Last year Skatter Tech reviewed the Das Keyboard Professional. Today, I present a review of the latest iteration, the Das Keyboard Model S Professional. The new version is almost entirely the same as the previous model, but it now comes with a few additions, changes, and improvements. For starters, the keyboard is no longer as loud when typing, but it still sounds like a typewriter. Other improvements include multimedia controls, powered USB ports, and compatibility for PS/2 ports and KVM switches. Although we took a look at the Professional model, an ‘Ultimate’ version is also available which is a completely blank keyboard without any printed text.

Comfort and Quality
As with the earlier model, the new Das Keyboard S Professional maintains its advertised guarantee of quality with precision, speed, and comfort. When they say this is the best keyboard to use for long hours of typing, they aren’t kidding. This is hands down the smoothest keyboard I have ever used. After some getting used to, I found myself typing faster and faster. Due to high sensitivity, there were quite a few accidental entries at first, but my accuracy increased as I spent more time with it. The feel of the keys is unlike any other keyboard. Instead of the immediate snap or click, the keys feel as though they are on a cushion. It actually accepts key presses before it finishes being pressed. There’s a special kind of fluid flow you feel with this keyboard that you won’t find on others. Plus, it’s comfortable. The Model S also sports the n-key rollover feature which accepts up to 6 presses at once. Most generic keyboards jam with more than 3-4 simultaneous key presses. This allows fast typers to do what they do best. The Das Model S makes the entire typing experience enjoyable by adding an aesthetically pleasing sound to each click. Although not as loud, it reminded me of the sound a typewriter makes and the confident feedback you get which each click. Unfortunately it’s still a bit too loud and may annoy others nearby.

Design and Look
The Model S once again retains the minimalistic look. It doesn’t have any extra text, icons, or nonsense other than the company’s name. The only visual difference on the S Model versus the original is the addition of a “Fn” button in the previous location of the left Windows key. The Fn key offers access to media functions which are secondary commands of the F1-F12 keys. Other than that, the keyboard looks almost entirely the same. The unit won’t budge an inch once placed on your desk. That’s because it weighs nearly twice as much as any keyboard I’ve used. Since this won’t ever leave most people’s desks, the weight is a non-issue. The Model S has a glossy reflective black coating which looks sharp. That also means that it does attract some fingerprints just like every other expensive shiny gadget on the market. That’s however not too big of a deal. Plus, you can wipe smudges off with the included cleaning cloth. Das Keyboard claims that each key can handle about 50 million strokes before it wears out.

Setup and USB Hub
The Das Keyboard S Professional is ready to use right out of the box. There’s no installation required. The device has two USB cables, one enables the keyboard component and the other for the USB Hub. My Dell Inspiron laptop, running Windows 7, detected everything instantly. It should be the same case for Mac OS X users. There’s a two-port USB hub on the right side. Although I wouldn’t recommend using any USB hub for any data heavy devices such as external HDDs, the ports are easy to access and great for flash drives. For the most part I didn’t notice any performance degradation due to the use of a hub. Also since the keyboard portion is independent of the USB hub, any freeze ups won’t affect your typing.

Media Keys
The addition of media keys are a great addition to this keyboard. They are accessible by pressing the ‘Fn’ key in combination with the corresponding Function key. There are keys for lowering volume, increasing volume, mute, play/pause, stop, previous track, and next track. There’s also a key to put your computer to Sleep. The media keys worked perfectly with Windows 7. They also worked smoothly with pre-installed Windows Media Player 12 and 3rd party programs such as VLC and Foobar 2000. They were quite responsive as well. The fact that no additional software was required is a big plus. After some use, I truly feel as though the media keys should be placed in a different location. Reaching across the keyboard to press two keys for each operation seemed time consuming. Either adding dedicated media keys or placing them elsewhere might yield a more productive typing experience.

The Recall
While using this keyboard, the space bar randomly decided to stop working. After a couple rapid clicks, it still ceased to function. I decided to unplug the device and reboot my computer. It then started working again. Over the course of about two weeks of use, it never happened again. I just assumed it was a random bug and never bothered to look into it. However, I was soon informed that the Model S was being recalled shortly prior to publishing this review. There’s apparently a faulty component which causes random keys to stop functioning. It shouldn’t cause any harm to your computer, but when you pay for something it should work flawlessly. If a unit you own does have this issue, unplugging and plugging it should apparently solve the problem temporarily. I’m also glad to see that Das Keyboards is handling this issue quite appropriately. They are offering all the customers who already purchased one the option to receive a free replacement or a full refund. They are no longer shipping out the Model S, but are taking pre-orders for the working model with some minor revisions. It will be available in mid-December.

Bottom Line
Overall, the Das Keyboard S Professional is much of what it used to be, a great keyboard. The minor improvements probably aren’t worth an upgrade from last years model, but is a great complement for new buyers. The slightly more silent keys will annoy your co-workers or roommates less. For the user, the aesthetics and the fast typing experience is great. It’s great for typing long papers or reviews such as this one. While the recall may turn off some potential buyers, keep in mind that Das Keyboards makes reliable products. Last years model worked perfectly and there was only one occurrence of the bug during my two weeks of use. Das Keyboards is taking responsibility and is addressing the issue properly. I’ll update this article when we get a hold of the working unit next month, but for now I’ll trust that they’ll fix it. The Model S is a great keyboard and is definitely worth a look at if you’re a serious writer, programmer, or just type a lot. It’s a quite pricey and will run you about $129. It’s a lot for a keyboard, but it’s a quality product and you’ll only appreciate it once you use it.

Pre-Order: Model S (ships mid-December)
Links: Das Keyboard Model S | Recall Information

The second item SanDisk sent us was the MobileMate Duo, a MobileMate Micro USB card reader and a SanDisk SD card adapter for microSD cards. Although most modern gadgets should allow a mass storage mode to allow copying data over, the MobileMate Duo kit offers direct access to the microSD card. The USB card reader worked right out of the box on Windows 7 and OS X Snow Leopard. No extra drivers were needed. Using the SD card reader adapter is self-explanatory.

To see how well the microSD card performs, I ran some benchmarks:
(I used a Windows 7 machine with the MobileMate Micro USB)

Music Album (MP3s – 80MB)

• Write: 8MB/s
• Read: 17MB/s

Video (AVI – 800MB)

• Write: 14MB/s
• Read: 18MB/s

Just as a popular SD cards revolutionized flash storage for Digital Cameras, the microSDHC cards are doing the same for mobile phones. These are affordable, easy to carry, and swappable on most devices. SanDisk, a reliable brand, is producing quality products. The read and write speeds were higher than I had expected for such a small piece of flash media. This card is a excellent way to store music and photos on mobile devices. The USB adapter is a great accessory if your device won’t allow direct syncing. Although the MSRP is ridiculously high, priced at $109, it’s available for a fraction of that if you shop around. The 16GB model goes for around $45 on Amazon.

Buy: SanDisk MicroSDHC $45
Links: SanDisk.com microSDHC

Hardware – 5/5 stars
The form factor of the Anywhere MX is quite similar to the VX Nano. The MX feels as though it weights nearly twice as much mainly due to the use of 2 AA batteries rather than 2 AAA on the preceding model. The workmanship is excellent, just as it almost always is with Logitech products. From the minute you pick it up, you’ll know that it’s a high end quality product. The parts that previously had glossy plastic on the VX Nano are now covered with a chrome trim on the Anywhere MX. Scratches and fingerprints aren’t nearly as visible anymore. There’s a sliding cover which doubles as both the power switch and as a cover to protect the sensor from damage when in the “OFF position”. Other than that, there’s a large door on the bottom that reveals the batteries and a holster for the tiny USB Logitech Unifying receiver.

