Weird Looking, But Effective, The Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker!

The Good: They work flawlessly with iPod products, Comparatively inexpensive, Decent sound
The Bad: Looks ridiculous, No volume control on speaker
The Basics: Despite the somewhat silly nature of the Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker, SDI Technologies produces a pretty decent portable speaker for MP3 players!


My mother-in-law does not know me very well; my wife and I got together and when she moved out to be with me, my mother-in-law was left back in Michigan raising the rest of the children she had. Ironically, once my wife and I moved to Michigan, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law moved further West. But for every major holiday, my mother-in-law includes me and she tries to find gifts I’ll like for me. This last year, she picked me up a Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker. While I usually abhor the stylized collectible characters that this represents – it is much like the Mighty Muggs figures from Hasbro (check out my review of the Han Solo Mighty Muggs here!) – the Hulk mini speaker was too cute not to open up and use. My wife and I have been watching a lot of programs on her laptop computer and using the Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker for about a month now and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well it works.

The Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker is a 5” wide by 2 1/2” thick by 3” tall green and purple speaker. The 2” tall by 2 1/2" wide flat speaker face of the Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker has a drawing of the Incredible Hulk with the recognizable eyes, nose and teeth of the character. Atop the speaker is a soft, rubbery head of hair for the Hulk and on the sides are two closed fists (with knuckles and nails molded onto the fists). The feet and green and purple with silkscreened toes on the feet, instead of being molded on. The feet cause the Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker to sit perfectly stable on whatever surface upon which the speaker system is placed.

This speaker system is exceptionally easy to use. The Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker comes with a single mini-USB cord (male end) that connects to the back of the speaker. The cord splits and ends in a traditional portable music headphone jack and a full-sized USB jack. The male end of the iHome speaker is a thin metal jack which fits into the “female” port on computers, MP3 players, portable stereos, portable c.d. players and anything else that used to accept small jack headphones (not like the big-60s and 70s headsets). The male USB end is used to connect the Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker to the computer or other product with a USB port and it allows the unit to be recharged. The cord is 31” long and that is more than enough for the functions my wife and I use the speaker for.

Connecting the audio jack to the computer or whatever system one wants to get sound from is simple. Activating the Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker is equally easy; there is a sliding power button on the back of the unit that turns it on. When the unit is on and there is power, there is a bright white light at the front of the Hulk speaker that is fairly conspicuous. When it is recharging, the light turns red, even if the unit is turned to the “off” position. When the Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker is not connected via the USB power supply to a power source, the mini speaker remains powered and functional for about two and a half hours.

The Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker provides surprisingly good sound for such a small speaker. There is no distortion from the mono-speaker (except when the power is in the process of dying). Usually for such a small speaker, the sound is tinny, but the Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker has remarkably good sound quality. It is not metallic at all and it carries the full range of tones low and high for music, television, and computer games.

The Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker does not have any form of volume control on the unit itself or the cords that connect it to the device from which one is getting the sound. While this is not a huge issue, it does usually deplete the battery on my MP3 player faster to have to turn the screen back on to adjust the volume there, as opposed to being able to do it through the speaker.

That said, the Marvel Hulk iHome Rechargeable Mini Speaker is a fun speaker system for those who want to be able to listen to music and computer-driven programs clearly, but with a clear indication that one is a proud geek. The Hulk is cute and this is a wonderful basic speaker system.

For other i-products, please check out my reviews of:
Apple M9126GA connector
Apple iBud Earphones
iPod Shuffle (4th Generation)

7.5/10

For other electronics products, please visit my Electronics Product Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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So Simple, One Has To Wonder Why It Is So Expensive: M9126GA Connector For iPod!

The Good: Does exactly what it is designed to do.
The Bad: Relatively expensive for what it does, Not as durable as I’d like!
The Basics: Despite the expense and the fact that cats may easily wreck this necessary implement for iPods, the Apple M1926GA Connector is necessary for iPod users!


As I have taken the time to get to know my new iPod Touch (reviewed here!), I have come to learn a lot about the device and how it works. I have also come to learn quite a bit about how Apple works as a company. The 8 GB iPod Touch arrived to me free as part of a contest. However, after using the M1926GA Connector that came with the device for a few weeks, I discovered two troubling things: first, the connector (which is little more than a cord) seems to be enticing to my active cat, Gollum, and second, Apple has no compunctions about charging through the nose for this vital component.

What is the Apple M1926GA Connector? This is a support piece for the iPod products, most notably the iPod Touch. I came to need mine replaced when Gollum chewed through mine when my iPod Touch was recharging on my partner's computer. Apparently, this is like a Twizzler's candy to my cat! The iPod Touch comes with one M1926GA Connector and most people ought not to need theirs replaced ever, so long as they are careful about where they store their iPod.

But for those who do need to replace their Apple M1926GA Connector, they are sadly in a predicament. The Connector runs in the $20.00 range and the reason is simple: as an official Apple product, Apple is able to charge whatever they want for it. Consumers are likely to pay because they need the M1926GA Connector. Why is that? The M1926GA Connector is a specific tool used to connect the iPod Touch (and other iPod products I do not own) to the computer.

