I saw PadPivot at Macworld 2011 and it was being pitched via Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a crowdsourced funding project in which someone comes up with an idea and needs to convince people to give them money in order to take the product to market. The idea has be great for people to dish out their hard earned money with little or nothing in return. This isn’t investing because the donor doesn’t get a stake in the profits generally or shares. They might get a token premium like a T-shirt or coffee mug. The PadPivot is a great success story because it had to have such wide appeal.

One of the key features I immediately noticed is how with a few simple steps it compresses to the size of and thickness of a mobile phone making it easy to carry in your pocket, in your tablet sleeve or in a carry on. When it isn’t on the road with you, the PadPivot is a simple iPad stand with a groove and stabilizer to make sure it doesn’t fall over yet leaves room for your docking connector. Great to keep besides your computer or to use it to display pictures while charging.

In motion is where the PadPivot shines. When fully extended it forms a concave surface that you can place on your thigh or even your arm. Even a big guy like me had no problem getting the PadPivot to stay put on my leg. A grippy pad holds the tablet onto the PadPivot surface. It’s a loose fit, like a sticky note – enough to stay put, but can easily be knocked or bumped. The goal is to give you a bit of stability to keep your hands free and prevent the tablet from sliding off. This made typing very easy without a surface to place the iPad on since both hands could type instead of one gripping the iPad. This is a ‘killer app’ on a plane, with no room on that tiny tray table to prop the iPad up put plenty of room on my leg.

If you do have a flat surface upon which to put the PadPivot, you can use it to hold an iPad or iPhone to view content at a proper viewing angle of about 80 degrees.

Though I’m not a gamer, the PadPivot has a smooth and full range of motion to it allowing you to expertly drive that car or spacecraft and take full advantage of the accelerometer without worrying about your grip on the iPad.

If you travel at all with your iPad, even across the room, you’ll find the PadPivot an indispensable tool for keeping your focus on the iPad rather than holding it.

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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First, the Garmin Fit™ App for iPhone allows you to track your workouts in real time like many other apps. The real magic comes in with Garmin’s ANT+ Adapter for iPhone ($49.95) which allows you to interact with other fitness devices via a standard similar to Bluetooth. Garmin’s own heart rate monitor ($60.00) and Foot Pod ($69.99) interact with the ANT+ adapter and feed real time data into the Garmin Fit™ iPhone app, showing not just the distance you did, but how hard you worked out and how many calories you burned, so you can adjust your workouts accordingly. The app allows you to track your improvements and lets you strive for a bit harder, faster, or stronger workout. A third monitoring device made by Garmin and compatible with the iPhone hardware and software solution, the Speed/Cadence Bike Sensor, I didn’t test since I tried the Garmin solutions on internal gym fitness equipment.

Although it’s easiest to buy all your products from one place, the fact that the ANT+ adapter uses an established standard means you can interchange the Garmin Fit app and monitoring product as well as mix and match devices and apps that comply with ANT+. Standards are always easier to work with than proprietary solutions. Many gym devices already support ANT+ so you may not even need additional equipment besides the adapter.

While I am by no means a runner or fitness guru, the combination of the hardware and software gave me the data I needed in a way to understand it in order to improve my workouts and increase my cardiovascular fitness while losing weight.

Before I got the Garmin solution, I used a separate heart rate monitor with a watch. This was very difficult to use because any tracking required me to type the information into another application and that data was only a summary. I couldn’t see exactly how long I was at my target rate or adjust my workouts to exceed my goals.

The quality app combined with the Garmin fitness solution is an excellent combination for anyone looking to monitor their workouts a bit closer to maximize effectiveness.

Pros: Easy to use affordable equipment for monitoring your workouts to maximize effectiveness

Cons: You still have to work out!

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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This case is unique – typically extreme cases have a hard plastic interior and a softer silicone exterior to absorb impact and protect the headphone jack, dock, and volume switches. The Tank has a hard shell with integrated internal softer silicone protectors for the headphone jack and dock which are where moisture sensors are located. Because it’s integrated, you can’t chance the color when you want to try something different. The volume switches are protected but the speakers, microphone, rotation lock and camera remain naked and exposed to the world. This was an poor compromise in my opinion. Why only protect some parts if you are already adding bulk in the exterior?

Another feature of extreme cases is an integrated screen protector. No worrying about applying plastic to the screen with bubbles and lint trapped underneath. The drawback of the plastic overlays is they do impact the vibrancy of the screen as well as the general sensitivity. The case uses an accordion plastic overlay that can easily be pulled back to provide extra protection when not in use and full access when retracted.

On first glance this seemed like a great feature. This accordion plastic was thick and easily withstood direct impacts. A plastic overlay simply can’t protect like that. Unfortunately this for me was its greatest downfall. That thick plastic wasn’t fully transparent so anytime I had to read anything, I’d have to go through the process of retracting the plastic – even to answer the phone and see who was calling. I found myself too often keeping the plastic retracted and thus leaving my screen fully exposed.

One great feature of the Tank is an extremely well engineered belt clip. The iPhone fit tightly into a full cradle style clip. There was no risk of this slipping out like I find too often with other cases that are only gripped on the sides or the ends. The actual clip portion of the belt clip was several inches long and attached securely to my side. As a big guy, this was the first and only belt clip I was confident wouldn’t slip off when I got down or sat up. Since the screen faces outward in most belt clips, that screen protector is a great feature while it hangs on your side.

My problem with the Tank is that I’m the type of person constantly using the phone to play games, answer emails, check social media and even making phone calls. I can’t imagine going five or ten minutes and not using my phone for something and thus got extremely frustrated having to constantly move the screen protector out of the way. If you are that type of user, you’ll find the Tank about as practical as going grocery shopping in an M1.

However, if you keep your iPhone in your purse or book bag, that thick plastic will keep it well protected as it bounces around and bangs against keys, books and miscellaneous change. The belt clip was outstanding if you keep your phone more to your side than in your hand. You–with the self discipline not to be checking your phone all the time–I envy you.

If you check your phone constantly, the Tank is an exercise in frustration. However if screen protection is your ultimate goal and you don’t check your phone that often, the Tank may be your secret weapon to avoiding screen replacement. The best offense is a good defense as they say.

Pros: Great belt clip, outstanding screen protection
Cons: Not all ports protected, regular users will fine the screen protection too cumbersome

Two out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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I saw PadPivot at Macworld 2011 and it was being pitched via Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a crowdsourced funding project in which someone comes up with an idea and needs to convince people to give them money in order to take the product to market. The idea has be great for people to dish out their hard earned money with little or nothing in return. This isn’t investing because the donor doesn’t get a stake in the profits generally or shares. They might get a token premium like a T-shirt or coffee mug. The PadPivot is a great success story because it had to have such wide appeal.

One of the key features I immediately noticed is how with a few simple steps it compresses to the size of and thickness of a mobile phone making it easy to carry in your pocket, in your tablet sleeve or in a carry on. When it isn’t on the road with you, the PadPivot is a simple iPad stand with a groove and stabilizer to make sure it doesn’t fall over yet leaves room for your docking connector. Great to keep besides your computer or to use it to display pictures while charging.

In motion is where the PadPivot shines. When fully extended it forms a concave surface that you can place on your thigh or even your arm. Even a big guy like me had no problem getting the PadPivot to stay put on my leg. A grippy pad holds the tablet onto the PadPivot surface. It’s a loose fit, like a sticky note – enough to stay put, but can easily be knocked or bumped. The goal is to give you a bit of stability to keep your hands free and prevent the tablet from sliding off. This made typing very easy without a surface to place the iPad on since both hands could type instead of one gripping the iPad. This is a ‘killer app’ on a plane, with no room on that tiny tray table to prop the iPad up put plenty of room on my leg.

If you do have a flat surface upon which to put the PadPivot, you can use it to hold an iPad or iPhone to view content at a proper viewing angle of about 80 degrees.

Though I’m not a gamer, the PadPivot has a smooth and full range of motion to it allowing you to expertly drive that car or spacecraft and take full advantage of the accelerometer without worrying about your grip on the iPad.

If you travel at all with your iPad, even across the room, you’ll find the PadPivot an indispensable tool for keeping your focus on the iPad rather than holding it.

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The Sport has 3 basic functions: Bluetooth audio, FM radio, and handsfree phone. All these functions are integrated into an extremely lightweight set of earbud style devices that are rain, dust and shock resistant.

The Bluetooth audio had great sound, but it was often a bit too low to listen to at the gym. I had trouble getting them to fit correctly into my ear. Fortunately a set of Yurbuds came to the rescue and I was extremely happy! The FM radio was good for gyms that broadcast the TV audio system on a close range frequency. Now I could watch TV and do the treadmill at the same time.

As a handsfree accessory for my iPhone, it was very easy to make and receive calls. Voice Control worked like normal which is to say not so great (no iPhone 4s with Siri test with!) Even while on the run, callers could hear me well and I could hear them. I was able to hangup on a caller and end the conversation from the controls on the earbud.

In general as a Bluetooth accessory, this device had some great added features that made it a delight to use. The device uses lights as well as verbal signals to tell you when you are paired, powered on, powered off, and connected. This is a great feature since the device is in your ear, you can’t easily see if it’s properly working.

Besides difficulty with the sound levels, as a glasses wearer the device’s wrap around style did cause some interference. I’d have to put the Jabra on first and then my glasses; not a major inconvenience, but a minor annoyance.

The killer feature was the way it tracked battery. When the battery gets low it announces battery low over your audio (but not during a call). As it gets lower the warnings get faster. Additionally the device taps into a underutilized iOS feature that tracks the battery level of a Bluetooth handsfree device. The icon shows up next to the Bluetooth icon and is in the shape of Apple’s original Bluetooth handsfree for the iPhone. Now I could see exactly how much I had left and when I need to recharge. Nothing is more frustrating than your tunes cutting out midworkout. With 4.5 hours of talk time and 3 hours of music you’ll have to charge it often, but it uses a standard micro-usb port as well as includes an AC adapter for charging independent of a computer.

Overall great sound with a set of killer features that make this a welcome addition to your workout.

Pros: Lightweight, durable and great hands-free wireless functions
Cons: Not always loud enough, difficult to fit in some ear and eyeglass configurations

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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First, batteries are so 20th century. With the ample amount of light in most homes and offices, the constant swapping and charging of batteries is wasteful and annoying. The K750 is solar powered and solar charging. Once it’s fully charged, the specifications indicate you can use it in total darkness for 3 months. A handy app allows you to check the exact charge left in the unit. After using it for a few months the keyboard has always tested at 100%.

The keyboard is sleek and comes in five different colors (including Apple’s standard aluminum). I like the black because, hey, black is the new black. This is a full keyboard including a numeric keypad and a full set of function keys across the top. The Mac version of this keyboard has the command keys in the correct place as well as the function alternatives for Mission Control/Dashboard at the top. The typing was extremely responsive with a soft and smooth touch. “Delightful” is the word that comes to mind.

The wireless technology uses the “Logitech Unifying receiver” which is a USB dongle for all of Logitech’s wireless peripherals. All things being equal I would have preferred Bluetooth based technology. Bluetooth wouldn’t use one of my USB ports and would allow me to use the keyboard with iOS devices. Annoying, but I understand sacrifices have to be made.

The Logitech K750 for Mac is a great wireless keyboard for users that type often and don’t like constantly changing batteries.

Pros: Save money and hassle’s using solar technology, full featured keyboard that is easy to type on

Cons: Requires a proprietary dongle, doesn’t support Bluetooth

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Although the iPad has excellent sound, it will never fool you into thinking it’s a true stereo system. However, wiith the PadDock 10 you get a rich full sound you’d expect from a set of standalone speakers. Unlike many other products, the PadDock was designed for the iPad rather then retrofit from an iPhone solution. This device serves three main purposes: iPad stand, charging dock, and stereo speakers, and does all of them well.

As an stand, the iPad fits securely and snugly into the unit. Other stands for the iPad generally hold the unit in place via gravity or a few clips. Since this is an actual dock, the dock connector holds it in place and the top of the unit has a firm clip that ensure the iPad isn’t going anywhere when the unit rotates. This snug fit does get some getting used to when placing the iPad into the dock or removing it. The rotation of the stand is 360 degrees, but at each 90 degree interval the stand has a soft lock making sure the rotation doesn’t stray. Clips at the four corners prevent you from having to put pressure on the iPad to rotate it. An elegant and stylish black and grey design matches the aesthetics of your iPad.

As a charging dock, the unit allows you to expand the type of cables used to charge your iPad. Included is USB power cord that uses a type A male connector to power the unit instead of the standard charging cable that came with your iPad. The PadDock also comes with a USB to USB Mini cable creating a more standardized solution. To charge, I was able to use a variety of USB chargers including the stub charger that came with my iPad. I liked keeping my original iPad cable connected to my Mac for syncing and using the PadDock to charge my iPad. To sync your iPad to your computer via a PadDock, you’ll need to flip a switch to go from charge to sync.

As stereo speakers, the dock’s sound was outstanding for its size. Compared with other bedside and table solutions that sound tinny, the PadDock had substantial bass and was able to achieve fairly high volume that let me listen to music and watch videos while working out on a treadmill at my home gym. I keep the PadDock in the kitchen to listen to music while cooking and keeping the iPad up out of harm’s way.

Eventually, my PadDock ended up in the kitchen so I could listen to music or view instructional vidoes, keep the iPad safe, and charge all at the same time. Overall this is an outstanding product that serves many functions. If you’ve upgraded to an iPad 2, the PadDock is a perfect way to extend the function and flexibility of your original iPad as an entertainment station.

Pros: Flexible stand and dock charger, quality stereo speakers
Cons: Tricky to move iPad in and out

4 out of 5

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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When you are looking for true charging power on the road, few external batteries can beat the RichardSolo 9000 Mobile Charger. The 9000 mAh battery will keep your iPhone or iPad charged for a long, long time!

RichardSolo has been an industry leader for iPhone chargers and the 9000 continues that tradition. The device comes in an attractive carrying case that contains a retractable USB charger as well as a standard USB charging cable (to be used as a spare). It does not come with any wall charging unit so you’ll either have to use the AC to USB adapter that came with your iPad or iPod or purchase one from RichardSolo (I’ve been using their dual USB car charger for years). There’s room for it in the case. I’m slightly annoyed that the device doesn’t charge via more standard USB Mini or Micro chargers, but obviously with 9000 mAh some concessions need to be made.

The device charges in about 8 hours and has indicators for 100%, 70% and 30% charge. In actual usage I got almost a full charge for my iPad. The charger is smart enough to know what type of USB charge to provide. It comes with no charging cables so you will have to bring your own and it can charge any device that uses a USB port. I did notice the smart charging was a bit more particular about the cables I used. Not all my USB cables worked on the device, but that wasn’t a real problem. I was delighted to have so much power on the road. I used it to charge a wide variety of USB devices such as my iPad, my iPhone, my personal hotspot, my bluetooth headphones and more. My laptop only has two USB ports so the Richard Solo 9000 allowed me to be truly mobile without sacrifice.

Of course with that much capacity, the device is going to be heavy. It weighs in at about 10 ounces and is a bit bulky, but the case makes it much easier to travel with. The black and silver accents match nicely with Apple’s current design aesthetic and if you didn’t know better you’d think Apple made it.

