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MasterCard's QkR mobile payment system enters trial in Australia
by Terrence O'Brien
28 Jan 2012 at 1:15am
MasterCard is all over the map when it comes to mobile payments. The credit company will partner with anyone, anywhere, anytime if it means getting new customers and making a buck on the deal. Its latest offering is called QkR, an Australian effort with support from the Hoyts chain of movie theaters and Commonwealth Bank. The initial trial run will be at La Premiere cinemas, where customers will be able to order and pay for food and beverages right from their seat with the QkR app. To initiate the transaction a you scan the QR code or tap the NFC tag attached to the arm rest, and a staff member delivers the trough of popcorn and kiddie pool of coke right to your seat. Now all we need is this sort of high-end treatment in American movie theaters. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.

Continue reading MasterCard's QkR mobile payment system enters trial in Australia

MasterCard's QkR mobile payment system enters trial in Australia originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Israel announces plans to build national broadband network, increases fiber i...
by Amar Toor
27 Jan 2012 at 11:35pm
Israel is home to a burgeoning tech industry, but the country's broadband infrastructure hasn't really been able to keep pace. In terms of broadband penetration, in fact, Israel ranks just 21st out of 34 developed nations, according to statistics gathered by the OECD. All this may be changing, however, now that the country's state-run electric company has announced plans to create a new national broadband network. According to the AP, the forthcoming network will use so-called fiber to the home (FTTH) technology, which is capable of providing connections at speeds of between 100Mbps and 1Gbps. That would be about ten to 100 times faster than the connections most Israelis have today, and could offer obvious benefits to a wide array of businesses and industries. The electric company is aiming to have 10 percent of the country connected to its new network by next year, and to have two-thirds covered within the next seven years.

Israel announces plans to build national broadband network, increases fiber intake originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC Fridays: January 27, 2012
by Brad Molen
27 Jan 2012 at 10:15pm
We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!

Continue reading FCC Fridays: January 27, 2012

FCC Fridays: January 27, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did the Galaxy S III just pop up on Samsung's support site?
by Terrence O'Brien
27 Jan 2012 at 9:26pm
Seriously, we can't caveat this one enough -- there is no way of knowing if this is in fact the Galaxy S III or, if it is, when it might come to market -- but, it looks like Samsung's "next big smartphone" just made a cameo on the company's support pages. Listed as the GT-i9300, the mystery device reared its head over at the Global Download Center of the United Arab Emerites site. If Sammy is to keep with its naming scheme i93XX would be a flagship device -- the i90XX line was the Galaxy S, i91XX represents the S2 series, while the i9250 and i9220 are the Nexus and Note respectively. As we warned before though, this could be some mid-range device and Samsung could be changing its naming conventions. Or, perhaps, its yet another variation of an existing model. Still, we'll take this as a good sign that Seoul squad has something interesting brewing.

Did the Galaxy S III just pop up on Samsung's support site? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony reveals new 3G/WiFi PS Vita bundles: free data, PSN games and memory car...
by Michael Gorman
27 Jan 2012 at 8:41pm
Sony's PlayStation Vita hasn't exactly sold like hotcakes over in Japan, so the company has sweetened the pot for the portable's potential Stateside buyers. Those who placed pre-orders will get a couple of extra goodies for their $350. To go with the previously promised limited edition case, 4GB memory card and copy of Little Deviants, you'll also receive 250MB of data from AT&T and a PlayStation Network game gratis as soon as you activate 3G on the device. Furthermore, folks buying a Vita on launch day can look forward to the same free data and PSN game, plus an 8GB memory card in exchange for their $300. So, that enough to get you on the handheld's bandwagon? Sound off in the comments below.

Sony reveals new 3G/WiFi PS Vita bundles: free data, PSN games and memory cards for everyone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast with guest CrackBerry Kevin, live at 5P...
by Brad Molen
27 Jan 2012 at 8:05pm
Just wake up from a very restful week-long slumber? First of all, we're envious of your good fortune. Second, Research in Motion made a few changes to its leadership chart. Third, you must be really hungry right about now. So grab a sandwich, come back in an hour and join Myriam, Brad, Sean Cooper and our very special guest Kevin Michaluk (yes, Mr. CrackBerry Kevin himself) as we discuss the northern news, as well as anything else that happened this week.

Be sure to send questions or comments you have for us or Kevin via Twitter (we're @engadgetmobile), or make your voice heard in our Ustream chat room during the show!

January 27, 2012 5:00 PM EST

Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast with guest CrackBerry Kevin, live at 5PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First White House Chief Technology Officer, Aneesh Chopra, steps down
by Donald Melanson
27 Jan 2012 at 7:42pm
He was appointed with a fair bit of fanfare as the United States' first Chief Technology Officer back in May of 2009, but it looks like Aneesh Chopra has decided that it's now time to make room for the nation's second CTO. The White House confirmed today that Chopra is stepping down from his position, noting that he has amassed a "dizzying array of accomplishments." Among those are his contributions to the Obama administration's national wireless strategy, a set of internet policy making principals, and a number of efforts related to the President's open government strategy, including the Data.gov platform. No word on his successor just yet, nor is there any official word on what Chopra plans to do next -- although The Washington Post reports that he's expected to run for lieutenant governor of Virginia.

First White House Chief Technology Officer, Aneesh Chopra, steps down originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Titan II works its charm on the FCC with AT&T LTE included
by Brad Molen
27 Jan 2012 at 7:24pm
What's that? An HTC PI86100 Windows Phone with AT&T-specific LTE (bands 4 and 17) showing up in the hallowed halls of the FCC? Why, this must be the Titan II, announced a tad over a fortnight ago. Docs show that a production unit of the device, sporting the aforementioned LTE bands as well as 850 / 1900 3G (also AT&T compatible), is ready to take on its new Windows Phone competition sometime soon. Is it a guarantee that the phone is nigh at hand? Not quite, but at least it signifies that the 16 megapixel beast is one step closer to showing up in our hands.

Gallery: HTC Titan II in the FCC

HTC Titan II works its charm on the FCC with AT&T LTE included originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express SATA 3.0 SSDs doubles your (MacBook) Airspeed ve...
by Daniel Cooper
27 Jan 2012 at 6:53pm
It's MacWorld, which means those providers of Apple gear are busting out wares for aftermarket insertion into your objects of desire. Other World Computing's latest offering is a slender solid-state drive ready to be crow-barred into last year's MacBook Airs. The bombastically named OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD is a SATA Rev. 3.0 drive with a promised 6Gb/s data speed at sizes of up to a staggering 480GB. Since the stock drives are limited to the 3Gb/s SATA Rev. 2.0 (but the controllers run 3.0), you should find a significant performance bump when swapping in the new unit. The toggle-synchronous NAND drives come in a variety of sizes, starting at 120GB ($260), but it's the brand new and quite beastly 480GB model that has us excited. Sure, $1,150 is a lot to ask for less than half a terrabyte of storage, but you'll get a three-year warranty for all that cash. We may never give you our money, nor our funny pages, but you can have the press release that's after the break.