Buttons – 5/5 stars
The Anywhere MX features all the essential buttons necessary to make a good mouse. This includes a left/right-click buttons, back/forward-keys, a scroll wheel, and a middle-click. Unlike the Anywhere MX, many mice such as the Microsoft Mobile Mouse 4000 often fall short in offering all of those basic keys. The Logitech even takes it a step further by offering a scroll wheel that can switch between a frictionless free-spin mode and a notched  modes when the wheel is pushed in. The frictionless mode is great for flicking through long webpages, while the other mode is slower, but offers precision. The scroll wheel can also be leaned to the left or right for horizontal scrolling. The middle click defaults to the button placed right below the scroll wheel. Logitech made the wise decision to move the awkwardly placed forward and back keys on the VX Nano to the natural location of where the thumb finger would be located. The most important keys, the left and right click, have a strong and comforting feel. Overall, it’s a huge improvement over the VX Nano. Although I’m not taking a point off, I should note that this is a right-handed mice, it would be difficult for lefties to use this product.

Surface Tracking 5/5 stars
The greatest feature of this mouse is the new Darkfield Laser technology. It now can operate on virtually any surface including glass. Neither optical mice nor even Microsoft’s new BlueTrack technology can’t match it. The technology works by detecting imperfections and dust particles on the glass. It might not be as accurate as compared to using a traditional surface or mouse pad, but after a few tests on a glass desk, it seemed to work just well. Hard-core gamers will probably want a better mouse, but the precision of the new laser is better than any other mouse Skatter Tech has come across to date.

Other Components – 5/5 stars
Although Logitech offers a CD with Drivers, everything worked right out of the box on both Windows 7 and Vista. Unless you want to customize functionality, it might even be better to not install the extra tools to save system resources. The transmitter is about the same size as the one included with the previous model. It’s no longer limited to pairing with just this Anywhere Mouse MX, but can also connect to other products compatible with the Unifying technology. The signal strength is strong enough to transmit accurately from at least 20 feet away. Logitech even throws in a neat little pouch to protect the MX Nano when traveling. Although I couldn’t test the battery life span for obvious reasons, Logitech claims about 6 months with normal use. I’ll take their word for it considering the history of their quality products.

Bottom Line
There’s no question that this is one of the best mice on the market today. Although I wouldn’t mind using this as a full time mouse, Logitech also offers a larger desktop version called the Performance Mouse MX. We will be reviewing getting a hold of that one soon. This mouse simply works on just about any surface one would come across. The only downside comes with the price. The MSRP is $80. However if you shop around it’s available for a lot less. Amazon currently offers it for $50 after a $10 rebate. With the comfort, features, the tiny receiver, and even a case thrown in, there’s no way you’ll be disappointed.

Buy: Amazon.com Anywhere MX $50
Links: Logitech.com Anywhere Mouse MX

Using Powermat is quite easy. There’s only one cable needed to power the Powermat itself. Gadgets can be placed on any of the three magnetic charging spots on the device. It plays a futuristic sound and display an LED indicator to verify that it’s charging. If you begin to get annoyed with the sounds once the “coolness-factor” fades, there are buttons on the back to adjust the volume and indicator brightness level as well. An additional powered USB port has been conveniently added to the back to charge legacy devices that don’t yet have support for the Powermat.

Here’s when it gets tricky. The devices you own just don’t charge on their own if you place them on the Powermat. You’ll first need to place them in special Powermat sleeves. There are a number of receivers offered, however we were provided with three: iPod Touch Sleeve, Nintendo DSi Sleeve, and iPod Dock. Their website reveals sleeves for other devices including popular models of the RIM Blackberry. The Powermat representative we spoke with stated that many more accessories for popular gadgets are on their way.

The first device I tested was the iPod Touch Sleeve. I slipped the iPod Touch into the case and placed it on the Powermat. After the Powermat did it’s thing, played a sound and lit up the LED, the iPod Touch displayed the charging screen after a short delay. The case was actually quite a decent one and seemed like it would do a fairly good job of protecting my device. It did unfortunately have that obtruding portion on the back which is necessary for this technology to function. The case also required that I use a little headset dongle and their own USB cable since neither a standard headphone cable or iPod Connector would reach through the case. Although I didn’t see any negative impact to the performance of WiFi on the iPod Touch, I’m not sure if it would cause any signal issues on the case for the iPhone they are releasing this month. Charging worked perfectly and just about as fast, but the need for a headphone dongle made it seem a bit annoying.

The next receiver I tried was the Powermat iPod Dock. At the moment this is a workaround for charging an iPhone 3GS. However the dock also works with the majority of iPods on the market with a few exceptions. It detected and charged both a 2nd generation iPod Nano and iPod Touch perfectly. It also has an adjustable backrest to adjust for the various sizes of these Apple devices. This accessory also seemed to wirelessly charge a device in just about the same time a traditional wired charger would.

Although we only had a standard Nintendo DS, we were able to borrow a Nintendo DSi to test it’s sleeve device briefly. It snapped on easily and immediately began to charge the device. It does add a bit of bulk and make holding the Nintendo DSi a bit more awkward, but it wasn’t too big of an issue. And it was a lot more convenient to place the DSi on the Powermat rather than having to reach for a cable that is probably tangled up or fallen off a desk.

The final accessory we tested the Powermat with was the included and highly versatile Powercube. This was one of my favorite aspects of the entire product. It’s a simple cube that’s placed on the mat with a cable coming out of it. There are plenty of adapters for devices such as Apple, LG, Samsung, Sony, Nintendo, and mini/micro USB products included. Although its not really making anything more cable free, it’s almost a universal charger for the majority of devices out there. We’ve got plenty of gadgets coming in and out at Skatter Tech and this could probably charge just about all of them. Powermat even includes a little storage box that magnetically attaches to the Powercube to carry around a couple of the adapter tips you use most. While this certainly isn’t as awesome as simply placing your iPod or BlackBerry on the Powermat, it’s definitely a welcome addition.

The Powermat works exactly as advertised. We didn’t face any issues or problems. The version we tested is the “Home and Office” version, but Powermat also offers a foldable portable version for travel. A question that a couple of friends asked was, “Is this safe?”.  After a little investigating, I found that there’s nothing to be concerned about. The device is fairly low voltage and it wouldn’t have been approved for sale if there were potential health risks. It doesn’t damage any other devices placed near or on it either.

So does the Powermat have a catch? Yes, the price. The base unit sells for about $100 alone. Although it includes a Powercube and those set of adapters pictured above, it’s still expensive. Plus, each of the device-specific sleeves sell separately for around $30 each. Sure, if you’ve got the cash to spare, go for it. It works. I loved the simplicity of  not having to plug my devices in, but I don’t necessarily think it’s worth spending that much. Plus this technology has already been natively implemented into devices such as the Palm Pre. Dell even showed off the Latitude Z laptop that charges without cables. This technology is closer than ever and I wouldn’t be surprised if it appeared in a lot more gadgets we use everyday. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of those as early next year during the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show. In the meantime, it might just be best for the rest of us to wait until prices drop or until it becomes a built-in feature of new versions of gadgets that hit the streets.

Buy: Powermat for $99 | Accessories
Related: Powermat Video Demo
Links: Powermat.com

Hardware: 5/5 stars
Blue Microphones includes all the essentials to get started with podcasting or recording audio. The box includes the baseball-shaped microphone, a tripod stand, and a USB cable. The tripod extends upwards, rotates a complete 360 degrees, and even allows tilting the head back and fort. Rubber tips on the legs of the tripod are a neat addition as they offer a strong grip and reduce vibrations. The unit also has a standard threaded connector, so it can attached onto any standard microphone stand. There’s a red LED indicator on the front and the USB port resides right below the mode setting switch on the back. The unit stands sturdy and has a unique retro look that catches glances.