The iPod Touch has a very thin port at the bottom of the device. This port is a 1 ¼" long slot that is essentially configured like a USB port, save that it is longer. This port is unique to iPod products and this port is what allows the iPod to connect to docks and to one's Apple or PC. The method of connecting the unique port to the Universal port (USB port) is through the Apple M1926GA Connector. The iPod Touch has the female end, the port, the M1926GA Connector has the male end, which fits into the female end.

The M1926GA Connector is a simple piece of equipment. It has the male unique port for iPods on one end, a two foot plastic-coated cable, and a USB male end on the opposite end. The USB end fits every female USB port on the planet, from laptops to PCs. The M1926GA Connector provides power to the iPod to recharge because the USB port, when connected to the iPod through this Connector, transfers electricity. As well, the M1926GA Connector transfers information. This vital little cord is what moves the information from one's computer and iTunes account to the iPod. Without it, one needs a different recharging port to repower the battery within the iPod. As well, they must rely on the wireless connection on the iPod Touch to transfer information to the iPod (if that is even possible).

As such, the Apple M1926GA Connector is a vital piece of equipment, but it is essentially a specialized cord. The male end has little clips that inform one of its successful insertion into the iPod by a little "click" noise that indicates it is properly attached. Those clips seem not to wear out or rust (no reason they ought to as one should not be putting this or the iPod into water!) and this seems like because it is made of metal, it will not wear out when one simply pulls it out of the iPod when they are ready to be mobile again.

But this vital piece of equipment is disappointing for the fragility of the cord (my cat wasn't at it more than a minute before he had it severed) and the expense. If it were not so expensive, this would be an average product. But because Apple knows it is vital to data transfer and repowering of iPods everywhere, they seem to have no problem with charging through the nose for this. That drags it down and makes it easy not to rate it well, even if it is a necessity for iPod users.

For other Apple products, please check out my reviews of:
iPad
17” MacBook Pro
iPod Shuffle (4th Generation)


4/10

For other electronics reviews, please click here to visit my index page on the subject!

© 2011, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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The Perfect Pair Of Connectors To Link A MacBook Pro To An HDTV!

The Good: Generally affordable, All that is needed to link two high-end devices
The Bad: I could always use a longer HDMI cable . . .
The Basics: A very basic set of cables and adapters, the DVI to HDMI connectors make it possible to connect my MacBook Pro to my HDTV!


For awhile, I was making videos on my MacBook Pro (reviewed here!) and while I was initially impressed by the quality and definition I was getting on that device, I soon discovered a bit of a limitation with my laptop: the basic quality for HD images. The screen on my 17" laptop was not good enough for picking out the fine details that would become painfully clear on my 40" HDTV. In order to edit videos more efficiently, I had to use the final monitor as my editing site, my SONY Bravia HDTV (reviewed here!). To connect the two, I needed a cord which would connect the two and this actually took the form of an HDMI cable and a special adapter. Fortunately, they came bundled together for me.

The MacBook Pro Mini DVI Adapter is a simple six-inch cord which connects to the video-out port on the back of the MacBook Pro and after five inches of cable, opens into a female HD port. The male end is a Digital Video Interface port which connects to the female DVI port on the MacBook Pro. The DVI port is a surprisingly small socket only a little over 1/4" and square shaped. It most closely resembles a telephone jack (a little smaller) where the female end is open with pins and the male end is a block with pin holes. There is no other interface on the MacBook Pro that the DVI Adapter will fit into.

The opposite end of this DVI adapter ends in a small, trapezoidal female port with a recessed chip that is easily recognizable as a high definition video port. The chip reminds one of a 1/2" slotted chip, reminiscent of a computer interface on devices like video cards going into a computer's motherboard only much smaller. That recessed chip is what carries the visual data through the standard DVI cable to the HD cable.

The bridge between the female port on the DVI Adapter and the female port on my HDTV is a simple HDMI cable. The HDMI cable is two male jacks which slide into the female port on the adapter and the HDTV. This cable is only six feet long, but I have found that to be enough for me to get my laptop around the Bravia and for me to sit before it editing.

This is an exceptionally easy device to use; it connects to the two devices and that is all that it does. As long as one does not try to force the male ends into the wrong ports, this cable and adapter will likely last a lifetime. After fifty times where I have plugged these into their respective devices and unplugged them, neither cable, nor jacks has shown any sign of wear or becoming more brittle. In fact, the only thing this leaves one wishing for is a bit longer HD cable so one might sit farther back from the HDTV when working on it.

For other connector reviews, please check out my takes on:
Cables Unlimited KaBLING Pink Power Cord PWR-1000-06P
Hi-Capacity AC Adapter for Acer 5532
OrionGadgets Synch and Charge USB Cable For iPad

10/10

For other electronics reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.





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My New iPod Shuffle Purple (4th Generation): Twice The Capacity, Exponentially More Annoyance!

The Good: Fair capacity, Brand name
The Bad: Lousy interface, Not thrilling capacity, EXPENSIVE, Not wild about the color.
The Basics: A disappointing iPod Shuffle, the 2 GB Purple looks mediocre and annoyingly takes a huge amount of time to find the song one wants to hear.