Continue reading OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express SATA 3.0 SSDs doubles your (MacBook) Airspeed velocity

OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express SATA 3.0 SSDs doubles your (MacBook) Airspeed velocity originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon-bound ZTE V66 slate gets photographed, looks just like you imagined
by Edgar Alvarez
27 Jan 2012 at 6:29pm
It wasn't long ago that we first crossed paths with the ZTE V66 tablet, though at the time we were unfortunate to only meet its dull black-and-white renders. Those of you unfamiliar with the tab won't have your jaws dropped by its innards, which are expected to be missing out on the Ice Cream Sandwich treatment. Aside from the OS letdown (still, it's not as bad as shipping with Gingerbread), the V66 is pretty standard fare for a modern tablet. It'll be running on Verizon's speedy LTE network, sporting a 7-inch (1,280 x 800) display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and a 4,000mAh battery will help keep it chugging along. We've yet to hear an official word from the Big Red about price and availability, so we'll let you know how deep into your wallet you'll have to dig as soon as we find out.

Verizon-bound ZTE V66 slate gets photographed, looks just like you imagined originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Insert Coin: Dash car stereo gives your iPhone a new home, away from the cuph...
by Zachary Lutz
27 Jan 2012 at 6:04pm
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.
We're pretty fond of new ways to integrate smartphones with car stereos here at Engadget, which is why we're particularly intrigued by a new Kickstarter project called Dash. Unlike MirrorLink, which reflects a phone's interface onto a larger touchscreen, this nifty creation puts the smartphone front and center in the stereo itself. While the Dash will initially support only the iPhone 4 / 4S and iPod Touch -- which connects via the dock connector -- the company seems ambitious to target other platforms in the future.

The Dash comes in two parts, the double-DIN stereo itself, along with a detachable aluminum faceplate that's held to the main unit with neodymium magnets. The only interface element is a volume knob, as every other interaction is performed on the iPhone's 3.5-inch display -- just promise to keep your eyes on the road when you sort through your tunes. The stereo contains four 50W channels and two 2V preamps. The Dash is currently projected to ship in July for $300, but a $250 donation serves as a discounted preorder right now. It'll be available in a variety of colors, which you can peep in the gallery below, and be sure to check out the project's video after the break.

Gallery: Insert Coin: Dash car stereo

Continue reading Insert Coin: Dash car stereo gives your iPhone a new home, away from the cupholder (video)

Insert Coin: Dash car stereo gives your iPhone a new home, away from the cupholder (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Love Box is an analog video mixer, house of mirrors for your iPhone (video)
by Zach Honig
27 Jan 2012 at 5:39pm
There's something romantic about hacking the iPhone, especially when it means finding ways to personalize the massively popular handset. Apps like Instagram may help you realize artistic talent, but software just doesn't get those creative juices flowing like an old-fashioned piece of hardware can. Despite its taboo-sounding name, The Love Box isn't an adult toy in the traditional sense, instead serving as an analog video (and stills) mixer for your iPhone 4 or 4S. Consisting of a wooden box and an angled sliding mirror, the homegrown contraption lets you simultaneously capture the action in front of and behind you in a single image. It was originally designed in Barcelona to capture two people conversing for a documentary called "The Love Box Conversations," hence the name. The "lowest-tech accessory for the highest-tech phone" is available now as part of a very limited initial run of 100 units, and can be yours for €57.63 (about $77.50) if you hit up the source link below.

Continue reading The Love Box is an analog video mixer, house of mirrors for your iPhone (video)

The Love Box is an analog video mixer, house of mirrors for your iPhone (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google upgrades Earth with better rendering, teaches it to sing in perfect ha...
by Brian Heater
27 Jan 2012 at 5:14pm
Google's bringing a number of changes to its Earth service courtesy of version 6.2, including Google+ integration and improvements to search. Most notable here, however, is a new method of rendering that stitches aerial photos together in a manner less patchy than before, making for "the most beautiful Google Earth yet," according to the company. The new version is available now for download -- more info in the source link below.

Google upgrades Earth with better rendering, teaches it to sing in perfect harmony originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft reportedly working on Kinect-enabled laptops
by Donald Melanson
27 Jan 2012 at 4:48pm
It remains to be seen when or if they'll turn into actual products, but The Daily reports that Microsoft is at least working on getting its Kinect technology shoved into laptops. While details are light, the iPad-based publication says that it's seen a pair of prototypes that "appear to be Asus netbooks running Windows 8," but which have had their webcams replaced with an array of sensors that run along the top of the screen (a set of LEDs are said to be at the bottom). The Daily also says that it's confirmed with a source at Microsoft that the devices are indeed official prototypes of a Kinect-enabled laptop, and it unsurprisingly suggests that Microsoft would likely license the technology to laptop manufacturers rather than build its own hardware.

Microsoft reportedly working on Kinect-enabled laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Xperia S jogs past the FCC carrying AT&T 3G radios
by Daniel Cooper
27 Jan 2012 at 4:16pm
The FCC boys were clutching at their multimeters in horror when they saw how much work they'd have to do when Sony's new Xperia S rolled into the bunker. Still, their loss is connectivity's gain, as the Ericsson-branded (for now, at least) phone packs quad-band GSM / EDGE, 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 UMTS and HSPA, RFID, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, 802.11 WiFi b/g/n and GPS. ANT+ is also included, which is a healthy sign that support for the fitness tracker will carry on through Ericsson's departure.

In related news, thanks to a post on the company's Facebook wall we know that the unit will be clad in an "anti-stain shell," -- hinting at a similar nano-coating to what we've seen on the Droid Razr. We've also heard rumors of a fast-charging mode that'll provide an hour's usage with just ten minutes of cable-time. Either way, it won't be long until we find out what's true, since the unit's sashayed past the FCC then it's most certainly on for that promised Q1 launch.