Compatibility: 5/5 stars
Starting with Windows 7, the Snowball was detected and automatically configured in seconds. Windows Vista was also able to recognize and setup the device instantly. Windows XP with Service Pack 3 took a bit longer, it required contact Windows Update before it worked. Mac OS X Snow Leopard also detected the device right out of the box. To use the external microphone, I had to either set it as the default device in the control panel or manually choose the device from within an application such as Audacity.

Sound Quality: 3/5 stars
There’s no question that the Snowball is a huge jump up from just about any integrated laptop microphone or cheap auxiliary jack one. It will definitely make podcast recordings, audio chat, and voice overs sound a lot better. In fact a co-worker and I used Snowball microphone to create a screen cast to show off Six Apart’s Movable Type last year. The microphone works great, but it’s still not on par with decent condenser microphones. There are three modes on the Snowball: Cardioid, Cardioid with -10dB to filter loud sounds, and Omni Capsule. There’s a switch on the back to choose between the three modes. If you aren’t too tech-savvy, the manual even has suggestions for which mode to use in which environment. The device does a great job of filtering out unwanted static, wind, and background sounds. Regrettably during the process, I also noticed that vocal sound also seems to be a bit lower. I found myself having to speak close up to the unit and even adjusting levels afterward in my audio recording program. But despite that, for the price it goes for, it’s satisfying.

Conclusion:
The Snowball is a great semi-professional microphone for anyone interested in podcasting or producing better quality audio. It’s also a great tool for video and audio conferencing in for casual and business users. As demonstrated in our video and emphasized by Blue Microphones, it has also been designed to record instruments such as Drums, Guitars, Saxophones, or the Piano in our case. Plus, one of these is available for as low as $70 if you shop around. And it’s an all-in-one solution as well, no other components other than a computer’s required. A decent condenser microphone and mixer will easily cost at least 2-3 times as much. If you are interested in doing any of the mentioned audio related activities, the Snowball USB microphone is a great place to start.

Buy: Blue Snowball for $70
Links: BlueMic.com Snowball

Body Design: 4/5 stars
As the name suggests, the Jabra Halo simply resemble a halo. As I removed it from the packaging, it struck me a luxurious gadget. They felt quite lightweight as I picked them up and the black trim was elegant. After skimming through the product info sheet, I looked at the quick-start guide for directions before trying them on. Ok, easy enough, just unfold and snap in to lock the headphones into position — wait… ’snap’? Although I was a bit worried, I realized that the headset actually had a joint to fold. This wasn’t just to make the device more compact for travel, but it was actually what turned it on and off as well. It’s unique, new, and the sharp look definitely certainly got me a few glances.

Controls: 3/5 stars
All physical controls are on the right side of the headset. There’s one big multifunction button that serves as an Answer/End key and the Play/Pause control. The multifunction can answer an incoming call or end a call in progress. If the music is being played back it then can be used to pause or resume the track. The side of the right ear piece has a touch sensitive strip that allows adjusting volume or navigating tracks. Simply sliding your finger up or down the strip increases and reduces volume, respectively. To skip tracks, you’ll need to hold down on either the top or bottom portion of the strip. This may sound great on paper, but it takes quite a bit of getting used to. It was just difficult to find the position of the touch strip since there’s no groove to help guide your finger. The only other issue was the responsiveness probably due to the Bluetooth Protocol. It often took a second or two to react to a change in volume, track change, or pause. It’s not a big issue, but hopefully there will be improvements in the future. On another note, it would have also been convenient if separated the multifunction button into to dedicated keys: one for answering/ending calls and one for playing/pausing music.

Comfort: 4/5 stars
I generally avoid over-the-ear headphones since they are too bulky to carry around. Plus traditional headphones have messy cables to deal with. That’s not the case with the Jabra Halo. It’s sleek and even folds up into an included pouch. Plus it feels great to wear. The insides are lined with a velvet-like material, which are quite comfortable. It might even help dampen outside noises. The inner lining unfortunately gathers some lint and since it’s black; it’s quite visible. The side ear-pieces can be pulled out further for a better fit. Unless your head is too large, this should adjust to fit just about anyone. Even with extended periods of use, the headphones were quite comfy.

Dual Pairing: 3/5 stars
I’ve had numerous complications in the past dealing with pairing new devices. Sometimes these things just don’t pair right, take too long discover the device, or PIN is nowhere to be found. The Jabra Halo simply works. Just hold down the multifunction button until the light starts to blink. Once once it appears on your device, just key in the default 0000 pin that’s mentioned in the manual. Since this device supports dual pairing, just repeat the process again to connect a second device. That was easy, but the Halo has problems after that. It’s theoretically suppose to be able to handle two devices at once. So if you get a phone call on one, it should be able to answer that, but also handle calls from another phone too. The problems starts with a long delay when switching between devices. It took at least about 20 seconds before the sound was transferred to the headset after pressing the multifunction button to answer a call. It may sound convenient, but it will also truly annoy the caller since they’ll have no idea what’s going on. If it was a little faster, I would happily be able to pair this to my computer to listen to music, but also answer calls on my HTC Hero.

Battery Life: 4/5 stars
According the advertising and info sheet, Jabra claims a 6 hours of music playback. So of course, I tested that claim. After a full charge, I found that I was getting about 4-5 hours of playback at medium volume. That’s certainly enough for a day’s use. They could surely make some battery life improvements in the future, but it works just fine. To charge the device, Jabra has provided a AC wall charger with a standard microUSB tip. It plugs into the port on the bottom end of the right ear piece. There’s an indicator on the inside of the headset that display’s both the battery level and the Bluetooth connection status. Here’s the other neat aspect, the headset supports a wired connection mode. So when it runs out juice, just plug it in with the included microUSB to 3.5mm headphone jack and you can keep on rocking! There’s even an additional microUSB to USB dongle included to re-charge with a computer. The connector was a bit loose, which was an issue since it stops charging if you move it unintentionally. However that might just be an issue with the review unit we received.

Sound Quality: 3/5 stars
For a Bluetooth Stereo Headphones, the sound quality is superb. It definitely sounded better than what came out of the Altec-Lansing BackBeat. Unfortunately the quality rapidly deters the further you get away from the paired device. The range was quite short, sound began to quickly get choppy at about 25 feet. That’s not too great compared to the Altec-Lansing which worked from at least 75 feet away with no physical obstructions. Things however change when you switch over to the wired mode. The audio quality immediately becomes a lot more crisp with better highs and lows. The bass was also at decent level. As for phone calls, the quality was satisfyingly clear for both me and person on the other end. It doesn’t cancel out background noises for the microphone too well. It becomes harder for the person on the other end to hear you in noisy environments. Although you’ll probably have the paired device in your pocket most of the time, it still would have been favorable if the range was further.

Bottom Line:
Overall, the Jabra Halo is still one of the best Bluetooth Stereo Headphones on the market. It offers both wired and wireless connectivity modes. Sound quality is excellent. Although a bit slow to react, it still offers the ability work with two devices at once. The headset even folds up and tucks away into the included pouch. The battery life is decent and the device is fairly durable too. The Jabra Halo is however a bit pricey, costing nearly $135. And there’s a reason for that, these are premium headphones. Competing products such as the Altec-Lansing sell for nearly half the price, but also do lack audio quality and premium features. If you have the cash to spend and are looking for a new pair of wireless headphones, you can’t go wrong with the Jabra Halo.