It seems that when lousy electronic rain down upon the Swarts household, they really come to roost. It also appears that many of my friends and family do not actually read my many reviews. I mention this because when I told many of my family members that I was going to spend some time getting in shape this winter, some of them pooled together and presented me with a purple iPod Shuffle. This came to the house on the heels of my mother getting an orange iPod Shuffle (reviewed here!) which I was so thoroughly unimpressed with that I panned it pretty righteously. My partner, as it turns out, has a very simple MP3 player that I've been happily able to use since I started working out more. It is a very basic MP3 player, not an iPod brand MP3 player, and it works fine when I am jogging along, walking the dog and even doing my situps.

I mention this at the outset of my review of my purple 2 GB iPod Shuffle because the iPod Shuffle is designed for portability and not for style or any sense of convenience. It is designed for active lifestyles, but ones where the playing of music is peripheral to the activity being done, as opposed to using the MP3 player as an entertainment device. As such, this does not have a screen, track indicator or have any sort of applications it can perform. This is a very pure, overpriced MP3 player and it is identical in every way to my mother's orange 1GB iPod Shuffle, save that mine is purple and has twice the capacity.

Actually, I discovered quickly that the only thing more annoying than having an iPod Shuffle, which essentially requires the listener to memorize their entire playlist or randomly work through songs from the first few notes until they get the song they actually wanted to play, is having one with more capacity. The bigger capacity - 2GB - makes the playlist twice as long and exceptionally difficult to find the songs. This was a real annoyance to me as my iPod Shuffle's playlist is significantly different from the material I have on my much easier-to-use iPod Touch. All iPod products require the use of iTunes to move music from a personal computer to the iPod Shuffle and that can be a real hassle for those who do not know how to use it. I learned how to connect my new iPod Shuffle to my iTunes so I could choose from the same reservoir of music that I have on my primary iPod and my wife's MP3 player.

The iPod Shuffle is designed for portability, it is an MP3 player designed for runners and those who want a small MP3 player in the car to take music with them as opposed to c.d.s. As such, it is very small, measuring 1" wide x 1 1/2" long x 3/8" thick. That thickness includes the clip on the back, which may be used to attach this iPod to a sun visor in the car, a lapel on a jacket, or even to a runner's gloves so they do not have to hold this in their hand. This is a very expensive MP3 player for its physical size and for the fact that it only has a 2 gigabytes capacity to it. In this way, this is identical - save the capacity - to every other iPod Shuffle in existence. The purple metal casing is pearlescent and looks more lilac than royal purple. I was not wild about the color, as I tend to prefer dark colors or neutrals to something this pastel. All of the buttons on it are made of hard plastic and the inscrutable little device has a port for both the recharger and headphones.

Getting music onto and off of the iPod Shuffle also requires users to use the same port, but the iPod Shuffle comes with the cord necessary to both recharge the iPod Shuffle through a USB port on one's computer and exchange information with the Shuffle the exact same way. I found that playing music constantly for about thirteen hours drained the battery to the point that I needed to recharge it, which was a distinct difference to the older, used, iPod Shuffle my mother has. Apparently after two year's use, one may expect the battery to fade significantly. As my purple one is new, the fresh battery seems to have a better charge.

The iPod Shuffle has no external speakers, so one must plug headphones into it in order to hear the music on the MP3 player. It comes with the standard white Apple earbud-style headphones and they plug into the same port hole that the other cord fits into. As a result, one may either be playing music or recharging the iPod Shuffle.

Use of the iPod Shuffle is where this becomes so problematic as to not be worth purchasing. First, one must use iTunes to put music onto the Shuffle and remove it. With 2 GB capacity, it is supposed to hold about five hundred songs. I managed to get an annoying 503 songs onto my iPod Shuffle. I write "annoying" because I picked and chose songs and because there is no way to see what song is playing, what is next, etc., I can go through a full 502 songs before I find the one I wanted! This is a terrible waste of time and more often than not, I find myself listening to music I am less engaged to while working out. The interface which illustrates what is on the iPod Shuffle is only available on one's personal computer. To use the iPod Shuffle, one generally has to have a personal computer running iTunes and that can be a hassle for those looking to quickly and cheaply condense a small collection of c.d.s onto the Shuffle.

But the Shuffle operates on simple controls: there is an on/off button which slides to turn on. The front of the orange Shuffle has the five controls this device actually possesses: play/pause, track forward, track back, volume up and volume down. There is no control panel which indicates what one is listening to, what track number or even album one is playing. As a result, the playlist one uploads into the iPod Shuffle becomes a mystery after one disconnects it from their computer. Tracks become a hit or miss and one needs to listen to the beginning of each song in order to determine where they are on the overall playlist and they only know where they are relative to where they want to be if they recall the source material or have otherwise memorized the playlist. I found the lack of an interface irritating, more so with the greater capacity.

The buttons basically work and this iPod Shuffle appears to have been part of a clearance (iPod Shuffles are up to a third generation). Even offered less expensively as part of a clearance, there are vastly better MP3 players that offer users more for less money. Avoid this and either save with something less "trendy" or use the same amount of money to get something which actually offers greater playability.