Sony Xperia S jogs past the FCC carrying AT&T 3G radios originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Gadgeteer
Gadget reviews and news by Julie Strietelmeier and friends since 1997

Daycraft ? Alternatives to Moleskine and Rhodia Notebooks
by Julie
27 Jan 2012 at 7:00pm

Who among us is a notebook / stationary junky? Let’s see a show of hands please… Me too. That’s why I was grinning from ear to ear when the mailman dropped off a box of samples from a company that I’d not heard of before: Daycraft. I suppose the reason why I’ve not heard of Daycraft is because they are based in Hong Kong and do not seem to have any distributors here in the US. That’s disapppointing because they are offering some quality notebooks that mix style with a dash of quirky.

Daycraft sent me 4 samples, but they offer many different types of notebooks, daily calenders and sketchbooks.

This is the Cookie Bookie notebook. It’s a 125mm x 125mm 144 page lined square notebook, that happens to look like a cheese cracker. Daycraft offers an Oreo and a waffle cookie notebook as well. I’m not sure about the other 2, but the cheese cracker version has padded / quilted covers that are soft to the touch. The pages are a an orange cheesy color to go along with the theme.

Their Signature Gutenberg notebook comes in 2 sizes and two colors. They sent me the smaller (108mm x 149mm) White version. The soft flexible covers are embossed with letters and numbers. There are 128 lined cream colored pages. This is a thin notebook with a ribbon book maker.

The Slab notebook looks like a peice of wood. It is 108mm x 157mm and has 360 lined cream colored pages. The semi-rigid covers and edges of the pages have been printed to look like wood grain.

Daycraft’s Animaland diaries are cute as a button. They are 106mm x 150mm and have 216 pages that include a dated section for each day of the year. At the beginning of each month, there is a cute drawing related to the theme of the the diary. There are several reference pages at the front of the book that list international holidays, gift ideas and nutrition information. Also included is a sheet of stickers.

My favorites of the samples sent are the Animaland diary and the Signature Gutenberg notebook. The quality is great.

I wish I could provide more info on the pricing of these notebooks, but they don’t appear to be available here the US. If you live outside the US, you have a better chance at finding them. You can visit Daycraft’s Where to Buy page for listings in Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Australia, Korea and more.

What is your favorite brand of notebook? Moleskine? Rhodia? Something else?

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Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Gear Diary, Journal, notebook

Daycraft – Alternatives to Moleskine and Rhodia Notebooks originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 27, 2012 at 2:00 pm.

SGP Case Steinheil Ultra Mirror Half Mirror Screen Protectors and Kuel H10 St...
by Janet Cloninger
27 Jan 2012 at 4:00pm

When SGP Case sent me the iPhone 4 Valentinus case I reviewed recently, they included a couple of extra goodies in the box.  They sent along the Steinheil Ultra Mirror Half Mirror Screen Protector for iPhone 4S/iPhone 4/CDMA iPhone 4 and the Kuel H10 Stylus Pen.  While the screen protector is obviously only for iPhones, the stylus should work with any capacitive screen.  How do they work?

The Kuel H10 (that’s H and the number 10) High Sensitive Stylus Pen packaging says it works with iPhone and iPad, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for any capacitive screen.  It’s available in black, red, yellow, pink, and white;  I received the black.  It’s about 3″ long, not including the hanging loop, and about 5/16″ in diameter.  It weighs about 0.2 oz.

The barrel of the stylus is made of brass.  It’s coated with a textured paint, or as SGP says, “harmless-material-plated brass.”  The cap is a silver-colored metal, and there’s a thin cord coming out of the top.  If your case has a lanyard connector on it, you could loop this cord through to attach the stylus to your device.  If you don’t have a lanyard attachment, you can attach the cap to the small plastic strap plug that you’ll see near the bottom of the package.

Getting the snap plug attached with a bit difficult; the cord was just barely long enough to work.  The snap plug goes in the iPhone’s headphone jack.  You can see it worked with my Bumper Case, too.

The stylus tip is made with “special silicone with high polymer abrasion-resistant coating.”  It has a diameter of just under 1/4″.  It doesn’t have any padding underneath; it feels like just a thin layer of the silicone.  It compresses very easily.  There’s a hard nub inside that you can feel when you completely compress the tip.

The barrel of the Kuel H10 is only about 2.75″ long without the cap.  It’s short enough that it’s difficult to support the top end against your hand.  It caused my hands to cramp up very quickly.  Luckily, the Kuel isn’t designed to be used this way.

Grab the sliver tip and pull to extend the barrel to almost 4″.  That length is long enough to allow the Kuel to rest against your hand.  It feels more like holding a normal pencil or pen, and it doesn’t cause my hand to get tired or crampy nearly as quickly.

Like with all styluses I’ve tried, I have to press harder with the stylus tip than I do with my finger tip.  Some styluses require you to hold the barrel almost perpendicular to the screen, but that’s not the case with the Kuel H10.  I could hold it at the same angle I hold pens, and it worked great.  I could tap, swipe, and slide with the Kuel.

The Kuel H10 Stylus would be a great accessory for people who wear gloves in the winter or for people who just don’t like to get smears on their screens.  The snap plug will fit into any 3.5mm headphone jack to keep the stylus handy for those people who aren’t always using their headphones.  It’s cheaper than a lot of styluses I’ve seen, too.

I debated whether I should review the Steinheil Ultra Mirror Half Mirror Screen Protector.  It wasn’t that I didn’t like it or think it would work.  The package says it’s only for the black phone, and I have a white phone.  I decided I would try it, because I wanted a screen protector.

The package contains two front screen protectors, a microfiber cloth to clean your iPhone before application, and a squeegee to remove air bubbles.  The directions are found on the back of the package.

Both the back and the front of the screen protector are covered with a protective film.  You can see from this photo that these screen protectors are those seemingly opaque sliver films.  The package calls it a “half mirror,” and that apparently means there’s a layer of silvering that’s dense enough to increase reflectivity but not enough to make it look like a regular mirror.

Application was easy.  I was very happy that no water was involved in the application.  Those wet-apply films always tell you to remove the battery and not use the device for a couple of days, but you can’t remove the battery from an iPhone.  I cleaned the screen of my iPhone with the included microfiber cloth, removed the film from the top of the backside of the protector, lined up the holes at the top of the protector with my phone, and began.

I only ended up with a couple of air bubbles, and they were quickly removed with the squeegee.  After I was happy with the appearance, I removed the top protective film.

You can see I was just the tiniest bit off lining it up with the home button.  You can also see that the screen definitely doesn’t appear like an opaque silver mirror.  On the white areas, the protector almost has a pearlescent look.  If you had a black phone, it would all look like the black screen area on my iPhone.  I understand that SGP Case was going for a uniform look, but I don’t mind the appearance of the white bezel at all.  The bezel area doesn’t work as part of the mirror, but the black touchscreen area is big enough to check your appearance.

