Reviews

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…


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…


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 &…


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…


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…


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…


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…


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…


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…


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…


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…


The Ultimate Ears super.fi 5 Pro Earphones Review

**While at Mobius, Jenneth and I were both presented with a set of Ultimate Ears super.fi 5 Pro Earphones. It seemed redundant to write separate reviews about the same product, so we decided to combine forces and write a dually to post on both our sites – we’re trying something new! For reference: My remarks will be in the regular page colors, and Jenneth’s will be in blue and italicized.** Just because you have the finest digital music player that money can buy doesn’t mean that it will sound all that better if you are still using the basic earbuds…


The Datexx Sentina Outback Rechargeable PowerBank Review

I’m always looking for alternative sources of power for my electronic devices, which is why the Datexx Sentina Outback Rechargeable PowerBank caught my eye. Billed as a super bright LED flashlight, a motion detector / emergency light, a USB charger for electronic gadgets, a power generator, and an SOS siren, the Outback almost sounds like it tries to take on too many properties, a “jack of all trades” if you will. Let’s take a look and see if this device lives up to its billing, or if as the famous other half of the “jack of all trades” saying goes,…


The Gomadic Double Chargers With Tip Exchange Technology Review

Over the last year I have grown incredibly spoiled when I travel because I no longer need to pack a tangle of “spaghetti”; instead, I bring along a set of Gomadic Charging Cables. The same single cable charges my PDA, mobile phone and digital music player. It can charge Sarah’s phone and Sarah’s digital music player, too; all it takes is the proper tip for each particular device. For those unfamiliar with Gomadic, I’ll state the premise in a nutshell: They sell cables with plugs on their ends which will accept their specially made tips; these tips fit many of…


Unboxing the Universal — O2 Exec Version

The HTC Universal is the device-of-a-thousand-names: i-mate JasJar, O2 XDA Exec, QTek 9000, SPV M5000, and HAL 9000 for all I know. It’s a hefty (10.2 oz/290 g), big (5.2″ x 3.1″ x 0.93″), hi-res (640×480 VGA), versatile (3G/GRPS, wifi, bluetooth, 1.3 Mp camera, Window Mobile 5), expensive ($1000 retail–go to eBay!) SmartPhone/PDA/convergent device with a clamshell design that hides a decent-sized keyboard and an interesting open, spin, and fold screen that converts it from a sort of micro-laptop form factor to that of a regular PDA. Judie has already reviewed the Universal at The Gadgeteer, but poor Judie got…


Double the DualCor = Double the Fun!

I just received a brand new DualCor cPC with updated hardware and software. I believe that this is considered version 0.9, which means that the release model should follow shortly. I’ll share the unboxing with you now, and post some of the new features later.


The Vaja Motorola Q Classic MO111 Case Review

The Motorola Q is a very thin, yet wider than usual Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone which was designed to be held to the user’s face when making calls. It also sports a full QWERTY keyboard for thumb-typing and a bright 2″ wide x 1.5″ tall screen. Making a case that would keep the screen from being unnecessarily scratched, protect the majority of the device’s plastic body, and yet allow unfettered access to the keyboard and other ports was the challenge. If anyone could rise to the occasion it would be Vaja; read on to see how they did… There are…


The HTC Hermes / Dopod 838Pro Review

Many of you by now will recognize the name HTC as the abbreviation for the Taiwanese based company High Tech Computer. They are the world’s largest manufacturer of Pocket PC and Smartphone OS based PDAs, and as such they are responsible for many of the more recognizable devices which are rebranded by companies including Hewlett-Packard, i-mate, Audiovox, and Dopod – to name a few. The device we’ll be looking at today is known by several names including the O2 XDA Trion, the MDA Vario II, Orange SPV M3100, and the Dopod 838Pro. This review will specifically cover the HTC Hermes…


The Vaja HTC Horizontal Pouch Review

One of the treats we received at Mobius Thailand this year was a Vaja case for the HTC Hermes / Dopod 838Pro. You would have thought it was Christmas! John Starkweather had no sooner announced that Vaja had made custom cases for our new Windows Mobile 5 Phones, when the room erupted with “oooooooohs” and our eyes grew wide; there was a good reason for this. Vaja has been around since 2000, and in that time they have managed to revolutionize the case making industry. No longer the new guys on the block, they are now the leather craft company…


BeNetSafe Internet Security Software Review

As parents we like to think that we know our kids, that we know they would never do or say certain things. But the fact is that we can never be too sure; all we can do is educate them, hope that they are being careful, and trust that they are being smart. If I were to be completely honest with myself, I’d recall doing and saying plenty of things when I was Sarah’s age that might have seemed harmless at the time, but would either be considered risky or embarrassing today. Thankfully we didn’t have digital cameras, chat rooms,…


SeV Performance T-Shirt Review

It wasn’t?so long ago that I reviewed the SCOTTeVEST SeV Performance T-Shirt. Since then Scott, never one to rest upon his laurels, has already come out with an updated version. Now before any of you start to wonder why I am reviewing “work-out” clothes, let me assure you that there is more to this shirt than meets the eye. The Performance T-Shirt is not just a piece of athletic clothing, it is also a Personal Area Network enabled gear holder perfect for a hands-free workout session or a day outdoors. Those that loved the original sport shirt’s design and material…