For other i-products, please check out my reviews of:
iPod Touch
iPad
iPod Nano (5th Generation)

4.5/10

For other electronics reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.




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A Notebook Unlike Any Other For Serious Travelers: 17" MacBook Pro!

The Good: Light, Good software, Nice monitor, Easy to use, Security
The Bad: Battery strength unimpressive, Extra space up front, Color choice, Price.
The Basics: Despite the prohibitive pricetag and lack of color options, the MacBook Pro is a fast, easy to use laptop that seems pretty durable.


Sometimes, I find myself wondering what the point of computer hardware reviews are. Honestly. So many of them end up focusing on software or simply regurgitating the technical specifications that can be found either in the product description or on the manufacturer's website. Or, there's my favorites; the reviews that are criticized because they don't compare the computer being rated with every other computer on the market! Alas, such is not the case and if you're looking for that from my MacBook Pro review, I'm afraid you'll be seriously disappointed. I am not a technically-oriented person, so this review is about what the 17" MacBook Pro does for a common person.

First of all, I found myself in the market for a MacBook, which is simply Apple Computers' name for a laptop computer when I started going on excessively long trips. I have a small business and in the last two years, I've done cross country trips each year in my Civic Hybrid and this year, I found I was away from my business far too long and finding reliable internet service can be a real challenge. As a result, a few months ago, I purchased the MacBook Pro with he 17" monitor.

Second, I went for an Apple because I knew one of the primary functions of my MacBook was going to be connecting to the internet while traveling. This meant I was looking for a computer with a WiFi connection ability and I decided to start and end my search with Apple because of virus protection. Quite simply, no one writes viruses for Apple based computers. As a lifelong PC user, this might have seemed strange, but with Microsoft products trying to emulate the basic Apple platform anyway, I suppose it makes sense for us to start crossing over. Besides, the idea that my MacBook Pro would be hooking up to networks around the country made me uneasy and when I read extensively about how few viruses there are for Macintosh computers, I decided that a MacBook would mitigate some of the risk of tapping into weird wifi networks around the country.

The other thing that made me start out with choosing Apple and the MacBook was that with all of the attention on iPods and Apple's peripheral products, as I've begun to move off compact discs for traveling, I wanted to be sure I was buying something that was 100% compatible with whatever mp3 player I eventually purchase when I enter the 21rst Century. In all seriousness, burning c.d.s and extracting music from my physical music collection to make into digital copies is becoming more important to me. Because Apple is arguably the leader in technologies that work with multimedia sources, it made sense for me to give the MacBooks a serious look.

As for the 17" monitor and the whole top-of-the-line thing, that's just ego. No, in all seriousness, on this occasion, I wanted something that had a big screen, that I would be able to see well in the dark. I work in low light often and as a result, the big screen - I have it with the optional glossy screen as well, which renders much more vivid colors - is very helpful to reducing eye strain. It also means that the movies I am making can be rendered larger, which is very handy as I've found I am able to catch details on the first pass that need correction or reshooting that I would overlook on a smaller monitor.

The glossy display is a real tradeoff. It produces very vibrant, realistic colors with shading and depth that is much more lifelike than the standard monitor display. As well, it makes it very easy to see in low light or darkness. The standard displays I saw did not seem as bright or vivid, especially in low light. The tradeoff here is that in normal light, especially fluorescent lighting, the monitor has some pretty severe glare. As well, it can be very distracting when someone else is using the MacBook Pro while I am driving. The colors are so bright and vivid, in the darkness they draw the eye. The lighting issue was not a serious or severe problem for me. I've yet to be in a situation where by simply adjusting the angle of the monitor the glare is not dealt with. In every case, a simple movement makes it once again visible to the user, though if anyone is looking over your shoulder, it's quite possible that they will not be able to see what is on the screen. Personally, I've found for my needs the glossy screen works better and whenever friends have used my MacBook Pro to look at pictures, they have been astonished by the quality on screen.

The MacBook Pro is the top-of-the-line Apple laptop computer and, as such, should remain relevant and usable for at least the next two years, which considering the $2799 price tag, I'm hoping it lasts quite a bit longer than that! It comes standard with the actual laptop, an adapter/recharger, the battery, the Apple remote, software CDs to install the software, and the books for the computer and its software. For those concerned about style, this product only comes in the steel gray standard color. I was disappointed that it was not available in black and joked that when I'm at home, the only room it would be appropriate to use it in is my kitchen, whatwith all of the other stainless steel appliances. This has the look of stainless steel, thought it is a significantly lighter material. The MacBook Pros all look the same, as a result, making it very important to pay attention to which MacBook is your when out with others with the same model.

The MacBook Pro is quite light, just under seven pounds and as someone who is in shape, I've never had any problems toting this around for days on end. It does not come with a carrying case and - just to date how long it's been since I've had any form of laptop or portable computer - there is no built in handle either. It is intended to be carried like a textbook. Or like the tablet the Statue of Liberty holds, though that might look a bit melodramatic walking around with it like that. The 17" refers to the diagonal measurement of the monitor. The actual measurements of this MacBook Pro are approximately 15 1/2" long (left to right when facing the monitor), 10 1/2" wide (front to back when facing the closed laptop) and 1" deep, when the laptop is closed. This makes it very portable and light, which are the ideals for a laptop computer. Like most all laptops, the computer has a slightly thicker base portion and a thinner monitor portion that flips up from a back joint, like opening a book.

