The Chicago Apple User Group
Hardware Review: Pogo Stylus
06/07/2009 05:28 AM
Posted by Dave Greenbaum on 4/18/09 • Categorized as LAUG 2.0
The iPhone, as many people know, is an absolute masterpiece of form and function. However, all these functions are useless if you can’t actually touch your phone. Dirty or gloved hands render the iPhone completely useless. The Pogo stylus bridges that gap, allowing you to use a stylus to control your iPhone.
When the iPhone’s touch sensitivity works, it works great! However the first week I owned my iPhone I realized how vulnerable my phone was. I got a flat tire and began to change the tire when I ran into some trouble removing one of the lug nuts and decided to call roadside assistance. Oops. My hands were greasy and grimy and I simply couldn’t control my iPhone. Without paper towels or anything I was in major trouble. From then on I carried a disposable phone in the car with me! Similarly, in the winter, my iPhone also wasn’t terribly useful with gloves hands. Again, my expensive smart phone was dumbed down by a thin piece of leather. While this hasn’t happened to me, I’ve seen women with long sculpted fingernails look about as stumped as Edward Scissorhands with an iPhone. Why deny them the ability to use an iPhone?
Unlike other smart phones, you cannot use a regular stylus since the iPhone relies on the electrical impulses of your fingertips or other body parts. The Pogo is a stylus designed specifically for touch screens. The bottom of the stylus has spongy material designed to activate touch screens. The Pogo stylus was not as responsive as my stylus was on my old Palm Pilot, but the Pogo was still extremely useful. The material at the bottom was soft and won’t scratch the iPhone, and in fact, helped clean mine a bit. I was even able to use it with my GPS, keeping my hands warm on the cold days.
The Pogo package comes with a clip to help keep the Pogo Stylus connected to your iPhone without creating bulk. Unfortunately the clip did not work with my external iPhone case, but people who keep their iPhone naked will have no problem using the Pogo Stylus. At $14.95 the purchase of a Pogo Stylus is about the best investment in protecting the usability of your iPhone. You may not need it today, but at some point you’ll need your iPhone and your hands will be dirty, wet, or otherwise inaccessible. That Pogo stylus will allow you to make the call! I keep one in the glove compartment and another in my laptop bag.
Pros: Allows iPhone use in situations you can’t directly touch the screen
Cons: Clip doesn’t work if the iPhone has a case
Five out of Five Dogcows
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings
The iPhone, as many people know, is an absolute masterpiece of form and function. However, all these functions are useless if you can’t actually touch your phone. Dirty or gloved hands render the iPhone completely useless. The Pogo stylus bridges that gap, allowing you to use a stylus to control your iPhone.
When the iPhone’s touch sensitivity works, it works great! However the first week I owned my iPhone I realized how vulnerable my phone was. I got a flat tire and began to change the tire when I ran into some trouble removing one of the lug nuts and decided to call roadside assistance. Oops. My hands were greasy and grimy and I simply couldn’t control my iPhone. Without paper towels or anything I was in major trouble. From then on I carried a disposable phone in the car with me! Similarly, in the winter, my iPhone also wasn’t terribly useful with gloves hands. Again, my expensive smart phone was dumbed down by a thin piece of leather. While this hasn’t happened to me, I’ve seen women with long sculpted fingernails look about as stumped as Edward Scissorhands with an iPhone. Why deny them the ability to use an iPhone?
Unlike other smart phones, you cannot use a regular stylus since the iPhone relies on the electrical impulses of your fingertips or other body parts. The Pogo is a stylus designed specifically for touch screens. The bottom of the stylus has spongy material designed to activate touch screens. The Pogo stylus was not as responsive as my stylus was on my old Palm Pilot, but the Pogo was still extremely useful. The material at the bottom was soft and won’t scratch the iPhone, and in fact, helped clean mine a bit. I was even able to use it with my GPS, keeping my hands warm on the cold days.
The Pogo package comes with a clip to help keep the Pogo Stylus connected to your iPhone without creating bulk. Unfortunately the clip did not work with my external iPhone case, but people who keep their iPhone naked will have no problem using the Pogo Stylus. At $14.95 the purchase of a Pogo Stylus is about the best investment in protecting the usability of your iPhone. You may not need it today, but at some point you’ll need your iPhone and your hands will be dirty, wet, or otherwise inaccessible. That Pogo stylus will allow you to make the call! I keep one in the glove compartment and another in my laptop bag.
Pros: Allows iPhone use in situations you can’t directly touch the screen
Cons: Clip doesn’t work if the iPhone has a case
Five out of Five Dogcows
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings
|
Hardware Review: Radius Atomic Bass Black Aluminum Earphones for iPhone
06/07/2009 05:28 AM
Posted by Dave Greenbaum on 5/24/09 • Categorized as Hardware Review, LAUG 2.0
These headphones rock!
As many iPhone users know, the earbuds Apple includes with the iPhone are functional, but they don’t exactly have the greatest sound fidelity. Hundreds of different earphones are on the market, some costing more than the iPhone itself. Even these high end units do not have the ability to act as a hands free mic for the iPhone. Few things are more annoying then having to unplug your headphones when receiving an incoming call while jamming away on your iPhone. The Radius Atomic Bass Black Aluminum Earphones for iPhone aren’t just a great headphones, but a great handsfree mic as well. Personally, I tend to use bluetooth and don’t listen to music that much on my iPhone. However, after discovering Pandora and Skype for the iPhone, I’m using these headphones a whole lot more. During use, I was simply blown away by the music quality. Not an atomic explosion blown away, but something that would definitely shift the balance of power. I’m not an audiophile, but I have headphones that cost three times this amount and the sound just doesn’t seem as rich. I tend to listen to more dance style music and these headphones picked up the bass much better than other headphones, so it’s well deserving of its name. The Radius Atomic Bass fits well into my ear and doesn’t slip out like the standard earbuds. The plastic covers come in three different sizes to help insure a custom fit and the earbuds are angled to fit deeper in the ear canal. Obviously these aren’t the type of headphones or handsfree you should use in the car as they block out external noise. These are not noise-cancelling headphones, so I’ll still use my other headphones in a plane or other noisy environment.
As a handsfree mic, callers on the other end who hear me talking though my Radius Atomic say the calls are much clearer than my bluetooth and can’t tell I’m using a hands free at all. I’m using the Radius Atomic with my laptop and then switch them into my iPhone when I get a call. The mic is located a few inches down from the earbud and, similar to the standard Apple issue earbuds, acts as a remote to pick up and end calls. The mic was extremely sensitive and allowed me to carry on a normal conversation with a caller while I was at a coffee house, though sometimes in noisy environments it was hard for others to hear me. In fact, the Radius Atomic Bass worked extremely well with Skype on my iPhone while my bluetooth handsfree did not.
Aesthetically, the Radius Atomic looks very industrial. They come in black, red, pink and white so you not only can accessorize, but avoid picking up your spouse’s headphones when leaving in the morning. Whatever color you choose, the earbuds will have silver accents at both end of the earbuds, matching the metal/plastic look of the current Apple product line. All the units have a white cord except for the black, which is black in both headphone and cord. Personally, I dig the black instead of the white so people don’t always know I have an Apple-branded MP3 player. The cord length is a few inches longer than the Apple standard earbuds, though the length of the individual cords after the yoke was the same as the standard units.
