scattered technology news

IronKey S200 (Review) 0

About two years ago, Skatter Tech reviewed the original IronKey. At the time it was one of the most secure flash drives available to consumers. We recently received an updated model, the IronKey Model S200. Although it may have gone under-noticed by the media, it has some new elements to offer including more security and storage space. And for those of you that don’t know about the IronKey, it’s just like any other flash drive, however it hardware encrypts your data and self-destructs if someone with an incorrect password attempts to use it. When we say self-destruct, we mean it. It doesn’t just use a gimmick to lockup, the innards are destroyed and the device will be rendered entirely useless. It’s not for everyone, but if you carry sensitive information on you, this is an excellent product.

Main Features:

• Military-Grade Encryption
• Stealth Browsing with Firefox
• Built-in Password Manager
• Rugged and Waterproof Device
• Windows 7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X, and Linux
• 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB models

Security Features:
The IronKey is like most flash drives, just plug it in and copy data over. However unlike typical devices, any stored data is encrypted with IronKey’s Cryptochip technology. If you’re a computer security whiz, then you’ll be impressed to hear that it meets Level 3 of the Federal Process Information Standardization 140 (FIPS). The IronKey isn’t just limited to software encryption either, it also uses a 256-bit AES hardware encryption. That means that for the most part, unless you’re working for the NSA or are a hardcore hacker, any data on this device will be unreadable without the right password.

IronKey even takes extra precautions. All the software needed to run the IronKey is stored on-board the flash memory. No data is left over on a host computer’s hard drive or RAM. With an on-screen virtual keyboard, the device is immune to key-loggers. To prevent brute force dictionary attacks, if there are over 10 concurrent incorrect attempts to login, it self-destructs. It won’t explode into pieces, but the insides will become destroyed. It won’t be readable, writable, or usable ever again.

The unit is now also made from a single piece of metal, making it quite durable. The original model was slightly more flimsy with a rear plate. The unit has also passed military-grade waterproof testing. (Electromagnetic shielding too!) And just like the original model, if someone were to pry the unit open to extract the flash memory chip, it will detect their presence and self-destruct upon contact.

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Das Keyboard Model S Professional 2

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. Read More

Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX (Review) 2

Last year Skatter Tech reviewed Logitech’s VX Nano mouse, which had an awesome battery life, was compact, responsive, and even came with a case. Logitech’s Anywhere Mouse MX lives up to its name. The Logitech Anywhere MX mouse is the next iteration of the product. It fixes many of the issues the original faced, has a better build quality, and even throws a few punches at competing products with the ability to work on glass. As the name implies, it truly can function just about anywhere.

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. Read More

Powermat Wireless Chargers (Review) 0

Cables, cables, cables. Everyone hates them. With more gadgets in our everyday lives, cables have become a large mess. Today, we arrive at the Powermat. It is a simple accessory that lets you charge all your gadgets wirelessly. Although the technology behind it, electromagnetic induction, has been around since the early 1800s, it has only reached consumer electronics recently. Simple household electronics such as the Philips Sonicare toothbrush, have used this wireless charging technology for sometime. With the Powermat, we can now charge just about any gadget: iPods, Blackberry, and Nintendo DSi.

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. Read More

Verizon Wireless MiFi 2200 (Review) 0

Although just about everyone has internet access at home, people still enjoy the freedom remaining connected while on the go. Even with WiFi hotspots around every corner, many still prefer to use 3G network for their own personal network. USB modems have been a popular solution, but they have limitations. Most require installation of drivers and leave a device sticking out of the side of your laptop. Although most new laptops offer configurations with broadband cards built in, those are even more limited since only that device will be able to utilize the network. Fortunately the MiFi 2200 came to the rescue earlier this year, introducing a personal 3G-powered WiFi hotspot.

Novatel MiFi 2200 Specifications:

• Network: Verizon Wireless CDMA
• Wi-Fi Mode: 802.11b/g
• Security: VPN & WEP/WPA/WPA2
• Size / Weight: 3.5″ x 2.3″ x 0.4″ / 2.05 oz
• Connector: microUSB
• Battery Life: 4 hours use / 40 hours standby

Hardware: 5/5 stars
The MiFi 2220, developed by Novatel, is about the width and height of a business card. It’s 3.5 inches wide, 2.3 inches tall, and just 0.4 inches thick to be exact. While weighing just about 2 ounces, it packs both a CDMA and WiFi antennas inside. There’s a power button on the top that lights up green when it’s on. A microUSB connector, for charging the device, resides besides another green LED indicator that displays WiFi activity. On the bottom, there’s a sliding back door that reveals a battery pack. Other than that there’s not much else to say. It’s light weight and compact enough to take with you.