You’ll also notice that the Ultra Mirror Screen Protector has cutouts for the front-facing camera and the phone’s speaker, but the ambient light/proximity sensors are covered by the film.  The sensors still seem to work.  I have found that the screen protector does make my display appear a bit dimmer.  That’s not because of the ambient light sensor; I don’t use the auto-brightness feature with my phone.  I increased the brightness of my phone a little, and it looks great.

The screen protector is just a bit smaller than the screen itself.  I was able to put my Bumper Case back on without peeling up the edges of the protector.  SGP Case says the “Steinheil Ultra Mirror does not peel after extended use due to the optical nanotechnology that offers higher abrasion resistance than regular films.”

You can see the screen protector is reflective enough that my camera focused on it’s own reflection instead of the icons.  It doesn’t appear reflective like that to my naked eye, though.  Once I brightened up the screen a bit, it’s easy to see my screen.  The Ultra Mirror screen protector is as slick and slippery as the naked Gorilla Glass itself, so it doesn’t interfere with using the touchscreen at all.

SGP Case says the “oleophobic coating on the Ultra Mirror enhances your phone’s picture quality, prevents fingerprints, and protects your LCD from scratches and dust.”  I haven’t seen as many fingerprints on my iPhone using the Steinheil, but I still do see some smears when I put the phone against my face, and I do see dust sometimes.  The screen cleans up easily using the little gray microfiber cloth, though.

SGP also says that the reflective coating should protect your screen from prying eyes, but I haven’t found that to be true.  It’s much shinier than the naked screen itself, but I can still read the screen from other angles.

To test the claims that it can be removed without leaving behind residue, I sacrificed the first screen protector I had applied.  It lifted right off without undue tension on the screen, and it did leave the screen perfectly clean.

I like the Steinheil Ultra Mirror Half Mirror Screen Protectors well enough that I installed the second one on my iPhone 4.  Now I don’t have to worry so much about scratches to my iPhone’s screen.  I only wish they had included a protector for the back of my phone, too.

Pin it Product Information Price:$12.99 for the H10 stylus; $15.99 for the Ultra MirrorManufacturer:Spigen / SPG CasePros:Stylus - Adjustable length makes the stylus comfortable to hold and use - Attaches to your device's headphone jack, so it's always convenient - Should work with all capactive screens Screen protector - Dry-apply - Cutouts lined up well with front-facing camera and home button - Reflective enough to use as a mirror without the state-trooper sunglasses look - Leaves no residue when removedCons:Stylus - None Screen protector - Doesn't increase screen privacy, if that matters to you

Filed in categories: Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Screen Protector, Stylus for capacitive touchscreen

SGP Case Steinheil Ultra Mirror Half Mirror Screen Protectors and Kuel H10 Stylus Pen Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 27, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Deal of the Day ? 27? ViewSonic VX2753MH-LED 1080p 1ms LED-backlit LCD Monito...
by Janet Cloninger
27 Jan 2012 at 3:00pm

Today’s LogicBUY Deal is $70 off the 27″ ViewSonic VX2753MH-LED full HD LCD monitor for $289.99.  Features:  1920 x 1080 resolution, LED-backlit display, speaker, adjustable display angle, 2x HDMI inputs, 1ms GTG response time, 30,000,000:1 MEGA dynamic contrast ratio, more.

$359.99 – $70 off = $289.99 with free shipping.

This deal expires February 1, 2012 or sooner. Check the above link for more details on this deal, and check the LogicBUY home page for other deals.

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Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Deal of the Day

Deal of the Day – 27″ ViewSonic VX2753MH-LED 1080p 1ms LED-backlit LCD Monitor with Dual HDMI originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 27, 2012 at 10:00 am.

A Set of Cufflinks Fit for MI6
by Morgan Bornstein
27 Jan 2012 at 2:00pm

Wondering what to get for the stylish gadget guy this coming Valentine’s Day?  It would be difficult for him not to love these Polished Silver Oval Wifi and 2GB USB Cufflinks from Brookstone.  On the surface, they’re a regular pair of classy polished silver cufflinks, but there’s more than what meets the eye.

Each cap can be detached from its base revealing a 2GB USB flash drive on one side and a WiFi hotspot on the other.  Once the corresponding software is installed on a (hard-wired) laptop or desktop, simply plug the WiFi end into the computer and start using your iPhone, iPad, etc from your new mobile hotspot.

These are a bit pricey, but how many other guys can be wearing their very own hotspot?  The WiFi/USB cufflinks are available through Brookstone for $250.

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Filed in categories: Gear, News, Travel Gear

Tagged: cufflinks, USB flash drive, wifi hot spot

A Set of Cufflinks Fit for MI6 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 27, 2012 at 9:00 am.

Mivizu Sense Leather iPad 2 Case
by Janet Cloninger
27 Jan 2012 at 1:00pm

The Sense Apple iPad 2 Leather Case from Mivizu completely covers your iPad 2 in leather.  The iPad 2 slides into a geniune grain leather frame with a padded back for extra protection.  The interior is lined with microfiber fabric to help keep the screen cleaned.  The folding cover wakes/sleeps your device and protects your screen when closed.  It folds into a triangular stand that can support the iPad 2 horizontally or for typing.  The Mivizu Sense is available in black, blue, green, gray, and pink for $59.95.

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Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: Cases and covers, iPad 2

Mivizu Sense Leather iPad 2 Case originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 27, 2012 at 8:00 am.

Fill out a survey for a chance to win a $150 Amazon gift card
by Julie
26 Jan 2012 at 10:54pm

A few weeks ago I participated in a blogger’s video contest with Benq. I didn’t win one of their grand prizes, but I did win a prize for the most votes on a video during a week’s time. That prize was a $150 Amazon gift card and I am going to give it to one lucky reader. All you have to do to enter is fill out a short survey. Contest details after the jump.

Prize:

$150 Amazon.com gift card

How to enter:

1. Between now and Friday 2/3/2012 11:59PM EST, fill out the survey below.

2. At some point on 2/4/2012, I?ll pick 1 random winner using random.org. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hrs to accept their prize. If I do not receive an answer, I?ll do other random.org drawing till the prize is gone.

Rules:

1. Only one entry per person.

2. Contest is open to anyone except for writers and families of The Gadgeteer.

3. The gift card can only be redeemed at www.amazon.com, or its affiliated website www.endless.com. It can not be used at Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.jp, Amazon.ca, or any other website operated by Amazon.com, its affiliates.