Overall, I highly recommend these headphones as a wired hands-free mic and a economical headphone for listeners craving deep bass in their grooves. The sound and voice reproduction is significantly better than the included headphone and rivals products that cost significantly more.
Pros: Excellent bass reproduction and voice quality, profoundly economical and fashionable as well Cons: No noise cancelling or echo cancelling
Five out of Five Dogcows
Article was republished by the Lawrence Apple User’s Group 2.0 here as well as other groups listed on the right
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings
These headphones rock!
As many iPhone users know, the earbuds Apple includes with the iPhone are functional, but they don’t exactly have the greatest sound fidelity. Hundreds of different earphones are on the market, some costing more than the iPhone itself. Even these high end units do not have the ability to act as a hands free mic for the iPhone. Few things are more annoying then having to unplug your headphones when receiving an incoming call while jamming away on your iPhone. The Radius Atomic Bass Black Aluminum Earphones for iPhone aren’t just a great headphones, but a great handsfree mic as well. Personally, I tend to use bluetooth and don’t listen to music that much on my iPhone. However, after discovering Pandora and Skype for the iPhone, I’m using these headphones a whole lot more. During use, I was simply blown away by the music quality. Not an atomic explosion blown away, but something that would definitely shift the balance of power. I’m not an audiophile, but I have headphones that cost three times this amount and the sound just doesn’t seem as rich. I tend to listen to more dance style music and these headphones picked up the bass much better than other headphones, so it’s well deserving of its name. The Radius Atomic Bass fits well into my ear and doesn’t slip out like the standard earbuds. The plastic covers come in three different sizes to help insure a custom fit and the earbuds are angled to fit deeper in the ear canal. Obviously these aren’t the type of headphones or handsfree you should use in the car as they block out external noise. These are not noise-cancelling headphones, so I’ll still use my other headphones in a plane or other noisy environment.
As a handsfree mic, callers on the other end who hear me talking though my Radius Atomic say the calls are much clearer than my bluetooth and can’t tell I’m using a hands free at all. I’m using the Radius Atomic with my laptop and then switch them into my iPhone when I get a call. The mic is located a few inches down from the earbud and, similar to the standard Apple issue earbuds, acts as a remote to pick up and end calls. The mic was extremely sensitive and allowed me to carry on a normal conversation with a caller while I was at a coffee house, though sometimes in noisy environments it was hard for others to hear me. In fact, the Radius Atomic Bass worked extremely well with Skype on my iPhone while my bluetooth handsfree did not.
Aesthetically, the Radius Atomic looks very industrial. They come in black, red, pink and white so you not only can accessorize, but avoid picking up your spouse’s headphones when leaving in the morning. Whatever color you choose, the earbuds will have silver accents at both end of the earbuds, matching the metal/plastic look of the current Apple product line. All the units have a white cord except for the black, which is black in both headphone and cord. Personally, I dig the black instead of the white so people don’t always know I have an Apple-branded MP3 player. The cord length is a few inches longer than the Apple standard earbuds, though the length of the individual cords after the yoke was the same as the standard units.
Overall, I highly recommend these headphones as a wired hands-free mic and a economical headphone for listeners craving deep bass in their grooves. The sound and voice reproduction is significantly better than the included headphone and rivals products that cost significantly more.
Pros: Excellent bass reproduction and voice quality, profoundly economical and fashionable as well Cons: No noise cancelling or echo cancelling
Five out of Five Dogcows
Article was republished by the Lawrence Apple User’s Group 2.0 here as well as other groups listed on the right
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings
MAXPower: Adding Wireless Access with Ease
06/07/2009 05:25 AM
a review by Tom and Jason Piper
What do you do to add wireless capability to your computer if it didn’t come with the right parts? It can be as easy as a USB plug-in dongle.
Newer Technology has produced the NewerTech MAXPower 802.11 g/b Wireless USB 2.0 Stick Adapter for just this purpose. The package comes with an installer CD that puts the right enabling software on PC or Mac laptops or desktop computers. You can then plug in this dongle, and have access to the Internet up to 300 feet away (line-of-sight).
This USB Adapter is a quick and easy addition to any Mac OS X running computer. We installed this on our older Mac G5 tower. The software installation was a simple installation and then a restart of the computer. The provided NewerTech software left something to be desired and didn’t carry over the simple and effortless methods that are achieved with the built-in Apple Wireless Manager. It requires you to first create a profile, then join a wireless network using their software.
In System Preferences, the wireless adaptor shows up at “USB Ethernet”, although without launching their software, you have no quick idea of what your signal strength is. Once established, the Wireless Adaptor worked flawlessly and easily allowed for continuous streaming from a Media Server or File Server. The unit itself worked very well, particularly since it was unimpeded by a computer case.
This is an efficient way to quickly add Wi-Fi to almost any computer. It is available for only $24.99. For more information, go to http://www.newertech.com. This could be your solution to Internet access.
NewerTech: The Right Tools for Mac Entry
06/07/2009 05:24 AM
a review by Tom Piper
Being a gadget guy, the right tools for the job make the work simpler and more effective. This is particularly true in the electronic world where various screwdriver types and sizes are vital to success, not to mention levers and grabbers (tech terms all).
At Macworld I found an excellent 11-piece computer tool kit this is just perfect for the majority of small repair work I do, such as replacement of the hard drive in laptop computers. This kit includes Torx T6, T8, & T10; Phillips PH00 & PH2; Straight 1.8 mm & 3.0 mm; tweezers; hemostat (scissor clamp); two plastic pry tools (spudgers); and a rugged, zippered, woven nylon carrying case. This is just about everything you need to open up most computers, iPods and other devices for repairs and upgrades. Each piece is nicely shaped for effective handling of small pieces and parts.
I’ve also used mine on a small clock, several electronic pieces and a MacBook Pro 17”, all with the greatest success. These are quality tools that can be used again and again. The case holds the tools with properly shaped insert molds to store each tool in a dense foam material that holds everything in place snugly.
Its very nice to have everything in one convenient package that is easy to carry. This great kit from Newer Technology is available for only $17.95. For more information, go to http://www.newertech.com. I highly recommend this tool for techs and do-it-yourselfers.
MacScan: Security at Your Fingertips
06/07/2009 05:21 AM
by Tom Piper
“The iBotnet, a ‘Trojan horse’ program, has appeared in pirated copies of Apple's productivity suite iWork '09 that circulate on peer-to-peer file-sharing networks,” the New York-based Post Chronicle reported. Since only a few thousand Macs were infected with iBotnet, we probably have little to worry about now, but this could be a sign of many more to come since hackers are testing Apple’s security parameters more and more. How do we defend ourselves against such impending attacks, or even current “Spyware”?
