Shure SE115m+ Specifications:

• Speaker Type: Dynamic MicroSpeaker II
• Sensitivity (1mW): 105 dB SPL/mW
• Impedance (1kHz): 16
• Frequency Range: 22Hz – 17.5kHz
• Cable Length: 54 in
• Colors: Black, Red, Blue and Pink

The SE115m+ utilizes Shure’s second generation dynamic driver versus the balanced armature driver featured on the SE110, but both have the same state frequency range from 22 Hz to 17.5 kHz. As with any pair of Shure headphones, there’s plenty of included tips: a set of rubber and foam tips in small, medium, and large sizes. With the variety of tips included, it’s almost guaranteed that there’s a size to fit anyone. If you still can’t find your fit, Shure offers additional sleeves such as tri-flanges on their website. A tight and comfortable fit is important since it’s essential to retain sound isolation from external detriments. There’s a small cleaning tool to remove any ear wax or dirt that may have entered the headset. Keeping the inner tube that reaches the speaker clean helps deliver unobstructed audio. Compared to most Shure headsets which offer a modular cable that disconnects right before the ‘Y’ split, the SE115m+ is a single 54 inch cable. While some may not have an issue with it, I felt as though it’s a neat safety precaution that won’t damage the audio port on your device since it can de-attach easily with a forceful tug. A shorter cable is also handy especially if you’re connecting your iPhone or another device to an armband. Moving forwards, the only other item included in the packaging is a soft-case to protect your headphones and store those extra sleeves.

Aside from audio quality, the next most important aspect of the SE115m+ is the remote control featuring compatibility with Apple’s 3-button system. The buttons work in the same manner as the Apple earphones that have a remote and microphone. Answering and making calls are simple and easy, but difficulty comes when navigating an iPod. The issue arises because the top and bottom button are solely used for adjusting volume, making the rest of functions completely reliant on the single center button. This can get confusing quickly. I should mention that this isn’t Shure’s fault, but rather Apple’s weird way of trying to simplify things. While confusing, the button is easy to find, feels good, and works well. On the other hand, the volume buttons aren’t too well though through. Taking a closer look, you’ll notice that those two buttons are nearly flush with the casing. That means when you aren’t looking at the controller, it’s often difficult to feel where those buttons are. While Shure emphasizes compatibility with Apple products, these will still work just fine with other devices featuring a 3.5mm headphone jack. However the controls might not necessarily function as intended.

In terms of audio quality, the SE115m+’s offer incredible value. The SE115m+’s aren’t exactly high-end headphones, but are a great option for those making their first steps into the realm high quality audio. In comparison, these in-ear-monitors will sound vastly superior to the earbuds included with an Apple product, BlackBerry device, Microsoft Zune, or any other digital audio player. If compared to the now-discontinued Shure SE110 earphones, the SE115m+ clearly have a fuller bass with a wider soundstage due to the new second generation dynamic driver. Although it’s great for music with a low beat, I would have liked to see Shure increase the quality of the high and mid range audio. Unfortunately this is where the SE115’s begin to falter. I also found the quality of vocals to be less than expected. While these are supposed to be used for phone calls in addition to music, I expected better audio quality, especially for vocals.

Making audio calls with the built-in microphone showed the strengths and weaknesses of the SE115m+. The microphone was actually quite good and other listeners were able to hear me quite well. In contrast, it seemed as if the incoming call quality was directly related to the disappointing vocals while listening to music. People sounded higher pitched than normal and almost tinny. Seeing as being able to make phone calls is one of the distinguishing features of the SE115m+, the call quality was disappointing.

For those looking for an entry-level earphone, skip the SE115m+ and move along to the SE210 earphones. While better than the SE110, they succeeded, the SE115m+’s price is nearly the same as that of the SE210 to justify going for that one instead. However, if you own an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch, the SE115m+ offers special functionality which is worth consideration. Shure is a reputable brand name and these will work as advertised, although don’t expect crystal clear calls. The SE115m+ have been available for retail through Apple Stores for a short period and are going on sale through Shure.com and at other retailers this month. Amazon has it available on pre-order for an MSRP of $119.

Buy: SE115m+ on Amazon for $119
Links: Shure.com

Verizon Wireless: Motorola Droid

The Motorola Droid is probably the most powerful phone offered through a domestic cell phone carrier. While there may be a few critics, the majority of reviews are favorable about the Droid and tout it as superior to the famous iPhone. While I could go on about the features it sports, here’s a few for starters: Touch Screen, QWERTY Keyboard, WiFi, GPS Navigation, Camera, and plenty more. While that’s my number one choice, if you’re looking for another good alternative on the Verizon Wireless network, check out the HTC Droid Eris. It’s lighter, looks friendlier, and costs a fraction. The Eris will be receiving the Android 2.0 update that the Motorola Droid uses early next year.