Survey: Full Name * Email * We will NOT use your email address for anything other than to contact you if you win this contest. How often do you visit The Gadgeteer? * This is my first visit Once a day Multiple times a day Once a week Multiple times a week Once a month Multiple times a month Do you ever read The Gadgeteer on your smartphone? * Yes No Sometimes I don't have a smartphone Do you ever read The Gadgeteer on your Android tablet? * Yes No Sometimes I don't have an Android tablet Do you ever read The Gadgeteer on your iPad * Yes No Sometimes I don't have an iPad Do you use an RSS reader to read The Gadgeteer? * Yes No Sometimes Which type of posts do you enjoy most? (choose your favorite) * News Product reviews How-to articles Julie's Gadget Diary posts Contests Other What do you think about our posting frequency? * Not often enough Too often Just right Which topics do you enjoy most? (choose all that apply) * News Julie's Gadget Diary posts How-to articles Contests iPhone accessory reviews iPad accessory reviews Android accessory reviews Android app reviews iOS app reviews eReader reviews Wallet reviews Gear bag reviews Pocket knife reviews LED flashlight reviews Watch reviews Stylus reviews Computer hardware reviews Toy reviews Video game reviews Wacky product reviews What type of posts do you enjoy least? (choose all that apply) * News Julie's Gadget Diary posts How-to articles Contests iPhone accessory reviews iPad accessory reviews Android accessory reviews Android app reviews iOS app reviews eReader reviews Wallet reviews Gear bag reviews Pocket knife reviews LED flashlight reviews Watch reviews Stylus reviews Computer hardware reviews Toy reviews Video game reviews Wacky product reviews Are there certain products you'd like to see us review that we don't already cover? * What would you change about The Gadgeteer if it were up to you? * Any other comments you'd like to share?

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Fill out a survey for a chance to win a $150 Amazon gift card originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 26, 2012 at 5:54 pm.

SGP iPhone 4 / 4S Leather Wallet Case Valentinus Series Review
by Janet Cloninger
26 Jan 2012 at 4:00pm

My iPhone 4 is always in a bumper case, and I carry it inside my Dooney and Bourke Multi-Function Zip Around wallet.  That wallet is small enough to fit in my purse, but it holds some cards and cash, so I can just grab it and go.  If you’d like an even smaller wallet plus iPhone case – or perhaps one more unisex in style – the iPhone 4 / 4S Leather Wallet Case Valentinus Series from Spigen/SGP Case may be for you.  Let’s give a closer look at the one they sent us.

The Valentinus wallets are made of “premium genuine leather” in either black or brown.  It is a folio style case that’s held closed with a non-magnetic snap.  Stitching is even and straight.  There’s a Valentinus logo stamped into the front bottom corner.  It measures 4.6″ long X 2.5″ wide X 0.75″ thick at the snap closure.  The empty case weighs about 0.5 ounce.

The leather is very thin and supple.  There is minimal stiffening in the front of the case.

The spine of the Valentinus is closed in.  The open side shows the closure strap and the hard-shell case that holds the iPhone.  This polycarbonate frame is black, even for the brown leather case, and it has a matte finish.  Click on the lower picture, and you’ll see that SGP Case has added an Apple-like “Designed by SGP in California, USA” statement.  You can also see a hint of the camera opening on the back of the case.

The interior of the case shows more of the polycarbonate shell.  You can see the opening for the camera.  Confusingly, they also have an opening that would expose the Apple logo on the back of the iPhone, if the polycarbonate frame wasn’t glued into the leather folio.  The SGP website has a warning about the proper method for removing the phone to prevent the frame from pulling free of the leather: “Phone must be removed from the left side plastic frame. Do not remove from right side as the leather may tear away from the plastic frame.”  I wasn’t sure if they meant my left as I looked at the case, or the case’s left.  In any event, I removed the phone by lifting out the side without the volume buttons first so that I didn’t put undue pressure on the buttons.  I also inserted the side with the volume buttons first, again to prevent undue pressure on them.  I’d rather risk messing up a case than messing up my iPhone 4.

The leather folio is lined with a fabric that SGP Case calls “microfiber chamude.”  It has a fuzzy texture, and it’s been embossed with a repeating pattern of the SGP logo.

Opposite the iPhone frame are two slots where you can store a couple of cards.  There’s a pocket underneath where you can fit more cards or some folded up currency.

Here’s the Valentinus loaded up with my things.  I have three cards in the slots.  Like the song by Tim Curry, you know I never carry cash, so I didn’t have any bills to put in the pocket.  The polycarbonate case encloses the sides of the iPhone and wraps over to cover just the very edge of the front.

The back of the case has an SGP Case logo at the bottom and a cutout for the iPhone’s camera at the top.  The case didn’t interfere with taking pictures.

The top and bottom of the polycarbonate shell is cut away so you have free access to the sleep/wake button, top microphone, and headphone jack, plus the bottom microphone, speaker, and the 30-pin connector.  I could access all of these connectors and controls easily.  You’ll notice the polycarbonate shell wraps around the corners of the iPhone for protection and a firm hold.

The case closes nice and flat with the phone and my cards inside, as you can see from the lower picture.

Here, you can see the openings for the mute/lock switch and the volume buttons.  I had no trouble using these buttons.

The leather for the Valentinus is very thin and flexible.  You can see that the front folds to the back so that you can easily hold the phone to make a call.  It feels much thicker and wider in hand than does the naked iPhone, but it’s not uncomfortable.  The problem I did have was with the closure snap.  It’s stiff enough that it curls up, as you can see in the picture.  I wear glasses all the time, and this strap kept bumping the frames of my glasses when I held it up to make a call.

I like the SGP iPhone 4 / 4S Leather Valentinus wallet case.  Although it doesn’t have a lot of stiffening in the front flap, adding the cards to the slots will stiffen it and provide screen protection for the iPhone.  It holds my Verizon iPhone 4 well, and all controls and connectors are accessible.  It’s lightweight, but it offers quite a bit of protection for the phone inside.  You can stick your driver’s license, debit/credit card, and some cash inside, and you’ll be ready to go anywhere.  It’s small enough to fit in your pocket, purse, or gear bag.  You get a lot of protection and convenience for $55.

Pin it Product Information Price:$54.99Manufacturer:Spigen / SPG CaseRequirements:iPhone 4 or 4SPros:Plastic frame protects iPhone Leather is very flexible Room for cards and cashCons:Strap bumps my glasses frames when I'm making a call

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Cases and covers, iPhone 4/4S

SGP iPhone 4 / 4S Leather Wallet Case Valentinus Series Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 26, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Deal of the Day ? 82? Mitsubishi WD-82740 120Hz 1080p 3D DLP Projection HDTV
by Janet Cloninger
26 Jan 2012 at 3:00pm

Today’s LogicBUY Deal is the 82″ Mitsubishi WD-82740 120Hz 1080p DLP Projection HDTV for $1649.00.  Features:  PerfectTint, new ISF ccc Advanced Calibration Mode, 1080p DLP display, Plush1080p 5G improved 12-bit processing, exclusive 6-color processor, 3D-ready, more.

