Articles by Joel McLaughlin

Review: USBFever 3-in-1 USB Adapter for HTC Phones

I was perusing USBFever.com for some G1 accessories, and I came across this dongle that can work with my G1 or any HTC phone.  This adapter lets you use your regular or HTC headphones while charging your phone from the Mini-B USB charger.


Review: USB Fever Super Travel A/C USB Wall Chargers

When I came across the Super Travel A/C USB Wall Chargers from USBFever.com, I thought they were a great idea!  So I asked USB Fever to send a set to me, I received it yesterday, and I like it even more than I thought I would.  This charger is going to save me from carting 3-4 charger adapters along, plus it will also save precious power outlets in my hotel room when I go to DC in a week.


Neek Speaker Review

One thing I like to do when cleaning house is listen to podcasts or music.  I don’t have much of a stereo system in my home, and I wouldn’t want to make to have the whole household suffer from me listening to the latest from one of my many Linux podcasts.  So most of the time I have earbuds or headphones on while working around the house.  Sometimes, it’s just not convenient to wear the headphones, so I need a small speaker. With that in mind, when I saw the Neek Speaker I couldn’t help but wonder if it would…


Altec Lansing Backbeat 106 Headphones Review

Anyone who knows me, knows that I listen to a lot of podcasts and music.  I also do the majority of my listening while wearing headphones.  That means that I’ll go through at least 1-2 pairs of headphones per year – sometimes more, as I usually wear them when riding to work in the mornings and evenings on the bus on my daily commute.  So when Altec Lansing introduced their new cloth covered headphones, my ears were in for a treat. By cloth covered, what I mean is the headphone cables are all covered in a cloth weave,  What this…


Nextar Z10 Microprojector Review

One thing that I saw come out of CES was this cool little Z10 projector from Nextar; it literally fits in the palm of your hand. This little projector is capable of 640×480 and is based on LCOS technology.  LCOS, or Liquid Crystal on Silicon, is the technology being used in most micro projectors and the small modules being made to add to new cellphones.  This allows you to have a very small and pocketable projector.


Hawking Technologies HWUN3 Review

Hawking has been around a while, and while most laptops have built in WiFi, they may not have Draft N or 802.11N.  You may also have a desktop without WiFi that you want a Internet connection on without using Ethernet; this may fit the bill.


Openmoko Neo Freerunner from SDG Systems Review

It’s been over a year since I have looked at anything from SDG Systems, but it is time to do so again.  SDG is now working with Koolu on the Openmoko Neo Freerunner.  Not only are they working with the standard Openmoko firmware, but they are also working on getting Google’s Android Operating System working on the Freerunner.  I will touch on both operating systems in this review, but first let’s look at the hardware.


AltusLumen PAD-L Review

Need a durable LED Light that has multiple uses?  Need a light that is good for the environment?  Then the AltusLumen‘s PAD-L may be the light for you.



TP Link TL-WR941N Wireless N Router Review

Draft N routers have been around for a while.  In fact, right before Thomas from USBfever e-mailed us about this router, I had already purchased a Netgear version.  When this one came out, I decided to check it out to see how well it would work here in the US.



Boxwave T-Mobile G1 Case Review Roundup

Boxwave sent me three cases for me to try with my T-Mobile G1. First up is the Boxwave Armor Case.  I was sent the black version, which is made of anodized aluminum and has a protective Plexiglas window over the screen.  There are openings for all functions of the phone, allowing you to use the phone while it’s in the case; this makes it convenient when making or taking calls.


Digital Innovations dvdDR Premier Cleaner Review

Digital Innovations sent me some accessories which may help keep those holiday gifts working like they did the day they were received.  I was sent an array of products; first, I will cover the dvdDr items. First up are the dvdDR Premier Disc Repair and Cleaning products.  Anyone who has had CDs, DVDs, Video Game Discs or BluRay Discs can attest that they will not read properly if they are gummed up with fingerprints or other foreign material like the goo from your son’s PB&J.  While the time tested – and probably not safe – breathing on the disc and…


The Tom Bihn Western Flyer Travel Bag Review

I have always read the reviews Judie has done on Tom Bihn bags, and have always wanted one.  Judie recently gave me her Aeronaut; I used it for my vacation and I really like the packing cube idea. I also think that the construction of the bag is top notch.  However, the Aeronaut is simply too large when you just have to stay one or two nights.  Also, the Aeronaut may have some issues with smaller ERJ-145 overhead compartments; that’s where the Western Flyer comes in. photos by Kevin


Tekkeon myPower ALL MP3700 Battery Review

Looking for a way to extend the run time on that Eee PC or Acer Aspire One that you got for Christmas?  If so, then the Tekkeon MP3700 may be just the ticket for your power hungry ultra mobile device. Weighing in at 15.4 oz, the Tekkeon MP3700 is light enough that it won’t weigh you and your netbook down too much; the combination weighs less than the Lenovo T60 I use.


Kuru Footwear Review

I am a avid walker and hiker.  Sometimes I will choose to walk when I would normally drive, even if I have to take a empty backpack along to carry my purchases.  Because I walk a lot, I always buy good shoes, which is why I jumped at a chance to check out these interesting shoes. Kuru Footwear gets its name from Kuru, Finland, which is an outdoor destination in Finland known for eco-tourism, environmental conservation, and many other outdoor pursuits.  The company was started by a group of young and passionate lovers of the outdoors who wanted to make…


SuperTalent Mini PCIe SSD Drives Review

I am a huge fan of netbooks.  The very first netbook, the Eee PC 701 started a frenzy of designs that even brought Dell and Lenovo into the netbook fold. One minor problem with the SSD based netbooks like the original Eee PC 701/702 and the 900/901 is that you may not have as much on-board storage as you might like.  The 702 tops out at 8 GB, and that’s the model I have.  While I didn’t necessarily want a lot more space, it did change how I used the little netbook; I basically dedicated the on-board storage only for…


Visiontac VGPS-900 Multifunction GPS Data Logger Review

Have you ever wanted to see the exact route you had taken when driving to your relatives for the Holidays?  Or have you ever had your speed demon of a teenager get a ticket?  During a vacation have you ever wanted to Geotag your pictures?  Well if so, then the Visiontac VGPS-900 may be just the device for you. The VGPS-900 is about the size of a zippo lighter, but thinner.  The front of the device is dominated by the Point of Interest button followed by three light-up LED indicators.  There’s a indicator for the log, one for GPS status…


Skooba Checkthrough Bag Review

Ever since 9/11, air travelers have been forced to take their shoes off, take their laptops out of bags, and…well you know the drill.  Now the TSA has worked on developing a standard for letting us keep our laptop in its bag as we go through through the checkpoint.  I got to take a look at Skooba Design‘s version, called the Skooba Checkthrough. The bag is actually a lot smaller than it looks and a lot larger than it looks.  I know; how can it be both?  Well when all zipped up, it’s a little thinner than the backpack I…


Motorola Krave ZN4 on Verizon Wireless Review

We all know that Apple changed the game when it came to cell phones. The iPhone’s interface is second to none currently; everyone and their brother is now trying to out do Apple. Motorola has come up with a really interesting take on a touchscreen interface that has a lot of influence from Verizon.


Seattle Sling by Camera Armor Review

More and more people are carrying Digital SLR or Single Lense Reflex cameras as their main camera, even for taking family pictures.  However, these are still very pricey cameras.  Sometimes the accessories themselves can cost more than the camera body.  That’s why if you have a DSLR, camcorder or other small piece of electronic equipment, you need to run – don’t walk, to the web and order yourself a Seattle Sling.