Buy: Jabra Halo for $130 [ships free + no tax]
Links: Jabra.com Halo

As you may be aware by now, all of us here at Skatter Tech strongly recommend buying a protective case for your phones and other expensive gadgets.  Spending a couple bucks is well worth the investment.  Today I’ve reviews of two new cases for the iPhone 3G and 3GS by OtterBox. The Commuter and the Commuter TL are both are quite similar, but have a few differences, keep reading to find out which one’s right for you.

Installation – 5/5 stars
Some cases that I’ve come across have been a pain to install. For example the Griffin Wave even ended-up scratching my iPhone. Both the Commuter and Commuter TL are truly easy to install. It took less than a minute to place my iPhone into the silicone sleeve then attach the hard case onto it. I was a little worried that the silicone might tear when the plastic portion was going on, but it went on just fine with some caution. OtterBox also includes a screen protector with both the Commuter and the Commuter TL. It’s a decent screen protector, but it does slightly reduce the screen’s sensitivity.

Protection & Usability – 4/5 stars
The OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL cases offer great protection all around the phone. Unlike most cases, both offer protection of the power button, dock connection, volume control buttons, and the headphone jack. The only parts which are left open are the silent switch, the speaker, the microphone, and the camera. Adding a cover for the dock connector was a great idea since it almost always gathers dust and lint. Unfortunately that also means that your iPhone won’t fit into any docks while this case is on. Doing the same for the headphone jack was great idea as well, but will definitely take two hands to get the headphone cable in. I found that the volume and power buttons were even easier to use since they bulged out even more. The ringer switch was the only one that was a bit difficult to use since the case around it was a bit too thick. For the most part, both cases are functional.

There are a couple of differences between the two models. The Commuter has a cutout for the Apple logo which reduces protection, but the Commuter TL covers it with a plastic window. The Commuter’s hard case extends onto the side of the device for additional protection, while the Commuter TL only goes from the top to the bottom on the back side. The Commuter has a solid colored hard plastic shell while the Commuter TL has a transparent one. Although I would have appreciated protection over the Logo on the Commuter and protection on the sides for the Commuter TL, they are still some of the most rugged cases I’ve used. Plus they don’t look bad either.

Verdict
Overall the OtterBox Commuter and OtterBox Commuter TL are both now my favorite cases. Unfortunately each one has one flaw in protection such as the huge hole on the back or no hard case to cover the sides, but they both are still great choices. The Commuter is only available in Black, but the Commuter TL is now offered in Black Blue, Green, Pink, Red, White and Yellow. If you are looking for a case, I’d definitely recommend picking up one of these. The Commuter and Commuter TL are available for purchase now for about $35 and $30, respectively.

Buy: OtterBox Commuter Cases for $20-$30
Links: OtterBox.com Commuter | TL

Precision and Responsiveness
Microsoft’s new Mobile Mouse 4000 works on both PCs & Macs using the USB 2.4 GHz wireless receiver. It features Microsoft’s new and advanced BlueTrack Technology, which is the biggest selling point for the device.  The BlueTrack Tracking Engine diverges from the typical wireless laser mouse. It uses an advance incoherent Blue LED.  With a wider beam and high angle optics, it can track on even granite, marble, and glossy surfaces. So I put it to the test. And it worked on my black mouse pad, a somewhat glossy desk, the carpet, and even the textured wall. It worked just as advertised. The next time you are at a coffee shop and decide to use a shiny magazine as your mouse pad, you can be assured that this mouse won’t fail. This is a great improvement from the last generation of mice, but competitors are already another step ahead. For example, competing products from Logitech sport a new technology called Darkfield that work even on glass. Although the Mobile Mouse 4000 can not match that feature, it is also a much more affordable device and won’t disappoint.

Battery and Connectivity
Microsoft’s other enhancements that truly make the Wireless Mobile Mouse an excellent product include the Nano Transceiver and the Battery Life. The Nano Transceiver on its own is an amazing advancement for wireless mice. It isn’t new, but is a welcome inclusion. Unlike other USB receivers, this one barely extends out of the USB port. There are less chances of snapping  the receiver or damaging your USB port. In addition the entire transceiver fits into a small compartment under the mouse. It is released with a quick push of a button besides the slot. Microsoft’s Mouse runs on a single AA battery. A small indicator light on top will change from Green to Yellow when it’s running out of juice. You won’t have to worry about it dying unexpectedly. There’s also a power on-off switch underneath to help maintain battery life. Microsoft claims a 10 month battery life and I think that’s a reasonable lifespan. It doesn’t add to much bulk to your bag when you are on the go and it will last a long time.

Shape and Design
The device has plenty of benefits overall, but does have a few drawbacks. First, it’s a relatively small mouse with a symmetrical shape. This is great for ambidextrous users, but a bit too small for the average person. I probably wouldn’t use this as my main mouse, but there’s no question it’s great for travel. It would also suit children and teens just fine. The layout is fairly typical, with a left/right click, a scroll wheel in between, and an extra button on the upper left side. That extra button functions by default as a back button. It’s a great idea and worked just fine for me, a right-handed user, but would definitely be in an awkward place for lefties. I also was slightly disappointed with the scroll wheel.  It isn’t notched too well and constantly slips causing my documents to scroll slightly. Plus if you were to attempt to press it inwards to initiate a middle-click or free-scroll, it once again often slips. Overall it’s not the best mouse for full-time use unless you’ve got small hands, but does the job for traveling.

Customization
The IntelliPoint software software included with the mouse enables a whole new set of features. It’s easy to customize and will be appreciated. Any button on the mouse including the scroll wheel can all have their functionality tweaked. With the default settings, the scroll wheel will activate Vista’s 3D Flip function and the side button will be the Back button for your Web Browser. What makes the software powerful is the program specific customizations. It will allow the mouse to be configured differently based of what program you have active at the time. For example the pressing in the scroll button can be the middle-click when using Firefox, but at other times launch the 3D Flip. These types of settings help increase productivity greatly. The one thing this mouse does lack is a Forward button to complement the Back button. It would have made a lot of sense to put it at a symmetrical position on the other side. Once again, competing products feature both a Back and Forward button.

In Conclusion
Microsoft’s Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000 is an excellent compact mouse with the basic and essential features. The new BlueTrack technology allows flexibility to use the mouse on a larger variety of surfaces. It’s precise, has a sleek design, and an ultra compact transceiver. The IntelliPoint software offers plenty of neat custom settings. The addition of a Forward button on the right side and a better notched scroll wheel would have been truly appreciated, however it still works. It’s available in Black, White, Ocean Teal Blue, Lime Green, and Berry Pink for a reasonable price of just $39.99. If you are looking for a new mouse to pack with you when you are on the go or for youngsters, look no further, Microsoft’s product is an excellent choice.

Pros

• BlueTrack Technology
• Nano USB Transceiver
• IntelliPoint Custom Settings
• 10-Month Battery Life

Cons

• Too Small for Average Person
• Side Button isn’t Left Hand Friendly
• Oversensitive Scroll Wheel
• Lack of Forward Button

Buy: Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000 for $39
Links: Microsoft.com Mobile Mouse 4000

As the name suggests, this product is the portable version of Kensington’s larger Battery Pack and Charger for iPhone and iPod. While the larger version offer a more powerful battery, the unit is almost the size of an iPhone and requires a cable to connect to your device, which is a bit messy. On the other hand, the Mini Battery Back is only about one third the size of its counter part and plugs directly into your devices dock connector. It clings on well enough that you can continue to use your device while it’s getting charged. The unit is roughly the width and thickness of an iPhone but is only two inches tall, small enough to slip away into your pocket or purse. An included plastic cap prevents dust from building up on the dock contacts and also doubles as stand. It is supposedly suppose to be able to hold your device upright to watch a movie, but it’s quite flimsy and I wouldn’t count on it. Irrespective of that small quirk, it doesn’t deter from the quality of the rest of the product. Kensington also includes a USB cable, which winds up itself, for charging the battery pack.