If you are looking for maximum portability with your iPad or iPhone, Richard Solo’s 9000 mAh mobile charger will keep your going on the road! Excellent capacity and compatibility make this an ideal choice for road warriors like myself

Pros: Outstanding capacity and compatibility with thoughtful accessories.
Cons: Non-standard USB charging cable, bulky

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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While I’m a huge fan of extreme case protection for the iPhone 4 (my current favorite is the Griffin Survivor), one of the problems is that this extra protection frequently prevents my iPhone from fitting into various docking solutions and cable connectors. Fortunately, two products from CableJive solve this problem. You can have your protection and still keep your existing accessories.

The dockStubz is a simple yet effective 1.3 inch tall adapter that sits between your existing dock and the iPhone (or iPod touch and iPad depending on the situation) The svelte 30 pin male connector is designed to slip through most bulky cases without encumbrance providing a vital link to your existing investments. I’ve used it effectively with the entire Otterbox product line as well as select cases from Ballistic and Griffin. Just in case you need some extra power, the dockStubz also has a mini USB jack that can be used to provide power directly. Great for users who have existing devices that charge via mini USB: no need for an Apple iPhone charging cable.

For situations in which you need not just a more compatible male connector, but a bit of reach, the dockXtender has the same style connector as the dockStubz, but also provides two or six feet of cable extension. I’ve tried other cable extenders but run into the problem of fitting into my case. I could use my dockStubz with an existing cable extender, but why do that when CableJive provides an all in one great solution that protects the integrity of the signal? The dockXtender was a handy tool for using my existing iPhone accessories with my iPad, a total win-win device.

Although I did not test this aspect of the product, Cablejive proactively reports that the dockStubz does not work with the Apple VGA or HDMI adapters.

Both the dockStubz and dockXtender are necessary tools for anyone with a bulky iPhone case who still wants to interact with the existing iPhone accessories, cables, and adapters. Viewing their website, I appreciate their proactive warning to consumers and generous return policy for those with incompatible adapters

Pros: Effectively adapts existing 30-pin devices to practically any case
Cons: Problems with some Apple adapters

Five out of Five Dogcows

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Enter the SleepPhones: a great way to listen to audio while you are sleeping. As someone who suffers from chronic insomnia, I frequently listen to mp3s designed to help me relax and fall asleep. In order to do this I either need to sleep in a separate room or use headphones. The problem, of course is that headphones are uncomfortable and interrupt or prevent sleep. The SleepPhones have found that balance of a comfortable solution that stays in place and doesn’t get in the way.

The soft fleece headband can be worn over the forehead or, as I often do, use it as a sleep mask to protect your eyes and block out the light. Two adjustable speakers are encased in the headband and can be moved to an exact position on top of your ears. At the beginning I didn’t quite realize this and found the volume too low and disruptive to my sleeping companion. Once I found the proper placement, volume issues were resolved. Note that as you sleep they may move so each night that I have to use them, I have to spend a minute or two to find the proper placement. The long headphone jack allows me to clip the iPod onto the side of the bed or pillow case without encumbrance.

The headband is machine washable with the speaker buds removed, but I’d suggest hand washing as the fleece headband probably is not sturdy enough for continued run-ins with an agitator. I was disappointed the product only had a six month warranty, but I’ve used it for over four months without incident. I’m a bit wary of any product with such a short warranty.

If you are looking for a great solution for audio on your way to dreamland, SleepPhones delivers on its promises. The headband speaker combination allows you to fall asleep and not disturb others in the room.

Pros: Works great as part of a sleep solution
Cons: Speakers frequently fall out of alignment, paltry six month warranty

Four out of Five Dogcows

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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After downloading the driver software (no CD is included), the Doxie allows you to scan directly to online service such as Google Documents, Flickr, and Evernote as well as workstation based solutions such as iPhoto and PDF. The software must be running in the background in order for scanning to work, but does not need to be the currently running application.

Pressing on the “heart” button after loading a document begins the scan process. One very annoying aspect of the product is the over-the-top cuteness of that starts with the heart motif. Not only is the scan button a heart but hearts dot the logo on the scanner as well. Even the name Doxie screams cuteness and can either be a miniature dachshund or slang for a lady of the evening: neither of which evokes serious professional work. This is not the type of product I’d pull out at a business meeting.

The software uses a anthropomorphized female version of the scanner complete with a pink (or blue) background as well as fishnet stockings and high heels. I don’t know why Doxie thinks a scanner needs gender, but my British friends tell me that Doxie is slang for a woman of ill repute, so maybe this all makes sense. Fortunately this “feature” can be turned off and you can opt for a simple interface.

The Doxie scanned documents well. In order for the scanner to engage, the item being scanned had to be flush with the right hand side of the scanner and if the item was an irregular size, the scanner might stop in the middle of the scan. The scanner path was slightly curved which caused problems with stiff or irregular documents-I wouldn’t put anything precious through this scanner as I’d often have problems with it jamming.

The scanner software does not include optical character recognition (OCR) but relies on third-party options such as Google documents’ built in (but limited) option or other programs.

For pictures, the software included only basic preset options such as dpi and color vs greyscale. Selecting more esoteric options such as descreening and color depth were limited. The sheet fed aspect of this scanner doesn’t allow you to specify scan area.

Overall the scanner was a great value at $149 even with its saccharine image. For basic document and picture scanning, Doxie is a great choice and the cloud approach is a neat angle to the product. Irregular, precious, or stiff documents should be avoided with this scanner though.

Pros: Value, portable usb-powered, cloud scanning options
Cons: Too cute, sometimes jams

Two out of Five Dogcows

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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When you want true power, power to dominate your iDevices, look no further than the ChargeBlock for iPad. Not only will it charge your iPad (1 or 2) or iPhone but practically any USB devices and does so with a size and dimension not much different than previous generations of iPhones. This is simply a must-have device for power on the road.

With its 8200 mAh capacity, Miccus claims it can provide 13 hours of use and for the iPhone 4 it can provide 61 hours of talk time. Wow. The amazing part is this power fits into a stylish eight ounce package. Included with the ChargeBlock is a USB cable and interchangeable tips for USB powered devices: Mini & Micro USB, Nokia, LG, Motorola, iPod, and iPad. It also includes a 12VDC cable with changeable tips for PSP, DVD, smd GPS. It includes a wall charger as it cannot generally charge via a standard USB port.

Style and aesthetics were clearly at play here because not only is it powerful, but simply gorgeous. Capacity is indicated by three neon blue lights so you have a good idea how much of charge you have left. It can pass through charge any devices connected via USB making it an ideal travel charger. When not charging, a rocker switch turns off the battery. The black mirror finish and silver accents match your iPhone or iPad’s design perfectly.

At $99 retail, the device isn’t cheap but gives great value with its high capacity and ergonomic design. Why pay a little bit less for half the capacity?

The ChargeBlock for iPad is the perfect mix of power, style, and function for effective charging of any USB device on the road, but especially an iPad.

Pros: High capacity, well designed
Cons: None I can find

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Mophie’s Juice Pack Reserve gives you a few extra ounces of courage, or in this case battery, to top off your day, but lacks the power and flexibility to be a reliable external battery charger.

Although it’s the size is somewhat large at 1.60 in x 3.15 in x 0.63 in it only contains 1000mAh of battery power. That’s inconsistent with its size. Batteries with higher capacity come in a smaller size and I really expect more from such a large device.

This external charger has a unique feature I found quite annoying. It has a retractable dock connector which makes for easy travel but for difficult use. The connector wouldn’t stay in place. It would come out while carrying and would fall out of the iPhone during use. This is simply poor design that lacks the real world testing that would have shown what a terrible idea this was. A locking mechanism (most retractable pens have this) would have gone a long way to improve this product.

It does have two interesting pluses. First it has a carabiner keychain to attach to a purse or laptop bag. Additionally it has a handy-dandy flashlight, but its power was meager at best. Good for finding a lock in the dark and not much more.

Most users of external battery chargers would be best off with another product, but if you don’t mind the retractable connector and need a small boost of power you can carry on a keychain or attach to a bag then this product might be a good choice. Otherwise move on to either another Mophie product or a external charger from someone else.

Pros: flashlight and carabiner keychain
Cons: meager capacity and flashlight, awkward connector

One out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Similar to the Defender, this Survivor provides 3 layers of protection. The first layer is a shatter-resistant polycarbonate frame interior that wraps around most of the phone. The second layer is a clear plastic overlay that protects the screen without impeding audio or the camera. Finally, a thick silicone overlay protects every aspect of your iPhone including the dock and speaker jack (where the water sensors are located).

The silicone overlay is truly unique and reminds me of the earlier Otterbox Defender 3G cases. On each of the four corners (where impact is likely) the silicone is up to a quarter-inch thick and when dropped on this corner my iPhone literally bounced (the test was an accident, but I was nonetheless impressed). The flaps protecting the dock and headphone jack actually include a plug to form a tight seal when closed. According to Griffin, the ports block blown sand/dust (up to 18 m/sec for 1 hour). Water resistance isn’t claimed, but can be inferred given this sealed design. In a video shown on their website, the iPhone is dropped in a snow pack and still continues to work.

The belt clip is a great design with a minimal clip that attaches to the bottom of the case. It can be used in a vertical and horizontal position. You need to make sure it clips properly. I didn’t one time and learned the hard way how well the silicone bounces the iPhone when dropped.

An annoying flaw exists that may be a deal killer for some users. The flap protecting the rear facing camera is normally closed, is not removable and won’t stay open by itself. If you want to quickly snap a picture you need to manually hold the flap open. More than once I got a blank picture because I forgot to open the flap before taking a picture. I got used to it, but if you rely on being able to take a quick picture with your iPhone, this may not be the case for you. I didn’t mind, but other testers got quite frustrated and said they’d simply remove the flap if they used the case long term.

Despite the camera flap, I simply loved this case. Sure it adds heft and bulk to your svelte iPhone, but this isn’t about fashion, it’s about protection. Hands down, the Griffin Survivor is the best case to protect your iPhone 4. Its three layer protection, sealed flaps, and excellent belt clip make it an ideal choice for iPhone users needing ultimate protection.

Pros: Great protection for your iPhone 4 from practically any mishap
Cons: Annoying camera flap gets in the way, belt clip can be confusing, bulky

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The Super-Juice Power case by Dexim is an external iPhone 4 case combined with a 2000 mAh battery. Unlike other cases I’ve seen in this style, Dexim has thought of everything and this is the battery case I’d recommend above all others currently on the market.

The battery power is similar to that of the Mophie Juice Pack Plus and claims to supply an extra 2000 mAh to your device to allow for 6 hours of talk time, 10 hours of video, or 40 hours of music. It uses a micro-usb cable to charge itself and to provide pass-through charging to the iPhone. Three blue LED’s in the back indicate the level of charge the device is providing and a small button in the back can turn off the battery boost when not in use.

The Super-Juice’s strength is in its design particulars. Unlike most other cases I’ve seen in this category, the iPhone 4 is easily removed from the Super-Juice. Release the top hood and the iPhone slides out. However, the hood stays attached to the case so you can’t lose it. Why other manufactures haven’t taken this step really surprises me. More than one external battery case I’ve had in the past was rendered useless by losing a critical part.

The back of the Super-Juice has a little “kickstand” that can keep the iPhone in landscape mode on a table or another flat surface. This is perfect for watching video on a plane and is a simple little extra that makes all the difference.

My only major complaint is the fact that the plastic of the case has a glossy finish which can become slippery in sweaty hands. I intend to attach a few grip slips to prevent the case from slipping. Since it comes only in white, I might use the grip strips to jazz the color up a bit.

Overall, the Super-Juice Power Case by Dexim is a high capacity external battery and case that keeps you going all day with your iPhone 4 and has subtle design features and extras that make it best of class.

Pros: 2000vmAh battery, kickstand, integrated design so nothing gets lost
Cons: Only comes in white, glossy finish to the plastic.

Four out of Five Dogcows

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This integrated Bluetooth keyboard and case copies the original design of the first iBook so much that more than one person asked why I was carrying a black iBook. If they ever make this in blue or orange, there will be many confused people out there.

When the iPad is placed in this case, it looks like the typical laptop: screen on top and keyboard on the bottom. Close the iCapsule just like you would a clamshell style laptop (though the iPad won’t go to sleep when you close it) You’ll notice there isn’t a pointing device or trackpad on this “laptop”, which got annoying after a while. I was so used to typing on it like a laptop I’d instinctively move my thumbs towards the trackpad rather than the screen. That’s a testament to how seamless the transition from the iPad experience was.

The actual case provides no padding, but has a handle and is made of hard plastic so mishaps are less likely. The screen is somewhat protected from impact when closed because it is flush with the keyboard. Occasionally debris from the keyboard was transferred to the iPad screen when the case was closed (incidentally, this is a common problem with traditional laptops).

While the iCapsule had your typical keys including control, option and escape, it replaced the typical function keys with a variety of handy quick keys such as full volume and music controls (pause, play etc) as well as selection, copy, spotlight and keyboard toggling. This is very handy for someone doing serious work on an iPad.

iPad purists will balk at the amount of bulk this adds to the iPad and that it somehow defeats its purpose. Partially they are right. Many people replace their laptop with an iPad because they want a lightweight powerful alternative with incredible battery life. Of course, serious typing is near impossible on the iPad. Typing on the iCapsule was quick and responsive. The device takes two AA batteries, but the keyboard goes to sleep after non-use.

Unfortunately the iCapsule suffers a near fatal flaw that I hope gets fixed in later releases. While the designers left space to plug in headphones on the side, they failed to include a port for the 30 pin connector. The only way to charge your iPad is to remove it from the iCapsule. Over time it becomes a pain to constantly remove your iPad in order to charge it. Because the keyboard is bluetooth, you’ll be reducing your battery life significantly and thus charging is more important. Moreover, the sleep button was difficult to access while in this case. The designers left little room for it. If you put the iPad in backwards (which you can do), the iPad will constantly go to sleep due to the pressure. Accommodations should have been made to make sure that all ports were available and you couldn’t put the iPad in its case backwards.

Serious typists and those making the transition from a laptop will really enjoy how easy and natural the iCapsule case and keyboard is to use. Be prepared for the constant removal each time you want to charge the iPad though

Pros: Ideal laptop replacement with responsive and spacious keyboard
Cons: Lack of support for charging while in the case or guides to prevent the iPad from being put in backwards

Four out of Five Dogcows

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Similar to other cases in its class, this provides multiple levels of protection. A hard plastic shell is protected with integrated silicone bumpers and a screen overlay. An optional extra wrap around bumper is included that provides another layer of protection as well as covers the headphone, mute/rotation lock, and the dock port.

The port protection had some minor problems. The mute/rotation lock would often fail to stay closed and I had a rough time getting any connectors to fit into the dock port. To get the sync cable from Apple to fit I had to use more force than I’d feel comfortable and it made a loud snap when put in place. I got used to this, but it still made me nervous I’d break a cable. The only part of the phone that remains unprotected are the speaker ports at the bottom and the rear facing camera. Not a big deal, but it’s not full and complete protection for your iPhone. Of all the extreme-style cases I tested, this was most compatible with dock style devices such as the iHome.