I’ve started using a new program from SecureMac called “MacScan”, and am very pleased with the results. My program runs automatically everyday at noon (you set the schedule), and immediately let’s me know what it finds that might be troublesome (see some recent results below):
Using advanced detection methods, MacScan detects, isolates and removes the program which could allow your privacy to be violated. Anti-virus software does not commonly protect you from spyware. Many spyware programs used by hackers to gain remote access to your computer, often goes undetected. Keystroke loggers have been undetected for years. MacScan by SecureMac — Leader in Macintosh information security — is designed specifically to detect and eradicate the threat to your Macintosh. MacScan protects your Mac from security risks like no other program can, filling the missing gap of security protection for the Macintosh.
MacScan detects, isolates, and removes as well as notifies you of any spyware applications that may be active. MacScan also audits and protects your system from remote administrative programs that may have inadvertently been left on or installed (see below).
And, yes, SecureMac even provided an “iServices Trojan Removal Tool.app” to check my computer for an iBotnet presence (there wasn’t one), and eradicate it if necessary. I also like the idea that SecureMac’s website keeps track and reports all known incidents of possible security threats to the Mac. It’s good to know that someone is looking out for our welfare.
MacScan Protection: 20% Off
MacScan from SecureMac quickly detects, isolates and removes spyware from Macintosh computers using both real-time spyware definition updating and unique detection methods. It also includes Internet clutter cleanup with blacklisted tracking cookie detection and removal. Since 1999, SecureMac.com has been at the forefront of Macintosh system security. The site also operates as a clearinghouse for news, reviews and discussion of Apple computer security issues.
Regularly available for $29.99 (US), this special user group is discount 20% off. Contact our Ambassador to get the codes for the discount. Try before you buy with free trial.
Review and purchase: http://macscan.securemac.com/ This worldwide offer is valid through October 31, 2009.
macProVideo: Video-Assisted Software Learning
06/07/2009 05:19 AM
Get really interested in a new program, but don’t want to read a book, or Help menu in order to learn how to use it. Video instruction can be an excellent answer for many of us.
I am particularly impressed by Nonlinear Educating Inc., and its Founder and Publisher, Martin Sitter. Several years ago I ran a vendor discount offer about their macProVideo line of products, and had an opportunity to use several of the videos first-hand. This month I even did an interview with Martin for the Apple User Group Market Podcast (available at http://web.mac.com/ugab/). They used to provide these tutorials on DVDs, but discontinued this on Earth Day 2009, and are doing their part to protect the environment by providing only download services.
Featuring in depth, real-time video training created by the multimedia industry's top educators, macProVideo.com brings high quality video training to your computer desktop. They are committed to providing the best software training on the web for applications such as Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro & Express, Motion, DVD Studio Pro, Reason, Ableton Live, Mac OS X and more! These training videos use easy-to-follow live screen captures combined with clear voice-over instruction to teach you how to use multimedia software applications . . . as they say, it's Nonlinear Educating! There is no delay in educating when you use macProVideo.com. With an ADSL or Cable modem, you could be in class 10 minutes from now, anywhere you can connect to the Internet. Some of videos are even free, such as “Mac OS for Switchers.”
Their software tutorial-video player is called “N.E.D. 3” (see above), and is a complete solution which allows you to download, organize, learn and burn tutorials with one simple, but powerful tool. Versions are available for Mac OS Leopard, Tiger and Panther (even Windows XP and Vista) on Mac G4, G5 and Intel processors. Their trainers are articulate, interesting and understandable, plus online discussion forums to clarify and learn even more. I highly recommend this service, which is getting even better with new tutorial releases and the new http://www.designProVideo.com service.
Haptique Case: Adding Protection with Style
06/07/2009 05:16 AM
a review by Tom and Jason Piper
You’ve invested a lot of money and commitment in your MacBook, so you want it to be well-protected everywhere you go. And, you want to look good, perhaps even make a statement about your cherished investment. An attractive case may be just what you are looking for.
The new Uniea Haptique hardcase for the MacBook Aluminum 13” unibody offers complete protection for your new notebook while maintaining easy and convenient access to all ports and full functionality of the display. Its size is 230W x 30H x 330D (mm), weight is 13.7 oz (390 grams), and comes in a variety of colors including white, black, pink, blue, green and orange.
The hardcase is a secure fit while also being easy to remove. This case employs the use of several built-in catches to keep the case secure on the laptop. It does add a bit of extra size to the typically small notebook so any sleeve or bag you might have for a “naked” MacBook might become tight or no longer fit.
The case does have a few limitations. With it being constructed of pliable ABS plastic, it does have a tendency to hold heat. My MacBook at idle tended to run anywhere from 5 to 7 degrees warmer then normal, and under a load the fans would quickly kick on to cool it down. The texture of the case helps keep it on your laptop, but also tends to grip the inside of a bag making it harder to extract. The “leather-like pattern . . . and ultra-soft interior” hard shell case is protective, but tends to bow away from matching edges.
All in all, this is a good case for the money, though the added thickness may be unattractive for some. The case does have a soft feel, but not quite “leather like” as promoted. I definitely would trust the case to protect the laptop from minor drops and scratches, and the vibrant colors add a lot of style to your portability.
You can learn more about this case and Uniea’s many other products by visiting www.uniea.com. This Haptique 13” case is $49.95, and they intend to have a 15” model available by the end of first quarter 2009.
Universal Electronic Accessories (“Uniea&rdquo
, a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative electronic accessories. They also plan to move forward with new product development of several exciting cases for a wide range of electronics like the new Omniverse universal laptop tote in Silk Fiber and nylon, as well as other iPod and telephone accessories.Targus Bluetooth Laser Mouse, by Nathan Ebenroth
04/04/2009 09:15 PM
Targus Bluetooth Laser Mouse for Mac (Model #AMB08US)
Review by Nathan Ebenroth
http://www.targus.com/us/
Operating System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 or later
Hardware Requirements: Bluetooth-enabled notebook or desktop computer
Specifications:
Size: 4.64” x 2.51” x 1.45”
Weight: 4.4 oz
Range: Up to 33 feet
Sensor Technology: 1200 dpi laser
Battery Life: Up to 6 months (2 AA Batteries included), Touch Scroll blinks when less than 60 minutes of battery power remains
I tested this product with a Mac Pro desktop and the Mac OS X Leopard Version 10.5.
There is a simple, straightforward software installation of a driver utility required and a hard copy is included with the mouse. The directions were easy to follow and the basic set-up was completed in a matter of about 10 minutes. This included progressing through the Bluetooth Setup Assistant and the “pairing” of the wireless device with my computer.
The laser underneath the Targus mouse that directs the movement of the cursor/arrow is smooth and exact! For someone like me that has used an optical hard-wired standard issue Mac mouse forever, this was an amazing difference. Very tight, precision movement of the cursor to the point that I was constantly over correcting as I learned to adjust to the new exacting location of a laser.
There is also a laser eye on top of the Targus mouse that replaces that scroll button on the Mac mouse. The laser scroll is a revelation and a great use of technology. You barely need to touch it to scroll. The touch control is so light and responsive you can almost, but not quite, put your fingertip slightly over it to make it move in the direction you desire. Whenever you move the cursor over an active window, the laser scroll feature works easily and flawlessly up and down. Alas, I could not get the left and right scroll to work as advertised. The 4-way scrolling function did not work left and right on the model I tested. This was disappointing as 4-way scrolling was one of the unique features advertised for this mouse.