When set up properly, the MacBook Pro may be plugged in using an adapter that comes with the computer. This also recharges the battery. The keyboard is on the base potion of the laptop opposite or below the monitor. The keyboard on the 17 inch MacBook Pro is decently roomy. In fact, it's as big as the crappy Logitech keyboard that I recently picked up for my P.C. On the MacBook Pro, there is the option for a backlit keyboard (no additional charge). Again, because I work in low light or darkness frequently, I took this option. This lights up the letters on the keys so one may see the keyboard even with the lights off. A shorter companion of mine had a problem with this function when we were driving; she was hunched over and the screen was catching the reflection from the backlit keyboard. As a taller person, when driving, I find I am often looking down on the computer and in order to see the monitor properly, it's angled back away from the keyboard (so the MacBook Pro is opened over 90 degrees) and I have never had that trouble. The backlit keyboard is convenient, though it does result in faster draining of the battery.

There is also the trackpad below the keyboard. The trackpad takes the place of a mouse and my only honest comment on it is that it takes some getting used to. I'm used to speeding through multiple web pages at a time, often involving moving forward and back between web pages. The track pad is far less convenient than a conventional mouse in this regard because the active field used to move around the cursor is not as large as the monitor's field. In simpler terms, if the cursor is in the bottom right corner of the screen, it takes at least two finger-swipes of the keypad to get it to the upper left corner. This is a bit irksome to me when surfing web pages because that is precisely the type movement I need to make when moving between multiple screens. Outside that, the trackpad requires a period of adjustment for those trained previously on a traditional mouse. This is not a huge thing - there is an infrared port available to use a wireless mouse instead of the trackpad, though I did not purchase a mouse so I would be forced to adapt to the trackpad - but it does require a period of adjustment.

On either side of the keyboard, there are two-inch speakers. The speakers produce reasonably good stereo sound, though obviously they will not be the best speakers you've ever heard music from. Given the size, angle, and relative quality of the speakers, they are adequate for basic communications - i.e. receiving voice files/playing media clips results in no serious loss of range - and simple music appreciation. The full range of musical clips will be somewhat muted as compared to, say, car speakers or a home stereo system. In short, the speakers are adequate for listening to music while you're on the go, but it won't be like having an opera on your lap. As well, there is a headphone jack in the computer for when projecting your sound would not be appropriate.

As well, the microphone for recording sound for video clips is housed with the left speaker. I'm not sure how that works, but it seems to work fairly well. As a matter of fact, I noticed no significant difference in recording sound with the MacBook Pro as opposed to recording the sound on my Digital Voice Recorder and uploading it to the MacBook. Because the MacBook Pro's microphone has decent range - it captures voices at normal volume up to six feet away and theatrical projecting to camera from about ten feet away - this makes creating messages easier and less time consuming than with the multiple steps of creating a soundtrack and trying to integrate it with a video message.

For those who are making video messages using their MacBook Pro, there is a built in camera right above the center of the monitor. The tiny lens - it's about the size of a decent orange seed - manages to capture pretty wonderful images that get a decent field of view. The further away objects or people are, the worse the resolution, but for the most part, the MacBook Pro takes decent photographs or movies of subjects standing approximately ten feet away from the top of the monitor. That field of view is enough to capture three average-sized people talking with one another.

I am told the monitor has millions of colors and it looks pretty lifelike, but I've never tried to count all of the colors. There is nothing I've yet seen on the monitor that did not look good (or at least as good as the source material). The MacBook Pro has the ability to present images simultaneously on screen and on a connected screen or monitor, though I've never done that so I am unable to speak to how well that works. Similarly, I don't know what it means that the built-in display has a native resolution of 1920 by 1050 pixels (please don't bother trying to explain it to me) but I can say that when I play a DVD on my laptop (sometimes, I'm traveling and the hotel has crappy cable stations and nothing is on, don't judge me!) the picture looks great and as good at least as good as my mother's 30" non-HD tv when sitting twelve feet away from it. More importantly, the MacBook Pro seems to have no problem with presenting film quality digital images from movies when I render them on the MacBook pro. The monitor's look and graphics capability should be enough, more than enough, for basic users and most moderate moviemakers.

I do not play computer games, so how this handles graphics from video games I cannot speak to.

Which reminds me, the battery. Battery life on the MacBook Pro can be a real pill. After two and a half months of use, I've found that my MacBook Pro has enough juice to operate for four and a half hours in daylight, four hours at night, before the battery goes dead. Those times are based on consistent use - the MacBook Pro has a wonderful standby mode that offers genuine powersaving options and can extend that time -, usually attached to a wireless network, with me operating at least two applications (usually Safari, the Mac internet access program). The battery recharges to full capacity within six hours without use or eight to ten hours while plugged in and I am operating programs. After two months, the battery has illustrated an ability to retain charge without problem even when it is recharged cold back to full capacity.