Buy: Motorola Droid $150 | HTC Droid Eris $10
Links: Motorola Droid Review | HTC Droid Eris Review

Sprint: Palm Pre

Palm’s device is a fairly new entry into the Smartphone market. After being announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, it made  official debut on Sprint’s network this summer. It runs on Palm’s fresh WebOS that offers multi-tasking, streamlined interface, and organizes your data. There’s even an App Store with a few steps behind the Apple App Store and the Android Marketplace, but still has a good selection. With QWERTY keyboard, WiFi, GPS, and a 3G network, there’s plenty this phone has to offer. If that’s not in your taste, check out the HTC Hero. It was a hard choice deciding between the two, but the HTC Hero was also one of our favorite picks. It also sports all the essential features to make a good Smartphone and will even be getting the Android 2.0 update in the near future.

Buy: Palm Pre $80 | HTC Hero
Links: HTC Hero Review

T-Mobile: myTouch 3G

While T-Mobile is a fairly open network and can accommodate devices such as the iPhone unofficially, they don’t exactly have a best Smartphone. Sure, they offer the HTC Touch Pro2, but that’s not exactly the most ideal device as we pointed out with our review for the Sprint version. While this was a hard call, I would recommend the myTouch 3G. It’s compact, looks good, and has plenty to offer. With a good battery life, 3G network, WiFi, a 3.2 mega pixel camera, and running on the Android OS, it’s definitely a great device. If there’s another device I would recommend, I’d pick the BlackBerry Bold 9700 for business users and the Motorola Cliq if you’re looking for a cheaper Smartphone.

Buy: myTouch 3G $99 | Motorola CLIQ $99

AT&T: Apple iPhone

If I had to choose my favorite smartphone asides from the Motorola Droid, there’s no question it’s the Apple iPhone 3GS. It’s that simple. What’s there the iPhone can’t do? With over 100,000 Apps in the store, you’ll probably never get bored. Despite AT&T scoring last for 3G network quality, there’s always WiFi. With every iPhone supporting software upgrades, it’s fairly future proof. Just keep in mind, rumor has it that a 4th generation iPhone is almost out the door. If security and enterprise features are essential or necessary, the iPhone is probably not the best choice. I’d highly recommend the BlackBerry Bold 9700 as it’s a more traditional business phone. And of course, although not as fancy, it still has a 3.2 mega pixel camera, multimedia player, a web browser, and even an App Store.

Buy: Apple iPhone $200 (16GB) | BlackBerry Bold $0

Unlocked Device: Nokia N900

If there’s a device I’d have to select that isn’t available through any U.S. cell phone carrier, there’s no question that the Nokia N900 is my current pick. In all honesty, I wouldn’t know where to begin with this phone. It seriously has that much to offer. If there’s a feature available on the iPhone or Droid, this phone probably has it or can do it even better. With 3G, WiFi, a slide out keyboard, a 5 megapixel camera (plus another front-facing camera), unrestricted Bluetooth, 32GB of storage, microSD expansion, a Mozilla-based web browser, multitasking, Linux-based Maemo OS, and extensive media file format support, it’s simply a robust device. Unfortunately you won’t get a subsided price when picking one of these up. It’s now goes for about $500 through Amazon.com.

Links: Nokia.com N900 | Skatter Tech N900 Unboxing

This is a part of our ongoing Skatter Tech Holiday Gift Guides.

After swiping your card, authorizing the payment for the correct amount, signing the transaction using the touchscreen, Square will instantly send you a receipt via email or text message (see image on right). If you setup a Square payer account, you can speed up and secure payments through photo recognition. In addition, Square tracks repeat customers, so it can easily offer rewards to them. You’ll no longer have to carry those punch cards around with you.

The Square service won’t have any contracts, monthly fees, or hidden costs. They will even donate a penny after every transaction to a cause of your choice. Square hasn’t mentioned the cost per transaction, but this could definitively be a hit if the number is low. This would be a great way to accept payments from a buyer through Craigslist when you meet with them. If this goes well, it can easily become an easy way for both small business and average customers to accept credit card transactions on the go.

Our Senior Editor, Sahas Katta, just heard back from Jack Dorsey. We will be getting access to this service fairly soon and should be able to publish a review prior to an official launch.

Links: SquareUp.com

After downloading Trillian from the App Store, users are prompted to login with either an existing Trillian Astra Account or to register for a new one. As I’m a existing Trillian Pro customer, I typed in my information and it immediately logged me into my AIM, MSN, and Yahoo! chat accounts, displaying all my contacts. There’s even an option to sign in as invisible. The home screen displays your username, avatar, status, connections, and the contacts directly below. Users will have the ability to add new contacts for any chat protocol, pick a nickname, and even a place them in a group while on the go. The search function also makes it easy to look through large buddy lists. The Favorites Page makes it easy to access contacts you chat with most often without having to scroll or search through the entire list.