The ergonomic design of the Targus mouse makes it a pleasure to hold in your hand. Besides the laser scroll, the real design advantage of the product in terms of Mac users is the separate left and right click buttons. If you’ve already enabled your right click function in your computer’s System Preferences as I had, it makes right click so much easier than with a standard issue Mac mouse. Right click can still be used with the Mac mouse but I frequently right clicked when I was intending to left click. Functionality of the left and right click can get confused when you’re pushing on the right or left side of the single click Mac mouse rather than with the separate left and right click of the Targus mouse. Separate buttons to click – brilliant!
The directions don’t very clearly identify the buttons on the mouse that can be programmed. It took me a while to figure out that the “two programmable buttons” are actually one button on the left (right thumb) side of the mouse with a forward and back type toggle motion. You program the buttons by going to System Preferences and clicking on the Targus Mouse. The back toggle is labeled Programmable Button 4 and the forward toggle is labeled Programmable Button 5. Why? I have no idea. There are only 2 buttons and they aren’t labeled on the mouse itself. It took some trial and error to figure out what was activating what.
To further complicate matters, the laser scroll eye is also a button but has no functionality whatsoever – not even to Select or show the Dashboard. On the Mac mouse, clicking this button shows your Dashboard. I’m not sure why a button would be added without functionality but there was no explanation of the button under the laser eye in the directions and is can’t be programmed. Note to Targus: make the laser eye button a third programmable button.
The options for programming the 4 & 5 buttons include several predefined functions: Eject, Print Screen, Select All, Volume Up & Down, Mute, Hide All (F9), Show Desktop (F11), Dashboard (F12), Application Switcher, Internet Browser
Forward & Back, iTunes Play/Pause & Stop. Some of the predefined functions worked beautifully, others not at all.
Eject worked for both out and in on the CD/DVD drive. I could not get Print Screen to work. Select All worked when I tried it in Microsoft Word. Volume Up & Down worked well with the back and forth toggle-type movement of the button. Mute worked and the videos or songs muted continued to play as Mute was active; pressing the same button deactivated Mute. Hide All shrinks and displays all currently open windows worked when programmed to one of the buttons on the Targus mouse. Show Desktop worked and removes all the open windows until the same button is clicked again. Dashboard worked as a programmed function. I was not able to get the Internet Browser page back and forward to work with Firefox, it did, however, work with Safari. Most disappointedly, the iTunes functions all did the same thing, they stopped the song that was playing and wouldn’t restart it. I had to go to iTunes to restart the song and it restarted from the beginning of the song.
Another piece of advice for Targus: Include the standard functions of a Mac mouse and then add the programmable buttons rather than replacing the standard function buttons with programmable buttons. If you, like me, enjoy the standard functions of a Mac mouse, you’re not actually gaining two programmable buttons because you’re going to have to program them to do what all Mac mouses do. When I reprogrammed the buttons to be Volume Up & Down as I listened to iTunes, I lost the ability to Hide All (side squeeze buttons on the Mac mouse) or see my Dashboard (top scroll button click on the Mac mouse).
A few strange issues: there was a “floating” type continuation of my movement whenever I resized a window. I started making a window larger but after I stopped resizing it the window would continue to grow larger for a short time. This made it impossible to accurately size a window – larger or smaller. Just as strangely, I could not Select text in Microsoft Word. I could reposition my cursor but not highlight text I wanted to move or edit. I was able to highlight text in other applications.
Lastly, the Bluetooth connectivity worked perfectly. The only connectivity issue was related to the mouse’s sleep mode - which is used to conserve battery life. It runs on two AA batteries that are included. Whenever my computer was in sleep mode and the mouse turned off to sleep, my computer reactivated to tell me that the connection with that device was lost. I also received the “Connection Lost” message anytime was mouse was idle for more than a minute or so.
Review by Nathan Ebenroth
http://www.targus.com/us/
Operating System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4 or later
Hardware Requirements: Bluetooth-enabled notebook or desktop computer
Specifications:
Size: 4.64” x 2.51” x 1.45”
Weight: 4.4 oz
Range: Up to 33 feet
Sensor Technology: 1200 dpi laser
Battery Life: Up to 6 months (2 AA Batteries included), Touch Scroll blinks when less than 60 minutes of battery power remains
I tested this product with a Mac Pro desktop and the Mac OS X Leopard Version 10.5.
There is a simple, straightforward software installation of a driver utility required and a hard copy is included with the mouse. The directions were easy to follow and the basic set-up was completed in a matter of about 10 minutes. This included progressing through the Bluetooth Setup Assistant and the “pairing” of the wireless device with my computer.
The laser underneath the Targus mouse that directs the movement of the cursor/arrow is smooth and exact! For someone like me that has used an optical hard-wired standard issue Mac mouse forever, this was an amazing difference. Very tight, precision movement of the cursor to the point that I was constantly over correcting as I learned to adjust to the new exacting location of a laser.
There is also a laser eye on top of the Targus mouse that replaces that scroll button on the Mac mouse. The laser scroll is a revelation and a great use of technology. You barely need to touch it to scroll. The touch control is so light and responsive you can almost, but not quite, put your fingertip slightly over it to make it move in the direction you desire. Whenever you move the cursor over an active window, the laser scroll feature works easily and flawlessly up and down. Alas, I could not get the left and right scroll to work as advertised. The 4-way scrolling function did not work left and right on the model I tested. This was disappointing as 4-way scrolling was one of the unique features advertised for this mouse.
The ergonomic design of the Targus mouse makes it a pleasure to hold in your hand. Besides the laser scroll, the real design advantage of the product in terms of Mac users is the separate left and right click buttons. If you’ve already enabled your right click function in your computer’s System Preferences as I had, it makes right click so much easier than with a standard issue Mac mouse. Right click can still be used with the Mac mouse but I frequently right clicked when I was intending to left click. Functionality of the left and right click can get confused when you’re pushing on the right or left side of the single click Mac mouse rather than with the separate left and right click of the Targus mouse. Separate buttons to click – brilliant!
The directions don’t very clearly identify the buttons on the mouse that can be programmed. It took me a while to figure out that the “two programmable buttons” are actually one button on the left (right thumb) side of the mouse with a forward and back type toggle motion. You program the buttons by going to System Preferences and clicking on the Targus Mouse. The back toggle is labeled Programmable Button 4 and the forward toggle is labeled Programmable Button 5. Why? I have no idea. There are only 2 buttons and they aren’t labeled on the mouse itself. It took some trial and error to figure out what was activating what.
To further complicate matters, the laser scroll eye is also a button but has no functionality whatsoever – not even to Select or show the Dashboard. On the Mac mouse, clicking this button shows your Dashboard. I’m not sure why a button would be added without functionality but there was no explanation of the button under the laser eye in the directions and is can’t be programmed. Note to Targus: make the laser eye button a third programmable button.
The options for programming the 4 & 5 buttons include several predefined functions: Eject, Print Screen, Select All, Volume Up & Down, Mute, Hide All (F9), Show Desktop (F11), Dashboard (F12), Application Switcher, Internet Browser
Forward & Back, iTunes Play/Pause & Stop. Some of the predefined functions worked beautifully, others not at all.