The MacBook Pro is Bluetooth compatible (there is something built in) but as I refuse to join the Matrix enough to have a cell phone, I have no idea what that means or how well it works. My tumor-free body suggests there's someone else out there better able to evaluate that function.

My PC is about two years old and running on one of the chips that is equivalent to a Pentium IV with a 74.5 GB hard drive that is less than a quarter full. My MacBook Pro has 160 GB storage space (it's getting filled quicker because I'm doing intense video projects on it), 2GB RAM (I remember when RAM was $25/Mb!), and a Core 2 Processor. Not sure how the Core 2 stacks up in technical terms to my outdated PC, but this is what I do know; I connect to a neighborhood wifi network and I can reload four to six listings on eBay per minute as opposed to the 1 - 2 listings I can reload on my home's crappy dial-up (which is 58.8 baud). Graphics load far quicker - about the same speed as my neighborhood library's broadband - and sites that are becoming much more graphic intensive for their basic operation, like eBay, load and reload far quicker on my MacBook Pro than on my home PC.

Those who make movies and use computers for editing and rendering digital images know that video cards are very important. As an amateur (I'm currently just working on a music video), when the friendly Apple salespeople came at me with numbers for increased video RAM, I just went blank-faced. This system can be upgraded to increase the amount of RAM on the video card. It comes standard with 256MB of video RAM so it's not incredibly fast with rendering images from a digital video camera, but it does seem to be very fluid when it comes to playback and editing. Often, I'll do a preliminary viewing on my digital video camera, narrow down some of my options or truncate clips there, then upload only what I am most likely to use to my MacBook Pro for rendering. As a result, most nights the MacBook Pro works at rendering while I sleep and in the morning the job is done (honestly, I don't know how soon before I wake up this happens, but with 6 1/2 hours, the MacBook Pro has the ability to render quite a few minutes of raw footage.

That is actually the most extreme use of my MacBook Pro, but also the reason I went for something that was as good as this. For average use, I am driving around, connecting to wifi networks and using the internet when I'm driving. This computer works amazingly well for that and I've had no problems with things like crashes (the Microsoft-based laptop I used a long, long time ago was constantly crashing or freezing up). At worst, I may lose my internet connection because the wireless network the computer was on has been interfered with or I have gone out of range.

As for the software, as a PC user, the Mac OS is exceptionally easy to use, probably because Microsoft Windows and its descendants have all been trying to emulate what Apple had from the beginning. As a lifelong PC user, I found the platform very intuitive and easy to navigate around. I was able to adjust my MacBook Pro's file sharing capabilities, firewall settings and other security features without having to look anything up in the help menu. As well, I was able to do things that I don't even know how to do on my PC - like make my MacBook Pro invisible to other people on the network - within hours of first getting the computer. The MacBook Pro comes standard with the Mac OS 10.4 Tiger, which is where Safari (the internet access program), Quicktime, Spotlight, the DVD player, Dashboard, Mail, Address Book and Xcode Developer Tools are. As well, there's iLife, which I haven't gotten into as I don't have any other Apple products yet, Photo Booth and Front Row. As with any computer, more software can be added and loading software onto the MacBook Pro was at least as easy as loading it onto my PC (though it was arguably quicker loading it onto this newer system!).

The MacBook Pro does have DVD/CD/CD-ROM drive that is like a car's c.d. player. It's trayless and that was something I've not worked with outside my car's c.d. player. None of the discs I've put in have been scratched or damaged as a result, so it seems all right by me. DVDs play fine without skipping or delays and I've had no problems with CDs or extracting music from CDs and making them into MP3s (again, the system is remarkably intuitive with graphics that makes sense). I have not yet burned any c.d.s.

There are three USB ports for connecting printers, scanners, digital cameras and the like. The MacBook Pro comes with a one-year limited warranty and 90 days of telephone customer support, neither of which I've had to exercise yet. I was surprised that there was no modem in the computer, but with the prevalence of wifi networks and ethernet connections (it does have an ethernet card), I found opting against the expense of having one added did not significantly alter my experience, save that now people can reach me when I'm on the computer at home.

The final aspect of the MacBook Pro that I found worthwhile was that Apple seems to be going out of their way to market their products toward those of us with an environmental conscience. The MacBook Pro is Energy Star rated and rumor is that at the end of its life, I'll be able to recycle it. My hope, of course, is that that is something I will not do for many, many years. Indeed, when I bought the MacBook Pro, I told the salesperson that I was looking for something that might last me ten years, at least. The response was that while this will - naturally - get outdated by then, the basic product ought to last at least that long and provide me with a reliable, efficient system that can be upgraded in the future.

So far, it's providing me great benefits as far as working while I travel and making my art and business better and more efficient. This is a winner in my book! Er, MacBook.

For other laptop computers and Apple products, please visit my reviews of:
IPad (64 GB)
IPod Shuffle (3rd Generation)
Acer Aspire 5532

9/10

For other computer and electronics reviews, please visit m index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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Two IPods, No Decent Headphones: IBuds Hurt My Ears!