$3499.99 – $1850 instant savings = $1649 with free shipping.

This deal expires January 27, 2012 or sooner. Check the above link for more details on this deal, and check the LogicBUY home page for other deals.

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Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Deal of the Day

Deal of the Day – 82″ Mitsubishi WD-82740 120Hz 1080p 3D DLP Projection HDTV originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 26, 2012 at 10:00 am.

Droid RAZR MAXX Announced
by Bryan Sherman
26 Jan 2012 at 2:00pm

Verizon announced a new DROID RAZR that is available on January 26th. I have often commented that I wished manufacturers would stop with the thin obsession, and focus on battery life, and they finally listened to me. OK, so probably not to me, but still, I like this change.

The RAZR MAXX is only 8.99 mm thick vs. its thin cousin the RAZR at 7.1mm. But for that modest 1.89 mm you go from a 1780 mAh battery to a 3300 mAh battery. They claim you will get more than 21 hours straight on a single charge, and this is a 4G LTE phone. See more specs after the jump.

The Specs:

8.99 mm thick (I assume this is at its thinnest like the RAZR) 3300 mAh battery rated for 21 hours straight on a single charge Dual-core 1.2 GHz processor 4G LTE (Mobile Hotspot capable) 2.3.5 Gingerbread, upgradable to Android? 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich 8-megapixel rear-facing camera 1080p HD video capture and image stabilization technology for crisp and clear videos Front-facing HD camera for video chat 32 GB memory ? 16 GB on-board memory and 16 GB microSD? card pre-installed (actual formatted capacity is less)

This is a very interesting update, and highlights what I really like about the Android eco-system, the ability to choose from an array of options that best meets your needs. If you are willing to sacrifice a little thickness (and I assume weight) you can get a 4G capable phone that can consistently last the entire day.

You can check out the entire press release on Verizon’s site.

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Filed in categories: Android related, News

Tagged: 4g, Motorola, razr, verizon

Droid RAZR MAXX Announced originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 26, 2012 at 9:00 am.

You Can?t Start a Fire Without a Spark ? Sparxgear Fire Piston
by Janet Cloninger
26 Jan 2012 at 1:00pm

Sparxgear has designed a Fire Piston, and they are using Kickstarter for funding.  Never heard of a fire piston?  Before the days of matches, fires were often started with a fire piston.  A combustible material – cloth, wood, even milkweed down, etc. – is inserted on the end of  the fire piston.  Quick compression of the piston into the aluminum cylinder (magnesium or flint and steel) causes the tinder to catch fire, and the spark can be then used to light a camp fire or fireplace.  They can be used over and over again, and they can even be used in rain and snow.  For a minimum pledge of $35, you’ll receive an orange Fire Piston with three extra flint, steel and magnenium slot rods and five extra O-rings.  Increasing pledges allow you to choose a color for your Fire Piston, or you’ll receive more than one.  Funding has been reached, but there’s still time to get in on the ground floor, as the funding period doesn’t end until February 2, 2012.

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Filed in categories: News, Outdoor Gear

Tagged: Camping gear

You Can’t Start a Fire Without a Spark – Sparxgear Fire Piston originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 26, 2012 at 8:00 am.

Zevia Stevia Sweetened Zero Calorie Soda Review
by Julie
26 Jan 2012 at 1:35am

I’m addicted to Diet Coke. I don’t drink gallons a day or anything like that (spoken like a true addict…), but I do drink a 20 oz. bottle almost every day with my lunch. That probably doesn’t sound like a lot, but I can tell when I’ve been drinking it too many days in a row because my joints will start aching from the Aspartame sweetener. My partner Jeanne has the same issue with Aspartame and Splenda as well. We are also big tea drinkers in our house; a few years ago we switched from using Splenda to Stevia. Unlike Aspartame, Splenda, Sweetnlow and similar sweeteners, Stevia is natural. A plant native to South America, the extract from the Stevia leaf is 300 times sweeter than sugar, but has 0 calories and does not effect blood sugar. This natural sweetener has been used in Japan for decades, but is just now catching on here in the US. You’ve probably seen commercials for Truvia and may have also seen Stevia Raw for sale in your grocery store. While the liquid and power forms of Stevia can be found pretty easily, we haven’t seen many pre-packaged food products sweetened with this sweetener… till now. I have been taste testing Zevia, an all natural Stevia sweetened soft drink for a couple weeks now. Can Zevia help me kick my Diet Coke problem for good? Let’s see.

Zevia is available in 12 flavors and is packaged in 12 oz. aluminum cans. 9 of the flavors are caffeine free, but for those of you like that like your caffeine, three of the flavors (Zevia Cola, Dr. Zevia and Mountain Zevia) contain caffeine naturally derived from coffee. Here’s a break down of the amount (mg) of caffeine in each of these flavors.

Cola ? 45mg / 12oz can
Dr. Zevia ? 42mg / 12oz can
Mountain Zevia ? 55mg / 12oz can

Jeanne and I have been taste testing these drinks for the past 12 days. One flavor each day. Our comments on these flavors are going to be pretty subjective because everyone has flavors that they like and dislike. Just because we really enjoy one flavor, but turn up our noses at another, doesn’t mean that everyone else will have the same opinion. That said, here are our results:

Grapefruit Citrus – This is the first flavor that we tried. It’s an awesome flavor and very refreshing! Reminded me a little bit of Sierra Mist or Sprite, only a lot better. I didn’t expect to like this as I don’t drink grapefruit juice or even like to eat grapefruit. But it’s one of my favorite Zevia flavors. Big thumbs up from Jeanne too.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, CITRIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), GRAPEFRUIT OIL, MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES, ORANGE OIL, LEMON OIL, LIME OIL

Grape – Great flavor! We both enjoyed it. We would definitely drink it again.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, CITRIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), NATURAL FLAVORS, WHITE GRAPE JUICE CONCENTRATE

Caffeine Free Cola – This one tasted flat with a sort of fruity background flavor. Neither of us liked it and we wouldn’t drink it again.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, CARAMEL COLOR, TARTARIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), FUMARIC ACID, LIME OIL, LEMON OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CASSIA OIL, NUTMEG OIL