The Active Chats page lists all the conversations currently in progress. Clicking on any conversation will open a tabbed chat interface. There’s an easy side-to-side scroll for switching through different conversations quickly. While I was disappointed to see that there was no landscape mode, I was glad to find that clicking on the “More” button offered the ability to view the user’s information, buzz the contact, and even send a photo. According to the support forums, a landscape mode has been developed, but wasn’t included. It might be thrown into a future update.

Overall I was quite satisfied with the the App. It was quite responsive and was easy to use. Since the iPhone doesn’t support running background Apps, Trillian supports Push Notifications. Once logged in, if you exit the App you’ll be able to continue to receive notifications each time you receive an instant message. Clicking on the App will return you the conversation without loosing any messages. Plus if you’re a user of the Desktop version, it instantly synchronizes data between both. The addition of a contact, a rename, or  anything else on either iPhone or the Desktop Client will be relayed to the other. It also supports remaining logged into Astra, AIM, and XMPP accounts on both devices at once. I would like to see chat history and support for other services also included for Yahoo! and Windows Live Messenger. The other feature Trillian for the iPhone lacked was support for Facebook Chat. While the Facebook iPhone App allows chat, it would still be nice to see it offered within Trillian as it’s a centralized location. Plus, it would be convenient with Push Notifications already supported.

If you’re interested, it’s available for download now from the iTunes App Store. While it would have been neat to see Cerulean Studios offer paid Trillian Pro customers the iPhone App for free, if you’re a heavy chat users like me, the $5 price isn’t too bad. It’s currently listed as the #1 paid application in the social networking section at the time of publishing this article. If you only chat occasionally, you will probably survive just fine with the free AIM or Yahoo! Messenger App or even IM+ Lite. However as a long-time Trillian fan, I couldn’t resist paying a bit to get the same experience on my iPhone.

Links: Trillian for iPhone on iTunes

After grabbing the Delivery Status Touch from the iTunes App Store, it’s quite easy to start using. Just tap the Edit button, and click the ‘+’ icon to add a new item to track. Just about every major domestic delivery service I’ve used was listed and there are quite a few international ones as well. There’s even tracking tools for Amazon, Apple, and Google Checkout orders. Once you choose the service, you’ll have to key in the tracking number and pick a name. Fortunately since the iPhone now has copy and paste, it’s quite simple to grab the code from an email and enter it into this App. Although it might be overkill, I would truly be impressed if they added Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for use with the Camera. I would love to be able to just take a snap of the tracking number on a sheet of paper.

The home screen will display a list of the active packages you are tracking. You can manually sort them or have it automatically organized by delivery dates. Each item updates each time the App is started and will display the number of days until delivery besides each app. There’s also a one-line message of the latest status provided by the carrier and the estimated delivery date. Once delivered, the countdown will be replaced with a check mark. The items are also color coded by each company’s most prominent color. You can click on an item for further details. The map link will display the last known location of the package and your current GPS location. The entire Delivery Status Touch App has a landscape mode and there’s even a Junecloud web page to sync tracking numbers. The application is quite responsive, well polished, and easy to use. The only feature that’s missing that I would love to see in a future version is Push Notifications for deliveries, exceptions, or even progress updates.

There’s plenty of ways to track packages on the iPhone, however none are as well designed as this. If you rarely track packages, you can probably survive just fine using email updates and using the browser to check on packages. On the other hand if you are always have a number of shipments going in and out, this is an excellent tool to stay organized. It’s available for just $3 from the iTunes App Store.

Buy: Launch iTunes App Store
Links: Junecloud.com Delivery Status Touch

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

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

Setting up Dropbox is easy. Just visit GetDropbox.com and download the installer for Windows, Macintosh, or Linux. The program will prompt you to register for an account if you are a first time user. A folder named “My Dropbox” will automatically be created. If you have a second or third computer, install Dropbox on those and login with the same username and password. If you have an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch, grab the free Dropbox App from the iTunes App Store. Next just copy any files or folders into the “My Dropbox” folder. Assuming that you are connected to the internet, the files placed in there will automatically be synced to and stored on all your other computers. If you add, delete, or modify files, the changes are relayed over to all your other devices.

The devices I used to test the service included a HP DV2000 laptop running Windows Vista and an iPod Touch. Skatter Tech’s Senior Editor, Sahas Katta, also tested the service with a Dell XPS M1530 laptop running Windows 7, a Dell Mini 9 netbook running Windows XP, an ancient Desktop running Ubuntu 9.04, and an iPhone 3GS. With Dropbox setup on all those mentioned devices, the service worked across every single device flawlessly. Dropbox is truly a cross-platform marvel.

