Project Gadget » PORTABLES

Logitech Portable Lapdesk Review – It Rocks!

Michael Vorel — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:43:01 +0000

Does your MacBook Pro heat up? Mine does and I have been looking at this cool portable lapdesk by Logitech for some time. I was in Target and noticed it was reduced to from $29 to $18 so had to buy it. What I like the most is that it must be made for the MacBook Pro 15 and super thin. I didn't consider one of those fan based models so if you like them, chime in.

Next Add MacBook Pro 15

Next, add a trackball mouse (that's a cool mouse isn't it)

So why do you want this product?
The concept is easy, place lapdesk on lap, watch TV, keep typing, look down, use mouse and keep going. Get up and put laptop on floor and repeat. The benefit is a desk on the go and not to burn your legs in the process. Go buy one and you will like how well designed and portable it really is.

Monaco Solar iPhone Charger Review

Michael Vorel — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:00:18 +0000

As an avid iphone 4 user I am always in need of portable power and have tested several battery solutions (some better than others). It seems to me that the easiest solution is an external USB based power solution that is not phone specific so you can use with multiple phones (iphone, blackberry, droid, evo, etc).

For example, I upgraded my iphone so the mophie air pack for the 3G becomes worthless. Stay external for flexibility and don't bother with a snap on solution. I wanted to thank wirelessground.com for sending over the Monaco solar powered iPhone charger for review. The concept is to either charge the battery pack via the sun, ac or usb connection.

To use, plug your iphone sync cord into your phone and plugin to the battery USB connection. Even though this is a solar solution, I technically don't charge it in the sun but if i had to I like the benefit. On a side note, I have another solar solution with 3 foldable arms and is such a hassle I don't use it. At $39.95 it's a cheap solution to drop in your bag and mine is sitting on my airplane tray table as I write this post.

Works with iPhone 3g, 3gs, 4, eve 4g, nexus one, droid, blackberry.

Features:

- Same size as the iphone

- Lightweight design - 3.3oz

- Plastic molding doesn't feel cheap and if it said Apple on the front would be twice the price.

- Mini-usb charging with wall USB adapter or USB on PC or Mac.

- Ample power - 1800mah gives you a full charge of your phone on the go. Always check that on other chargers as 1800 to 2200mah is the sweet spot vs. 1200mah

- Solar Power - perfect for camping and outside adventures, although takes 8 hours to fully charge. The light turns red when charging in the sun.

- Charging time on AC / USB is 6 hours.

- Includes adapters for other mobile phones (I didn't need them since USB out is fine for me)

Overall, very impressed with this product and recommend picking one up from wirelessground.com. It may just save you one day when you are running low on power!

iPhone 4 with Apple Bluetooth Keyboard Review

Michael Vorel — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:35:29 +0000

Just purchased the portable Apple Bluetooth keyboard and it's such a great product I needed to share with you. I am writing the post using the keyboard, iphone4 and wordpress iphone app all on an airplane tray. I have room for a drink and some so the Macbook Pro stays in the bag (it never fit anyway).

On airplane tray (see room for a drink)

You might be think it's just a keyboard and it is but what was impressive to me was using with the iphone 4. As I head to New York for Affiliate Summit I plan to write notes and blog posts on the fly over the next 5 days.

Side Views

What I liked:
- Bluetooth (syncs quickly and was easy to setup)
- Cool metal design - so sleek
- iPod controls - will play music, change volume, skip, etc.
- Brightness control - handy for adjustments without going into settings.
- Flexibility to use with other mac machines. I haven't had the need but some may consider that an advantage.
- Battery is located in the round tube that also doubles as a keyboard angle stand.

What would be nice:
- Lighted keys
- Center hinge so it could fold in half with keys in the middle.
- Case for travel (i like a case for everything and try to keep incase profitable!)

Overall loving this keyboard and at $69 was a little pricey but for what it does I really couldn't care less. Keep up the good design work Apple. You can also check out at Amazon for a cheaper price (affiliate link) Apple Wireless Keyboard (Retail Packaging)

If you liked this post, please spread the word. You can find me at @projectgadget on Twitter and Facebook (see Like button below..). You can also, subscribe to the RSS Feed at Email. Click to return to projectgadget.com to check out some more cool gadgets! Cheers, Michael

iPhone 4 Case Review

Michael Vorel — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:24:56 +0000

The iphone 4 case race is on and just checked out the cases available for Free on iTunes. Per the "antennagate" reception issue, Apple is giving users the option to receive a free bumper case or one of 7 other models. That's nice of Apple and just picked up 2 of them. However, I must say none of the cases hold a candle to the ifrogz iphone 4 cases (affiliate link) we are sporting right now.

This is the screen you see after you download the iphone 4 case app on itunes.