This Ballistic HC provides multi-layer protection without the bulk of some other cases and is an excellent value for someone wanting a higher level of protection without sacrificing the size of their iPhone

Pros: Svelte design, multi-layer protection
Cons: Port didn’t always stay closed, tight dock connector

Four out of Five Dogcows

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The ZAGGMate iPad Case and keyboard combo upon first glance is a brilliant idea: a combination bluetooth keyboard and iPad protective case. Unfortunately, the implementation of the design is flawed and for many this product simply won’t be a good fit.

The first serious flaw in this product is the way the iPad fits into the case. The fit is extremely tight with padding on the edges in order to make sure the iPad doesn’t separate from its keyboard case. This tight fit makes it difficult to remove. You need to use both hands as well as your fingernail. Be careful though, that brushed aluminum can have sharp edges and if you apply too much pressure, you find your iPad flying across the table. I was constantly afraid of injuring myself or the iPad.

Using the keyboard was quite difficult. In order to accommodate the physical size of the iPad, the keyboard was significantly smaller than the typical keyboard and was almost exactly the same size as the iPad virtual keyboard (which is logical if it’s the same size as the iPad). The ZAGGMate metal edges did not allow me to put my hands in a natural position: I had to type at an angle since the edges of the keyboard had a ridge that prevented you from laying your palms on a flat surface. The only way to type was to keep your palms raised in an awkward and painful position. I could only type a few minutes at a time before my wrists got tired or the pressure from the case edges cut into my wrists. Ouch.

The iPad was held in the case while typing with a small valley and a plastic stand. The stand didn’t always fit into the grove properly and my iPad would fall down. If you purchase this, make absolutely sure to put some pressure on the stand to confirm it’s aligned properly. Even while properly put in its stand, any movement of the surface would knock the iPad out of alignment. I was in constant fear of it dropping yet again out of the ZAGGMate.

The actual case did nothing to protect the sensitive back of the iPad which was yet another disappointment with this product. The padding around the sides is minimal and I actually scratched the front of my iPad while putting it in the case (ironically, I had a screen protector so it was fine).

The only positives I could find about this keyboard case combo was that it is extremely light and adds little weight to your iPad. It also allows for charging the iPad while in the case. Charging the internal battery of the keyboard is done by the less popular Micro USB cable.

Pros: Minimalist keyboard that integrates a case
Cons: Case very difficult to use, provides minimal protection, keyboard small and awkward to use

One out of Five Dogcows

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The JuicePack comes with a USB charging cable in order to charge the battery, but requires the user to bring their own charge cable for their devices. This is a bonus in my book since I have a plethora of iPhone charge cables. The JuicePack will also provide a passthrough charge to any device connected to it.

For portability, I use the Scoche flip-sync cable which fits nicely on my keychain so I’ve always got an iPhone cable handy. The fact you can use the Powerstation for a variety of devices is a great feature. I was able to provide top-off charges to my iPhone, iPad, and my MiFi all from this device and still had some power left over

Unlike other external batteries, the Powerstation will provide a 2.1A charge for the iPad, though it won’t fully charge the iPad. To track how much charge is left it uses a series of six white lights. A status button is located on the top of the battery to quickly check how much is left. An additional switch allows you to turn off the battery’s output once you’ve got enough charge.

At $99 retail, this is a bit pricey, but will be of great value if you have multiple devices needing a charge. Lightweight, powerful and ergonomic is a win in my book

Pros: Lightweight with substantial capacity
Cons: A bit expensive

Four out of Five Dogcows

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The capacity is rated at 3000 mAh, which claims to add 11 hours of talk time for your iPhone. While I could not fully test that, I was able to take a almost dead iPhone 4 to a full charge.

The most surprising feature of the BluePack was its weight. Even though it is high capacity, the device only weights 3.2 ounces and is similar shape and size to the iPhone 4.

Another feature of the BluePack S8 is a built-in flashlight. At first I thought that was a silly feature, until I travelled with it (which would be a common use of an external battery pack), and needed a flashlight in the middle of the night. Then I saw the light, literally

The accessories the BluePack comes with are also quite handy. For one, it does a fast charge with a dual USB AC adapter. While you can use this for the S8, it works well for other devices. Additionally it has a USB to 30-pin iOS adapter, a USB Mini and a USB Micro cable. Since the charger provides a standard USB port, you can use either the included USB adapter or bring your own if you have a speciality one.

A great feature not always found in external batteries is the ability to charge your USB device while the S8 is charging. Plug the S8 into the wall and then your iPad or iPhone into the S8. Both devices get the necessary charge.

Overall, the BluePack S8 is a perfect balance of price, performance and features and I strongly recommend it as an external battery charger.

Pros: Great capacity, very portable, flashlight and adapters
Cons: Carrying case, cable length

Five out of Five Dogcows

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Kensington’s PowerGuard case with integrated external battery has great potential but fails to deliver in critical areas. However, it is one of the least expensive out there, so it might be a good option for those who are price conscious.

While priced similar to other integrated battery cases, the case weighs more ,yet has the least capacity of the cases I reviewed: 1200 mAh. Kensington reports for an iPhone 4 use this adds 4 hours of extra talk, 5 hours of video, or 22 hours of music. My experience is consistent with that claim.

One of the key flaws of the PowerGuard case will be encountered immediately: opening the darn thing. Unlike other cases that have easy hinges, the PowerGuard requires a coin or flat-head screwdriver to separate the bumper from the battery. Apply too much pressure and you’ll crack the plastic tabs like I did! If you are out in the field and need to change to another case–good luck.

Another flaw is lack of a capacity indicator. Most external battery chargers include LEDs or other indicators to know how much capacity is left in the battery. The PowerGuard has one light that indicates whether or not you have a charge.

One nice feature is the fact it has a slot in the back that you can use the supplied credit-card like plastic card to create a horizontal stand. I doubt if anyone will actually use the supplied card; I already carry enough of those in my wallet. Finally, my loyalty card for the grocery store has some use!

If price is the critical factor, the Kensington PowerGuard might be a good option for you if you don’t need to remove your iPhone from the case that often. Otherwise spending a bit more on another case will get you a better value with less frustration.

Pros: Inexpensive, kickstand slot
Cons: Difficult to separate the case, lack of capacity and capacity indicator

2 out of 5 Dogcows

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The Kensington Travel Battery Pack and Charger provides a nice jolt of battery power while you are on the road and gives you a handy horizontal viewing stand as well. However at its retail of $70 and street price of around $40, other chargers provide a greater value.

I was generally disappointed in the design of this device. The Travel Battery Pack and Charger has an integrated USB connector, but beware, it’s quite short and I had trouble charging the pack with my USB hub and other USB charging devices. Kensington claims the integrated USB tip is a feature since it’s all you need to carry, but I found it an annoyance as its weight made it fall out of my Apple-supplied iPhone charger. The device was an awkward size of 1.50″ x 2.75″ x 6.00″ making it difficult to carry in my jeans pocket or in my laptop bag.

As a charger it delivered 1500 mAH of power which Kensington claims amounts to 23 hours music, up to 7 hours of video and up to 5 hours of talk time. The ergonomics of the device made it near impossible to hold the iPhone and keep the battery connected: this device was simply not designed with talking in mind.

Using the Travel Battery pack while on a flat surface was completely acceptable. The dock protector was an integrated horizontal viewing stand for the iPhone which made it easy to use on the plane to catch up on my TV viewing. I also liked the 6 blue LEDs indicating exactly how much of a charge was left.

While better values exist in external battery chargers, some users might find the “kickstand” cap a neat feature for their extended video viewing needs on the iPhone and others might value the integrated USB port that eliminates the need for a cable. I certainly didn’t and after testing, this devicehas been sitting on the shelf unused. It’s a design that just didn’t work for me.

Pros: A sizable 1500 mAH of power, integrated USB port and horizontal kickstand
Cons: Bulky, difficult to use the short USB connector, difficultly using the phone while charging.

2 out of 5 Dogcows

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Sometimes your iPhone needs a bit of a power boost to make it through the day, just like it’s owner might need a cup of coffee or a shot of the latest energy drink. The Dexim P-Flip™ Foldable Power Dock is small, powerful external battery that will get you to the end of the day and then some, with a few extras to make it a great value.

The P-Flip is an external 2000 mAh battery charger and claims to provide up to 6 hours talk time, 10 hours video/gaming or 40 hours music. My real world tests were consistent with this claim. Folded up it’s about the size and thickness of a business card holder, 2”x3” and weights about 9 ounces.

It’s designed to be used as an iPhone 4 stand for Facetime conversations or simply a convenient way to use the phone while charging via its USB mini cable since it can provide power to the iPhone 4 while charging. I was able to use the P-Flip while holding the phone up to my ear, but it was a slight bit awkward. I kept this in my pocket and used it for an extra power boost while taking a break for lunch or dinner while on the road.

Included with the P-Flip™ is a clear bumper case to provide a tight fit in the stand for an iPhone 4, but the device works fine to charge a naked iPhone or while using some of the other popular iPhone cases. However, if you use a full wraparound case for your iPhone you’ll most likely need to remove it while using the P-Flip. No big deal given the number of naked iPhone 4s I see in the wild.

Dexim boasts that they also provide a free alarm clock iPhone app that’s designed to compliment the P-Flip. The idea is with the P-Flip you can use it as a replacement for your standard beside clock. The app works fine but doesn’t really take advantage of any special feature of the P-Flip. Nothing negative, but it’s more a marketing gimick than providing anything useful.

If you need a bit of a power boost throughout the day and run your iPhone 4 naked or with a minimal bumper, the P-Flip™ Foldable Power dock is a great option.

Pros: Powerful, lightweight and easy to use.
Cons: Need to use either their bumper or a minimal case

8 out of 10

The Chargeblock has an impressive 1500 mAh of power which provides up to 19 hours of audio and up to 5 hours of talk time, yet weights a little over an ounce. The ergonomics of the device are outstanding. The shape and size of the charger is similar to that of a cigarette lighter and fits easily into a pocket, purse, or laptop bag. Unlike a cigarette lighter, the top case that protectors the 30-pin connector is detachable and might get lost over time, which is a minor annoyance.

Unlike any other external battery charger for the iPhone I’ve ever tested, the Chrgeblock was 100% usable while talking on the phone. It unobtrusively added a curved bottom to the phone and didn’t fall out during conversations. More than once I forget that it was an add-on to my iPhone and not part of it. Incidentally it worked great with my iPad as well.

The charger uses a series of 3 red lights to indicate the charge status. Around the edges is six blue lights that “dance” around the device while charging. This was a cool sci-fi feature but did get somewhat annoying while charging in a small hotel room. I had dreams of Cylons and Colonial Vipers.

This charger has become a trusted companion that I carry with my practically everywhere! If you’re looking for a few ounces of iOS power to get you through your day, the Chargeblock XL is all you need.

Pros: Excellent capacity, balanced design and affordable
Cons: Wish they made an energy drink to help the iOS device user get through the day

FIve out of Five Dogcows

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The Technocel PowerPak XT is a combination USB charger and external battery pack that I highly recommend as a great combination for anyone who travels and needs a little extra power boost now and then. Because it has a USB port and a AC power plug, you can charge your iPhone (or iPad in “slow-charge “mode) and charge the device’s own battery at the same time.

Ironically, the device comes with a variety of USB adapters to charge mobile phones but not those made by Apple–you’ll have to bring your own cable for that. The PowerPak has a 1600 mAh internal lithium ion battery which claims up to 4 1/2 hours of extra talk time. Actual usage was consistent with this claim as my iPhone charge went up by 50% after the Technocel was drained.

The device is about the size of a Macbook charger (sans cables) and can easily fit into most pockets. It has a matte finish and curved edges making it powerful and visually pleasing (and won’t grind into your leg while in your pocket). Carrying an iPhone charge cable with you could be annoying though – I used the Scosche Flipsync portable charger to avoid this problem.

Technocel claims the device can hold its charge for a year. While I couldn’t test that, I did leave it fully charged and unplugged and still got the 50% increase in my iPhone 4’s battery when I plugged it into the PowerPak XT.

Four red LEDs indicate the current capacity left in the battery or whether the device is charging, depending on the situation. Knowing how much of a charge is left in the external battery is always helpful

This is a smart design as it replaces the standard iPhone charger but also provides you a extended battery pack for just a bit more space and size. Because it’s a pass through USB charger, you can use it in a variety of combinations to charge other devices either with the included USB cables or those provided by the manufacturer.

Pros: Universal design provides charging and battery backup at the same time
Cons: Doesn’t come with iPhone charging cable

Four out of Five Dogcows

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Hands-free bluetooth devices for the iPhone are a dime a dozen. People walking around town appearing to talk to themselves, until you see the blue blinking device coming out of their ear. They are either a human-cyborg hybrid or using a Bluetooth handsfree.

The BluBridge is different because it’s not only an excellent hands-free interface for your iPhone (or other Bluetooth enabled phone ), but also a rich and full stereo speaker system. When talking to others with the BluBridge, the call is in stereo (so your mother-in-law can nag at you in 360 degrees). Microphone quality is average and consistent with most other Bluetooth devices. Good to great, but people can hear you are on a hand-free.

Being able to listen to my iPhone without the hassles of wires opened up amazing new possibilities. We’ve all accidentally snagged our iPhone cord and seen the phone go flying (fortunately I have an Otterbox case). Even without the hazard, it’s just darn inconvenient to have wires while listening to music.

My immediate killer application for these headphones was the gym. They are extremely lightweight and water resistant with excellent earbud holders so they won’t fall out during heavy exercise. Instead of an awkward combination of a case for my iPhone and wires that would constantly get caught on equipment, I simply placed my iPhone in a safe position at the gym and worked out while getting my grove on.

Controls for answering calls as well as volume and previous/next track are all integrated into the sides of the headphones. Unfortunately there is no indicator as to the battery life but Miscus claims 9 hours of music and 8 hours of talk before a recharge. Recharging is somewhat tricky because it doesn’t use a USB mini or micro connector but it’s own unique USB charging cable. I expect today to not have to carry around different cords for charging, but that’s really the only fault I found with the device. Oh, one other complaint, given the round disks hanging out of your ears, you may look like Princess Lea or Lobot from Star Wars depending on your gender.

With a retail price tag of $50.00, you get quality headphones and hand-free all combined into one. I have completely fallen in love with these headphones and take them everywhere now. I’m singing the blues with a smile on my face

Pros: Wireless sound combined with quality hands-free
Cons: Non-standard charger, no battery indicator

The Matias TactilePro compares itself to the last great keyboard made by Apple, the Apple Extended II. The premium keyswitch used in the TactilePro is noisy because it’s a mechanical switch. Serious typists prefer a mechanical switch because it gives strong auditory and physical feedback when you press a key. Apple’s current keyboard requires an extremely light touch of the keys and feels “mushy.” Over the years my words per minute seriously declined because my hands would get tired after a long typing session and I’d often miss keys because I was trying to be too light and pulled up to soon on the keys. On the Tactile Pro, the keycaps are sculpted so that you can easily feel the difference and spaces between the keys. Your finger can clearly find the edges and return to the proper concave position in the middle of the key. The keys are also laser etched so the paint won’t wear off over time. I hate how all my keyboards certain letters have completely worn off. While I’m a touch typist I hate how ugly the keys look. This is a problem with the TactilePro.

Besides the mechanical keyswitch, the TactilePro has other serious enhancements professional Mac users will appreciate. The keyboard has a large footprint to ensure your hands don’t feel cramped and you have plenty of room to rest your hands comfortably. Personally, when I type on my Macbook keyboard my big hands constantly cramp because my fingers are simply too close together. The TactilePro allows my hands to spread out.