Kensington uses a lithium-ion polymer battery cell in their device. The Mini Battery Pack is compatible with any iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPod with a dock connector. (Except for 3rd generation iPod.) If you are on the go and your device runs out of fuel, the Mini Battery Pack extends run-time for another 30 hours of music, 6 hours of video, or 3 hours of talk time for iPhones. I tested the battery pack by charging my 2nd generation 32GB iPod Touch starting with fully drained batteries. It was able to bring my dead unit back to a full charge with more power left to spare. Plus it impressively took just about the same time it would have taken to charge my device with my computer. An LED indicator displays how much power is left in the Battery Pack. You can charge both the Mini Battery Pack and your iPhone/iPod Touch at the same time using the included USB Cable.

There’s one major downside for iPod Touch owners, the location of the headphone jack. Since both the headphone jack and dock connector are on the bottom, you won’t be able to plug your headphones in while charging the device. iPhone users on the other hand are safe from this flaw since the headphone jack is on the top. Either way, that won’t stop you from playing games, browsing the web, or using the tons of available applications while recharging.

The Kensington Mini Battery Pack is convenient and compact product, which is great for those who are heavy iPhone or iPod Touch users. It’s also great for road trips or planes when there’s no access to a computer with a USB port for charging. iPhone users will love this as it almost doubles the battery life of their device for tasks such as movie playback. Overall, if you are someone who uses your iPhone enough that it keeps running out of power before the day ends or just travels a lot, this is an excellent solution. It’s available for an affordable price of $32.99 on Amazon.

Buy: Kensington Mini Battery Pack for $32
Links: Kensington.com Mini Battery Pack

With school starting just around the corner, students everywhere are looking to purchase new backpacks to start the year. We would like to thank JanSport was kind enough to provide us their Revolt day pack for this review. An important aspect of backpacks these days is included protection for laptops and electronics. And with that being said, it must be done without adding too much bulk or weight to make the bag uncomfortable to wear. The Jansport Revolt is fairly lightweight, looks great, and was spacious.

The day pack features the new “Biovent” padded shoulder straps and the “Ventech” cushioned back panel. This is essential for those who have longer commutes as it helps reduces strain and adds some comfort. Plus the design is suppose to improve airflow between you and the bag, to keep yourself cooler. After a few days of use, I actually have to say that I actually found it uncomfortable. I continued to use it for another week and breaking it in helped it become a lot better.  The bag weighs just under 2 pounds and can hold up to 2001.6 cu in, which is about the average size for a backpack. The Revolt also has adjustable chest and waist straps, to help transfer the weight.

The front of the pack has a bungee compression which allows holding something without using either of the main compartments, which is often great to keep something wet or dirty out of the innards. The Revolt has two large compartments and one small padded pocket for sunglasses. The main compartment has enough room to fit a 15.4” laptop which would also technically doubles as a sleeve for a water bladder. I would highly not recommend storing both a laptop and bladder in the same pouch for obvious reasons. This laptop sleeve, disappointingly, was very thin and offers literally no padding for protection. All it would do is keep the laptop from moving around inside. This was a major blow for the back pack. I would strongly suggest picking up a padded laptop sleeve or case to put your laptop into before throwing it into your Revolt backpack. Accessing the laptop pouch is fairly easy and can be plucked out within a few seconds. This is helpful especially at airport security when traveling. The second compartment has three small pockets, great for storing calculators, pens, and pencils. And if you happen to be a tech geek, it’s also great for dropping your flash drive, memory cards, portable hard drive, or cables into. Adding a zipped mesh or more pockets for further organization would have been an appreciated addition. There are slots for water bottles on both sides of the pack, which is great for both left and right handed people. These mesh pockets can easily double for storing an umbrella or laptop power supply.

The Revolt is a simple everyday pack. There are no exceptionally special features, but at the same time it does not lack any necessary element of a good backpack. There are some improvements that can be made on comfort. Despite begin advertised for holding laptops, which it does, it doesn’t protect them. There are also not enough divided pockets on the inside, which might be an issue for those who carry a lot of small things with them. Overall, for the average student heading back to school, it’s a great looking bag and has just about all the things one would need. And it’s durable enough to last for at least a couple of years. The bag is available in 4 colors; Blue Ridge, Black, Cilantro Green, Red Curtain. The JanSport Revolt is available for purchase today for about $75.

Buy: JanSport Revolt for $74.99 (no tax + ships free)
More Details: JanSport.com Revolt

Installation: Time Consuming + Difficult
Getting the InvisibleSkinz film on the LG enV Touch isn’t a few minute job. It actually took us about 45 minutes to get everything installed properly. It comes with a few pieces of film, which was a bit of a puzzle to figure out which went where. (15 included pieces) Installing it requires using a “SHIELDspray” liquid solution, to be applied to both your hands and the film. One thing that may worry many is actually getting this liquid all over your device. I can assure, after installing this type of product on many devices, that using a proper amount of solution won’t cause any issues. Just be sure to avoid getting any solutions into any critical openings. If the device is off and allowed to dry for a couple hours after installation, there’s nothing to worry about. Applying the film was pretty difficult, you only have a short window of time to get it adjust to the right spot. If there are any bubbles caught between the film and the body of the phone, just squeeze them out with the included tool. There’s also a ton of smears and small particles making the entire thing look horrible after you finish. However if you wait patiently overnight or a day, most of those work themselves out.

Protection: Excellent
The InvisibleSkinz for the LG enV Touch offers an extraordinary amount of coverage. There are pieces for both displays, the sides of the phone, and the back. There’s not too much that’s left exposed to be concerned about. The material is about .2mm thick, making it durable enough to protect against even deep scratches. The material won’t start peeling off as you probably would see with other over the counter protective films.

Usability & Compatibility: Perfect
There was no aspect of my device that lost functionality after applying the screen protector and rear protective film. The headphone jack and charger port are completely left open for easy access. The touch screen display lost a small amount of sensitivity, however it’s well worth the trade off than having a nasty scratch. It should fit into any cases you may own as well.

Feel & Look: Excellent
It’s truly difficult to tell whether there’s anything even applied to the device with a quick glance. And that’s a good thing! It keeps all the original elements of the design of the LG enV Touch. Only after inspecting it for a second or two would you realize that there’s actually something protecting the device. There’s no noticeable bulk or weight that would be an issue. The phone feels just as it did without it.

Warranty & Replacement Policy: Excellent
InvisibleSkinz is actually an authorized retailer of ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD. The item in this review would be the same item if purchased directly from ZAGG. Therefore the same warranty that ZAGG provides still applies. If you dissatisfied you can return it for a full refund in the first 30 days. If it gets scratched, torn, or damaged it has a life time warranty. All you have to do is mail it back to ZAGG in an envelope. They will send out a replacement at no cost. You can read Skatter Tech’s review of the ZAGG invisibleSHIELD for the iPhone 3GS for more info on our successful attempt to use the warranty.

Conclusion:
The InvisibleSkinz protective film for the LG enV Touch by ZAGG deserves a worthy mention. It’s well worth the investment for what it will do for your device in the long run. Keep in mind although this defends against scratches, it isn’t truly a replacement for what a case can do. A case can protect against physical damage such as a drop, which the protective film can not do. The best solution would be both the film and a case to truly prevent damage. If you wish to buy the InvisibleSkinz for your LG enV Touch, it’s available for purchase online today. Readers of Skatter Tech are eligible for a special 15% discount. That brings the price down to just $21 from the original $25. To redeem the offer, just key in the coupon code ‘21849′  (without quotes) while proceeding through checkout.