Cola – Not a lot different than Zevia’s caffeine free Cola. Bummer. Neither of us liked it and we wouldn’t drink it again. It’s flat and doesn’t have enough bite. I was really hoping this particular flavor would be a Diet Coke kill for me, but no luck.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, CARAMEL COLOR, TARTARIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), FUMARIC ACID, CAFFEINE, NATURAL FLAVORS, NUTMEG OIL

Cream Soda – This one tastes less sweet than most cream sodas I’ve tried before. I liked it and would drink it again, but Jeanne didn’t particularly like it.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, NATURAL FLAVORS, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), CITRIC ACID, CARAMEL COLOR

Black Cherry – Tastes like Cherry 7up. Both of us liked it and would definitely drink it again.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, CITRIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), NATURAL FLAVORS, CHERRY ESSENCE, CASSIA OIL, CLOVE LEAF OIL

Orange – This is the first one that we both grimaced after the first swallow. It has a strange, almost chemical after taste that neither of us liked. It’s another won’t drink again flavor.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT).

Ginger Ale – Jeanne liked it better than I did. She said she’d drink it again. It wouldn’t be a flavor I’d choose. But then I’ve never been a big fan of any brand of Ginger Ale.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, CITRIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), CARAMEL COLOR, LEMON OIL, LIME OIL, GINGER EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS

Mountain Zevia – Neither of us cared for this flavor. It’s down there with Orange for both of us. Neither of us are fans of Mountain Dew though… It has a slight after taste that isn’t enjoyable.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), CAFFEINE, BETA CAROTENE

Lemon Lime Mist – Yay, another winner. This one is a great alternative to Sprite. We both loved it and would drink it again.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT)

Dr. Zevia – Not overly sweet like real Dr. Pepper. Good flavor, but I wish it had just a little more bite to it. Even so, we would drink this flavor again.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, CARAMEL COLOR, TARTARIC ACID, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), FUMARIC ACID, CAFFEINE, NATURAL FLAVORS, NUTMEG OIL

Rootbeer – Another winning flavor. It’s not creamy like diet A&W (one of my faves). But it’s a good alternative since it doesn’t contain Aspartame. We both give it thumbs up.
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, ERYTHRITOL, CARAMEL COLOR, REB A (STEVIA EXTRACT), CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS, WINTERGREEN OIL, ANISE OIL, LEMON OIL, ORANGE OIL, GINGER EXTRACT

If you paid attention to the ingredient lists, you might wonder what Erythritol is as it doesn’t sound very natural. Here’s the info from Zevia’s site.

Erythritol is one of those ingredients that we love but shouldn?t judge by its overly scientific sounding name. Erythritol is a natural component of fruits and vegetables. It is called a sugar alcohol, even though it is neither sugar nor alcohol. It is removed from fruits and vegetables through a natural fermentation process, much like that of yogurt. It has absolutely no calories and no effect on blood sugar. Super safe? You betcha! In fact, unlike its sugar alcohol cousins, Xylitol and Sorbitol, Erythritol is not known to cause digestive issues.

So in the end we both loved 6 of the flavors, liked 2-3 of the others and really disliked 4 of them. Does that mean that Diet Coke is history for The Gadgeteer household? I wish I could say yes, but I’m afraid not. It’s not due to flavor. I know I could happily ditch Diet Coke in exchange for the 6 Zevia flavors I really like. The reason why I won’t be switching comes down to price. Zevia is just too damned expensive.

A 24pk of any Zevia flavor is going to set you back a whopping $23-$28!  I found that pricing online through Amazon as Zevia is tough to find locally where I live. I was able to find 3 flavors at my local Kroger which you see in the image above. They were selling it for $4.99 for a 6pk. Ouch. Compare that to Diet Coke which is on sale this week at Target for $2.99 for a 12pk. So you can buy 2 12pks for $6. That’s considerably cheaper than $28. I don’t understand why Zevia is so expensive. Unfortunately I don’t have a bank account like Oprah, so my quest to find a healthier alternative to Diet Coke continues. It’s a shame because I really like Zevia.

Pin it Product Information Price:Manufacturer:ZeviaRetailer:AmazonPros:Sweetened with Stevia, a natural sweetener 12 different flavorsCons:Cola flavors seem flat and too fruity More expensive than popular soft drink brands Difficult to find locally

Filed in categories: Kitchen Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: Beverage

Zevia Stevia Sweetened Zero Calorie Soda Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 25, 2012 at 8:35 pm.

iSteady Shot M-27 puts your iPhone?s camera on steriods
by Julie
25 Jan 2012 at 7:00pm

On its own, the iPhone has a great build in camera. But if you want to kick it up a notch, you should check out the iSteady Shot M-27 action camera mount. Your iPhone 4/4S snaps into a 16 oz. aircraft grade aluminum fixture that comes with a detachable 37mm wide angle/macro lens that has a 130 degree view. The M-27 features contoured hand grips and several threaded tripod mounts: two on top and three on the bottom. It also has a microphone/light mount which is built into the top center. The M-27 is made here in the US, is priced at $99.99 and is available now.

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Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: iPhone

iSteady Shot M-27 puts your iPhone’s camera on steriods originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 25, 2012 at 2:00 pm.

Vera Bradley Laptop Travel Tote
by Janet Cloninger
25 Jan 2012 at 5:00pm

Vera Bradley has a new Laptop Travel Tote that’s designed to make travel with a laptop a bit easier.  This tote is 11 1/4″ x 14 3/4″ x 3″ with a 12″ strap drop.  It’s made of Vera Bradley’s standard quilted cotton fabrics.  There’s a laptop compartment on one side; the other side has a zip-top to keep contents safely inside.  The two halves zip together for easy carrying, and they zip apart to lay flat for easier security inspection when you travel.  The Laptop Travel Tote is available in the four new Spring 2012 colors for $85.00.  (Shown in Ellie Blue.)

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Filed in categories: Bags, Backpacks, News

Tagged: Laptop Bag for Women, Vera Bradley

Vera Bradley Laptop Travel Tote originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 25, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

Monaco 3.1 AMP Extreme Charge Car Power Adapter Review
by Elizabeth Daugherty
25 Jan 2012 at 4:00pm

Extreme is right!  The Monaco Extreme Charge Car Power Adapter, simply put, is the best money you’re going to spend for car charger.  And you’re not going to spend that much. WirelessGround sent one of these chargers to The Gadgeteer for review, and you’ll find that their price of $14.95 isn’t going to break the bank. You can pay more and you will do worse.