Similar to other Apple keyboards, the TactilePro provides volume control and eject keys that don’t require drivers and the control, option and command keys are clearly marked without the annoying Windows counterpart. Two USB ports on either side allows attachments of peripherals just like most other keyboards. The white color doesn’t match the current aluminum scheme of Mac’s design but it doesn’t contrast with it either. White is always in fashion.

This quality and comfort comes at a comparatively steep price of $150 retail. While Apple includes a keyboard free with most Macs or charges $50 to buy it separately, the Apple Extended II was $163 back in the early 1990s. A serious typist will find the TactilePro quite a bargain when they factor in the increased productivity and decreased fatigue this outstanding keyboard provides. I can’t believe I lived without this keyboard for so long.

Pros: Tactile feedback from a mechanical switch, laser etched keys
Cons: Cost, color choices

5 out of 5 Dogcows

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Like earlier iterations, the Defender package contains and inner core of shock-resistant plastic, with a felt liner on the interior to protect the phone. A screen protector is integrated to the plastic and cannot be removed (no bubbles!) Wrapping around the exterior of the device is a thick rubberized shell (available in red, blue, or black), protecting all sides of the device from impact, and including retractable flaps over the dock connector, headphone jack (which houses the moisture sensor) and mute button ports. Only the speakers remain “open” to the elements.

All this protection nearly doubles the thickness and heft of the phone, and the thick rubber covers over the buttons and ports take some getting used to, and can be annoying if you have to frequently mute and unmute the phone for whatever reason. For someone who wants this level of protection, these are minor annoyances only. The Defender is a tank, and really protects the phone. I have no qualms taking my phone into humid environments or using it in a light rain shower with this case on (although keep in mind it is NOT waterproof!)

The screen protector is excellent, and bubble free, and I like the fact that it protects the screen without having to actually be stuck on. Dirty fingers are no problem here! Note that sometimes the inside of the screen protector may adhere slightly to the screen. Ironically the secret is to make sure there are some fingerprints on the screen before you put it in the case.

The case can take a ton pf physical abuse as well. The Defender is the case that you can see in videos of iPhones being tossed around against brick walls and cement floors. I wasn’t about to replicate this with my own personal iPhone, but I feel quite confident that it will simply shrug off drops onto hard floors or parking lots from ordinary heights. Based on my experience with the Defender 3G/3GS cas, it takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’ (or rockin’ or talkin’ as the case may be.)

The Defender comes with a belt clip which doubles as a stand for watching multimedia on the phone. I don’t like belt clips and would not use it, but for those who use these things, it is an effective and very sturdy clip which adds additional protection to the phone. The design is much different than the previous versions. The clip holds the phone horizontal instead of vertical in theory making it less susceptible to disengagement while siting down or bending over. You could literally roll around on concrete with the clip and and the phone would be fine. Without a doubt, the Defender is the most sturdy iPhone protective case on the market. It is the armored vehicle of iPhone cases and will defend your phone from the slings and arrows of daily life.

My only caveat with fully recommending the iPhone 4 Defender case to everyone is the fact that some accessories have trouble working with the phone while in its case. In particular, devices that rely on the dock connector or the headphone jack sometimes had problems. Removing the iPhone 4 from the Defender case takes time as you have to remove each layer of protection. This was an annoyance inherited from previous versions, but the occasional incompatibly is minor compared to having to pay for a iPhone glass replacement, or worse a new iPhone.

Until Otterbox came out with an iPhone 4 Defender case, I wasn’t one of those buying a phone on day one. I trust my iPhone to no other case but the Defender. My numerous near misses with my iPhone 3G and 3GS made me a believer and the iPhone 4 Defender case inherited all the qualities of its predecessor with a few extra bells and whistles.

Pros: Strong, reliable protection for every aspect of the iPhone 4
Cons: Does add bulk, some accessories have problems working with the case

5 out of 5 Dogcows

Five out of Five Dogcows.

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Before I got the Matias Folding Keyboard, I used the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and the Apple iPad Dock with Keyboard. I immediately disliked the iPad Dock. It required me to remove my iPad from it’s protective case while docked and didn’t allow me to change the angle of the iPad nor move the keyboard to a more comfortable and ergonomically ideal position for me. Of course, it wasn’t as portable.

The Apple Bluetooth keyboard was much better for me. My main complaint about it was that I didn’t terribly like typing on it. The keyboard is physically small and the keys aren’t as responsive. Additionally, when I’d do number crunching, I missed the 10-key pad of a traditional keyboard. Travelling with the Apple Bluetooth was better than the Dock, but the metal keyboard got hot in the car and the cylinder at the top of the keyboard didn’t always fit in travel bags easily.

The Matias Folding Keyboard is an ideal compromise for the serious iPad typist. Unlike Apple’s offerings, this is a full-sized keyboard. There are no tiny key caps designed to look good, but not to do heavy typing. This keyboard folds to about the overall size and thickness of the Apple Blutooth keyboard, but unfolds into a full keyboard complete with number pad and a spacious typing area.

If you want to effectively type with an iPad, the Matias Folding Keyboard is an ideal combination of portability and function. You’ll have a full sized keyboard that’s compact and and a pleasure to type on.

Pros: Full sized keyboard with the ability to fold down to a portable size
Cons: Could use some feet to make it a bit more ergonomic.

5 out 5 Dogcows

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Unlike it’s beefier sibling, the Commuter’s rubber sleeve is is banded by a smooth plastic shell, which allows the
Commuter to easily slide in and out of one’s pocket. The case is actually two parts, a thin rubber piece which wraps over most of the
phone, providing shock protection, and then the aforementioned plastic piece, which slides over the back of the phone vertically as a band, providing further protection. Finally, there is a screen protector, which must be manually applied and is prone to bubbling. All together, these provide three layers of protection.

In daily use, the case provides fine protection against the usual hazards of iPhone ownership, such as pocket junk, random banging
against other objects, and sliding across tables, and it’s dual layer protection is superior to the high fashion cases. Although, I didn’t actually test intentionally dropping the phone, based on the construction of the case, I am pretty confident it would survive a short fall onto a hard surface unless you got unlucky enough to have something impact the front glass. I had enough close encounters with my iPhone 3GS and Commuter to trust Otterbox’s design.

What are the downsides of the Commuter? Well, just like the Model T, you can have the Commuter in any color you like, as long as it is
black. I was disappointed in the lack of any color options, but this may not be a big deal to many people and I’m sure Otterbox will develop more colors later on. Another negative was the slim flap which protects the dock connection; although a good idea in
theory, the flap often comes loose and ends up just being annoying. Finally, the areas where the edges of the rubber of the case touched
the phone (such as around the screen and the mute switch) seemed to become dust magnets, although to be fair, many rubber cases have the same issue.

Overall, the Commuter is a great balance of protection in a lightweight design that easily slides in and out of your pocket. For my spouse the protection the Commuter offers is “just right” – more protection than the “free cases” Apple offered, with a minimal amount of bulk. If the Otterbox iPhone 4 case was a car, the Commuter would be the luxury sedan while the Defender is a tank. Not everyone wants to drive a tank to work.

Pros: A perfect balance of form and function and superior 3-layer protection
Cons: Lack of color choices, average manual screen protection

Rating: 4 out of 5 Dogcows

Article was republished by the Lawrence Apple User’s Group 2.0 here as well as other groups listed on the right

Throughout history various philosophers and scientists have envisioned a goal, yet have never been able to achieve it. Early on we had the alchemists who tried to turn lead into gold; in the last century physicists tried to create cold fusion, and more recently have been trying to prove the existence of the Higgs boson. Likewise, mankind has tried for ages to create screen protectors that are bubble free. Science simply has been unable to achieve a bubble free applied screen protector….until now.

Moshi has turned the rules upside down. When I first heard about the iVisor AG Matte Protector for iPad, I denied it’s existence as well. I thought it would make it easier to be bubble free, but I simply couldn’t fathom that Moshi had achieved the impossible. For the record, I’m about the worst at applying screen protectors. I constantly have bubbles, bumps and dust on the screen and eventually just give up. Therefore I can think of nobody better to test the iVisor AG Matte Protector for iPad

If I hadn’t done it with my own two hands and seen it with my own two eyes I would not have believed it. On my first try with only a light wiping of the screen, my iVisor applied without a hitch. Zero bubbles, zero distortion, and zero glare. The screen looked so much better without the glare or fingerprints of the original iPad screen. The touch screen was just as responsive as before. My concern about the laws of physics, however, was immediately challenged.

The next morning the sun did come up, gravity was still working yet my iPad screen was still protected and was fingerprint and bubble free. After getting a bit of grease on the screen, I was able to remove the protector, clean it, and reapply the iVisor again without bubbles.

Overall, the iVisor is the best screen protector I’ve ever seen for any device. Not only does it protect the screen and reduce glare, the zero-bubble feature is simply amazing and isn’t science-fiction but science fact. After using the iVisor, I can’t imagine ever dealing with the hassles of the average screen protector. I can’t wait until they come out with this for the iPhone and the iPods!

I think I’m going to revisit that whole lead-gold thing again, because thanks to Moshi I believe anything is now possible.

Pros: Protects the screen, zero bubbles, zero glare
Cons: Makes you question established laws of science

Five out of Five Dogcows.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Generally, Otterbox cases come in the “Defender” line and the “Commuter” line. While the Defender is the ultimate in protection, the Commuter is an excellent balance of price, performance and bulk.

The Otterbox Commuter for the iPad is similar to Commuter products down the Otterbox product line. It combines a silicone wraparound with a hard plastic support and a plastic screen overlay: three different forms of protection for your iPad when most vendors provide only one.

The Commuter added a slight bit of bulk to the side and back of the iPad, but was within the normal dimensions of other silicone cases. I was easily able to fit it in most iPad sleeves. Given the large size of the iPad, a structural support in back is important to prevent screen cracking due to flexing.

The Commuter’s combination of matte makes the case much easier to grab and much less likely to slip out of your fingers. Holding my iPad in this case was comfortable and natural. Unlike other silicone cases that didn’t quite fit, the Otterbox always has a tight custom fit.

I’m a big fan of the Defender Case, but not everyone wants that level of protection (or price tag). For those looking for the perfect balance of price, style, and protection, the Otterbox Commuter for iPad delivers!

Pros: Light yet sturdy protection
Cons: None

Five out of Five Dogcows.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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“Tank” is the first word I thought of when using my Otterbox Defender for the iPad.

While I’m a big fan of the Defender for the iPhone, I was deeply concerned about my iPad. The iPad costs nearly twice as much and just seems so exposed with that big screen in the front. Would my trusted guardian angels in Fort Collins let me down? Absolutely not.

Similar to most Otterbox Defender cases, the Defender for the iPad has two methods of protection. The core is made of hard plastic, which is particularly important on the iPad since you could flex it hard enough to crack the glass. Unfortunately, I’ve seen this in action. The second line of defense is a standard silicone overwrap. This silicone withstood sweat and oils without getting slick or discolored. The silicone protects most of the ports on the iPad such as the volume switch and the rotation lock. The dock connector is protected for daily use, but is accessible via a removable plate to allow the iPad to be plugged in for charging.

Unlike the Defender for the iPhone, the Defender for the iPad does not have an integrated plastic screen shield built into the case. I was very disappointed because they included a standard plastic overlay instead. I hate those. After about 10 attempts of putting on the plastic overlay and pushing out the bubbles, I gave up entirely. I’m sure the engineering of such a large screen protector was difficult, but I did like the complete protection the integrated overlay offered for the phone version and wish it were available for the iPad version as well..

The Defender for the iPad had some unique features that more than made up for the lack of integrated screen protector. Because the screen is so vulnerable on the iPad, Otterbox included a hard plastic protector shield that completely encloses the front of the iPad and snaps into place with the rest of the case. But there’s one more thing: this hard plastic also acts as an iPad stand in either horizontal or vertical mode. I’ve struggled with carrying a quality iPad stand while doing heavy typing and my prayers were answered by Otterbox’s engineering department.

Some may balk that the case has an $89 price tag or that it bulks up the iPad a bit, but like the solider in the field, sometimes you need that level of protection. It won’t protect against everything, but for day-to-day mortals like me who take it everywhere around town, this is a reliable insurance policy to protect my iPad against mishaps. I love my iPad almost as much as my Defender for my iPad! Great job!

Pros: Outstanding protection, innovative screen protector and stand
Cons: No integrated plastic screen shield

5 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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I’m about the worst person at taking care of my car. I’m like the computer owner who never backs up, doesn’t run an antivirus, and always unplugs the computer instead of doing a proper shutdown. I’m a mechanic’s nightmare. However with CarMD ($98.00), at least I’m not a total n00b anymore in taking care of my car.

CarMD takes advantage of the OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) port built into most cars made after 1996, which is usually located somewhere under the dash. The CarMD website tells you exactly where to find the port on your particular car. Once you find the port, all you have to do is plug it into your car and wait until the device beeps that it’s read your car’s info. Three simple lights give you a quick diagnostic of your car’s status: a green checkmark indicating all is ok, an yellow question mark indicating there might be a problem and a red x indicating something needs to be corrected.

The CarMD includes a USB cable and software to hook the device up to your computer. The software primarily creates a bridge between the device and the CarMD website. The first time you use the website, you have to put your car’s information and mileage into the system. One account can support up to three different cars. I easily added my car and my spouse’s. They suggest using the device when checking out a potential used car for purchase, but with only 3 cars on one account, the usefulness in this area is somewhat limited.

The first time I tried the device, my car just had a major milestone of service, so I knew everything checked out ok. Ironically, my CarMD had an yellow light indicating a problem. I panicked and spoke with their support people. Apparently when you get your car serviced, certain logs are cleared out so there wasn’t enough diagnostic info in some areas. Whew! A few weeks later the device had no problem giving my car a clean bill of health.

In addition to explaining your “check engine” light on your car, the CarMD website also informs you of any recalls or technical service bulletins. For an additional $19.95 you can unlocked an unlimited number of these TSBs, or you can simply research them yourself. For an car dummy like me, it’s best just to pay for the premium so you have all your car info in one place. In the future, CarMD promises the Premium Membership will include data about scheduled and preventative maintenance.

Overall, I really liked the device. I panic when any strange lights come on my car or whenever I have a problem. For less than the cost of a shop visit, I can arm myself with enough information to make an informed decision about my car care.

Pros: Quality information about your car and its current state
Cons: Premium membership is a bit costly for what it does

5 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Fortunately this stand isn’t specific to the iPad, but can hold any similarly sized tablet device such as a Kindle or Nook. The stand is adjustable and can sit anywhere from 8.25 inches tall to 4.25 inches tall so you can comfortable read or display your device at any angle. It also supports the iPad in either a portrait or landscape mode. The rubber pads provide an excellent grip to prevent slipping and sliding while allowing full access to the device, including the charging port.

Unfortunately the stand isn’t really portable. Unlike other Lapworks products, this stand does not fold or deconstruct for easy carrying. I tried to carry it with me to the coffee shop, but the point of carrying the iPad was reducing bulky accessories, not adding to them. Honestly, for the price, I’d expect a bit more. I did receive quite a few compliments at the coffee shop, though.