Buy: InvisibleSkinz for LG enV Touch
Coupon Code: 21849

Installation: Difficult
If you thought getting the flim onto the device was simple, you’re wrong. Installing the invisibleSHIELD onto the iPhone 3GS will take at least 20-30 minutes of your time. Plus I should mention that it’s recommended to let the film settle and dry overnight once applied. This means the phone should be untouched and remain turned off. The invisibleSHIELD is actually a “wet installation”. First step would be to clean off any dirt or fingerprints on the iPhone. Second spraying your fingertips and a piece of the film with the included liquid solution. Then align and place the clear film onto the iPhone. It’s best to work quickly, but can be removed to be readjusted in the first few minutes. The final step would be to use the squeegee to push out any air bubbles caught in between the film and the iPhone’s body. This may not seem like much, but it definitely takes a while. The most interesting part is how horrible it looks immediately after application. There’s usually a ton of micro bubbles and smears. However if you let it settle for the mentioned duration, those work themselves out and turn out looking excellent. Of the included pieces, the film for the the display was the easiest to install. The rear was the most difficult since it has to deal with curvature of the iPhone. Despite that being said, installing one of these isn’t rocket science. If you have the patience and time, it’s well worth the effort.

Protection: Excellent
The ZAGG invisibleSHIELD for the iPhone 3GS (also compatible with the 3G) offers excellent coverage. The entire front portion of the iPhone is covered with only a slit to allow sound to travel through the ear piece. An optional piece is provided to cover the home button. The rear piece of film covers the entire back side leaving openings only for the camera, volume rocker and the silent switch. Other areas left un-covered would be the dock connector, speakers, power button, and headphone jack. The film even wraps around the corners to offer as much protection as possible. Small strips are also provided to cover the bezel on the top and bottom. Once installed and allowed to dry, there’s no way that this invisibleSHIELD will peel off on its own. If you were to attempt to remove it, a decent amount of force would be required. This assures us that the Shield will stay on and defend against nasty scratches.

Usability & Compatibility: Good
Just about every aspect of the iPhone 3GS is just as functional with the invisibleSHIELD applied as without anything. It is thin enough to fit into some iPhone/iPod docks and works with most accessories. Most cases fit on just fine. I did encounter some difficulties getting some exact-fit hard cases on. For instance, the protector added just enough thickness that it didn’t allow the Proporta Crystal Case to snap together. But despite that one issue, the majority of things I attempted to use it with including the OtterBox Impact Case for the iPhone 3G, worked just perfectly.

Feel & Look: Excellent
When held or placed in a pocket, it’s hard to even tell if there’s even something on the device. For example, an observer or onlooker would actually have to inspect the device for a few seconds to realize that there’s actually a thin layer over the body of the iPhone 3GS. The only small quirk I had was the slight texture created by the film. Despite that, it goes almost unnoticed when the display is in use. The ZAGG invisible shield also feels fairly good on the finger. Since the iPhone is a touch screen device, that is a fairly important factor. In the beginning it was a bit “sticky,” but after a little bit of use, it became almost as smooth as the display itself. Almost all sensitivity is retained, so there’s not much to worry about there. Even if a slight amount is lost, it’s a well worth trade off in exchange for protecting your display from the dangers of keys, coins, pens or whatever else might be in your purse or pocket.

Warranty & Replacement Policy: Excellent
Zagg offers one of the best warranty and replacement policies I’ve come across. If for any reason you aren’t satisfied in the first 30 days, you can get all your money back. If you have been using the invisibleSHIELD and it gets scratched, torn, or damaged, they will offer a free replacement. The only catch would be that Zagg requests that you mail then back the damaged screen protector. They inspect them for possible defects to help improve their product. With that being said, I decided to actually tested the warranty service. I purchased another Zagg invisibleSHIELD for another gadget. (Not the one shown in this review which was provided by Zagg.) It actually ended up being a bit defective since a part of it was already scratched right when it came out of the packaging. I called a few day after I installed it too see what they would have to offer. They immediately offered to send out a replacement at no cost. I just had to mail them back the old pieces within 25 days. They suggested I stick to a blank sheet of paper, fold it up, and send it off in standard letter envelope. And that was it!

Conclusion:
I have personally been a huge fan of screen protectors. Zagg’s invisibleSHIELD takes things to the next step by also offering coverage for not just the display, but also the rest of the device. The shield keeps the iPhone 3GS compact, looking stylish, and defends against even the deepest of scratches. Keep in mind, this will help prevent wear and tear, but isn’t a complete alternative for cases. One drop with or without a Zagg invisibleSHIELD will probably yield the same result: a dead iPhone. A simple $20 accessory such as the Proporta Crystal Case, OtterBox Impact Case, or Griffin Wave will go a long way to protect physical damage. Of course, if you have the cash to spend, the best solution would be a combination of both. If you want to grab an indivisibleSHIELD for your iPhone 3G or 3GS, it’s available for $25 for the full protection kit seen in this review. If you wish you can purchase either just the rear or front protection separately for $19 or $15 respectively. Zagg also has a large selection of invisible shields for many other devices including phones, media players, cameras, laptops, and lot more.

Link: Zagg invisibleSHIELD iPhone 3GS
Discount Code: 2pdjw9f (15% Discount on Entire Purchase)
Buy: Full Protection for iPhone 3GS – $18

Installation – 4/5 stars
Some cases I’ve come across have been quite a pain to install. Placing the iPhone 3GS into the OtterBox Impact Case takes just a few seconds. The silicone case easily stretches to let the device slide in. The Screen Protector wasn’t too difficult to install. Just clean the screen with a microfiber cloth first, then wipe it down with the cloth they provide to clear off any lint.I aligned and placed the screen protector onto the display from the top to bottom. A few large air pockets got caught in between, but they weren’t to difficult to push out with the included “application card.” Afterward just peel off the remaining layer.

Screen Protector – 4/5 stars
It’s quite tricky to find the right type of screen protector for touch screen devices. Although the included OtterBox screen protector looks clean once installed and is a welcome inclusion with the case, it has a few issues. First, visibility of the display is slightly reduced. Second, some of the touch screen’s sensitivity and responsiveness is lost. Third, it doesn’t feel too great on the finger either. We can say for sure it’s better than leaving your screen unprotected, however there are better iPhone screen protectors available. But considering the price of the entire package, it’s reasonable. In the end, you need something that will be durable enough to prevent scratches while being still sensitive enough to use. And that’s exactly what you get.

Protection & Usability – 4/5 stars
The Impact Case protects just about the entire iPhone 3GS. The touch screen display is of course left open. OtterBox also made a poor choice to design a circle cutout for the Apple Logo on the back of the device. I personally thing it looks horrible and just makes room for another vulnerability. Other than those openings, there’s also small incisions made for the dock connector, speakers, the ringer switch, the headphone jack, the earpiece, ambient light sensor, and camera. The volume rocker, power button, and home key are all functional while in the case. One issue was the usability of the home button. In the beginning it was quite easy to press, however after a few days of use, the case covering that portion began to become thinner making it more difficult to click. If there was a small bulge over that area as there is with other buttons covered by the case, that might help. The thickness on the sides of the case were a bit too thin as well. They might be useful to prevent scratching the bezel of the phone from scratches, but not from shock absorption. The silicone is extra thick around the top/bottom ends of the case and is designed in that fashion for a purpose. Those two areas obtrude enough that they would be the first part of the device to touch the ground during a fall. As implied by the name of the product, the case is designed help reduce the impact the iPhone 3G faces if it were to be dropped. And after handling it for a couple days, I definitely feel it will do a good job at what it was intended to do!