Eject worked for both out and in on the CD/DVD drive. I could not get Print Screen to work. Select All worked when I tried it in Microsoft Word. Volume Up & Down worked well with the back and forth toggle-type movement of the button. Mute worked and the videos or songs muted continued to play as Mute was active; pressing the same button deactivated Mute. Hide All shrinks and displays all currently open windows worked when programmed to one of the buttons on the Targus mouse. Show Desktop worked and removes all the open windows until the same button is clicked again. Dashboard worked as a programmed function. I was not able to get the Internet Browser page back and forward to work with Firefox, it did, however, work with Safari. Most disappointedly, the iTunes functions all did the same thing, they stopped the song that was playing and wouldn’t restart it. I had to go to iTunes to restart the song and it restarted from the beginning of the song.
Another piece of advice for Targus: Include the standard functions of a Mac mouse and then add the programmable buttons rather than replacing the standard function buttons with programmable buttons. If you, like me, enjoy the standard functions of a Mac mouse, you’re not actually gaining two programmable buttons because you’re going to have to program them to do what all Mac mouses do. When I reprogrammed the buttons to be Volume Up & Down as I listened to iTunes, I lost the ability to Hide All (side squeeze buttons on the Mac mouse) or see my Dashboard (top scroll button click on the Mac mouse).
A few strange issues: there was a “floating” type continuation of my movement whenever I resized a window. I started making a window larger but after I stopped resizing it the window would continue to grow larger for a short time. This made it impossible to accurately size a window – larger or smaller. Just as strangely, I could not Select text in Microsoft Word. I could reposition my cursor but not highlight text I wanted to move or edit. I was able to highlight text in other applications.
Lastly, the Bluetooth connectivity worked perfectly. The only connectivity issue was related to the mouse’s sleep mode - which is used to conserve battery life. It runs on two AA batteries that are included. Whenever my computer was in sleep mode and the mouse turned off to sleep, my computer reactivated to tell me that the connection with that device was lost. I also received the “Connection Lost” message anytime was mouse was idle for more than a minute or so.
Stellar Phoenix Macintosh
03/01/2009 08:09 PM
Posted by Dave Greenbaum on 2/15/09 • Categorized as LAUG 2.0, Software Review
It is said that there are two types of hard drives: those that have failed and those that are going to fail. It is simple math: your hard drive will fail, it’s just a matter of time. Obviously good backups are your first line of defense. Your second line of defense is a data recovery program like Stellar Phoenix. I reviewed their 1.0 product a few years back and the program was extremely rough around the edges and not ready for the general public. The 3.0 version of the software is a welcome revision, but the program still isn’t a truly “Mac friendly” product, often using unix-style prompts rather then standard Mac dialog boxes. The program retails for $129 and has a 30 day money back guarantee.
Stellar is a primarily a PC based software manufacturer and it shows. Their user interface doesn’t look like a Mac program. It follows few, if any MacOS design conventions. In particular, their help system uses Windows icons and the Windows help interface. Their marketing material also shows a fundamental lack of Macintosh background. They refer to repair situations that only occur on older systems running OS 9. In addition, they refer to “Lacie” [sic] drives, when they apparently means external hard drives. Why they are using the generic term “LaCie” to refer to external hard drives is unclear, but I’m sure Maxtor, Seagate, and Other World Computing are annoyed by it.
As stated earlier, the interface of the program doesn’t follow Mac conventions and is quite confusing. You are faced with three choices for recovery: “Hard Drive”, “iPod”, or “Recover Photos, Music & Video Files.” However, the options are basically the same whichever one you choose, which is confusing. Once you choose one of the recovery types you have to decide between “Formatted media/Lost File Recovery” and “Search Lost/Deleted Volumes.” The documentation doesn’t make clear the difference. The choices also don’t warn you it doesn’t recover from FAT32 or NTFS volumes, which many external hard drive and flash drives use. Other programs warn you of this fact, Stellar simply says no data found, which can be misleading at times.
Unfortunately, because development is done outside the US, the program documentation and interface suffers from the typical grammatical confusion that occurs after something is translated from its native language to English. Similarly, technical support is not US based and when I had problems I was unable to effectively communicate with them and have my questions adequately addressed. Do not count on being able to contact technical support if you purchase this product.
In spite of the language barriers and the interface, if you are able to figure things out on your own, the product seems to perform well. Obviously testing data recovery properly is difficult because most recovery attempts change the reliability of future recovery attempts. Nonetheless, I recently had an opportunity to try it both as the first program for recovery and the second program, and Stellar Phoenix effectively recovered data consistent with other programs in the same price range. However, unlike other applications in its price range, Stellar Phoenix does not have a bootable DVD version. You must install Stellar on a computer before you can use it. This greatly limits Stellar’s ability to recover in emergency situations. Most other programs cost less and offer more options than Stellar.
Overall, the program does work, although the documentation and interface is quite confusing. This would not be the first nor the primary tool I would recommend to use in a crisis to recover files off a hard drive. If other options fail you, Stellar is worth at least a try with their free evaluation and 30 day money back guarantee.
Pros: Works decently and is another tool to try for data recovery Cons: Poor interface, documentation and support.
3 out of 5 dogcows
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings
It is said that there are two types of hard drives: those that have failed and those that are going to fail. It is simple math: your hard drive will fail, it’s just a matter of time. Obviously good backups are your first line of defense. Your second line of defense is a data recovery program like Stellar Phoenix. I reviewed their 1.0 product a few years back and the program was extremely rough around the edges and not ready for the general public. The 3.0 version of the software is a welcome revision, but the program still isn’t a truly “Mac friendly” product, often using unix-style prompts rather then standard Mac dialog boxes. The program retails for $129 and has a 30 day money back guarantee.
Stellar is a primarily a PC based software manufacturer and it shows. Their user interface doesn’t look like a Mac program. It follows few, if any MacOS design conventions. In particular, their help system uses Windows icons and the Windows help interface. Their marketing material also shows a fundamental lack of Macintosh background. They refer to repair situations that only occur on older systems running OS 9. In addition, they refer to “Lacie” [sic] drives, when they apparently means external hard drives. Why they are using the generic term “LaCie” to refer to external hard drives is unclear, but I’m sure Maxtor, Seagate, and Other World Computing are annoyed by it.
As stated earlier, the interface of the program doesn’t follow Mac conventions and is quite confusing. You are faced with three choices for recovery: “Hard Drive”, “iPod”, or “Recover Photos, Music & Video Files.” However, the options are basically the same whichever one you choose, which is confusing. Once you choose one of the recovery types you have to decide between “Formatted media/Lost File Recovery” and “Search Lost/Deleted Volumes.” The documentation doesn’t make clear the difference. The choices also don’t warn you it doesn’t recover from FAT32 or NTFS volumes, which many external hard drive and flash drives use. Other programs warn you of this fact, Stellar simply says no data found, which can be misleading at times.
Unfortunately, because development is done outside the US, the program documentation and interface suffers from the typical grammatical confusion that occurs after something is translated from its native language to English. Similarly, technical support is not US based and when I had problems I was unable to effectively communicate with them and have my questions adequately addressed. Do not count on being able to contact technical support if you purchase this product.
