided the best way to get into PC modding was to build a cheap PC, that I could do anything to without worrying about loosing a lot a of money on it. The…


The Proporta Treo 700 Lateral Case Review

For some time Proporta has been known for their custom molded aluminum PDA cases as well as their Alu-Leather case line, which consists of hand-crafted leather cases with an aluminum “screen saver system”. Today wer’e going to take a look at the next generation case from Proporta: one that was created especially for the Palm Treo 700 series, and one which blends the protection and industrial design of their aluminum cases with the classic leather style of their Alu-Leather case line, fusing them into something new – the Treo 700 Lateral Case. Included in the box are the case, a…


The Cingular Palm Treo 750 Review

Treo at Last (and I’ll Never Go Hungry Again..!) Some of the best things come in small packages. I’ve been looking at a number of different mobile devices over the past few months. Right now, I’ve got 5 WM PDA Phones, and 2 WM Smartphones. The PDA phones are mostly locked to specific carriers. I’ve got an HP 6945 and ETEN M700 that are both unlocked, Quad Band GSM phones that support EDGE. I’ve got a Siemens SX66 (Cingular/ATT) and Palm Treo 700wx (Sprint). I’ve got an Audiovox SMT5600 (Cingular/ATT) and Cingular 3125 that are both Smartphones. However, one of…


The nxZEN 5000 VoIP Bluetooth Headset Review

I freely and openly admit that I have purposely avoided getting a Bluetooth headset. It isn’t that I’m opposed to them (although I do find it funny at the airport when people forget to take them off and try to go through security!) it is just that I have never found one that I’ve been completely thrilled with.? Most of them either weigh too much on my ear, the ear bud isn’t comfortable or the sound quality for me and/or whoever is on the phone with me has been less than wonderful.? With this in mind, when Judie contacted me…


A Palm Treo cradle – LEGO style

I was looking around for a charging cradle that would allow me to store my Palm Treo 650 or 680 in an upright position. Most of the ones that I’ve seen advertised range in price from $29 to $49 USD. While esthetically useful, the practicality of obtaining a cradle meant having yet another spare power cable and sync cable stored away in a shoebox of miscellaneous wires and USB cables. The ancient Greek phillospher Plato is quoted as saying Necessity is the mother of invention, which means that a need or problem encourages creative efforts to meet the need or…


The Logitech Alto Review

I bought a brand new Toshiba Satellite A-105 laptop in late September 2006, and by the time my new Fujitsu T4215 had arrived in mid-January, I had already managed to start wearing the left leg off of the Toshiba keyboard’s silk-screened “A” button. I have no idea what my problem is, but I am really hard on keyboards; I have commented before that I must just bang on the keys or something, because it is common for the regularly used keys to eventually lose their label. While this might not be a huge issue on the typical desktop keyboard (“Hey,…


The Cheeky Chick by okiedog Review

Are you looking for an innovative toy for the kid in your life?  Whether it is for your niece, friend’s son, or your own child, okiedog has created two foldable tricycles for you. Both designs are for specific age groups and offer varying benefits. The G-Force is the 21st Century’s answer to the much-loved Original Big Wheel. It provides fast-paced riding and spinning through a sleek design. It is specifically for kids 7 years and older. The Cheeky Chick is the toddler version without the propulsion power. According to the site, the Cheeky Chick is a foot-to-floor ride-on transformable tricycle….


The OtterBox 7000 Series Laptop Case Review

I’ve reviewed quite a few OtterBox PDA Cases in the past, and one of the main traits they all shared was their near indestructible tough design. Today I am going to take a look at Otterbox’s answer to the traditional laptop case. Obviously their version wouldn’t be made of Cordura, leather, or any other “girly” material. To stay true to past design, an OtterBox laptop case would have to be made of heavy duty plastic, be waterproof, and be tough enough that it could carry its contents though the harshest environments without compromising their safety. When I unboxed this review…


The NeatReceipts Scanalizer Review

Besides rearing three rowdy (I mean precious) children, I am an independent contractor. What does that mean? I fat-finger expenses into Microsoft Excel and store piles of receipts, reports, business cards, and 1099s, just so I can claim my earnings/losses.At the beginning of each year, I start formulating my spreadsheet and calculate my profit/gains. If I need to recall a paycheck, I just quickly reference my spreadsheet. But, if I need the actual receipt, I gotta dig through piles of paper. To make my life easier, Judie discovered the NeatReceipts Scanalizer while attending Showstoppers at CES, and passed it my…


The Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag Review

Back in 2003 I reviewed the Tom Bihn Absolute Shoulder Strap, and while I may have thought that it was a nearly perfect bag at the time, Tom Bihn and company were not content to rest upon their laurels. The ID Messenger Bag has recently undergone some major renovations, and now we’ll get to decide if the updated version is a worthy successor. While some things have definitely changed since 2003, other things have thankfully remained the same. Most of Tom’s products are still manufactured in the Pacific Northwest at their Seattle factory. But don’t worry: those that aren’t made…


Apple 15″ MacBook Pro Review

Chris Spera’s review in Black, Mitchell Oke’s Comments in Blue and italicized. I’ve been a freelance writer for a while now. Recently, one of the principles at WUGNET (The Windows User’s Group NETwork) remarked to me that I had been writing for them for nearly 10 years. WUGNET is one of the best and only newbie/intermediate-skilled Windows resources still on the Internet. The site provides shareware downloads (screen savers, games, applications and utilities). They’ve also got some really great, free newsletters and one of the most complete Computing Tip databases on the ‘Net. I know… I’ve put most of them…


iMainGo iPod Speaker Case Review

Anyone remember those CD cases released several years ago that contained a flat panel speaker for listening to and sharing your music on the go? With the booming MP3 Player market the CD case has become a think of the past, replaced with hundreds or thousands of songs in a device so small it can slip into your pocket. Portable Sound Laboratories have released a product that combines your MP3 Player with a protective case with integrated stereo speakers to create the iMainGo. The iMainGo is marketed is an iPod accessory, but it should fit many brands of MP3 Player…


The FlexiSnake Hair Clog Tool Review

A healthy head of human hair sheds approximately 100 strands a day. Since there are an average of 110,000 other hairs on each person’s head, those lost are never really missed. Hairs are dropped everywhere we go, and for the most part – unless you are perpetrating a crime – there is no harm in losing them. That is unless they are inadvertently being caught in an undesirable location…such as the drainpipe in a bathroom sink or shower.This review has such potential to include some of the most graphic descriptions and disgusting photos ever published this side of Rotten.com…but we’re…


Logitech VX Revolution Laser Mouse Review

When I bought my MacBook Pro back in December I was excited that it had built-in Bluetooth, something that I gave up with my previous notebook. It was great being able to sync my PDA/Phone and use a wireless mouse without cables or dongles. The Logitech MX900 has for several years been my favourite mouse because of its excellent shape, multitude of buttons, rechargeable batteries (with charging dock) and Bluetooth. No other mouse had impressed me since, or made me want to replace it. I figured it would be no problem to pair it up with my Mac and get…


The Belkin TunePower for Zune Review

So far I have been averaging about 11 hours of battery life from my Zune; and while that’s decent, it doesn’t inspire confidence for those long stretches of time when tunes are desired but there is no ready power source available. Well, Belkin has a solution, and it’s called TunePower. According to Belkin, “TunePower keeps the music playing even when your Zune player?s internal battery is drained. It offers a great solution for long flights, train rides, hikes–any time you want to extend your music and video playtime. A foldout kickstand positions the Zune at the perfect viewing angle, and…