June 2007

Unboxing the HTC Mogul, Sprint’s New WM6 Phone

I got a sweet surprise from HTC on Friday: the brand new Sprint HTC Mogul, which is a major upgrade to the HTC Apache / Sprint PPC-6700 and which incedentally does not appear to be called the PPC-6800 anywhere but on its battery. I’ll have the use of it for a month, and a full review will be coming soon. But in the meantime here is a video unboxing, some information, and a few photos…


DLO TransDock Deluxe Rox!

Lately, it seems like I can’t walk into a Costco or a Sam’s Club without seeing a new wireless adapter to play an iPod though the stereo system of my truck. Unfortunately, it also seems like I can’t see one of these without buying it. This is because most of them haven’t really worked worth a squat between their awkward controls and their inability to hold a station to deliver a static-free transmission of the treasure trove of southern rock, funk and Richard Pryor albums I have stored on my video iPod. Of all the gadgets I’ve tried to retrofit…


The HTC S710 (Vox) Quick Review

As a person who is constantly looking for the next best device for business use, it amazes me that no one came up with this design before HTC did. A quote straight from PhoneArena.Com says it all:  The HTC S710 is the most compact messaging phone with an auto-sliding QWERTY keyboard. It is the first smartphone powered by the new Windows Mobile 6 Standard platform. This new platform provides genuine mobile Office Outlook experience, greater control of Outlook Mobile Calendar, better Internet Explorer Mobile browsing experience and Windows Live. It also offers greater interoperability with Exchange Server 2007 providing you…


The DVD Stripper Review

You know how there are certain gadgets that you just don’t think you’ll ever need until someone shows you theirs? And then you catch yourself going, “hmm…that’s pretty cool!” Well, you’ll find that tonight’s review falls into that category. Think about all the times you’ve bought a DVD, and while unwrapping the clear outer plastic you wondered to yourself why, in addition to the outer wrapper, there had to be a heavy plastic sticker across the top and front of the DVD. I’ve gotten in a hurry before and accidentally broken fingernails while trying to peel back these heavy stickers;…


The Docupen RC800 Review

I have always wondered about these devices and wanted to give one a try. Personally I have no need for something like this, but I can see where such a portable scanner could come in very handy. This is the Planon DocuPen RC800 Portable Scanner. DocuPen RC800 Features: – Rechargeable lithium-Ion Batteries – The DocuPen RC800 uses rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that allows it to remain perpetually charged without utilizing a separate charging unit. Once a user plugs the DocuPen RC800 into a computer’s USB port to download the scanned information, the scanner’s batteries are automatically recharged – Expandable MicroSD memory…


Soothing the savage beast: the DLO iBoom Travel Review

English playwright William Congreve wrote in 1697, “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast / To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.” There may have been a Freudian slip when Congreve meant beast. Fast forward to the 21st century. We can certainly be savage grumps when it comes to waking up to an alarm clock with an obnoxious buzzer or worse, annoying morning chatterboxes with Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs as the musical selection to reside in your head all day. Get you someone really to pull the wool with you What?I say it’s…


PDAir Zune Metal Case and Screen Protector Review

Since getting my Zune a few months ago, it has been in the very precarious position of having no screen protector, and only the supplied fabric slipcase to protect it from keys, pens and other devices. But when I use it to watch video, it has to go caseless. I was very happy to receive the Zune metal case and screen protector from PDAir, so that I could quit my worrying. I received Black aluminium case and ultra-clear screen protector to try out on my Zune. I asked for the black to go with my black Zune and I am…


The Future Sonics Atrio Series m5 Professional Earphones Review

I think by now I’ve established that I am a big fan of earphones; unlike the one-size-fits-most round earbuds which come with almost all digital music players, quality earphones will usually include a variety of tips so that the wearer can ensure the best fit. This is necessary because unlike earbuds which can precariously perch in the bowl of the wearer’s inner ear, earphones are inserted into the rim of the ear canal. So bearing this in mind, it makes sense that if the earphones’ tips are too large, the wearer’s ear canals will soon grow tender and sore, and…


Vaja Balance for Samsung BlackJack Review

For years I have seen Judie review many a Vaja case for many a device. I have always wanted one of my own, to smell the leather, see the fit, and have the experience that is Vaja. I was delighted when they sent me a case for my BlackJack. I received a honey yellow case designed to fit the extended battery. The case comes in a nice white Vaja box. While it is no frills, it does look nice, and much better than a plastic blister pack. The case looks amazing. As I said I choose the yellow colour, and…


Sonnet 2Fit Review

When I bought my MacBook Pro last year, I was surprised at how wonderful the computer truly was. One of the biggest problems that I ran into with it, though was protection. Please click the review link above (written by me and one of my best mates from Down Under, Mitchell Oke), and scroll down to the unboxing pictures. You’ll notice that the computer, for all its high-end price, doesn’t come with ANY kind of protection at all. While most notebook computers don’t, the high price point of the MacBook Pro really begs the need for some kind of case,…