In spite of the language barriers and the interface, if you are able to figure things out on your own, the product seems to perform well. Obviously testing data recovery properly is difficult because most recovery attempts change the reliability of future recovery attempts. Nonetheless, I recently had an opportunity to try it both as the first program for recovery and the second program, and Stellar Phoenix effectively recovered data consistent with other programs in the same price range. However, unlike other applications in its price range, Stellar Phoenix does not have a bootable DVD version. You must install Stellar on a computer before you can use it. This greatly limits Stellar’s ability to recover in emergency situations. Most other programs cost less and offer more options than Stellar.
Overall, the program does work, although the documentation and interface is quite confusing. This would not be the first nor the primary tool I would recommend to use in a crisis to recover files off a hard drive. If other options fail you, Stellar is worth at least a try with their free evaluation and 30 day money back guarantee.
Pros: Works decently and is another tool to try for data recovery Cons: Poor interface, documentation and support.
3 out of 5 dogcows
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings
Executive Sync
03/01/2009 08:08 PM
Posted by Dave Greenbaum on 2/01/09 • Categorized as LAUG 2.0, Software Review
At one point in history, the word “executive” tended to stand for some type of higher-end product, or a product with special features that separated it from the merely ordinary. Unfortunately, today, when we hear “executive” we think of corruption, bribes, and incompetence. Executive Sync tends to use the newer, less appealing meaning of the word. However at $29.99, it won’t wipe out your 401(k) unlike those other “Executives.”
Executive Sync promises to sync files “to servers running Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and more” as well as “keep your work or personal files up-to-date between home, office, and on the road.” It does…but not really. I had inaccurately assumed the product was similar to Sugar Sync or Drop Box: I specify the computers I want synced and this happens in the background. I was wrong. Executive Sync runs only on a Mac and the way it syncs is by mounting volumes from Windows, Linux and other operating systems. If you want to sync with a Windows machine, you must network your Mac to the PC and Executive Sync treats the Windows machine just like another disk. SMB file sharing is not a simple task for the average user. More importantly, in order to sync files you must be currently networked to the system you want to sync files with. Unlike other programs that sync through the Internet, Executive Sync requires you to remember to sync the files before you leave the office. Not sure how handy that is “on the road.” In theory, you could set up a complex VPN so you could connect to your home or office computer from the road, but that is technology that costs significant money and I doubt the average person has any type of setup like that. If they did, they would have probably write their own software to sync files.
Inaccurate marketing aside, Executive Sync does synchronize files between two folders mounted on your Mac. The program was able to find subtle differences between two folders and keep them in check. It does not do this automatically. You must manually start the program and run the sync. While there is a scheduling option, the scheduling only allows you to make sure the files are in sync at the time of scheduling. If the files are out of sync, you won’t be notified until the program runs again. Not only does this make it less convenient, but the program is quite slow. I synchronized two folders on my MacPro with about 40 GB of files and it took almost four hours. While running, the program was a processor hog and I couldn’t do much else.
The final nail in the coffin of Executive Sync is the fact there is virtually no tech support for the product. It is distributed by Smith Micro, which has no technical support information for the product. When you click the link for tech support, it simply takes you back to the product information page. The product is not listed in their tech support forums or contact pages. The help section of Executive Sync is acceptable, but can never replace technical support if you have an issue that goes beyond what is covered in the help.
Ultimately, the product does the basics of what it says: synchronizes files between two folders. The user interface was straightforward and easy to understand and the installer was the standard drop into the application folder. The program lets you pick which folders you want synchronized and allows you to save the settings. However, the marketing is misleading as to the scope of what the product does and the inability to get technical support on the product makes it a program that is best to avoid when so many other higher quality options exist with more features.
Pros: Does accurately synchronize folders Cons: Misleading marketing, extremely slow, no tech support
1 out of 5 dogcows
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings
At one point in history, the word “executive” tended to stand for some type of higher-end product, or a product with special features that separated it from the merely ordinary. Unfortunately, today, when we hear “executive” we think of corruption, bribes, and incompetence. Executive Sync tends to use the newer, less appealing meaning of the word. However at $29.99, it won’t wipe out your 401(k) unlike those other “Executives.”
Executive Sync promises to sync files “to servers running Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and more” as well as “keep your work or personal files up-to-date between home, office, and on the road.” It does…but not really. I had inaccurately assumed the product was similar to Sugar Sync or Drop Box: I specify the computers I want synced and this happens in the background. I was wrong. Executive Sync runs only on a Mac and the way it syncs is by mounting volumes from Windows, Linux and other operating systems. If you want to sync with a Windows machine, you must network your Mac to the PC and Executive Sync treats the Windows machine just like another disk. SMB file sharing is not a simple task for the average user. More importantly, in order to sync files you must be currently networked to the system you want to sync files with. Unlike other programs that sync through the Internet, Executive Sync requires you to remember to sync the files before you leave the office. Not sure how handy that is “on the road.” In theory, you could set up a complex VPN so you could connect to your home or office computer from the road, but that is technology that costs significant money and I doubt the average person has any type of setup like that. If they did, they would have probably write their own software to sync files.
Inaccurate marketing aside, Executive Sync does synchronize files between two folders mounted on your Mac. The program was able to find subtle differences between two folders and keep them in check. It does not do this automatically. You must manually start the program and run the sync. While there is a scheduling option, the scheduling only allows you to make sure the files are in sync at the time of scheduling. If the files are out of sync, you won’t be notified until the program runs again. Not only does this make it less convenient, but the program is quite slow. I synchronized two folders on my MacPro with about 40 GB of files and it took almost four hours. While running, the program was a processor hog and I couldn’t do much else.
The final nail in the coffin of Executive Sync is the fact there is virtually no tech support for the product. It is distributed by Smith Micro, which has no technical support information for the product. When you click the link for tech support, it simply takes you back to the product information page. The product is not listed in their tech support forums or contact pages. The help section of Executive Sync is acceptable, but can never replace technical support if you have an issue that goes beyond what is covered in the help.
Ultimately, the product does the basics of what it says: synchronizes files between two folders. The user interface was straightforward and easy to understand and the installer was the standard drop into the application folder. The program lets you pick which folders you want synchronized and allows you to save the settings. However, the marketing is misleading as to the scope of what the product does and the inability to get technical support on the product makes it a program that is best to avoid when so many other higher quality options exist with more features.
Pros: Does accurately synchronize folders Cons: Misleading marketing, extremely slow, no tech support
1 out of 5 dogcows
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings
MacSpeech Dictate: Seeing What You’re Saying
02/27/2009 08:45 PM
a review by Tom Piper
When the original Mac 128KB was released in 1984, you heard this new computer speak to us. Haven’t you since wanted to be able control the Mac by voice, and have it transcribe what you are saying? I have a great voice recognition program now; but first, a brief history of such software for the Mac.