Overall, I really liked the stand. While not in use, the stand made a highly stable base of my iPad while charging and showing pictures. Occasionally while watching TV on the iPad, the base travelled into the bedroom to provide a easy platform for viewing. Trying to watch a 60 minute show while holding an iPad does get tiring quickly. When the iPad is used for heavy word processing with the bluetooth keyboard, the experience was clearly superior to the iPad keyboard stand produced by Apple.

Pros: Stable, attractive base for your iPad
Cons: Pricey, not portable

4 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Hard Candy seem to always be first to market lately with protective cases for Apple’s latest accessories. First impressions mean a lot and Hard Candy doesn’t disappoint. Their Bubble Sleeve is the case I rely on for my iPad when I want to make sure it’s gong to arrive at my destination intact.

This case adds quite a bit of bulk to your iPad. Other sleeves can be compared to a sports car: svelte, stylish and fragile. The Bubble Sleeve is the mini-van of iPad cases and focuses on protection rather than style or size. It’s the sleeve you’d carry your children to soccer practice in. Don’t we all think of our iPads as a member of the family? Color options include black, gold, and pink. Externally, the Bubble Sleeve looks like bubble wrap. Round half globes give it an industrial look and provide the first level of protection for your precious. Inside, your iPad is cushioned with a firewall of soft foam rectangles. The sides of the Bubble Sleeve are reinforced with felt struts to provide additional protection on the endpoints. The back of the iPad is cushioned in a flat layer of foam protection combined with bright red shock absorbing rubber bumpers to hold your iPad in place.

Overall, I found the Bubble Sleeve a bit bulky for everyday trips to the coffee shop. When traveling the protection was outstanding. I felt very comfortable that putting my Bubble Sleeve in my carry on or laptop bag would ensure my iPad arrived along with me intact and unscathed. Neoprene sleeves simply don’t provide enough shock absorption for the bumps and drops the average traveller encounters. I’ve also used the Bubble Sleeve when carrying my iPad on my bicycle and recommend the Bubble Sleeve to students who ride to class. Those bubbles will protect your iPad from getting crushed by those heavy textbooks in your backpack.

Pros: Excellent protection and quality
Cons: May be a bit bulky for everyday use

4.5 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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You just decided to upgrade your Macbook hard drive to take advantage of the incredible storage space out there now or maybe you are adventuresome and switched to a Solid State Drive. What should you do with the old hard drive?

If you are looking for an easy, economical repurposing of that old hard drive, the OWC Express 2.0 enclosure is an excellent choice at $19.99. Unfortunately I’ve been burned figuratively and literally by inferior quality enclosures with questionable origin–my Mac Pro has the scorch marks on the USB port to attest to this fact. Luckily this enclosure comes from a company which stands behind their product and truly knows the Mac.

Don’t expect many bells and whistles on this unit. The case is made of plastic despite it’s faux metal appearance. Nonetheless, the case is sturdy and has stood the test of time being a spare hard drive I keep in my laptop bag for large data transfers.

Installation of the old drive into the case was simple: a few screws and you are done. Clear instructions were included as well as USB cable. Included additionally in the kit is a faux leather carrying case to match the faux metal case. The carrying case had little value because I couldn’t easily carry the case and the USB cable. No big deal, but a little more attention to the design would have added significant value to the carrying case.

Whether you are looking for a portable drive or an easy Time Machine backup, the OWC Express 2.0 is an inexpensive and reliable way to reuse an old SATA drive while sticking with Other World Computing’s legendary quality.

Pros: Inexpensive and reliable
Cons: Faux leather carrying case isn’t very useful

Four out of five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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My new favorite iPad protector is made by Belkin. The Belkin Pleat Sleeve ($39.99) for the iPad has styling that is simple and unobtrusive. I don’t want to draw attention to my iPad and have it stolen. If you want everyone to know you have an iPad, this case isn’t for you.

The sleeve currently comes in either black or “perfect plum” (purple). The Pleat Sleeve is made of lightweight neoprene and fits snugly around your iPad. All sides of the case are padded, but the glass front is particularly well protected, since the glass is the most common break point.

However, the best part of the Pleat Sleeve is the zipper hidden in the pleats which has room for your earphones, iPhone, charger and more. I love putting my iPad in this case and having everything I need for a productive afternoon at the coffeehouse. The material of the Sleeve is tightly woven, so I expect it to hold up for a long time.

Pros: Great protection especially for the front panel, zippered pocket, Doesn’t look like an iPad case
Cons: Doesn’t look like an iPad case

4 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Moshi describes itself as the “purveyor of electronics fashion” and its Codex case is both stunning and quite practical, combining runway fashion with solid laptop protection.

Unlike other Macbook protectors, this case is designed to be left on your computer at all times. Think of it as a sleeve you can use while the computer is still protected. Because it acts as a sleeve, it’s checkpoint friendly and can protect your Macbook on its sometimes perilous trip through airport security. I’m a big fan of cases like this because while some incidents can happen during transit, I often see the worst damage occur during the process of putting a laptop in a case or pulling it out. A hand slips or a zipper you thought was closed wasn’t. Ouch. Codex has Viscotex™ inserts and Terahedron™ inner lining to provide a advanced level of shock protection.

The Codex can be comfortably kept on at all times to protect your Mac. The case has a standard handle so it could be used exclusively as a carrying case though personally I use it in addition to my existing laptop bag. This gives my Macbook a tight and snug fit, but also provides more shock absorption. During everyday use, I don’t have to worry as much about spills around my Mac or a dirty coffee shop table. My Macbook has a stylish barrier between it and the environment it’s in. When I pull out the case, people are impressed. It elevates my already stylish Macbook to to super model status. The 24/7 protection is peace of mind to protect my investment.

After using the Codex for an extended period of time, there was no significant increase in the internal heat of my Macbook. The Codex does a great job of ventilation due to four bottom rubber risers that lift your Macbook slightly off the bottom of the case. These also prevent the Macbook from slipping while in the case. When the exterior of the case gets dirty, it cleans easily with a damp cloth. Moshi recommends leather cleaner for exterior cleaning.

The complete package includes a keyboard and screen protector that can double as a mousepad if you wish, as well as a matching Apple Remote case.

Like a super model, it’s not perfect. An annoying flaw in the design is that you cannot charge the Macbook while the case is closed. The case completely blocks all external connectors. You either need to remove the Codex while charging your Macbook or you need to leave your Macbook open. This is disappointing and could have been avoided, but super models tend to make sacrifices for fashion, so I’ll overlook this limitation due to the Codex’s overall stunning design and protection capabilities.

If you are going to protect your Mac and don’t want to comprise either fashion or function the Codex is for you. The models vary in size based on your laptop: 13″, 15″ and 17″ and the color choices vary based on size but include metallic silver , metallic black, opalescent pink, and burgundy red. Pricing starts at $65.

Pros: Sytlish sophistication with maximum proteciton
Cons: Pricey, blocks the charger port when closed

4 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Notebook sleeves seem to be one of the hottest accessories today and with good reason. Protecting your laptop investment is a good idea.

Altego’s clear laptop sleeve is probably one of the best sleeves I’ve seen for protection out there today, and one of the ugliest. Literally, the Altego sleeve wraps your Macbook in bubble wrap. No, you can’t pop this bubble wrap, but nonetheless this sleeve is made up of air chambers that cushion the contents and protect it from mishap. While Altego dresses up this bubble wrap with fashionable colored accents, it still looks like bubble wrap!

Like many of the laptop sleeves today, under current TSA rules, you are allowed to travel with the laptop inside one of these sleeves and are not required to remove your laptop from its protection when passing through security. Given how rough travel is today, I’ll probably use this during travel to get that extra ounce of protection.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. While I think the exterior is ugly, the protection this sleeve provides is beautiful.

PROS: World class protection with a cushion of air
CONS: Looks like bubble wrap, demands to be popped

Four out of Five Dog Cows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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I like this Otterbox a lot. The silicone sleeve (which comes in a choice of seven colors) hugs the phone closely without slippage, and felt very solid and tight in my hand, even when my hands were sweaty. I had no problem pressing the lock and volume buttons, or moving the headphone flap aside to plug in headphones. However, the dock flap is a little tricky to move aside in order to plug in the USB charger cable, as you really have to push it aside to get the cable inserted.

The solid plastic snap on over the back looks to provide protection in case the phone is dropped on its back. I obviously didn’t test this out, but the plastic seems more for style then real protection – the silicone case is the real armor in the Otterbox Commuter, and will absorb much of the shock if you drop the phone from a normal height. As for the screen protector, well, it’s a standard peel-on film that will probably save the screen from minor scratches but won’t save the glass from a crack should anything impact the front of the phone.

Overall, I feel the Commuter is a good compromise between the tank-like bulk of the Otterbox Defender line and the naked feeling of leaving the phone totally unprotected against the slings and arrows of the average purse or pocket. It protects well without adding too much excess bulk, and that makes it a winner for me.

Pluses: Good basic protection without excess bulk, looks pretty good
Minuses: Hard plastic snap-on seems gratuitous, tricky to move dock flap aside to plug in USB cable

Overall: 4 out of 5 dog cows.

As many iPhone users know, the earbuds Apple includes with the iPhone are functional, but they don’t exactly have the greatest sound fidelity. Hundreds of different earphones are on the market, some costing more than the iPhone itself. Even these high end units do not have the ability to act as a hands free mic for the iPhone. Few things are more annoying then having to unplug your headphones when receiving an incoming call while jamming away on your iPhone. The Radius Atomic Bass Black Aluminum Earphones for iPhone aren’t just a great headphones, but a great handsfree mic as well.

Personally, I tend to use bluetooth and don’t listen to music that much on my iPhone. However, after discovering Pandora and Skype for the iPhone, I’m using these headphones a whole lot more. During use, I was simply blown away by the music quality. Not an atomic explosion blown away, but something that would definitely shift the balance of power. I’m not an audiophile, but I have headphones that cost three times this amount and the sound just doesn’t seem as rich. I tend to listen to more dance style music and these headphones picked up the bass much better than other headphones, so it’s well deserving of its name. The Radius Atomic Bass fits well into my ear and doesn’t slip out like the standard earbuds. The plastic covers come in three different sizes to help insure a custom fit and the earbuds are angled to fit deeper in the ear canal. Obviously these aren’t the type of headphones or handsfree you should use in the car as they block out external noise. These are not noise-cancelling headphones, so I’ll still use my other headphones in a plane or other noisy environment.

As a handsfree mic, callers on the other end who hear me talking though my Radius Atomic say the calls are much clearer than my bluetooth and can’t tell I’m using a hands free at all. I’m using the Radius Atomic with my laptop and then switch them into my iPhone when I get a call. The mic is located a few inches down from the earbud and, similar to the standard Apple issue earbuds, acts as a remote to pick up and end calls. The mic was extremely sensitive and allowed me to carry on a normal conversation with a caller while I was at a coffee house, though sometimes in noisy environments it was hard for others to hear me. In fact, the Radius Atomic Bass worked extremely well with Skype on my iPhone while my bluetooth handsfree did not.

Aesthetically, the Radius Atomic looks very industrial. They come in black, red, pink and white so you not only can accessorize, but avoid picking up your spouse’s headphones when leaving in the morning. Whatever color you choose, the earbuds will have silver accents at both end of the earbuds, matching the metal/plastic look of the current Apple product line. All the units have a white cord except for the black, which is black in both headphone and cord. Personally, I dig the black instead of the white so people don’t always know I have an Apple-branded MP3 player. The cord length is a few inches longer than the Apple standard earbuds, though the length of the individual cords after the yoke was the same as the standard units.

Overall, I highly recommend these headphones as a wired hands-free mic and a economical headphone for listeners craving deep bass in their grooves. The sound and voice reproduction is significantly better than the included headphone and rivals products that cost significantly more.

Pros: Excellent bass reproduction and voice quality, profoundly economical and fashionable as well
Cons: No noise cancelling or echo cancelling

Five out of Five Dogcows

Article was republished by the Lawrence Apple User’s Group 2.0 here as well as other groups listed on the right

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Two different type of chargers recently came on the market with clear benefits and drawbacks to each. The odds are that one of these will greatly help you extend the usefulness of your iPhone 3G.

First, is the Richard Solo 1800 battery backup for the iPhone ($69.95 at www.richardsolo.com). Richard Solo was started by Richard Thalheimer, the founder of Sharper Image. I tried their previous version without much success and thus declined to review it. The 1800 is a complete redesign of their previous model. The 1800 has a much longer battery life than earlier models, and some very serious thought went into the overall 1800 package. The unit includes a car charger as well as a wall charger. Either charger can charge both the 1800 and the iPhone at the same time. If that wasn’t enough (but wait, there’s more), the 1800 has a built-in flashlight and laser pointer. Yes, freakin’ lasers (hat tip to Dr. Evil).

All these great accessories wouldn’t do much good if it failed in it’s primary mission of charging the iPhone 3G. Fortunately, it does a great job of quickly and effectively charging the battery. However, it has one major drawback in that it is very difficult to both charge and use the phone at the same time. The 1800 is about the size and thickness of the current iPod Nanos and sticks out from the bottom of the iPhone. This means it’s nearly impossible to charge the phone while in your pocket. Richard Solo includes a connector to keep the battery firmly connected to the iPhone while in use, but it wasn’t firm enough to keep the battery securely connected to the iPhone on a regular basis. I use it in my office sometimes while keeping the iPhone on the desk in speakerphone mode.

Even with the 1800′s awkward design, it is still a great product and I use it frequently. It fits effective along with my iPhone car mount so I use the Richard Solo charger to charge both the 1800 and my iPhone. While talking on the phone with the 1800 connected is difficult, it’s perfectly usable while using the iPhone for watching videos or simply surfing. In particular, I was easily able to leave both connected in the seat pocket of the airplane and let it pick up a charge while I had to turn off my electronic devices. It will charge most iPhones and iPods. However, one key disappointment with the 1800 is that it has no battery level indicator meaning I didn’t know how much charge was left in the 1800 as it charged my phone.

Using a completely different design concept is the Mophie Juice Pack ($99.95 at www.mophie.com). The juice pack combines a basic external case along with a battery extender. When attached, the juice pack adds about an inch of thickness to the bottom of the iPhone and makes the overall unit slightly thicker. Nothing too bulky. Unfortunately, you can’t use the iPhone with any other external case while using the Mophie no hard case and no silcone cases. The only type of protector that works with the Juice Pack are the plastic screen or case overlays. The Juice Pack is designed to be the exclusive external case for the iPhone.

When I tested the Juice Pack, I refused to take my iPhone out of my home. I was simply too afraid to carry around a partially naked iPhone. Who carries around an iPhone without some kind of protection? Apparently so, because after I used the Juice Pack for a day in my home and ventured out with my Otterbox securely protecting my iPhone, I found a vast majority of people I saw have no protection whatsoever. Naked, exposed and vulnerable iPhones out in the wild. If your iPhone is traveling naked, then the Mophie is absolutely perfect for you. Not only do you get extended battery life, but you get protection for your iPhone. While Mophie claims you can charge the iPhone and juice pack at the same time, I could not replicate these results; when my iPhone was plugged into the Mophie and the Mophie was plugged into the wall, only the Mophie charged, not the phone. Similar to the Richard Solo, the Mophie comes with it’s own USB charger and power adapter. Because the Juice Pack is designed to act as a external case, it is device specific and thus you can’t use an iPhone 3G juice pack for your iTouch.