If you’re anything like me, you’re running low on juice for ALL of your electronics.  You see, I’m not a nerd, I don’t even play one on TV.  But I love them.  I love nerds, geeks, smarty pants…whatever you want to call them.  Some girls like rogues who speak in flowery (read: B.S) words.  I like a guy who can sing the Periodic Table of Elements to me.  What can I say…I’m weird like that.

But for all my quirks, I just don’t recharge my toys with the same fervor as say…my husband the software engineer.  For him, everything gets plugged in at night before bed religiously.  Like brushing his teeth, he plugs in his laptop, tablet, phone, Sprint Overdrive…whatever…if it’s electronic and he needs it to get 3 to 4G coverage, it’s plugged in at night.   So you can imagine his consternation when I get into the car and my phone is dead or my laptop is powered at 15% or I just don’t get that the Overdrive needs to charge.

The Monaco Extreme is the Bang for your Buck that you’re looking for.  At 3.1 amps (2.1 and 1.0 respectively for the two USB outlets), you will charge and charge fast, and you can charge two devices at the same time.  If you’re like me…you’ve got electronic devices running on fumes.  You want that second port.  You NEED that second port.

Your 2.1 AMP port is going to charge your tablets, iPads etc., while your 1.0 AMP port will charge smart phones, iPods, iPhones etc.  Totally compatible with just about everything.  ”Compatible with the (but not limited to) Apple iPad, Apple iPad 2, Apple iPhone, Apple iPhone 3G, Apple iPhone 3GS, Apple iPhone 4, Apple iPhone 4 (White), Apple Verizon iPhone 4, Apple iPhone 4S, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices and other USB supported smartphones, tablets and devices.”   No kidding.   It’s sleek, it’s sweet, it’s inexpensive, and it just works.

Easily in the Power Outlet in your automobile. No fussing around.

In the photo just above, notice my power outlet with the Monaco Extreme Car Charge Power Adapter plugged in. (And please look past the obvious need to vacuum my SUV.)   And let’s face it, those of us who run TeleNav or other GPS applications from our smartphones know full well what a juice suck those apps are.  It helps to have a cool charger with 3.1 AMPS to power up your gear when you’re mobile.

It’s normally priced at $29.95 but theWireless Ground currently has them priced at 50% off.  I’d stock up.

Pin it Product Information Price:Normally $29.95, the website had them for 50% off at $14.95Retailer:WirelessGroundRequirements:Car power outletPros:Charges like a dream. It's lightweight, it's fast, it's inexpensive and charges up electronics quickly. Extremely versatile.Cons:There are no cons.

Filed in categories: Android related, Car Gear, Reviews

Tagged: car gear, USB charger

Monaco 3.1 AMP Extreme Charge Car Power Adapter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 25, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Deal of the Day ? 24? Viewsonic VA2431wm Full HD Widescreen LCD Monitor
by Janet Cloninger
25 Jan 2012 at 2:31pm

Today’s LogicBUY Deal is the 24″ Viewsonic VA2431wm full HD widescreen LCD monitor for $149.99.  Features:  1920 x 1080 full HD resolution, 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, DVI and VGA inputs, VESA mountable, glossy finish design.

$179.99 – $30 coupon code = $149.99 with free shipping.  This is the current lowest price found by LogicBUY.

This deal expires January 31, 2012 or sooner. Check the above link for more details on this deal, and check the LogicBUY home page for other deals.

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Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Deal of the Day

Deal of the Day – 24″ Viewsonic VA2431wm Full HD Widescreen LCD Monitor originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 25, 2012 at 9:31 am.

 

Brighthand.com Handheld News and Reviews
Brighthand.com is a website dedicated to bringing the latest news, reviews and pricing for all types of handheld devices

AT&T's HTC Titan II Release Date Revealed?
by info@brighthand.com
27 Jan 2012 at 7:01pm
AT&T is apparently looking to make a big splash this year by releasing a number of cutting-edge smartphones. On the list is the HTC Titan II, an upcoming Windows Phone with a very large display. The release date and price for this has now leaked out.
CES or IFA: Which Giant Consumer Electronics Tradeshow is Better?
by info@brighthand.com
27 Jan 2012 at 6:38pm
Each year, there are two massive electronics shows: CES in Las Vegas and IFA in Berlin. This raises the question, which of these two is better? Brighthand's European coorespondent compares them head-to-head.
HTC Will Release Fewer Smartphone Models this Year
by info@brighthand.com
27 Jan 2012 at 6:33pm
Although it didn't do too badly, HTC did not have a stellar 2011. A company executive says the plan for 2012 is to concentrate its efforts on developing a smaller number of "hero" models.
Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX's Price Reduced
by info@brighthand.com
27 Jan 2012 at 4:54pm
The Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX, which was released yesterday, is being sold by Verizon for $300 with contract. Those who are looking for a cheaper price need look no further than Amazon Wireless, however.
BLOG: The iPhone 5 Should Be Released This Summer, Not Next Fall
by info@brighthand.com
26 Jan 2012 at 7:46pm
The most recent blog post from Brighthand's site editor gives his thoughts on when Apple should release its next-generation smartphone, and why it should be this summer.
Nokia Has Sold Over 1 Million Lumia Windows Phones
by info@brighthand.com
26 Jan 2012 at 6:22pm
Nokia has revealed the results of its most recent financial quarter. Although there was plenty of bad news -- the company had another ?quarterly loss -- it was able to brag about selling over a million Lumia Windows Phones.
Verizon Releases the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX Setting New High Standard for B...
by info@brighthand.com
26 Jan 2012 at 4:56pm
Those who waited for the release of the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX can finally own this Verizon 4G LTE smartphone with a very big battery but a very slim design.
Samsung Epic 4G Touch System Software Update Removes Carrier IQ
by info@brighthand.com
26 Jan 2012 at 5:12am
Sprint has begun sending out an update for the system software running on the Samsung Epic 4G Touch. Among some minor changes, this removes the Carrier IQ app that some critics have classified spyware.
Nokia Lumia 900's Release Date and Price Leaked
by info@brighthand.com
25 Jan 2012 at 9:04pm
If the rumors hold true, then AT&T is looking to make a big splash in the smartphone markets during Q1 with the release of the Nokia Lumia 900.
Samsung Galaxy Note LTE Super-Size Smartphone Could Be Coming to AT&T Next Month
by info@brighthand.com
25 Jan 2012 at 8:49pm
The Samsung Galaxy Note's unusually large display has drawn attention from those who want a cross-over smartphone/tablet. A few weeks ago, AT&T promised to offer this device - but it didn't say when or at what price. These two important pieces of information have now leaked out.