Verdict – 4/5 stars
Overall the Impact Case, deserves to be well noted and considered when looking to purchase a new case for your Apple iPhone. The case OtterBox provided us was white, which didn’t go along so well with my Black iPhone. OtterBox offers the case in black as well, so no need to worry. I would recommend sticking with a matching color. In the end, the bottom line is how well it protects your device. The OtterBox Impact Case will go a long way to saving your device from total destruction in the event of a collision. It’s available for purchase at a reasonable price of $19 directly from OtterBox’s website.

Buy: OtterBox Impact Case for iPhone 3G/3GS

Screen Protector – 5/5 stars
Once properly applied, the screen protector looks quite clean. The BlackBerry Tour’s display wasn’t impaired in terms of brightness or visibility as I’ve seen happen with some other ones. It stays on quite firmly and won’t come off unless you actually try to remove it. The main quirk I had was getting a “sticker tab” that was adhered to the screen protector off. It was placed there to help separate the screen protector from the packaging. Unfortunately it leaves behind a fairly nasty residue that took me quite a while to get off. I soon found out that there was yet another layer covering the top of the screen protector as well. It took a second to peel that off and the display now looks marvelous. Plus, it’s thick enough that it should protect the unit’s display from even some of the deepest scratches.

Protection & Usability – 4/5 stars
The Impact Case protects just about the entire BlackBerry Tour. The only major area that is left exposed would be the display and keyboard. There are perfectly crafted cutouts made for the earpiece, LED indicator, headphone jack, micro USB, and an opening for the camera. The volume toggle, speaker, camera capture button, voice command key, and the two buttons on top are all designed to function while in the case. The thickness of the silicone on the sides might be adequate enough for preventing scratches, but were too thin to reduce the force of a drop. The silicone is extra thick around the top and bottom ends of the case and is designed in that fashion for a purpose. Those two areas obtrude enough that they would be the first part of the device to touch the ground during a fall. As implied by the name of the product, the case is designed help reduce the impact the BlackBerry Tour faces if it were to be dropped. From the looks of it, the case will definitely help cushion an impact.

Verdict – 4.5/5 stars
Overall the Impact Case, deserves to be well noted and considered when looking to purchase a new case for your BlackBerry Tour. It looks professional, doesn’t ruin the style, and will go a long way to protect your device. It’s also a plus that a screen protector is thrown into the package. And best of all, it’s available for a fairly reasonable price of $19 directly from OtterBox’s website.

Buy: OtterBox Impact Case for BlackBerry Tour

The Proporta Crystal Case feels robust and study when held. Just about all parts of the phone are covered. The top and bottom have been left exposed for access to the headphone jack, hold button, dock connector, and speakers. Other parts left exposed are for the volume cradle, earpiece, and home button. What’s great about the case is that the phone’s display is recessed into the case, so it would hopefully be protected if it were to fall face front. The one thing the case lacks is the inclusion of a screen protector. If Proporta threw one in with the Crystal case, that would have been better deal.

Putting on the case is a snap, it took just a few seconds to quickly sandwich the iPhone between the front and back plates. However removing it from the case is a difficult task. After trying to pry it open and even using the included “removal card tool,” it was still a pain to remove. On the other hand, not being able to easily remove the case might be a good thing. I’m well assured that dropping the phone in the case wouldn’t cause the case to easily split apart or shatter.

Overall, the Proporta Crystal Case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS is a great accessory. If you need a case, we definitely give this one a thumbs up. It’s available for purchase on line for $18.95 before tax and shipping. However as a reader of Skatter Tech you are eligible for a special 10% discount by using the promotional code ‘SKATTERTECH’ (no quotes). What case do you use or recommend? Let us know!

Buy It: Proporta.com – iPhone Crystal Case
Promo Code: SKATTERTECH

Griffin Wave package is composed of a few pieces: back and front pieces which snap together and a screen protector. The first thing I did was attempt to install the screen protector. Immediate reaction: horrible. It was a bit too thick of a plastic which reduced sensitivity, made the screen more difficult to see, and wouldn’t even stay on properly. I hilariously found that the thin sheet of plastic that protects the screen protector while in the packaging to function better.

The next issue that hit was actually getting the case on. The design is a bit flawed due to the way the rear and front piece latch together. Getting them to snap is difficult and I found myself slightly fearful of either breaking the case or scratching my iPhone with the sharp edges of the Wave Case. Once you manage to get it on, it stays on fairly well. The main concern I had then was the overly unprotected area near the volume keys, where a large portion of the iPhone’s body was left exposed.

Finally the case wears too quickly and poorly. When purchased the plastic has a “smoked” or “frosted” look. However after just a week or so of use, that opaque look started to literally shed off. The case scratched too easily making it look like it had gone through years of use.

I find it a bit difficult recommending this for the price tag of $25. There are plenty of other cases available for a similar price, some of which we’ll be reviewing in the coming weeks, which will function a whole lot better. On the other hand if you manage to grab the case for $7.99 including tax and shipping as I managed to from Griffin’s own website, I think that might be an acceptable price. Use the code GRIFFINRTMN09 on “Step 2: Billing & Payment” of Check Out, not any earlier.

Links: Griffin Technology – Wave Case (use code mentioned above)
Buy on Amazon: Griffin Wave for $16

If you own an Apple iPhone 3G or 3GS you were provided an “Apple USB Power Adapter” in the box. It’s a great little device mainly due to the fact that it’s so small. The charger doesn’t add much bulk to packing and just simply works. It isn’t just for an iPhone, but can also charge most other USB-powered devices. Here’s where my dilemma came in, I wanted a second one so I could charge my iPhone both at work and at home. After spending a minute or two on the online Apple Store to realize that they charge $29, I decided to hold back from purchasing another. If you add tax and basic shipping to the equation, it totals in at just about $36. I felt that was just a bit too expensive for just a USB charger.

I soon came across the Ultra-Mini USB Charger, a third party accessory, that caught my attention. Not only did it look exactly the same in the photos, but it only cost $3 and would be shipped for free. After taking a look into the online retailer, DealExtreme, I decided to take the $3 plunge after deciding it was a fairly reliable site. Everything worked out just fine, I was charged the correct amount and even received the look-alike USB Charger within a week. I was a bit worried to attempt charging my expensive iPhone 3GS, so I tested it on some older USB devices first. After those all charged just fine, I plugged in my iPhone 3GS. It worked no differently then Apple’s $30 charger and took no longer to fully power my iPhone’s battery. What was even more stunning was the design, it was literally identical in terms of size and color. If you held them up to someone, they probably wouldn’t think they were both the same.

If you are looking to replace a broken Apple USB Power Adapter or just purchase an additional one, I highly recommend taking a look at the Ultra-Mini USB Charger. I’ve been using mine for a little under a month and it’s been great. Considering the bottom-line that Apple charges between $30 and $36 depending on whether you buy it online or at their retail store for the same functionality, the Ultra-Mini is great deal. Although I faced no issues, I highly doubt the Ultra-Mini will be put through as much quality testing as Apple’s Charger, so be warned if you run into a faulty one. Nonetheless, if you want to save some cash during this economic downturn, give the Ultra-Mini a shot.