Trying to compare the capacity in the real world between the Mophie and Richard Solo was impossible for me. I couldn’t use the Richard Solo all day because it didn’t fit into my lifestyle and I was too afraid to keep my iPhone only partially protected all day with the Mophie. After a few hours of use on a nearly drained iPhone, my Mophie was down about 30 and I couldn’t tell with the Richard Solo, but both devices fully charged my Phone.

Which do I recommend? For those that don’t use protection because it’s too bulky (I could make some analogies here, but that will be major TMI), the Juice Pack is a decent external iPhone protector that extends your battery life, and probably the life of your phone. If you don’t have an external case, the Mophie pack is clearly the better choice. If you are looking for the Red Bull quick-pick me up recharge, than the Richard Solo 1800 is great for you. Not only do you get the power boost, but the accessories are pretty cool as well. The Richard Solo is $30 cheaper to boot. However, you can’t use those worthless Sharper Image Gift cards to purchase the Richard Solo!

Richard Solo 1800
Pros: Multiple chargers, other useful functions of battery pack
Cons: For ergonomic reasons, generally can’t use the charger while using the phone

3 out of 5 dogcows

Mophie Juice Pack for the 3G
Pros: External case, slim design, battery indicators
Cons: Requires removal of any other external case

3 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Previously, my phone would be in my pocket, or my briefcase, or various other places. I tried the cupholder, but got nervous about my coffee spilling. I tried the glove compartment, but then it got knocked around. Most car accessories weren’t designed for the iPhone 3G or required rather hideous stick-on devices for the windshield or dashboard. Even with those, the stability was marginal at best. Their key fault was that all cars are not designed the same, so something that works well in one car, won’t work well in another vehicle.

ProClip is truly unique,and solves this problem. The clip consists of two parts. The first part is custom designed for your car; the “vehicle mount“. I had to specify the exact make and model for the car: 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix. The vehicle mount differs from car to car. Some go near the radio, some near a vent, some in the middle console. The experts at ProClip determine the most stable place to mount your device. Often times it requires a little bit of prying. I was wary about that at first, but it was very easy. It wasn’t any harder than putting my iPhone in a hard case. Just place the tool at the predetermined spots in car and slip in the ProClip. I’ve had more trouble assembling a hard shell iPhone case then I did a ProClip.

The second part is the actual container for the iPhone; the “device holder“. Unlike other iPhone holders, the ProClip has an adjustable model that allows you to keep your silicone or hard shell around your iPhone while the device was held in the ProClip. Again, I was skeptical about the ProClip. There was nothing to hold the iPhone in place except for groves in the plastic. However, after going over some serious bumps and even purposefully knocking the clip around, the iPhone remained stable and secure. Wow. There are other models that aren’t adjustable forcing you to use your iPhone 3G naked as well as models that include chargers and pass-through connectors.

Unfortunately, with my car, the mount couldn’t be in a worse place. It is extremely close to the radio and is in front of the volume button so I have to reach around the unit to change the volume. The closeness to the radio increases exponentially my problems with GSM buzz. Also, since I have a GPS on the dash, the placement of the phone partially obscures my view of the GPS and gets in the way when I want to program destinations. If I didn’t have the GPS, the iPhone is in the perfect position for turn by turn direction viewing. If the placement in front of the radio wasn’t bad enough, the ProClip also sits right in front of the heating vent, which means that on cold winter days I can’t use that vent unless I want a blast of hot air to turn my iPhone into a toasty brick of plastic goo.

These mount problems are very vehicle specific. My spouse’s 2008 Camry allows for a mount much further away from the radio and air vents. The website shows pictures exactly where the clip would mount on your vehicle. An associate of mine has the same car I do and has a ProClip mount. He never listens to the radio, has no GPS, and doesn’t mind loosing one of the vents. In other words, my situation is unique.

ProClip is not a inexpensive solution. Vehicle mounts average $35 and the device holders are $30-$50. Also there is a 15% restocking fee should you need to return the item. That policy is a bit disappointing consider how personal and specific these vehicle mounts are.

In spite of these faults, I still use my ProClip unless I have a particularly bad GPS buzz problem or it’s a really cold day. I enjoy knowing exactly where my iPhone is and I can easily see callers while I’m driving. When my GPS doesn’t have my client’s address, my iPhone is always able to find it.

Pros: Custom designed holder for your iPhone and your vehicle. Keep your iPhone in reach without messy suction cups or mounting tape
Cons: Very vehicle specific and often requires you to compromise other vehicle functions. Unfair restocking fee.

3 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

When I had a bit of an accident with my last iPhone a month after purchase, I was determined to find the ultimate case. I wanted a case that was comfortable and functional yet protected my iPhone as much as possible. A quest! A quest not with trusty steed and map, but with my trusty Macbook and search engine. I wrote a list of exactly what I wanted: protect every single exposed port, silicone on the outside to prevent slippage, hard shell protection in case of impact, protect the screen without reducing the ability to tap, and finally still fit in my pocket and iPhone accessories. That case is the Otterbox Defender.

What is an Otterbox Defender? I remember seeing something about them at the MacWorld press room, but if you’ve seen one iPhone case you’e seen them all. Boy was I wrong! My quest came to an end once I installed the Otterbox Defender. This is clearly the 800 pound gorilla of iPhone protection and function. The Otterbox Defender consists of two main parts. First is the silicone overshell that protects ALL the ports, and I mean all: the volume, the headphone jack, the docking port, the ring silencer; everything. When the silicone shell is on, not a single port of your iPhone is exposed, though it’s very easy to operate the buttons through the silicone (or to flip open the protector.).

The other part of the Otterbox Defender is a hard shell case underneath the easily removable silicone. The hard shell includes a screen protector built in, so you don’t have to worry about those annoying bubbles underneath those stick-on screen protectors. The shell even covers the speakers at the bottom and the front with a slight bit of cloth (remember none of the iPhone case is exposed). Honestly, I noticed maybe a 5% reduction in sound quality when it is in the hard case. However, the slight sacrifice in sound quality is far outweighed by knowing my $300 investment is protected. The camera shutter also has a plastic overlay to protect it while still allowing you to take pictures. The pictures are every so slightly less clear with the plastic overlay, however cleanup in iPhoto restored them to near perfect quality and people couldn’t tell the difference between photos were taken with the case on and with the case off.

I used the case for over a month now, trying to weigh the pros and cons of the case. Besides a slight reduction in voice and picture quality, the case is just about perfect and I’m hard pressed to find any cons. Sure maybe maybe a transparent aluminum or the ability of the iPhone to accept a Shields Up voice command would clearly be the ideal solution, but in the 21st century the Otterbox is the best balance of protection and function on the market.

Finally, the Otterbox staff was an absolutely a pleasure to deal with. When I had a delivery problem, I didn’t have the run around typically found with large companies. Otterbox is based in Fort Collins, Colorado and is neighbors with one of the world’s greatest microbreweries, Coopersmiths, and gosh darn it, I think that just makes them happier people! I’m biased though.

The Otterbox Defender is available for $49.95 retail at www.otterbox.com and is hands down the ultimate iPhone case.

Pros: Protects every single nook and cranny of your iPhone and provides the best of hard shell and silicone protection, while leaving all functions of your iPhone intact
Cons: Slightly noticeable reduction in voice and picture quality

Five out of Five dogcows.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

When using the phone, I had difficulty operating the volume and the sleep/awake button. The case added so much bulk, you could no longer easily operate those buttons with your thumb because you had to press so deep that merely pressing your thumb on the buttons didn’t give it enough force. Granted, this isn’t the end of the world, but in the competitive arena of iPhone cases, every annoyance is magnified. I’d have to fumble just a little bit more when I forget to turn on vibrate during a business meeting. Also annoying was the inability to remove the SIM card while the case was on. If you often swap SIM cards then this is clearly not the case for you.

Aesthetics are an important consideration in cases. I ordered the black case, but the black case didn’t match the black of the iPhone. The Eco-Shield was a lighter black and light enough for you to notice the case didn’t match. Also, the plastic showed scratches very quickly and significantly more than an iPhone without a case. This is probably due to the type of plastic used.

As far as protection, testing is always difficult as I don’t have a bunch of extra iPhones to bang around, but the case did have some small shock absorbers protecting the back of the phone. Drop tests without the iPhone inside didn’t show shattering or cracks. The design is two pieces that snap together and the case wasn’t too difficult to remove, but didn’t come apart during my tests.

PROS: Eco-friendly recycling plastic reduces your carbon footprint
CONS: Difficult to grasp, showed scratches easily, and reduced accessibly of key functions

2 out of 5 Dog Cows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Even if you don’t eat at your desk, the keyboard is a wonderful petri dish of anything and everything that your fingers touch. Yuck. If you want to get really grossed out, think about those shared keyboards on corporate computers, or the IT person that goes from keyboard to keyboard spreading whatever they have along with half the company. Freaked out yet? You really should be. Do Google comparisons of your keyboard and a toilet seat.

Not to fear, AM One Clean Duopack Cleaner is here. While I’ve heard of using Lysol or other cleaners, these aren’t made for computers and could potentially do damage. AM Cleaner was especially designed to disinfect computer keyboards. Not only does the solution disinfect, but the cleaner sponge is specifically designed to get into the nooks and crannies of the keyboards because there is stuff hiding in there. The keyboard cleaner did a great job removing the grime and junk after my extended lack of cleaning.

The kit also includes a screen cleaner which does a great job, though it works horribly on the glossy Macbook (and newer iMac) screens. I have yet to find a good cleaner for those screens! That is the major flaw of the product and makes it unacceptable for users of glossy screens. If you own one of these Macs, buy the keyboard cleaner and wait for a product designed for glossy screens.

What makes these products designed for the Mac? Style of course! Instead of looking like a spray bottle and sponge, the kits match the colors and texture of the current Mac model line: brushed metal for the Pro and newer iMac line and glossy plastic for the Macbook and white iMacs. The sponge and cleaner are integrated into a stylish holder that looks like it was provided by Apple itself. People won’t accuse you of being a germaphobe with this handy device on your desk.

Next time you eat at your desk or IT says “move” and uses their magic fingers on the keyboard, pull out your AM cleaner and do your part to protect your health.

PROS: Cleans icky keyboards with style
Cons: Makes glossy screens look icky

Three out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

My laptop tends to be my best friend ..tagging along with me places I wouldn’t ask my worst enemy to follow. Unfortunately, using a laptop in these conditions take their toll. Balancing a latte and a $2,000 laptop is a recipe for destruction. That is, if you don’t have a Futura Laptop Desk. The Futura combines elegant design and world-class ergonomics to provide a ‘body-friendly” workspace at almost any location.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Elgato EyeTV 250 with QAM

Watching TV and using a computer are fairly distinct activities. TV programs do not crash. The characters on “Lost” don’t start walking slowly and stuttering when too many people are watching the show at the same time. Unlike Microsoft Office, Dwight Schrute from “The Office” won’t unexpectedly quit at the worst possible time (which is more then can be said for his writers!)

Still, TV does have a lot in common with your Mac…both require you to watch what goes on on a screen, and these days, both contain digital content that you, as a consumer ought to be able to watch and use at whatever time you see fit. In our brave new world of TiVo, video on demand, and YouTube, television is no longer “broadcast” to your home on the schedule of some fat cat TV executive; consumers today have more control then ever of how and when they watch their favorite shows.

The EyeTV 250 (with QAM) from Elgato brings the party to your MacOS computer in a big way. This small (about the size of two desks of cards) USB device allows anyone with a modern Mac to enjoy TV on their computer. At its most basic, the Elgato device is a TiVo for the Mac; you can watch live TV, pause shows in the middle (great for bathroom breaks on your schedule), and record your favorite shows. Recorded shows can be watched faster then if they were live, because you can quickly fast-forward through commercials. You can enjoy shows on your Mac’s crisp LCD display, or if you want, export them to your Apple TV to watch on your big-screen in the living room, or save shows to your iPod to watch on the go.

The EyeTV works in conjunction with the free TitanTV online programming guide to give you an interactive listing of TV programs, similar to what you might see on a TiVo or TV Guide. As you view a listing of channels and shows in the familiar grid, you can click on any show title to get a complete description of the episode and schedule it for recording. If there’s a show you watch every week, you can set up a “season pass” to have the EyeTV automatically record each week’s new episode.

In addition to a more traditional computer-like interface, with an on-screen ‘virtual’ remote control for controlling normal TV functions, the EyeTV has the capability to enter a full-screen mode. This can be controlled using the Apple remote as well as EyeTV’s own included full-function remote. Utilizing a view similar to the Apple TV, you can scroll through the channels you receive to watch live TV, or browse your previously recorded shows. This mode works great with the new iMacs, and watching TV on one of these systems (especially HD programming) is an amazing experience.

But, we are getting ahead of ourselves. Before you can enjoy all of this, you do have to set up the EyeTV. Luckily, Elgato’s software walks you though most of the process automatically (with one big exception – more on that later). You hook the USB device to the back of your Mac, install the software, enter your activation code, and then EyeTV will ask you some basic questions about your setup, such as where you live (so it can download the correct program guides for your cable service). After scanning for channels (which takes a few minutes) you are ready to go.

The EyeTV 250 (with QAM) works with analog cable TV (the cable most of us have) as well as with digital over-the-air television (if you have an external antenna). There is also a port to hook up a VCR or other analog input device such as a game console or older camcorder. The newest EyeTV 250 also supports free digital cable, which is known by the industry acronym QAM. Both over-the-air digital signals and QAM digital cable signals can optionally, depending on the station, be high definition, which the EyeTV supports (both 720p and 1080i for those who speak geek).

Now a brief digression (if you were watching “Mythbusters” right now, you would see the “Warning: Science Contents” alert at this time!):

QAM is a geek feature. For those lucky enough to have cable companies using unencrypted QAM, and those with the geek skills and patience to use it, the EyeTV 250 will give you many dozens of crystal-clear digital channels, including (possibly) many HD channels, all for free (well, free beyond the normal monthly fee you already pay for cable). QAM is not documented much by Elgato, and not at all by your cable company, so actually using it is an arcane art, primarily because the cable providers do not provide the “channel mapping” for QAM that they do for regular, old-fashioned analog cable. QAM channels also sometimes (but not frequently) might “jump” to different locations depending on the whims of the cable gods. Anyway, if you use the QAM feature of the EyeTV, you end up with a list of some 100 or more unlabeled channels with names like “105-14.” You, the geek, can then manually tune each of these channels, figure out what network it is by the programming being shown, and then label the channel in the EyeTV interface. Once you do this time-consuming step, you then will have a nice list of properly-labeled channels and can use the program guide. It is well worth the effort it takes to do this – your reward is usually a bunch of crisp digital channels and a lot of glorious high definition programming. If any non-geeks have ready this far, please do not be scared away – you can enjoy easy-to-use program guides and properly labeled analog cable with the EyeTV without doing anything at all beyond running the installation wizard. QAM and its complexity is just for the geeks. Nothing to see here, so move along.

Obviously, you can use the EyeTV for simple channel surfing, but you’ll probably start using it to record shows. As I mentioned above, the interface to do this is very easy, a matter of simply clicking on a show’s title in the on-screen program guide. When it is time for a show to be recorded, the EyeTV software will launch (if it is not running) and record the show. After a show is recorded, you can watch it in EyeTV itself, or automatically have the show exported to iTunes where it can then be transferred to your iPod or an Apple TV. This is a very powerful feature, since the Apple TV doesn’t include DVR functionality. Even if you do not have an Apple TV, the EyeTV software itself supports streaming over your household wireless connection to other computers, so you could record television on your Mac in the home office and later watch it on your MacBook in the bedroom.