The Good: They work flawlessly with iPod products
The Bad: Expensive (to replace), No volume control on buds, Hard (hurt ears!)
The Basics: If you lose your iBuds, think carefully about paying full price from Apple to replace them: they offer no volume control, are expensive and hurt ears after prolonged use!


Today, I consider my Apple iBud earphones, which are now called “earbuds.” This is part of the whole Apple brand-name domination of the MP3 marketplace (the only thing I’ve ever seen with i-product name that was truly worthwhile was a MadTV sketch mocking it all with the I-rack – absolutely hilarious, by the way, check it out on YouTube!) and this is arguably the product that is both the most common, ubiquitous and necessary. The iBuds also seem to be the one product no one wants to write negatively, but I have no problem with doing so.

These annoying little things hurt my ears. I grew up in the 1980s, the decade that saw the big headphones of the prior decades made smaller into foam-covered headphones that cushioned the ear while pumping music right down the ear canal. Now, headphones are gone in favor of “earbuds,” which are hard plastic speakers that get shoved right into the ear canal. Well, I’ve worked very hard over the years to protect my ears. In fact, I didn’t go to my first rock and roll concert until I was twenty-one and when I went to see groups like Matchbox Twenty and Paramore, I brought industrial earplugs to dull the volume (lost nothing of the experience, by the way!). So, right off the bat, shoving something into my ear canal like the iBuds is not an experience I’m actually thrilled about.

The iBuds come with ever iPod I know about, but recently while I was at the library, I slammed mine into the DVD-ROM drive of the computer I was clandestinely listening to music on, severing the cord and rendering mine from my iPod Touch (click here for my review of that!) pretty much useless. IBuds come primarily in white and they end in a traditional portable music headphone jack. The male end of the iBud is a thin metal jack which fits into the “female” port on computers, MP3 players, portable stereos, portable c.d. players and anything else that used to accept small jack headphones (not like the big-60s and 70s headsets). White is the traditional iBud color and that does not fit my personal style (black all the way), but Apple seems obsessed with making this a product so instantly recognizable that no one associates them with personal style the way skins for cellphones and i-products are.

One is supposed to place the hard plastic and metal (there is a thin grille of metal that makes up the speaker on the iBud) directly into the ear and it generally remains in place for as long as one can stand it. The iBuds do not have volume control on the actual device. Instead, this is a thin white cord that is about a yard long; plenty long to reach to portable or stationary music source nearby, provided one does not drop it. If one drops or knocks over their music source, depending on the angle, the earbuds will either wrench out of your ear canal (painful!) or it will disconnect from the jack (seldom will the very durable cord actually snap).

In replacing the iBuds which came with my iPod Touch, compatibility issues were important to me. Because the iPod requires one go through Apple to load music onto and off of it, I figured that there might be some proprietary problems with using different headphones or earbuds (i.e. not Apple iBuds). There are not. Fortunately, a jack is a jack and while the iBuds come with the i-products, they do not seem to transmit music any better or worse than non-brand name products.

Ultimately, it was fairly easy for me to not recommend the iBuds for the following reasons: first, they are very expensive. At over twenty dollars, these are ridiculously priced and Apple is essentially charging for the brand name associated with iBud. If you’re not a teenager trying to impress your friends, you are likely to be fine with off-brand earbuds. Second, with these hard earbuds, I find I can only comfortably listen to music for about three hours before the hard plastic begins to irritate my ear canal. While I have no problem with adjusting the volume from the music source, the physical iBud hurts my ears.

As one who truly doesn’t care about style, fashion or the like, I’ve no problem paying less for something that doesn’t have “i” in front of it . . . or hurt my ears.

For other i-products and support products for them, please check out my reviews of:
Griffin Technologies Flexgrip Silicone Case for iPod Touch
iPod Shuffle (3rd Generation)
OrionGadgets Synch and Charge USB Cable For iPad

4/10

For other electronics products, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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Protecting My iPod Touch (Since Before I Could Use It) Griffin Flexgrip Silicone Case.

The Good: Seems to work, Inexpensive enough
The Bad: I'm not wild about the color choices, Doesn't protect the iPod screen!
The Basics: A decent way to protect an iPod Touch - even in limited colors - the Flexgrip by Griffin cases prevent the iPod shell from getting scratched without inhibiting use.


As those who check into such things know, I once won an iPod Touch (click here for that review!) and when it arrived, I was quite thrilled about making it an addition to my gadgets (not just for reviewing, but for the shelf space-saving implications of being able to put my c.d. collection into deep storage!). The process, however, has been one headache after another as the iPod is not exactly a "plug and play" piece of equipment. Instead, when it first arrived, I began wrestling with the iPod Touch and I learned a lot, but I was frustrated most of the time. The first thing I had to do - as my partner told me after seeing me get fingerprints on the iPod Touch the first day - was to get a protector for the device. This fell on the heels of my reviewing a RIM Clear Snap On Cover for the Blackberry Curve for one of the promotions and given how friendly the staff at the store was when I did the testing for that, I went back with my partner and we outright bought the Flexgrip silicone case by Griffin.