Screen 2

After analyzing the cases here are my thoughts since I am a case fanatic:

Incase Options

Incase Snap Case for iphone 4 - Clear - I choose this one out of the eight for design, clarity of case and for the reason that incase makes quality products. Besides you get to see the beauty of the iphone 4.
Update to original post - this is an excellent case and decided to switch the ifrogz with it over the Griffin case. If you have to choose one go with Incase.
Incase Snap case for iphone 4 in smoke - nice case, same as clear version so can't miss on that one.

Speck Case Options

Speck fitted case iphone 4 in black tartan. Nice design with tartan plaid on back. I considered it but the plaid was just not my style (they should offer others). Otherwise, appreciate the Speck designs and would be a nice choice.
Speck Pixelskin HD iphone 4 case - a rubber protected model and not being into extra bulk it's just not for me. Maybe you need this protection but as Austin Powers says it's not my bag baby.

Griffin Cases:

Griffin Motif iphone 4 cases with diamonds and smoke - nice skin with a special material that makes it durable yet flexible. I was really on the fence on this one and thought it looked cool. Update - did not love this case and don't use it
Griffin Reveal Etch iphone 4 case - black graphite - with slim design and polycarbonate back I choose this as my second case.

For the Belkin & Apple solution I didn't consider them because I have faith in Incase, Speck and Griffin but not Belkin. Maybe I have had too many Belkin products that have left me going "why did i buy this.."

So take your shot and reserve yours today since the eta is 3 - 5 weeks and who knows when they may arrive

Anyway - the case I use each day is the ifrogz slim case (affiliate link) who seems to have an exclusive with Best Buy which is where i bought a bright green and slate gray versions. They fit like a glove and the metal construction is lightweight and perfect.

Let me know what you choose and you can find me at @projectgadget on Twitter and Facebook (see Like button below..). If you liked this post please subscribe to the RSS Feed or signup to receive posts by Email. Click to return to projectgadget.com to see some more cool gadgets! Cheers, Michael

iPhone Docking Station + Battery Pack

Michael Vorel — Sat, 08 May 2010 18:59:58 +0000

Recently I had an opportunity to review two iPhone accessories from wirelessground.com. With over 20,000 affordable products for mobile phones and pda's it was easy to isolate by carrier or brand and choose an iPhone docking station and battery extender.

Apple iPhone 3G S USB Sync and Charge Cradle
As an avid iPhone user I am always running out of battery power and constantly plugging in the phone to stay charged. This docking station is a great product and what I liked about this was:

USB powered but includes the wall plug and mini-USB cable
Great angle to plug phone in and browse email, apps, etc.
Synchronize and recharge
Sleek black finish with blue power light in front
Works on Apple iPhone 3G, 3GS
PC & Mac
Only $22.95 (view at store)

iPhone 3G 2200mAh Portable Power Station
I have tested many external battery packs for the iPhone and spending more for higher end brands like Mophie may not be the best strategy. I found this battery pack for the iPhone 3G for only $24.95 and has 2200 mAh (more you have the better). Now, the design is not to the level of Mophie but why not put $50 in your pocket and grab an inexpensive solution? I can't say I love this battery pack but it does the job of powering the iphone back up. On a side note, my Mophie battery life is gone after 1 year so basically worthless right now. Here's what I liked:

Hinged bottom allows easy slide in and will stand straight up with back part on desk
Will not only charge but act as a docking station
Powers up with the standard iphone charger cable
On/Off button is simple to work
Comes with silicone case (never used that one)
2200 mAh
Only $24.95 (view on site)

I wanted to thank wirelessground.com for sending these in for review and encourage you to check out the site to save some money on wireless accessories.

You can find me at @projectgadget on Twitter and Facebook. If you liked this post please subscribe the RSS Feed or receive posts by Email. Click to return to projectgadget.com to see some more cool gadgets! Cheers, Michael

SUV Cam II Professional Micro Camera

Michael Vorel — Wed, 05 May 2010 00:04:22 +0000

I was thinking about action sports and video cameras and wanted to find out what professionals were using. The SUV Cam II by Elmo USA is a great choice and records video with an external camera onto a portable SDHC format above 2GB.

What's cool about this video camera?

Supports high capacity SD Cards of 2GB+
704 x 480 recording 25fps
Lens stabilizier built in to keep the subject in focus
Color display
One push recording for ease of use
Fixed white balance so you don't have to worry about that
80cm (31 5/8") or 150cm (59 1/4") heads in addition to optional 300 - 500cm options
Supports longer cable lengths
Schedules recordings
Overwrite option for continuous recording
Rubber camera mounts
Wide conversion lens
External batteries

SD Card Opening

Video Recording 16GB

In summary, I really like the Elmo design and seems like a great video gadget to have in your arsenal. Imagine what you could do with this camera.