Buy: DealExtreme.com Ultra-Mini USB Charger | Apple USB Power Adapter

V-Moda Vibe II Specs:

• Frequency Response: 12Hz – 22kHz
• Speaker Driver: 8mm V-MASQUE earth magnet
• Cable: Kevlar Reinforced (32-inch + 13-inch after Y split)
• Plug: 24k gold-plated and 3.5mm stereo plug
• Weight: 22 grams
• Warranty: 1 Year V-moda premier
• Price: $120

The V-moda Vibe II headphones are by far the most unique pair of headphones I have had a chance to use. The quality and style of the packaging alone gives a great impression of the caliber of the product. Unfortunately opening the packaging is a difficult and painful task. Once removed from the packaging, at first glance the things that stand out the most would be the cable material and the ear buds. Unlike the plastic and rubber coating found on most headphone cables, the Vibe II is actually covered in a Kevlar fabric. The cloth gives the V-moda headphones a distinct and noticeable look. The headphones also feel a lot more like clothing when worn compared to traditional ones. In addition I found the cables to be more resistant to becoming tangled and easier to straighten out. The one major concern would be the durability of the material, however even with a few weeks of use; they didn’t show any signs of wear. The second most notable feature would be the ear buds, which look like a piece of jewelry. The shinny coat makes them quite apparent. Both men and women will find the style attractive. Not only are the looks great, but the build quality is excellent and they sound great.

The Vibe II is compatible with just about any standard MP3 player on the market that has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. To utilize the built-in microphone found in the middle of the cable between the right ear bud and the Y-split, a compatible device is needed. The Apple iPhone, RIM BlackBerry, Palm Pre, or just about any new smart phone on the market will do just fine. A single control button is also featured on the headphones right before the Y-split. On my iPhone 3GS the button can be tapped once to either answer an incoming call or to end a call that’s already in progress. When the phone is idle, a single tap initiates music playback and another tap pauses it. A double tap skips to the next track and an awkward triple tap falls back to the previous track. Holding the button down for a second or two launches the Voice Commands feature. The Vibe II has all the features found in most headphones made for mobile phones today. There are no special features other than unusual materials used.

As for the audio, the earphones offer fairly good sound isolation. There is a fairly more than normal amount of bass produced by the earphones, which some may actually prefer depending on the genre of the music being played back. These aren’t the best of high-end headphones so naturally, some high notes do get dropped. Despite that, these headphones are almost guaranteed to sound exceptionally better and to be preferable to just about set of buds included with a device. If fashion isn’t an important factor for you, a pair of Shure headphones will probably offer superior audio quality for the same price.

A tight and comfortable fit is quite important to isolate external noise and keep your music from fading away. To meet that requirement, V-moda includes a total of eight pairs of ear tips. There are two pairs of extra-smalls, smalls, mediums, and larges. One pair for each size is black while the other pair is translucent white. In addition V-moda includes “ear-hooks” to prevent the earphones from falling out when jogging. The two attachments easily latch onto the cable, fit tightly and discretely behind the ears. When the ear-hooks are in use, the ear buds actually enter your ear canal upside down rather than the traditional way. I found both methods of wearing the Vibe II to be fairly comfortable. As for other included accessories, the Vibe II also comes packaged with a compact soft leather case with vibrant red stitches. They can easily can fit the headphones and the ear-hooks, however it might be a bit of a tight fit to also try to squeeze in the additional ear tips.

Overall the V-moda Vibe II headphones are an excellent pair of headphones. They are quite fashionable and offer far better audio quality than the generic pair included with an Apple iPod/iPhone, Sony Walkman, or Creative Zen. The largest drawback would have to be the price tag. The Vibe II cost nearly $120, which is a bit more than the average consumer will probably spend. In addition those willing to spend the cash for high quality audio will probably rather invest in a pair of Shure or Ultimate Ears headphones. However if you are looking for something flashy, that has a unique look, and will grab people’s attention, the Vibe II definitely won’t fall short. The V-Moda Vibe II headphones are available for purchase online and in many retail stores today.

Links: V-Moda.com – Vibe II
Buy: V-Moda Vibe II for $119 (no tax + ships free)

The delicate yet durable feel of the case is a good blend of classiness and strength of protection you would find in any premium quality protective cases. However this particular product boasts a neat little innovative design. The design allows the ability to use your system while still in the case! The workmanship is excellent and seems quite durable. The white stitching works with the black color of the rest of the case, especially since my Aspire One was also white. The case is held together by a magnetic clasp which is a lot nicer than alternative mechanisms such as zippers and velcro straps. The designers of the case were thoughtful when it comes to functionality since they even created pores on the bottom to allow the laptop to “breathe” meaning maintaining cooler temperatures. Although, I wasn’t to wild about the appearance of the ventilation pores, it servers a purpose and in the end goes pretty much unnoticed.

Furthermore, there are various sized pockets suitable for holding a couple of your SD cards as well as a credit card sized pocket. A look behind those reveal an even larger pocket; ideal for holding perhaps a lint-free cloth for maintaining the Acer’s LCD screen while traveling. The careful placement of the cut outs in the leather design provide access to every necessary hardware component. Components such as the track pad, Wi-Fi indicator/switch, and card reader are all accessible through cutouts in the case. I originally assumed a case would make typing difficult, but I instead found the tiny palm rests even more comfortable with the leather covering. The simplicity and compactness makes the case an excellent accessory. There is always a slight addition of bulk with any case, but this case was just the right balance from providing enough protection without too much extra baggage.

Conclusion:
Proporta’s Leather Case for the Acer Aspire One is affordable and durable. Prior to reviewing this product I was using a generic polyester case for portable DVD players. The substantial difference was the fact that I would no longer need to create a commotion during a class lecture to take out my laptop with a noisy zippers, which is definitely a thumbs up on Proporta’s magnetic clasp design. If you are in the market for a case for your netbook and enjoy the leather look, this accessory is a great choice. And if you are conscious of animal rights, Proporta delivers this to you animal parts-free! And as a bonus, as a reader of Skatter Tech, you are entitled to a 10% discount. Just enter the code “skattertech” (no quotes) during checkout. In addition Proporta provides a Lifetime Warranty on this product!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Links: Proporta.com

Andrea BT-200 Specs:

• Wireless: Bluetooth v2.0 hands-free
• Battery Life: 8-10 hours talk | 150 hours idle
• Special: Noise Cancellation + Boom Microphone
• Multi-device Pairing: Yes
• Notifications: LED Indicator
• Charger: USB

The headset fits snugly and securely onto your ear. Once it’s in, there’s no need to worry about it falling out unlike many headsets I’ve come across. However, as stated before, the microphone is an annoyance at times since I had to keep adjusting it so the person on the other end could hear me. Also, Andrea Electronics needs to keep up with the times. It’s not exactly fashionable any more to be walking around in public with a long wire extending from your ear lobe to your mouth. I personally wouldn’t mind using it in an office setting, at home, or possibly even in the car. The button configuration is fairly standard and simple to use. There is one button for answering and calling, another for control volume. The volume control buttons were a little stiff, but other than there, there were no issues.

Andrea advertises that the headset operates within a 10 meter range; it operated at even further distances from my testing while retaining clear call quality. Just like the Jabra BT2050, the BT-200 supports auto paring, multi-point connections, muting calls, voice dialing, redialing, call rejecting, and call waiting. Also, depending on the color and interval of flashing, the blue and red LEDs let you know when the headset is either on an active call, in standby, when the battery is low, or if it isn’t paired. The bottom line for usability is a gizmo that’s easy to setup and is friendly to use.

The Andrea BT-200 is an excellent headset and the most important aspect, call quality, meets the bar. However in a day and age where simplicity is an important aspect of style, the Andrea BT-200 falls short. And the price-point is a bit on the high end for the average consumer. If you have the cash and don’t mind the looks, I would definitely recommend this headset.

Links: Andrea Electronics BT-200