I tested the service by dropping some documents (PDF, DOC, PPT), music (MP3, AAC), and videos (AVI, MP4) into the “My Dropbox” folder. The small document files only took a few seconds to sync and appear on the other devices, however the larger video files took a lot longer. And say you don’t have access to any of your devices, but need to get to your files. Just visit GetDropbox.com from any web browser, login, and a copy of all your files is accessible through the web interface. The service also creates quick “share links” you can email or instant message to friends to give them access to certain files or folders.

While the free version limits space to just 2GB, you can get more space in two ways. If you invite friends to use the service using the referral program Dropbox recently launched, you’ll be given more space each time someone signs up using your link. And if truly need a lot more space, Dropbox charges $10/month for a 50GB account and $20/month for a 100GB account. As someone who mainly uses for documents, which barely take up any space, the free version suffices. However with how useful the service has been for my productivity since I began using it, if I do end up needing more space I wouldn’t mind paying. Overall, Dropbox is simply a convenient, easy to use, and foolproof service that saves you the time of having to manually manage your data across multiple machines. Plus with their new mobile iPhone App, I can quickly load and view the majority of documents while away from a computer. Other than slow sync times due to my occasionally slow internet connection, I couldn’t find a single flaw in the service. If you constantly move data between two or more machines, give this a shot!

Links: GetDropbox.com
Video: What is Dropbox?

Note: This article was co-written and edited by Sahas Katta.

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

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

The iPhone App Store has a variety of  unique applications and Air Mouse Pro is one of those special ones. It literally turns your iPhone touch screen display into a wireless mouse and keyboard for your computer. The App is compatible with both Macintosh and Windows computers. It’s easy to use and offers just about all the functionality one would possibly need.

By default it offers the ability to point, click, scroll, type with the onscreen keyboard, and use hand motions to control cursor. It’s also been neatly designed to change the set of controls presented to you depending on the type of application you happen to be using. For example, if you were in the standard view it would show function keys, enter, home, delete, and escape. If you switch to the web view, the commands change to the Back, Forward, Home, Refresh, Stop, Bookmark, and Search buttons. And once again if you were handling media, the keys would change to Play, Pause, Previous Track, Next Track, Mute, and a few more. Most App Developers usually squeeze every button possible into onto a single screen. Fortunately the developers of this app kept usability in mind and kept things clean, organized, and simple. The alternate screen views will help you be more productive.

To get the Air Mouse Pro to work, you’ll actually need to install a small program on your computer named Air Mouse Server. It uses your local Wi-Fi network to establish a connection between your iPhone and your computer. The desktop server program includes options to select hot keys for specific programs and modify the sensitivity of the track pad.

There are a couple of ways to use the Air Mouse Pro. First it can be used as a touch pad, similar to the functionality on a laptop. The second method is to hold down a finger and wave the phone in the air to utilize the iPhone’s accelerometer. The touch pad method was practical and worked fairly well, but on the other hand the accelerometer method was a bit of a gimic. It was quite rather difficult to use. Finally, you’ll also be able to input text using the iPhone built-in on-screen keyboard.

Overall, Air Mouse Pro is a great app and does what it was designed to do, except for the accelerometer portion. The user interface is clean, fancy, and just works. This is especially handy for presentations and for those with Media Center PCs. It is available from the App Store for $2.99.

Links: Air Mouse Pro (iTunes Link)

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

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

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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)

Earlier today Apple announced the iPhone 2.0 software and the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK). A beta version of the iPhone 2.0 software will be available today, however the finalized version won’t be available to consumers until June. The phone will also be getting much demanded business features such as the compatibility to function with the widely used Microsoft Exchange Servers, which will bring wireless push email, contacts, calendars, and access to encrypted private networks.

“We’re excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community with potentially thousands of native applications for iPhone and iPod touch,” said Steve Jobs – Apple’s CEO.
“iPhone’s enterprise features combined with its revolutionary Multi-Touch user interface and advanced software architecture provide the best user experience and the most advanced software platform ever for a mobile device.”

The iPhone SDK is available for download for free. With the SDK they’ll have access to the iPhone Simulator and all the information they’ll need to create native applications and distribute it through the Application Store for iPhone and iPod Touch owners. Apple boasts that their Multi-Touch interface, Core Animation, storage space, 3-axis accelerometer, and triangular cellular tower locater will allow creation of even more unique and powerful iPhone Apps.

Developers who create iPhone Applications will be able to retain 70% of the sales revenue of the amount sold through the new Apps Store. Developers will also have to purchase either a $99 standard license or a $299 enterprise license. In addition to the SDK-related content, the iPhone will also be getting other heavily demanded features such as the ability to view PowerPoint, Word, and Excel Documents and to mass delete messages. Anyways for the rest of you folks that aren’t interested in make applications but instead using them you’ll have to wait another three months for the final upgrade.

Video: March 6th Event with Steve Jobs
Links: iPhone Dev Program | iPhone Enterprise | Apple iPhone