You can find me at @projectgadget on Twitter and Facebook. If you liked this post please subscribe the RSS Feed or receive new posts by Email. Click to return to projectgadget.comto see some more cool gadgets! Cheers, Michael

iPad + HTC Android = Ultimate Solution

Michael Vorel — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:46:55 +0000

Instead of a product review I wanted to try something different and talk about an issue I am facing. With the launch of the Apple iPad it has made me consider my overall mobile gadget strategy. As an iPhone user I really love the iTunes integration, available apps and overall fun. However, with the android operating system on the rise my curiosity is leaning towards Google and HTC rather than Apple. So what to do?

The cross platform solution

Since Apple will continue to innovate and Google will put the heat on developing mobile applications the horizon looks very bright either way you go. To capitalize on both innovators and apps here is the solution:

1. Buy an Adroid phone by HTC Droid Eris or HTC Hero
HTC creates mobile phones that combine outstanding industrial design and functionality. With an android based phone you will ride the wave of new applications, embrace a superior operating system and have a better overall mobile experience. The android system is much better than the iphone and I am ready to transition.

2. Buy an iPad and utilize the Apple app's
Since I love the iPhone, I don't want to give up on the Apple apps and figured the best solution was to use an iPad for them vs. the iPhone. In my testing the iPad it's really a larger iPhone and and an excellent gadget to own. On a side note, the iPad had superior photo and video displays and enjoyed every moment I had using the gadget.

So my plan is to wait till June and see the new iPhone before I make this decision. I really like the iphone but can't ignore the momentum of Google and feel they wont' stop till they win the battle. So why fight the system? Embrace both Apple & Google and enjoy the ultimate user experience with 2 app stores to choose from. What are your thoughts?

Blok Wood iPod Docking Station by Revo

Michael Vorel — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 02:24:04 +0000

Tired of cheap iPod docking stations? Me too! Meet the Blok by Revo, an iPod speaker system with high quality components as well as superior audio. Inside the handcrafted wooden cabinet you've got great technology with 40W of high resolution digital audio for a good room filling sound.

The speaker unit has its own remote control in machined aluminum and soft plastics, designed to place the full iPod control into the palm of your hand. Included with the block is a full range of iPod dock adapters as well as a 3.5 mm auxiliary input so that you can use different things with the Blok.

What's included

Remote control, cleaning cloth, operating guide, 240V power supply as it's from United Kingdom and and an M port cable to connect to non-iPod MP3 players and other devices.

The audio is made up of Drivers: 2x 4.5” NXT Balanced Radiator full-range units utilizing neodymium magnet systems with frequency response: 55Hz to 20kHz (-6dB). The dimensions of this particular unit are 316 mm x 148 mm high x 153 mm deep and comes in American walnut or Black Oak.

You can find me at @projectgadget on Twitter and if you liked this post please subscribe the RSS Feed or receive new posts by Email when added. Click to return to projectgadget.com to see some more cool gadgets! Cheers, Michael

Slide HD Widescreen Flip Cam

Michael Vorel — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:21:50 +0000

Welcome to the new SlideHD Flip Cam! This portable camcorder has a large 3" wide screen that is unique over previous Flip HD models. The advantage of the larger screen is that you can shoot the video and then replay it back for family members or friends easily. See it at TheFlip.com

The industrial design is very nice and easily connects to your computer using the built-in USB arm for PC or Mac for transferring videos. I wanted to note that the Flip Share software is very good and allows you to share your videos within Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and other sites as well as sending a video to a family member using their system. Your videos are compatible with Windows media player and QuickTime and can record 12 hours!

Video Details

The device offers a 16.9 widescreen with 400 x 200 pixels display, while recording is 1280x720 at 720p 30 fps (frames per second) . I wanted to note that in my previous posts with the Kodak Zi8 you really don't want to bother shooting above 720p with a portable because otherwise you start to get some shake that is noticeable. Something I thought it was interesting was a silent mode for recording sensitive situations (what exactly are those?)

Inside the Box
SlideHD camcorder, soft case, wrist strap, user guide and built into the flip cam is the software so ready to go out of the box.

Need to show on your HDTV?
Personally I feel they should include this but you can purchase an optional HDMI cable that goes with it.

What's Missing?

External microphone jack
Stabilization software
Lens Cover
Included HDMI cable

Overall, I like this product and wish they solved the microphone issue. If you want to purchase this I will receive a tiny commission and remember all profits from this site feed the gadget addiction! Visit the TheFlip.com

Kodak Zi8 Why I Returned it

Michael Vorel — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:40:39 +0000

Ready for an unbiased review of the Kodak Zi8 portable video camera? Before I review, I wanted to let you know I purchased this unit myself, never worked for Kodak and ultimately just providing my unbiased product review as this can be a difficult decision. My experience was filled with pros and cons and I know the Zi8 has a lot of fans so please feel free to comment on the post.