If you already have an Apple TV, the EyeTV is a perfect companion, especially if you would prefer to record shows yourself rather then pay Apple $2.00 per episode. Likewise, plugging in your iPod in the morning and having last night’s TV shows copied to it is a great convenience if you need something to watch on the morning train ride to work. Shows are exported as they were recorded, which means the commercials are included, but the EyeTV software includes a basic video editor, so if you have the time, you can edit out the commercials directly from the EyeTV software interface prior to watching or exporting the video.

Finally, the EyeTV has the standard RCA component inputs, allowing you to hook up a VCR or old camcorder. This is a great way to digitize your VHS video collection or any old camcorder tapes you might have. Once your video is in EyeTV, you can then edit it or export it into iMovie or another dedicated video editing application.

The EyeTV is indisputably one of the most useful and fun devices available for the MacOS. However, it is not without a few flaws. The EyeTV software, which just recently got updated to version 3.0, is somewhat buggy, and I have had it crash on me a few times. Elgato is aware of many of these problems and just released 3.0.1, which I am hoping improves stability. My EyeTV 250 also initially would not properly display analog signals from cable or a VCR, resulting in a screen full of wavy lines. I was able to resolve this issue by power-cycling the unit, but still, this was not a good first impression. Since then, the unit has performed fine, however.

Another issue with the EyeTV is not so much a technical failure of the device itself, but rather a risk that Elgato may be left behind by rapid technical changes in the cable television industry. Analog cable is gradually being phased out, and future digital cable technologies may require additional equipment from cable companies to utilize new features such as video on demand and encryption of digital content. The EyeTV cannot receive encrypted content, such as premium channels (like HBO). Future Elgato products may support the addition of a special card, called a cable card, to allow it to receive encrypted channels, but for now, you cannot use the EyeTV to watch this content.

One additional concern is that the Elgato technical support is very, very slow. I reported an issue with the EyeTV in order to test out their support process, and it took over a week before I got any kind of response through Elgato’s formal channels. Luckily, Elgato offers an online forum where other uses, and Elgato technical staff, often visit, which got me a quick answer to my questions. Unless I had to, I would skip the “official” support system and just use the forum.

These minor issues aside, I strongly recommend the EyeTV 250 to any Mac user who wants to watch television on their computer. Simply put, the EyeTV is one of those “wow” devices that will make both your television and computer experiences better. The software and hardware is well-designed and easy to use, yet also offers advanced features for experienced users. It is a winner.

Pros: excellent hardware and software design, very easy to use, packed with features, supports both analog and digital sources and HD content

Cons: doesn’t support encrypted digital cable

4.5 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

It certainly has a pretty face, but like it’s celebrity brethren, does the new iMac have some brains behind her good looks?

Apple recently introduced their newest revision of the venerable iMac line of MacOS computers. The iMac is Apple’s mainstream home desktop computer, designed to cover a wide variety of consumer needs. It truly is the computer for the masses, but how does it stack up? I recently purchased a new 24 inch aluminum iMac and after using it for nearly a month, I believe Apple has definitely scored another winner.

The iMac comes in two screen sizes, 20 inches and 24 inches, the latter being as large as Apple’s 23 inch cinema display (remember how big those looked a couple years ago — now that resolution is available on a relatively inexpensive consumer Mac!). All the iMacs have the same processor, Intel’s zippy Core 2 Duo, with the only differentiator being your choice of 2.4 or 2.8 gigahertz speeds. Mine came with the 2.8 chip. Unfortunately, in an effort to shave an extra $50 off the price, Apple still shortchanges the iMacs with RAM, only shipping them with 1 GB standard. Luckily it is cheap, and easy to add additional RAM. You will want to put at least 2 GB if not more (up to a maximum of 4 GB) if you plan to do any more then basic web surfing.

The first thing anyone notices about the iMac is the screen. Controversially, Apple added a glass panel over the LCD itself, resulting in bright eye-popping color, but also introducing a possibly-annoying glare. I haven’t noticed any glare myself, but still, perception of glare is a very personal thing, depending on your own eyesight and the lighting in your office or room. I would recommend finding a friend (or traveling to the Apple store) and spending a half hour using the iMac before making your decision. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t provide an option for a matte screen, although I expect eventually there will be third-party “enhancements” (the glass panel comes off easily, although I wouldn’t try it at home!) Ironically, my own iMac arrived with a distracting speck of dust caught between the glass and the screen, necessitating a trip to the Apple Store in Kansas City.

So how is the iMac in day to day use? Very fast and very nice. It seems zippier then my “old” 2 ghz Mac Pro, and benchmarking tests bear this out, showing the iMac to be about 20% faster. Web surfing, using email, listening to music in Tunes, and editing photos in iPhoto are extremely fast, and the perception of speed is palpable. I also was very pleased with how fast Parallels ran on the iMac. Watching movies and TV shows on the huge screen, especially sitting back with the included Apple Remote is a pleasure as well. I use an Elgato EyeTV to record live television and combined with the iMac, this gives you a legitimate home entertainment center.

One unique feature of the new iMacs is that they come with a very different Apple keyboard (also available separately) which looks (and types like) the keyboard on the Macbooks. I have found the keyboard to be very pleasant to use, but like with the screen, I recommend trying out yourself first. Of course, if you don’t like it, you can plug in any USB keyboard.

Other nice touches in the iMac include a firewire 800 port (new to this generation of iMac, and very useful for adding fast external storage), extra fully-powered USB ports on the keyboard, and built-in Wi-Fi and bluetooth, and of course the video camera, useful for iChat as well as fun with Photobooth.

What is the iMac missing? For a consumer machine, very little. The only obvious oversight by Apple is the continuing omission of a built-in card reader for the most common digital camera memory cards. Attaching an ugly external reader ruins Apple’s clean lines, and given the design attention paid elsewhere, seems like an oversight. I also would like at least one USB port tucked away on the side of th iMac rather then the back, to make it easier to quickly attach a removable device. The workaround for this is, of course, a hub, once again, cluttering up the view! I should also note that, other then memory, the iMac has no user-upgradeable parts (most previous iMacs were this way too); if you ever think you might want to upgrade processors or hard drives, go with a Mac Pro.

In summary, despite some minor quibbles, the aluminum iMac is a winner. A powerful, fast consumer Mac that has long legs and will make a great Leopard machine for several years to come. Anyone in the market for a new Mac who doesn’t require the portability of a laptop should consider the iMac.

Aluminum iMac
$1200 – $2300 depending on configuration and screen size

Plusses:
- Extremely fast and powerful mainstream desktop Mac
- Gorgeous screen and all-around good looking machine
- lots of built-in extras

Minuses:
- Standard RAM is barely adequate
- No built-in memory card reader

Best for: General consumer and home/family use, students, office use, public-facing areas, consumer-grade digital photography or video editing
Consider a laptop instead if you require portability
Consider a Mac Pro instead if you do commercial-grade video/graphic design work or engineering

One of the latest gee whiz inventions in the past few years are the flurry of USB to IDE/SATA adapters. While technicians like me find them indispensable, other “mere mortals” can find some real handy uses for these gems. Storage leader Newertech has constructed one of the best USB bridges out there: the Newertech Universal Drive Adapter. While Newertech’s name is familiar to Mac enthusiasts and historians (including going bankrupt and leaving some rather upset customers), it’s only connection with that past company is the name and hopefully tradition of quality. So far the newer Newertech is carrying the torch well. Newertech and Otherworld Computing are sister companies, so OWC is the main place to buy the “new” newertech stuff.

The Universal Drive Adapter allows practically any hard drive (or optical drive) to be attachable to your current Mac via USB. Because the hard drive isn’t protected in a case, this is not a long term solution. If you want to use a internal hard drive via usb (or firewire) over a extended period of time, purchase a quality external case.

I’ve gone through quite a few of these usb bridges. Beware and be aware of awfully cheap USB bridges. They too often break due to inferior plastic and one I owned actually started smoking (didn’t exactly give the customer a great sense of confidence): in other words, awful. Cheap and trusting data often don’t go along well in the same sentence. I’m impressed with the quality of this Newertech device. It’s well constructed and has withstood months of heavy use by me. Other World Computing is great about standing behind their products, so I wouldn’t trust my hard drive to anyone else.

USB bridges are primarily used by technicians to temporarily attach a hard drive or dvd drive to another computer for backup or data transfer. So you aren’t a tech? No problem. I suspect there isn’t a reader out there that doesn’t have at least one old computer or hard drive lying around. You probably left it in the closet because you know that you have personal data on it and didn’t want to just throw it in the trash or you are simply afraid you might need the data “at some point”. Now you can simply pull the hard drive out (OWC has great videos on their website on hard drive removal) and use it on your current Mac. A backup of your old computer is easily accessible should the need arise. By the way, you can easily use hard drives from Windows machines on your Mac…or even use this on a Windows machine. Perfect for switchers….pull the hard drive out of your PC and attach it to a Mac.

What I think is the best use of those old hard drives, however, is backups. Take an old ten or twenty gig hard drive and hook it up to your Mac and backup your current Mac. Often that hard drive will hold more data than a USB flash drive and DVD combined. . If you have a Intel based Mac, you can even boot off a USB drive. If you rely on your Mac, you owe it to yourself to have some way to boot your Mac in an emergency. Since you only need it in emergency, you can save yourself a few bucks by buying a cheap IDE drive and keep this close at hand.

Every IT department should have one of these (I do!). Actually, they probably do, but not made by Newertech. When your existing one breaks for the fourth time this year, spend a bit more and get a quality one. However, small office/home office users with older computers lying around can save space and put that valuable storage space to good use.

Pros: Sturdy, reliable way of adding practically any hard drive to your Mac
Cons: A bit pricey, but you get what you pay for often. This device, like all USB bridges, are for temporary use only. It would be nice if it had firewire

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

In the Matrix, the character Neo represented a slick confidence that somehow made him master of everything in the quasi-reality construct the movie series is named after. Of course, it’s also named after the substance the case is made of: neoprene. Yes, I’m obsessed with keeping my Macbook is tip top shape. It’s the first new laptop I’ve ever bought. I’ve tried hard shells and fabric sleeves. Each have their advantages. Hard shells work well to protect the computer, but aren’t always that pretty. They also can get scratched up over time. Mine after about 9 months began to look like one of those Nanos everyone sued Apple about. I then used a fabric sleeve. I liked them, and I continue use them on occasion. The problem with a fabric sleeve is you forget to put them back in. The NeoCase, just like the character, seems to be the missing element that combines them both. The fashion sense and durability of a fabric sleeve, combined with the protection of hard shell. It is the one that will bring balance to the force. Oops, wrong movie!

The case has straps that hold the NeoCase in place while you are using it. While Radtech claims it’s water repellent, I’m certainly not going to risk it. They also claim it has shock absorbing ability. Not going to test that either, but it is nicely padded. I like the fact it doesn’t get in the way of any of the ports–though you obviously can’t get to the battery unless you remove the case. It also has a handle and a pocket. The handle makes it very easy to pull the case out of my laptop bag and the sleeve holds other products.

I did notice after extended use my fans kicked in for the first time. Radtech support indicates that the unit has been extensively tested. I noticed about a 5 degree Fahrenheit increase in my CPU temperature and experts indicate it’s hardly cause for alarm. Laptop sleeves like the NeoCase should be secondary protection for users. Never carry a laptop just in a laptop sleeve, it needs to be protected in a laptop bag. Don’t just throw this in a backpack (though many people do). A bonus feature of the NeoCase was that it protected not just the laptop but the surface it was on. I noticed my hard shell and my laptop would sometimes scratch delicate tabletops.

With the back to school folks taking incredibly poor care of their new laptops, I highly recommend this product to the lazy crowd. If your cell phone looks great, you probably don’t need this. However, if you are rough on your stuff, the NeoCase is the best solution for you since you never have to take it out of the case. Ask the Oracle (and not Larry Ellison), that college students throw laptops in their backpacks, forget about them, and they get damaged.

The NeoCase won’t protect you against agents and sentinels, but it provides a great compromise of laptop protection and ease of use. Morpheus would be proud.

Pros: Laptop protection that is stylish and you’ll remember to use.
Cons: Slight raise in internal CPU temp.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

So, when I saw the Sidewinder iPod case by Marware, I decided that I had to give it a try. Almost all of its features can be found in other cases, but it�s the combination of the features in ONE case that makes it stand out from the others.

The case itself is made of plastic (available in black or white) with a light non-slip texture that makes it easy to hold onto. If you have a 30 Gig iPod video, the case comes with a thin plastic insert that slides into the case to fill up the extra space�the larger iPods fit into the same case with no need for the spacer. The iPod screen is completely covered by the clear plastic window. The only exposed section of the iPod is the click-wheel. I did leave a small piece of the thin plastic overlay on the click wheel to keep dust and dirt off of it, but I had to remove the rest of the overlay because the sides kept getting caught when I tried to slide the iPod into the case.

The top of the case has a removable slide off cover so that you can get the iPod in and out. The slide-off cover has holes cut to size for the hold switch and the headphone port. I haven�t had any problems fitting any of my headphone jacks into the jack through the cut-out.

The bottom of the iPod is fully protected by a small, hinged door that opens to access the dock. The door is not the full width of the bottom�only slightly larger than the dock itself. I do wish that the door were a little wider. The docking cable that came with the iPod fits in fine, but the 3rd party docking cable that I use most often is too wide to fit. The surrounding plastic of the docking cable is too bulky to fit into the door, so the iPod must be removed from the case for it to work. To remove the iPod from its case, you must push through the bottom door to push it out of the top of the case. This does make me a little nervous as I�m afraid of damaging the dock pins with my fingernails. I�ve recently taken to using the removable top piece to push the iPod out. If you hold it at a slant on the narrow edge (so that it doesn�t slip in and damage the dock) works well.

The Sidewinder also includes two �hidden� features that are only there when you want them. On the back is a low profile stand that pops out to place the iPod at a comfortable angle for viewing videos and photo slideshows.

The best feature, and the one that gives the case its name, is the pop-out side that can be used to wind up and store your earbuds� cord. I love being able to store my earbuds right on the case itself without having to have a separate storage solution.

I find the sidewinder to work well when I�m storing the earbuds by winding up the entire cord. The thinner cords near the earbuds themselves fit well into the small slots in the winder that hold the cord in place. The one aspect that I would change on the Sidewinder is the size of these slots. They either need to be a little larger so that they can fit thicker cords or there needs to be a couple more slots of various sizes. The way they�re designed now, I can�t store just the excess cord because the middle section (before it splits into the earbuds) is too thick to fit. My current earbuds have a fairly thin cord and only the very ends will fit into the slots, so I would imagine that many headphone cords wouldn�t fit at all.

The Sidewinder case also comes with a removable belt clip. The first time that I tried to put the clip on, it didn�t seem to come even close to sliding on as it should. Due to the slight curve in the clip, I couldn�t get it to sit flat enough against the case body for it to slide into the tracks on the case. However, once I figured out a simple trick, it went on very easily. If you flip up the video stand, the bottom curve of the clip can lie in the space where the stand normally is when �closed�. This allows just enough give and flexibility that the middle portion of the clip finally lies flush enough to slide into the tracks on the case. To remove the clip again, one must simply push a pen into a small hole in the clip to release and separate the two sections.