The Linear-Logic ScanGauge II Review

Digital displays for a car dashboards have always been a thing of the future shown in T.V. shows, movies and concept cars on display at the auto show. Here we are here in the 21st century, and cars still don’t come with a full digital dash. When I discovered a new device called the ScanGauge II Automotive Computer made by Linear-Logic, I was in awe that a little black box with a LCD could offer up digital gauges, trip computers, and OBD2 scan tools all in one easy to install package. ScanGauge II package contents


The ARC Wireless Solutions Freedom Antenna Review

I’m not sure what the problem is, but for the last month, my Sprint cellular signal strength has dramatically dropped when I am inside my home. This wouldn’t be that big of a deal, except for the fact that my mobile phone is also my home phone and my business phone as well; in other words it simply has to work. Conveniently enough, I had a product waiting in my queue which promises to “Increase Your Cell Phone Reception 8 Times!”, “Eliminate Dropped Calls and Dead Spots”, and “Enhance Voice Clarity”. If it can really deliver upon its promises, then…


SeV Performance Pullover 1/4 Zip Review

Not long ago, Judie and I co-reviewed (what we call a dually) the SeV Performance Polo. While we really liked the shirt, I can tell you that Polo shirt weather does not last long in my little corner of the world. Often, and without warning the weather will change practically overnight from a warm summer day to a crisp fall night. For those times, you want a shirt that will keep you warmer than a short sleeved polo, but is not necessarily as heavy as sweatshirt or sweater. For those times, which consume much of the year in places like…


The Brando Ultra Clear Protector Plus Review

Mitchell and I recently reviewed the Proporta Advanced Screen Protector, a perfect example of a silicone-based adhesive protector with a matte finish providing anti-glare properties and a paper-like writing surface . Today I am going to go to the other extreme and take a look at the Brando Ultra Clear Protector Plus, which as the name implies is a very clear protector that provides an experience as close to that of writing on a PDA’s naked screen as possible – without the worry of scratching. Let’s take a look… Included in the package is…the protector. Unlike the Proporta ASP, the…


The Samsung Q1P Unboxing

I have always had a passion for gadgets, and it seems that I am always the guy with the newest, most cutting edge device. I have been intrigued by the concept of the UMPC since its inception as the Origami project. I had only once had the chance to play with one and it was the 1st Generation one based upon the Celeron processor. I was not impressed enough to drop my hard earned cash for one. With the introduction of the Samsung Q1P, based upon the ultra low voltage Pentium I decided to go for it. I asked Judie…


The Proporta Advanced Screen Protector Review

[Ed. note: For this dually, Judie’s comments will be in Black, Mitchell’s comments will be in italicised Blue.] One of the first things I started worrying about when I unboxed the HTC Advantage was how I would keep the humongous 5″ diagonal screen from getting scratched. While it was nice that HTC included a screen protector in the box, I think you could probably tell by the expression on my face in the unboxing video that I wasn’t too impressed with it, and sure enough – once installed, I saw that my unenthusiastic response was warranted. Don’t get me wrong,…


The Prima Cases Review

If you’re particular about keeping your investment in smartphones safe and protected from accidental drops, the accessory market for cases is wide open for your particular functional style and tastes. I?m rather obsessed with keeping things in mint condition, such as my collection of seven thousand albums, with inner dust sleeves and jackets to protect the artwork of the covers. I even keep my small gadgets in Ziploc bags; thus I?m peculiar with keeping my phones in good condition whether it?s a basic Motorola Razr or Palm Treo 650 or 680. Prima Cases offers up a full line catalog of…


Brain School Review: Exercise for Your Brain

How many of us go to the gym on a regular basis? You know you should exercise you legs…your arms…even your pecs on a regular basis. Heck, you might even do some heart-smart cardio workouts. It is a great idea to keep your body in shape and healthy. While you are at the gym, however, do you ever hit those brutal memory machines, spatial sequencing machines, and other mental gymnastics? Oh, sorry. They don’t even have those at your gym, do they? Mine either. On every street corner, it seems there is a place to exercise your body, but almost…


SeV Performance Polo Review

Here is a dose of daily trivia for you, courtesy of Wikipedia: The polo style shirt that we all know and love was invented in 1929 by Ren Lacoste, the French 7-time Grand Slam tennis champion, as an alternative to the era’s “cumbersome and uncomfortable” tennis court attire. In the 1930s, polo players discovered the comfort of wearing the “Chemise Lacoste” versus their own overly formal field attire, and so the “tennis shirt” became known as the “polo shirt”, even among tennis players. Furthering the Polo connection, Ralph Lipschitz Lauren started his Polo line in 1967, which prominently featured his…