In 1993, Apple introduced PlainTalk which thereafter evolved into Speakable Items which has been integrated into Mac operating systems ever since (pseudo voice recognition). Twelve years ago, Dragon PowerSecretary ($700) was one of the first speech recognition programs (my first for OS9), followed by Dragon NaturallySpeaking for the Mac (became PC only shortly after), and IBM ViaVoice for Mac (Best of Show at Macworld NYC 2001 -- my second voice program for OSX). It was about that same time that MacSpeech came out with iListen (my third such program for OSX) which was a significant step forward. Then, at Macworld 2008, MacSpeech announced that iListen would be replaced by Dictate (a new Mac solution built using the recognition engine from Dragon NaturallySpeaking on Windows). As my fourth voice recognition program, this one is by far the best and most advanced such product yet.
According to early reports, MacSpeech claimed that MacSpeech Dictate was a great improvement on iListen. "Now for the first time, Mac users can begin dictating straight into their applications with very little time spent training the software to recognise their voice." They claimed that training MacSpeech Dictate up to a 99 percent accuracy level, generally takes less than five minutes and that the product "...performs at the highest accuracy level on the market today...Using the new MacSpeech Dictate, user-spoken commands are recognized separately from dictation, liberating the user from the need to tell the software to change modes, simplifying the experience." The product is targeted not only at those who for whatever reason find keyboard use difficult. MacSpeech Dictate is "designed to simply make computer input easier for anyone. Whether composing email, writing a report or even a novel, MacSpeech Dictate makes the computing experience more comfortable," the company claimed.
Quite simply, I can verify that the promotional language is true. No more hours and hours of reading text to “condition” the software for my voice, but rather a few minutes of selecting preferences, and reading some paragraphs of text. Not only that, other users of your computer can also be setup to use Dictate, customized to their voice and preferences. Voice recognition really does start right out of the box with easy-to-following instructions and immediate feedback. And, you won’t believe the accuracy, which actually gets better and better over time (yes, some mistakes still do happen, but it remembers corrections).
Here is a summary listing of features and benefits:
- Minimal Training Required: provides astounding accuracy and productivity;
- Essential Command Capabilities: instead of using your mouse to select menu commands or your keyboard to type shortcuts, just speak a command;
- Uses the Legendary Dragon Speech Recognition Engine: the core is the world-renowned Dragon® speech recognition engine by Nuance;
- Works With The Applications You Already Have: iChat, Mail, iPhoto, Keynote, Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, QuarkXPress, and more;
- Spelling A World Of Words: spelling mode lets you easily spell words, names, and acronyms with either natural language or the International Radio Alphabet;
- Make Your Move: a keyboard or mouse is not needed to move around in your documents because your voice moves your cursor forwards, backwards, and more;
- Even Greater Recognition: includes robust Phrase Training capabilities allowing it to learn as it goes based on your voice input;
- Built Especially For The Mac: MacSpeech Dictate was built from the ground up to ensure the ultimate experience on Mac OS X;.
- Comes With Everything You Need: instantly productive as soon as you start using it, including a high quality headset microphone;
- Document Freedom: works great with almost any text document, even those created with other applications;
- Exceptional Online Help: boasts a complete online, searchable help book; and
- Key Command Savviness: it understands key commands where you can enter specific keys and even keyboard modifiers like Command, Option, Shift, and Control.
website to Install MacSpeech Dictate, Create a Profile, Use Phrase Training, Create a Voice Command for a Text Macro and Editing a Document. Additional assistance is also available through the MacSpeech Forums, their Facebook site, following them on Twitter, and using their Support Center Knowledge Base. To their credit, they believe in communication and support for their product.
From its inception, MacSpeech has always believed speech should be ubiquitous on the Macintosh. This vision originates with the company’s founder, CEO, and the Chief Architect, Andrew Taylor. There is a terrific story about Andrew’s experience and influence from the early fledgling days of speech recognition in the mid-90s all the way through today’s leading-edge Dictate product (see: http://www.macspeech.com/pages.php?cID=4&pID=24). Persistance and patience has paid off in a great product. For more information, visit www.macspeech.com, where Macspeech Dictate can be purchsed for $199. The program requires an Intel-based Mac, Mac OS X 10.5.2 or greater ("Leopard") or Mac OS X 10.4.11 ("Tiger"). An Internet connection is also required for product registration, plus a MacSpeech-certified noise-cancelling microphone (included in box). A variety of optional microphones is also available, depending on your needs (wireless, iPod-mounted, desktop, alternate earphone/mic combos). If you are looking for a quick and reliable way to convert speech-to-text, and/or verbally control many commands on your Mac, this is the product to buy.
An opportunity for CAUG members to submit reviews
02/16/2009 07:15 PM
To members of the Chicago Apple Users Group:
We have an outstanding opportunity for you to contribute to your fellow Mac users. The Chicago Apple Users Group has a number of items for which we are seeking reviews. The product is yours to keep, in exchange for a review which will be posted here on our web site. The items up for consideration are a whole line of exciting products built by Targus for Mac users, plus some statistical software and a book by our most recent presenter:
1. A Targus Wireless Mouse
2. A Targus Bluetooth Laser Mouse
3. A Targus Bluetooth Presenter
4. A Targus USB Hub
5. A Targus File Sharing Cable
6. A copy of StatPlus: Mac, a software program that greatly enhances the statistical features and functions of Microsoft Excel.
7. A copy of Smart Home Hacks by our new friend Gordon Meyer, who presented to us earlier this month.
Please send an email to ambassador@chicagoapple.org if you would like to have one or more of these products in exchange for a review. We have a review format that we’ll ask you to follow, and we are more than willing to help you in the process of writing the review.
I look forward to seeing the reviews here on our web site!
Best wishes,
Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple Users Group
We have an outstanding opportunity for you to contribute to your fellow Mac users. The Chicago Apple Users Group has a number of items for which we are seeking reviews. The product is yours to keep, in exchange for a review which will be posted here on our web site. The items up for consideration are a whole line of exciting products built by Targus for Mac users, plus some statistical software and a book by our most recent presenter:
1. A Targus Wireless Mouse
2. A Targus Bluetooth Laser Mouse
3. A Targus Bluetooth Presenter
4. A Targus USB Hub
5. A Targus File Sharing Cable
6. A copy of StatPlus: Mac, a software program that greatly enhances the statistical features and functions of Microsoft Excel.
7. A copy of Smart Home Hacks by our new friend Gordon Meyer, who presented to us earlier this month.
Please send an email to ambassador@chicagoapple.org if you would like to have one or more of these products in exchange for a review. We have a review format that we’ll ask you to follow, and we are more than willing to help you in the process of writing the review.
I look forward to seeing the reviews here on our web site!
Best wishes,
Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple Users Group
Tweakers: A Lot of Sound in a Little Package
02/08/2009 08:29 PM
a review by Tom Piper
Whenever I travel, at least three iPods and an iPhone go with me for audio and visual education and entertainment. Several sets of earphones accompany me, but I would also prefer a set of speakers for my room. A delightful and colorful unit caught my attention at Macworld that were exactly what I needed.
The Tweakers Mini-Boom Speakers from Grandmax are known as Pull-n-Play because of their cute and very functional retractable connecting cords. The ad says “pocket size speakers with room-filling sound” which is a big promise. With a built-in 430mA rechargeable lithium ion battery, a frequency-tuned amplifier, and a pair of twist-and-popup 2” speakers, it does deliver crystal clear sound, even if the bass is a bit muted (a lot to expect of something so small).