On the whole, I am really enjoying this case. If I could just tweak those few things mentioned above, it would be nearly perfect. Now, if I can just find a method of managing the cords to my Apple iPod Radio Remote at the same time, I�d be a very happy accessory owner!

Pros: Lots of great features�removable clip, flip-out stand, slide-out sidewinder for the headphone cord management, complete protection for the top and bottom of the iPod. Easy access to all ports and buttons. Relatively low profile when all �pop-outs� are popped in.

Cons: Adds a little too much bulk when used with a 30 Gig iPod�this could be fixed by offering separate versions for the different sizes. The hinged door for the dock is too narrow for my favorite docking cable�needs to be just slightly larger. The cord slots on the sidewinder for are too small for thicker headphone cords. Either make the existing ones larger or add a couple of different sized slits.

4 out of 5 dog cows

Marware’s Protection Pack Plus really fills the bill. Like Microsoft Office, the pack has three useful and unique products in the box. First is the cloth sleeve that protects and helps clean the outside of your Macbook. This should not be a primary form of protection like the typical padded notebook sleeves. It is designed only to protect the cosmetics of the computer. That’s fine with me because it easily coordinates with almost any other protection strategy. Oddly and not surprising, the more I used it, the cleaner the exterior of my Macbook got. When I’d pull it out, it would gently polish the exterior of my Macbook. Also, don’t forget Macs are about style. I did feel like some kind of celebrity pulling out my Macbook from it’s secondary protective sleeve, as if it were the Hope Diamond or the prized knife of a Food Network star (I have one of those knives, but that’s a whole other story).

In addition to the sleeve is a cloth screen protector. While I was never particularly concerned about the transfer of oils from the keyboard to the screen, the Macbook’s glossy screen is impossible to clean, even with Meridrew’s iKlean. However, like the notebook sleeve, my Macbook actually got cleaner the more I opened and closed the case. When a spot would show on my screen, the screen protector acted as a buffing cloth to quickly remove the scratches. Neat! (pun intended)

Finally are the wrist protectors. That part of my Mac would get the dirtiest. I’ll use my Mac for hours and the oils from my wrists would look gross on my Macbook and also get transferred to the screen. Yuck. Here’s the funny thing, though. I was accidentally sent the kit for the white macbook instead of the black. I was going to contact the company, but didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth. Ironically, it looks really cool. The Black and the White living in harmony. My only complaint is the lack of instructions. I had real trouble placing the wrist protector correctly, but that’s my own lack of manual dexterity and the fact mom never let me play video games when I was a kid.

The kit does not include a trackpad protector, but other companies make trackpad protectors. Or maybe Marware thought that if they included that, they’d be too much like your grandmother’s plastic slipcovers that covered everything.

Pros: Protects and enhances the cosmetics of your Mac

Cons: A bit tricky to place and lack of trackpad support.

Five out of Five Dogcows
5 out of 5 dog cows

Having recently upgraded from a Pismo G3 Powerbook to a black MacBook, one of the annoying things about my new laptop was its ability to look dirty. The matte finish of the MacBook tends to pick up the oils and debris from your hands easily. I found myself constantly cleaning the exterior and started to fear of taking it from my home, which kinda defeats the purpose of a laptop, don�t you think?

Then along comes Speck products, with a great solution I first saw at MacWorld. Unlike other cases that require you to remove the protection to use it, the SeeThru is designed to protect your Mac 24/7. This case is not designed to protect your Mac from impact but rather to protect the look of your MacBook and allow for easy cleaning.

Installation was a snap both figurative and literally. Snap one part on the top and another on the bottom and away you go. Here�s a tip I had to learn the hard way. Clean the exterior of your Mac before you put on the SeeThru, otherwise that fingerprint on your case will be trapped for all to see.

When I first viewed the SeeThru, I was concerned about heat dissipation. Speck assures it�s customers that cooling was not a problem due to 74 ventilation slots. After 3 months of using the SeeThru, my Macbook has never indicated a heat problem. In addition, the Apple Retail Stores were selling the SeeThru and I�m sure that if Apple was concerned about the cooling issues, they wouldn�t have put the SeeThru in the stores.

The SeeThru is currently made for both the MacBook and MacBook pro and comes in clear, blue, and red. Personally I got the clear because the red and blue looked funky with my black MacBook.

The product works just as advertised. I had no problem keeping my MacBook protected from the crud that usually accumulates from body oils and sticky cafe tables. I also found it easier to grip my MacBook when I pulled it out of my case. The case was generally unintrusive and I had access to almost every function and port. The SeeThru retails for $50, though User Group members can get significant discounts.

I only saw two flaws in the design of the product. Every port was accessible on the unit except the battery power button. Not a major problem, but annoying when your want to check the power of your Mac without the hassle of waking it from sleep. In addition, the mini-VGA adapter had a slight bit of trouble fully locking into the side of my Mac. Representatives of Speck indicated the mini-VGA adapter port would be modified to better accommodate external monitor use.

Pros: Works as advertised and protects your MacBook. Best used as soon as you get your MacBook
Cons: Battery button not accessible. Some problems using external video adapters.

4 out of 5 dogcows

I love my Etymotic Research, Inc. – ER�6i Isolator Earphones. However, like most iPod users, I hate the way my cord constantly gets tangles and develops damaging knots. I�ve tried all sorts of methods of properly storing them. The earPod is the only one I�ve seen that fixes this.

The earPod is approximately one inch think and three inches across. It reminds me of a mini �moon pie�. . earPods are made out of a hard plastic and in my experience are virtually indestructible. I�ve thrown mine at the bottom of luggage and stepped on it countless times with zero damage. After a year of using my earPod, I�ve had no cracks or damage to the plastic. With some earbud style headphones costing as much as $500, protection like this is a must. Those little �pouches� expensive headphones come in are a joke.

To use the earPod to store your earbuds, you slip the top of the case off its hinge. The process is extremely easy once you get the hang of it and can easily be done with one hand. Inside the earPod is a think foam that cushions your earpod and collects some of the wax that invariably develops on the earbuds.

Once the earbuds are inside you slip the top of the case back and lock it in place. You then simply wrap the cord around the earPod and then just slip the headphone jack within the wrapped cord. It�s quick and easy to load and unload. It even includes a beltclip.

Pros: Perfectly protects your earbud style headphones.
Cons: Absolutely none!

5 out of 5 dogcows

Click on the word earPod for more information at Amazon’s website.

Solio one of the more intriguing booths at Macworld, a product that lets you charge your iPod or other device anywhere you can get sunlight…or so the theory goes. I read the instructions carefully that you should first charge the Solio via the wall.

I kept it in my car and two months later my iPod�s battery drained while I was driving. No problem, I charged my iPod via the Solio. I�m not sure how long it took to charge, but I went into a client and about 2 hours later it was ready to go. I fully let the Solio drain and then I tried to charge it via the sun. I did the charging during June and put it on my dashboard while driving. After about 4 days in the intense Kansas sun, it only had half a charge. Granted, I was able to charge my iPod enough to drive back from Topeka, but after 4 days or almost 32 hours of direct sunlight, I expected more of a charge. I was disappointed in its woeful ability to translate sunlight into iPod music.

The Solio also acts as a charger for some cell phones. My Samsung i500 smartphone wasn�t compatible, so I couldn�t test that function. I could easily see the Solio being handy to make an emergency call.

Generally, it was interesting, but for the amount it costs, I expected a better sunlight to energy ratio. Al Gore would not approve.

Pros: A good spare battery
Cons: Lousy solar charger. recommend buying a cellboost instead

2 out of five Dogcows

The Squeezebox itself is small and elegant, about the size of paperback book. It comes with a small stand so it can rest on top of your stereo system or anywhere you have a few inches of shelf space. The design of the Squeezebox is Applesque in its minimalism, without any buttons and a beautiful blue screen which displays information on the current song and can be used (with the included remote) for navigating through your music library or viewing news headlines. As a nice touch, the display will even broadcast holiday and seasonal greetings, which was amusing except it was still wishing me a happy new year in mid-February!

The actual setup and use of the Squeezebox is easy. You use the included RCA cables to hook it to your stereo, and then follow the guided setup with the remote. You will need to enter data such as your wireless network�s name and password (if any), but these steps are very easy thanks to the setup assistant. You also need to have a computer that actually holds the music library (the Squeezebox itself doesn�t store your music; the music streams from your Mac). Setting up the Squeezebox software on the Mac is a piece of cake, and it will automatically scan your iTunes music library and import all your playlists. Once this initial setup is done, you are ready to listen to music. You can navigate, play and control everything from the Squeezebox itself using the remote control, or if you wish you can manage the tunage from your Mac (or any other Mac in the house) using a simple Web interface. The web interface gives you a lot of power; you can create and manage playlists, set preferences, and if you pride yourself on your geekiness, delve into a plethora of highly technical and fully customizable settings.

If you have an Airport Express, you may wonder why the Squeezebox commands double the price to do roughly the same thing. There are many advantages to the Squeezebox over the Airport Express, especially for audiophiles. The Squeezebox has both a remote control and a display, so it can be controlled from your living room without making you walk over to the computer in order to do something as basic as switch tracks or pause the music. Another advantage of the Squeezebox is that it plays a much wider variety of music types then the Airport Express, including FLAC, Window Media, and OGG. It can even automatically connect to numerous internet radio streams directly from the Squeezebox! The device itself also features an optical output for connection to higher-end audio equipment and can have its built-in software upgraded automatically to support more features in the future. I would also like to add that Slim Devices� support is phenomenal. They have a very thorough web site, with excellent and responsive technical support, and an active user community, a nice change from Apple�s sometimes truculent support.

With so many superlatives,it is difficult to find any negative aspects to the Squeezebox, but unfortunately, a few things stood out. Navigating through a large music library using the remote and Squeezebox itself (as opposed to doing it on the computer) can be slow and and the web interface, while powerful, doesn�t have the polish of a native OS X application like iTunes. Worse, whenever I added new music to my library, the Perl process used by the Squeezebox software churned away using some 80% of my processor for several minutes at a time. I also noticed rare music dropouts while listening to the Squeezebox, although to be fair I was using an 802.11b wireless network rather then the faster 802.11g. Finally,the Squeezebox will not play copy-protected music downloaded from the Apple music store; keep in mind that this limitation is Apple�s fault (for not licensing their copy protection), not Slim Devices�.

Those small areas of criticism are minor compared to the amazingly powerful pluses of the Squeezebox. This device is truly revolutionary,and it will give you the ability to enjoy your Mac-managed music library on your stereo system anywhere you wish. If you want to listen to your digital music library on a home audio system, �Squeezebox� is the only thing you need to know.

Pros: Amazing feature set, plays a wide variety of music formats, beautiful and elegant, excellent support.
Cons: Navigation and performance quirks, won�t play copy-protected tracks.

http://www.slimdevices.com/
$249 – $299

4 out of 5 dog cows

Cellboost makes a iPod battery pack that claims 8 hour of usage. It attaches on the bottom of the iPod on the docking port and it�s the size of a 9-volt sized battery. In my personal tests, I got 4-6 hours of usage from the battery, but I was using the iTrip transmitter, which I know drains the battery quickly. The cellboost costs slightly more than the average pack of batteries and some drugstores even carry them. Every health club should sell these for people that forget to charge their iPod before a workout.

I know keep one in my car for those times my battery runs down and I don�t have a laptop. If you rely on your iPod for an extended time away from a charging source, keep a few of these around.

Pros: Does exactly what it says.
Cons: None.

5 out of 5 dog cows

Unlike window or all purpose cleaner, IKlear is designed specifically to clean Apple products: iMacs, iBooks, iPods, etc. They have premeasured wipes you can carry with you anytime and anywhere. No overspray damage and an outstanding cleaning that lasts.

Their product line is recommended, endorsed and sold by Apple. Outstanding product I�ve used personally for years.

Pros: Perfect cleaner for you Mac.
Cons: A bit pricey.

5 out of 5 dog cows

These aren�t your typical iPod cases. They are made of lightweight aluminum and their website shows video of it being run over by a truck and surviving. I�m not surprised! There are two design flaws I see with the shuffle version. First, because of the magnets, they claim you shouldn�t use it near �floppy disks and hard drives� which makes it difficult to hook up to your computer. Also, it requires you to take it out of the case in order to hook it up to your computer. It only takes a second to remove the case and you wouldn�t want the magnets that close to the computer. It�s an annoyance and not a big deal, but I probably wouldn�t use this as my main case. The Nano�s version�s flaw is it doesn�t protect the screen directly. If a truck did run over your Nano, I suspect the screen might suffer some scratches. These, however, are minor flaws to an otherwise great product.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone that tends to be rough on equipment. If you drop your cell phone, the iKeychain is the case for you. Because this has a keychain loop, it can be hooked not only to your keychain (I don�t think anyone will be hooking a Nano to their keychain) but to a backpack, purse, or suitcase. The hook allows you to secure your iPod and prevent it from getting lost or generally knocked around. In other words, perfect for the kid�s iPod. If I were traveling with my iPod, I�d get one of these cases to make sure my iPod wasn�t stolen or dropped in the mad dash to catch a flight. Again, highly recommended iPod case!

Pros: Unquestionable protection for your iPod. Perfect for people with �dropsys�.
Cons: Device protection causes minor logistical problems.

4 out of 5 dog cows

The Hotspotter not only tells you whether there is a wi-fi signal and its strength, but the name of the network (so you know if you are seeing the coffeehouse or the people living above it), and most important, whether it’s password protected. If it’s password protected, no need to stop for coffee and pull out your laptop if you can’t use the network there. (note that some places charge for access, which lets you on their network,but require you to login to connect).

I also use this device in homes sometimes to find out which part of the room has the best signal. This helps you know where to place a booster device such as an Airport Express Base Station. My major complaint is that the Canary Hotspotter is not terribly ergonomic. It doesn’t fit well in my bag and is way too big for a keychain. It might work well on a purse strap. Unfortunately,my batteries run out quickly on the device if I’m not careful, because the button often gets pressed accidentally while it’s in my laptop bag. What is it: A simple device that is the �better mousetrap� for wi-fi detectors.

Pros: Finds wireless networks you can actually use!
Cons: Poor ergonomics make it difficult to carry in a laptop bag.

4 out of 5 dog cows

Apparently, the development of the product took a little longer than anticipated and I didn�t receive mine until a whole year later. I plugged the �fin� into my Indigo iMac G3 (running Jaguar) and installed the software. It was fun to play with but I had trouble with the scheduled recording function and setting the target directory preference. Just recently, however, I upgraded my iMac to Panther and ran the Check for Update� option within the software. Now, everything works swimmingly. I�m not sure which update made the difference but I highly recommend you run the updater as soon as you install the software.

The software has many features including AM/FM listening, station seeking, instant recording, scheduled recording, audio equalizer, time shifting and multiple preset options. The system records radio broadcasts as audio files in either the AIFF (uncompressed) or AAC formats. The interface is as easy to use as a car radio and can even sport custom colors. Recording in the AIFF file format uses about 10MB per minute and the ACC option provide you with several quality/compression options. Now I can zone out to my favorite space music program and capture a recording of it for later.