November 2006

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How to Do It Yourself!, Reviews

The Palm Treo 650 Speaker Fix

[Ed. note: Larry originally wrote this article for the Palm Is Life forum, but he has also translated it for posting here. To see this article in the original Chinese, click here. Happy Hacking!] When the Palm Treo 650 launched, it came with an earpiece issue; its speaker sound was too low for regular people to hear. How bad is it? Well, you could clearly hear the caller’s voice in a quiet room, but you probably couldn’t hear a honeybee flying around your ear while outdoors – even if you have turned your Treo 650 to the loudest level. Later…

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The Palm Treo 700p Palm OS Smartphone Review

It didn’t hit home that the last Palm OS device I had owned was the Tapwave Zodiac, until Alison from Astraware asked if I would like to take a look at their new Palm OS game Cake Mania. But I couldn’t, because I had sold the Zod in 2005 and had never replaced it. D’oh! Seeing that I enjoy using a Windows Mobile 5 device as my main brain, I thought it would be a good idea to swap my Samsung A900 (a decidedly non-smart phone) with a Palm OS smart phone – specifically Sprint‘s Treo 700p. This device has…

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Cowon A2 Unboxing

I recently got a “Thanks for all your good work!” bonus from one of my contracts as I was eased out the door, and couldn’t wait to spend it on something. So, being a gadget fiend, I had to spend some of it on a gadget, of course. As folks who read here regularly may know, I’m a totally obsessed fanatic about viewing movies on portable devices–Windows Mobile devices, Palm devices, what have you. Recently, there has been a lot of development in the portable media player (PMP) area, where the devices are getting more and more sophisticated, and there’s…

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The Gomadic Sync and Charge Retractable Cable Review

Shortly after buying a Treo 700wx I decided to ditch the bulky power and USB cable set that came with the device. I wanted to trade them for something much more compact, and the obvious choice – since I already had a collection of Gomadic tips – was to try the Gomadic Sync and Charge Retractable Cable system. Knowing that this same gadget would work with any of the other tips I already owned was a major selling point. Measuring approximately 5″ when retracted, the body of the charger is made of glossy black plastic. The center compartment which houses…

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The Atech Flash PROGear-G5 28-in-1 Card Reader Review

One of the downsides of trying almost every type gadget known to man is that they all seem to take different memory cards. Why is that? (A rhetorical question if there ever was one, I don’t really expect an answer. ;-)) As each new memory card format comes out, all I can do anymore is?be grateful that they come with SD adapters so that I can at least access the card’s contents from my laptop’s built-in reader. However there are plenty of cards that won’t play nicely with SD, either because they are too big or because they are too…

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The Jornada 928 Pocket PC Phone Edition Revisited

Back in the day of the Jornada 568, I remembered reading about a similar PDA called the Jornada 928 which offered about the same features and form-factor as its non-wireless enabled brother. At the time I owned a Jornada 545 (which unfortunately passed away due me accidentally breaking the screen 🙁 ) and thought how great that it would be to have both a phone and a PDA in one, and be able to surf the web anywhere I wanted (at the time never considering the cost of GPRS 😛 ). I never expected to get one, because at the…

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The Case Logic 6 Capacity USB Drive Shuttle Review

While I was at CompUSA one day… I came across the USB flash drive case made by Case Logic (model JDC6). Case Logic calls it the “Case Logic”. I thought what a neat idea. My USB flash drive collection is growing and carrying more than one is proving to be some what of a problem, so I bought the case. The case is 5.25″ x 3.75″ x 1″m and weighs in at 4 oz, which makes for easy carrying. As the product name implies, there are 6 pockets and are made of a mesh material with elastic edges to keep…

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The Vaja I-volution For Palm Treo 700 Series Case Review

It wasn’t long after I received a Palm 700p review unit that I knew I would be buying either the Palm OS version or the WM5 version of the Treo to use as my mobile phone. Other than which OS to go with, my next decision was what case. I’ll admit it, I went right to the Vaja‘site, and I literally swooned when I saw the T7 Silver. However, reality eventually set in once I saw the price for that intricate piece of sterling silver accented leather-art. Luckily, there was a very similar case available with a more wallet-friendly price…

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The Phantom EFX Reel Deal Casino High Roller Review

Reel Deal is a casino PC game. Specs include Windows 2000 or later, CD-Rom, 1.5 GB hard drive, DirectX 9.0b or later, DirectX compatible video card.? Money and VIP comp points are earned as you play slot machines, table games and enter tournaments.? The casino is easy to navigate and there is a menu board for the many games. I had to read the directions to get the game loaded and reinstall the second CD, but once it installed, it worked like a dream.? The graphics are good, animation flows well and it is a very enjoyable casino experience.? I…

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The Datexx SuperBattery Rechargeable USB Power Bank Review

Datexx seems to have a power generator for just about every situation?in which?a user might find his or herself. Today I am going to take a look at their SuperBattery, which is billed as a rechargeable USB power bank that can be used to extend a device’s battery power or give a one-hour fast charge when a device’s battery gets low. It also includes a built-in LED flashlight, and it can be powered either by connecting to a wall charger or by using the built-in hand crank. Included in the package are the SuperBattery, four device tips, a wall charger,…

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Zune-alicious: The Setup & Software