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Haier Video MP3 Player (Review) 1

Haier America recently released their very own portable media player. It’s a simple music, photo, and video player available in 4 and 8 GB capacities. I didn’t expect much when I picked it up, but for the price it packs quite a punch. It even has a FM radio and voice recorder built right in. There’s no question, this device can’t compare to the quality of an Apple iPod Nano or Microsoft Zune, but it’s an affordable alternative which deserves a quick look.

Haier HV18A Specs:

• Capacities: 4GB and 8GB
• Screen: 1.8″ LCD Color Display
• Music Format: MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV
• Video Format: .SMV (huh?)
• Other: FM Radio & Microphone
• Connector: Mini USB 2.0
• Price Range: $45-$60

The Body: 4/5 stars
The design of the Haier media player is very simple. The face is slightly elevated, and the edges curve off into the side. Below the 1.8″ screen, the player includes touch sensitive buttons for the menu, volume, left/right, and “ok”. All these keys light up blue and are embedded into the body. That unfortunately means buttons are difficult to find when you aren’t looking at the device. The built in microphone and the power button slider, which also locks the device, are on the left side. There’s a small reset pinhole on the right side, which I hope doesn’t need to be used. Despite the player’s sleek and simple look, the glossy finish and mirrored back makes it a great finger print magnet. I found myself cleaning off the front constantly just to be able to see the display. The sliding key also had a few issues since it’s too small. If you have large hands, it’s hard to be able to slide and hold up for a few seconds to get it to turn off or on. But once again, for the price, I was pleased with the design. Read More

Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch (Review) 1

As someone who has become accustomed to the touchpad on the Macbook Pro, I was a little nervous going back to a tablet. The only one I’ve ever used before had an enormous body and a small work area, while the lag was just too much to be useful. I soon realized the times had changed when I first un-boxed the Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch.

Tablet
The tablet itself is incredibly thin – about the size of a number two pencil at its thickest, with beveled edges for a more comfortable wrist-rest. The four side-buttons are large, accessible, and as I later found after installing drivers, configurable to a certain extent. An LED indicator located between the buttons lights up white when the device is on and changes to a warm orange color when the stylus is within range. I found the small red tag on the side of the device to be a little obnoxious, but it’s supposed to store your pen after use. It can easily tucked away under the device if it’s too annoying.

The drawing area is very generous with an area about 3.5 times that of my Macbook’s touchpad. The Bamboo’s matte texture that feels paper and though I was nervous to test the amount of pen pressure it could handle, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it could handle quite a bit. Read More

Quick Look: Powermat Wireless Chargers 0

The Powermat is neat little gadget that lets you charge your devices wirelessly. The current model lets allows charging up to three devices at a time. Supported gadgets include Apple iPods/iPhones, Nintendo DS/DSi, and a few BlackBerry devices. A power block extends support to micro-USB, mini-USB, LG/Samsung phones, and a few other devices. The folks over at Powermat stated that kits for other popular devices will become available in the near future. For now, here’s my quick demo:

I’ll be publishing a few in depth review in the coming days, so check back soon!

Links: Powermat.com | Vimeo Link

Update: Read Our Full Powermat Review

Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000 0

The Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000 is a portable mouse for notebooks that boasts a long battery life and plenty of customizations. It has an ergonomic build and a stylish design with a new innovative technology behind the scenes. It’s a reliable piece of hardware available at a great price.

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.

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Kensington Mini Battery Pack (Review) 0

Since Apple’s iPods and iPhones stole the spotlight a few years ago, a huge market has emerged for accessories. While most of these tend to be funky looking cases, cheap chargers, or portable speakers, there are a few unique accessories that will help deal with some frustration Apple’s products cause. For example the latest iPhone 3GS iteration has been known for it’s extremely poor battery life. And if you own an iPod Touch you are well aware that there isn’t a removable battery to swap out when the device runs out of juice. Kensington fortunately offers a simple and viable solution with their new compact Mini Battery Pack and Charger for the iPhone and iPod.

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. Read More