As an avid Flip Cam HD user, I researched all the Kodak Zi8 reviews, saw the video tests, played with the camera multiple times and asked around. I wanted a portable replacement for the Flip Cam with a microphone input and thought it would be ideal for project gadget reviews. (photo credit: Kodak.com)

However, after testing the unit I noticed some good and bad things.

You can see my video review of the Zi8 here on YouTube

Good Things

$179 price point
Picture quality was better than Flip Cam HD
Input mic was a plus
Ability to take digital pictures
720p 60fps was clear
HDMI (never used but seems cool)
AC power
Macro
SD Card

Bad Things

1080p not feasible to utilize

Up close interviews not good as couldn't choose which was better macro or landscape

Needed light studio to use high quality video settings for clarity

Zoom function extremely poor

Software nonexistent on the mac

Input mic was not clear enough

Internal built in microphone not sufficient

Handled light poorly indoors and went light to dark on screen

Overall cheap feel of buttons, usb connect design reminded e of vado cam

Prefer AA batteries over battery pack.

Would like flexible screen positioning to view yourself if needed while filming.

Tripod connection not good since it had rounded bottom

No case included

Show remote but not included

One of the best features was the $179 price point!

I'm not sure why Best Buy has to charge $229 for the camera, Kodak $199 and Target $179 but I leave that up to you to interpret.

(photo credit: Kodak.com)

1080p 30fps Video Recording
Although I loved that the camera advertised 1080 the only way I could use the settings was with a tripod in the digital studio with expensive lighting. Other tests generated video that was not useable and really with a setting of 720p the Flip Cam HD was a good comparison. The video on the Kodak was clearer but not enough to make me need the Zi8.

Low Light Situations
I am always filming indoors and the Flip Cam handled low light much better. When the light was better the picture was better on the Zi8 but once again the tradeoff wasn't enough as poor video is useless to me.

Microphone

I think the main reason I bought the camera was because it had input microphone that was everything to me because the flip cam always suffered in the microphone department. However, I found that the built-in microphone was not that great on the Kodak and when I went to test out different ones I got a little bit of static in the line and was not sufficient for me. The built in microphone was comparable to the flip but also had some feedback in the line.

Video Quality
I found that in my testing that 720p 60fps was the best setting of this camera and 1080 didn't translate well in editing. Personally, I don't see the point in shooting above 720p.

AC Power
I really enjoyed that you could plug in the unit by AC power.

Macro / Landscape

The addition of a macro switch allowed you to do a close-up of a particular item in a review (way better than Flip) however it was a hassle if you wanted to pull out of the shot and go back to a review (need to switch it back to landscape). The other problem I found was that if you were to hold out the camera say on a monopod to put yourself in the shot you have to figure out which setting you're going to use macro or landscape.

Zoom Function
Now digital zoom is always poor but they should of left this one out of the design. The jagged way it works was very noticeable when recording and poor design.

Video Software

I use a Mac to edit videos and noticed that no software loaded when I connected the camera. Although I only use the raw video I enjoy the Flip software and often review, delete and do small edits before I save clips. I think Kodak should provide this. In regards to software, sometimes I am at a friends house and want to show a movie regardless of PC or Mac and with the Flip software it always loads up.

Industrial Design
Having previous experience in product management they had an opportunity to choose an industrial design and was a mistake to use a mirror finish on the camera. The fingerprint prone design felt cheap and when accessing the SD card or USB cord I felt the pieces were going to break off. Aluminum would of been better!

Power
Although the removable battery pack can be convenient, I prefer AA batteries for longer shoots and flexibility.

Tripod Adapter / Base
Did you know you can't set this down and have it stand on the bottom? Why? They rounded the bottom of the unit and put the tripod adapter in the center. The problem is you end up with a uneven connection to the tripod.

Summary
I think that I am a more critical buyer than most and really demand perfection in gadgets. For example, I love the iPhone, Macbook Pro & Sony HDTV because they are well designed and performance is exceptional. At $179 I think it's a good value, however Kodak need to work on fine tuning the design. Since I returned the unit I am awaiting other manufacturers or Kodak to produce something better in the portable video category and happy to provide a review as well.

Want to Buy the Zi8 or Flip HD Camcorder?
As a partner with Amazon, J & R and B & H Photo they give me credit so here’s some helpful links:
- Amazon's HD Portable Camcorder Guide

- Find all your Video TV accessories at JR.com

- Digital Camcorders at B&H Photo - Great Selection - Great Value

You can find me at @projectgadget on Twitter and if you liked this post please subscribe to RSS Feed or receive by Email when a new post is added. Click here to return to projectgadget.com to see some more cool gadgets! Cheers, Michael Vorel