[Ed. note: If you haven’t already, then first read about the Zune unboxing here.] After removing the Zune from its box, it was time to begin the software installation. This process took about ten minutes total, but since I was working on other things while doing it, the time passed quickly. The following pictures are a series of screenshots captured during and after the setup process, including some screenshots of the Zune music store. All screenshots are thumbnails, so clicking on them will show them in full size. To get started, the CD must be inserted; the setup program will…

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The 256MB Ikura Sushi Memory Disk Review

It should be no surprise that because I live in the middle of dry and dusty West Texas, I don’t often get to partake in good sushi. One night while I was talking to G-A of Akihabara news, he was lamenting that there was no good meat in Japan. I assume he wasn’t talking about Kobe beef, but he was basically making the remark because I am in cattle country. 😉 So I smarted back that at least he had good sushi, and he said no problem, he would send me some. Yeah, right! And sure enough, he did… About…

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Zune-alicious: The Unboxing

My 30GB Zune is here…so let’s unbox this eagerly anticipated digital music player together! Amazon packing materials – nothing too exciting here… Tossed in the bottom of the box, in a simple clear sleeve, the object of much controversy and discussion awaits. The box only measures 5.25″ tall x 5.5″ wide x 2.25″ deep. The box reads: Includes 30GB Zune digital media player, earphones, sync cable, manuals, and disc. System Specifications: Computer running Windows XP SP2 or later, Internet access (high speed recommended; 200MB free hard drive space, USB port (USB 2.0 recommended, CD Drive). Supports: MP3, WMA, WMV &…

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The Sumo Lounge Omni Review

Furniture doesn’t evolve. A couch is a couch, a chair is a chair, and that’s it. The chairs of 2015 won’t be more technologically advanced than those of today. By default, furniture is basic, and often serves one purpose. A seat is for sitting, a desk is for working, and that’s the end of it. But that doesn’t mean that this paradigm can’t be changed. A relatively new company that goes by the name of Omni has created a product – let’s call it a piece of furniture – that changes shape and usage as much as you change your…

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The Cobra StunLight Review

According to Universal Guardian, the perfect weapon does not kill, it is safe to use in any environment, and it will not harm innocent bystanders. They say that the perfect weapon is accurate, effective, and will never let you down. According to them the perfect weapon already exists, and they call it the Cobra StunLight. Is it? Let’s take a look… At first glance the Cobra StunLight appears to be similar to most classic aluminum bodied flashlights, doesn’t it? Well, that’s pretty much where the similarities end. As can be seen by the packaging, the StunLight is a high intensity…

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The Datexx ULTRABattery Rechargeable USB Power Bank Review

It never fails – I’ll either get caught on a flight with no power outlet under my seat, or I’ll be stuck somewhere with no power outlet and a device with a dwindling battery. Because of this I am always on the lookout for products that will help manage or extend my battery life, which is why I was interested in reviewing the Datexx ULTRABattery Rechargeable USB Power Bank. Measuring 3.9″ tall x 2.4″ wide x 0.8″ thick and weighing 5.7 ounces, the ULTRABattery is housed in a pearly white plastic casing which feels quite solid in hand and does…

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U R A Q T: The HTC Star Trek / Qtek 8500 PINK Unboxing

UPS dropped off a little jewel this morning, the HTC Star Trek branded as a Qtek 8500. This is HTC’s first clamshell Smartphone, and it runs Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone. Immediately evident is the fact that this is not the business-like black version – oh no, instead this is the hot pink version. 😀 So let’s unbox her and take a look… Inside the wider portion of the box are all of the documentation and software disks. The box includes the Qtek 8500 “Musicphone” (that’s what the box says!), headset, AC adapter, USB sync cable, user manual, quick start guide, two CDs…

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The Jetart NC3300 Cool Stand Review

Right before I started this site, I bought a Toshiba Satellite A-105 laptop on a whim. It was one of those times where I was standing in a store, and the right item with the right specs and the right price was staring at me from its shelf; I couldn’t exactly leave without it. I’m not sure exactly how it happened, but in the last month this laptop has replaced my desktop computer – I now do just about everything on it. As with any notebook computer this Toshiba manages to put out a bit of heat, and using it…

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The MyLight Marklight Review

For as long as I can remember, I have been an avid reader. Even with repeated warnings from my mother to “use a better light or you’ll be sorry; you’re ruining your eyes”, I was never very particular about the light in the room; as long as I could make out the letters on a page, the light was “good enough for reading.” As a child I would tell my parents goodnight, and ask them to shut my door when they were done with the evening tuck-in. The minute they did I would not only have a book whipped out…

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Unboxing the HP iPAQ hx5915 Travel Companion

I just received the HP iPAQ rx5915, so let’s open the box together… Seal is broken, and the quick setup is printed on the hood of the box, which is just what I like to see when I purchase something. Hopefully this will be all the “instruction” needed. 😉 Can anyone tell me how much Tim Burton is getting paid for HP to use his “Nightmare before Christmas” font? The iPAQ hx5915 wrapped in plastic… Better not crack the screen…it’s not covered under warranty. 😉 Battery loading instructions… The 1700 mAh battery… A?THICK user manual that I hope to never…

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The Motorola Q Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone Review

Not long ago I was asked to review a few Motorola Q cases for Vaja; the only problem was that I didn’t actually have a Motorola Q! It was no problem to put in a request for a review unit and one was sent very quickly, but there was one potentially major caveat – the device I received did not come with local service. I had a signal but I could not make calls or use the data services. While it would technically have been no problem to simply write the case reviews and then send the Q back, it…