I plugged it into my 8GB iPod nano at the office, and played music for six hours without depleting the Tweakers battery. It was easy to setup by pulling out the mini-USB retractable cable and plugging it into the other speaker (this is also the charger cable when a mini-to-fullsize USB adapter is plugged into it, which can be plugged into a computer or iPod charger). Then the 1/8” stereo plug was attached to my iPod (or iPhone or MacBook Pro), and a twist on the top of each speaker popped it up for a better sound chamber. Finally, a press of the on/off switch on the side of the speaker turns it on, and a separate volume wheel adds more volume in addition to your sound source. Disassembly is even easier with the retractable cables, and magnetic bases to conveniently hold them together (yes, these same magnetics could be used to attach them to any iron-based metal).
Update: See the video of how these work by appleJAC Member, Steve Mays:
All in all, these are a real attention getter, and a lot of fun to use. They meet my need for a set of travel speakers. More information can be found at www.grandmax.com where these Tweakers can be purchased for $44.95 (with a 20% discount and free shipping through Feb. 8, maybe longer). They are available in black or red to match your style.
A Tale of Two iPod Battery Extenders
02/05/2009 05:36 AM
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I had the best phone on the market but not enough time to use it before my battery ran out. My iPhone 3G works great, but eats battery way too quick. When my hometown got 3G, if I didn’t charge up at some point, I couldn’t make it a single work day without running dry.
Two different type of chargers recently came on the market with clear benefits and drawbacks to each. The odds are that one of these will greatly help you extend the usefulness of your iPhone 3G.
First, is the Richard Solo 1800 battery backup for the iPhone ($69.95 at www.richardsolo.com). Richard Solo was started by Richard Thalheimer, the founder of Sharper Image. I tried their previous version without much success and thus declined to review it. The 1800 is a complete redesign of their previous model. The 1800 has a much longer battery life than earlier models, and some very serious thought went into the overall 1800 package. The unit includes a car charger as well as a wall charger. Either charger can charge both the 1800 and the iPhone at the same time. If that wasn’t enough (but wait, there’s more), the 1800 has a built-in flashlight and laser pointer. Yes, freakin’ lasers (hat tip to Dr. Evil).
All these great accessories wouldn’t do much good if it failed in it’s primary mission of charging the iPhone 3G. Fortunately, it does a great job of quickly and effectively charging the battery. However, it has one major drawback in that it is very difficult to both charge and use the phone at the same time. The 1800 is about the size and thickness of the current iPod Nanos and sticks out from the bottom of the iPhone. This means it’s nearly impossible to charge the phone while in your pocket. Richard Solo includes a connector to keep the battery firmly connected to the iPhone while in use, but it wasn’t firm enough to keep the battery securely connected to the iPhone on a regular basis. I use it in my office sometimes while keeping the iPhone on the desk in speakerphone mode.
Even with the 1800’s awkward design, it is still a great product and I use it frequently. It fits effective along with my iPhone car mount so I use the Richard Solo charger to charge both the 1800 and my iPhone. While talking on the phone with the 1800 connected is difficult, it’s perfectly usable while using the iPhone for watching videos or simply surfing. In particular, I was easily able to leave both connected in the seat pocket of the airplane and let it pick up a charge while I had to turn off my electronic devices. It will charge most iPhones and iPods. However, one key disappointment with the 1800 is that it has no battery level indicator meaning I didn’t know how much charge was left in the 1800 as it charged my phone.
Using a completely different design concept is the Mophie Juice Pack ($99.95 at www.mophie.com). The juice pack combines a basic external case along with a battery extender. When attached, the juice pack adds about an inch of thickness to the bottom of the iPhone and makes the overall unit slightly thicker. Nothing too bulky. Unfortunately, you can’t use the iPhone with any other external case while using the Mophie no hard case and no silcone cases. The only type of protector that works with the Juice Pack are the plastic screen or case overlays. The Juice Pack is designed to be the exclusive external case for the iPhone.
When I tested the Juice Pack, I refused to take my iPhone out of my home. I was simply too afraid to carry around a partially naked iPhone. Who carries around an iPhone without some kind of protection? Apparently so, because after I used the Juice Pack for a day in my home and ventured out with my Otterbox securely protecting my iPhone, I found a vast majority of people I saw have no protection whatsoever. Naked, exposed and vulnerable iPhones out in the wild. If your iPhone is traveling naked, then the Mophie is absolutely perfect for you. Not only do you get extended battery life, but you get protection for your iPhone. While Mophie claims you can charge the iPhone and juice pack at the same time, I could not replicate these results; when my iPhone was plugged into the Mophie and the Mophie was plugged into the wall, only the Mophie charged, not the phone. Similar to the Richard Solo, the Mophie comes with it’s own USB charger and power adapter. Because the Juice Pack is designed to act as a external case, it is device specific and thus you can’t use an iPhone 3G juice pack for your iTouch.
Trying to compare the capacity in the real world between the Mophie and Richard Solo was impossible for me. I couldn’t use the Richard Solo all day because it didn’t fit into my lifestyle and I was too afraid to keep my iPhone only partially protected all day with the Mophie. After a few hours of use on a nearly drained iPhone, my Mophie was down about 30 and I couldn’t tell with the Richard Solo, but both devices fully charged my Phone.
Which do I recommend? For those that don’t use protection because it’s too bulky (I could make some analogies here, but that will be major TMI), the Juice Pack is a decent external iPhone protector that extends your battery life, and probably the life of your phone. If you don’t have an external case, the Mophie pack is clearly the better choice. If you are looking for the Red Bull quick-pick me up recharge, than the Richard Solo 1800 is great for you. Not only do you get the power boost, but the accessories are pretty cool as well. The Richard Solo is $30 cheaper to boot. However, you can’t use those worthless Sharper Image Gift cards to purchase the Richard Solo!
Richard Solo 1800 Pros: Multiple chargers, other useful functions of battery pack Cons: For ergonomic reasons, generally can’t use the charger while using the phone
3 out of 5 dogcows
Mophie Juice Pack for the 3G Pros: External case, slim design, battery indicators Cons: Requires removal of any other external case
3 out of 5 dogcows
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings
Secret of the Lost Cavern: A Great Adventure
02/05/2009 04:51 AM
a review by Jerry Pfeffer
“Au Coeur de Lascaux” . . . that's the title on the box, and all the text on the box is French. The disk inside is titled "Secret of the Lost Cavern".
After installing, entering the serial number and starting it, the game runs in English.
This is a variation of the “collect items, solve puzzles and move to the next level” games set in the old stone age where the main character struggles to survive in Southern France and become a cave painter in the Lascaux cave. As you progress through the game, and the story evolves, there are additional characters.
As the website describes it . . . “Secret of the Lost Cavern plunges the player into an inspiring adventure that takes place during the Paleolithic period in prehistoric time, 15,000 years B.C. At this time, our ancestors were able to communicate with one another, create fire, cook meat, cut flint and make spears for hunting...”
The graphics and animation is very good, and game play is smooth and understandable. If
you enjoy this type of game and this setting (which is what caught my eye), it would be an enjoyable pass-time game.
At the website, there are game and character desc