Remember jelly shoes? The silicone case for the iPod Touch remind me of those. The cases are soft, supple and a molded to fit the outside of the iPod Touch. The Flexgrip I purchased was frosted and the frosted case is the closest to a clear case that is offered by Griffin in the Flexgrip line for the iPod Touch. Given how pleased I was with my new iPod Touch and the stainless steel look of it, I was initially disappointed in the fact that none of the covers from Griffin would keep it looking shiny and modern.

The Flexgrip cases are made of a soft rubber and are approximately 4 ½" long, 2 3/8" wide and ¼" thick. The cases are perfectly molded to the iPod touch and each one creates a protective barrier around the iPod Touch about a millimeter thick. Because the case is shaped specifically for the iPod Touch, it is shaped so users have access to the ports and the screen, as well as will still be able to use the physical buttons the iPod Touch possesses (most of the controls are on the touch screen, but there are still some physical buttons. As for the shape, the Flexgrip case is shaped like an iPod Touch (rectangular and generally flat). There are hard rubber buttons built into the case, one above the power button and one each on the left side over where the volume up and volume down buttons are on the iPod Touch. Because the rubber around them is so soft, this allows the buttons underneath to be pushed because the harder rubber on the button does not give when they are pushed. In other words, the case itself acts as an extension of the buttons needed to easily activate the iPod Touch.

The case is easy to use; one need only slide the iPod Touch into the case. The easiest way to do this is to slide the top into the top of the case then press the back against the back of the iPod Touch until one reaches the bottom. At the bottom edge, simply pull the bottom of the case over the bottom of the iPod so the lip on top covers everything but the screen. This is remarkably easy to do because the bottom side has a hole in it. Through that hole, users may plug in their headphones and the connector which connects the iPod Touch to their computer.

The Flexgrip case is open in the front and therefore does not cover the touchscreen of the iPod Touch. This means that users of this product still risk scratching the most expensive part of the iPod Touch. Most users of iPod products end up getting skins to protect the touchscreens and the fact that one will have to buy more than just this one case to adequately protect their mp3 player investment is a little disappointing. That said, the Flexgrip case is nice because it does not inhibit the use of the iPod Touch in any way. All of the buttons and touchscreen controls (and ports) are as usable and accessible as without using these soft cases.

As well the back and sides of the Flexgrip have hard plastic “treads” which prevent the protected iPod from slipping. As well, it is easier to hold in one’s hand because the added friction prevents the fingers from losing their grip on the device. Since I began using the Flexgrip case, my iPod Touch has shown no wear on the covered portions. In fact, the iPod Touch has remained intact when I have even dropped it a few inches (like onto a desk) and the treads on the Flexgrip case prevents the device from sliding when I have done that.

In short, this is a product that does exactly as it promises, even if it is not the most stylish way to protect an iPod Touch. This is one of the most affordable options, though, and it does no less than what it is supposed to.

For other product reviews associated with Apple iProducts, check out:
DLO Power Bug
Apple Clear Plastic Case For iPod Nano
OrionGadgets Synch and Charge USB Cable For iPad

6/10

For other electronics reviews, be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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A Very Average Case: Apple's Clear Plastic Case For The Nano – Insecure Security.

The Good: Fits the Nano perfectly, Seems durable, Decent protection
The Bad: Expensive
The Basics: A wonderfully durable, but very expensive plastic case, the iPod Nano may be protected without losing the fun of one’s Nano color choice!


With the influx of iPod products into my house in the last few months, there has been an appropriate amount of time, energy and money spent on protecting the various devices. In the case of our new iPod Nano (click here for my review!), protecting it was (literally) a snap with Apple’s Clear Plastic Case. Because it is made by Apple, the Crystal Clear Case is designed to fit onto any iPod 4th Generation Nano device.

The clear plastic case comes in two parts, a front piece and a back piece. As the name suggests, the pieces are made of clear plastic and Apple seems to go out of its way with protection, as the plastic case is 1/8” thick! This does not make the overall iPod Nano terribly bulky as it fits the device like a skin and one ends up carrying around an MP3 player which is 3 ¾” tall, 1 ¾” wide and just over ½” thick. Because it is made by Apple, who makes the Nano, the specific holes needed to make this case work and allow access are perfectly positioned. On the front of the case, there is a 1” in diameter hole cut out so one may access the Nano’s primary control. At the top, there is a ½” opening so one may turn the Nano on and off. The bottom is almost completely open, which allows one to connect their iBuds and powers supply connection without removing the case.

Use is ridiculously simple: snap it around your iPod Nano and forget about it. The clear plastic case allows one to see the Nano screen perfectly; there are no conditions under which I have found glare to be a problem. As well, because the controls are completely exposed, one will have no problem using the wheel or pressing the central button or turning the iPod on or off. This takes the most vulnerable parts of the iPod Nano and protects them from impact, spills, weather and wear. In fact, the clear plastic case seems to also resist scratches and seems generally to be crack resistant as well.

Outside of daily use, I did a few tests for the Crystal Clear Case and I was pleasantly surprised to find it resisted cracking and scratching with minimal drops. I dropped the iPod Nano in the Case from a height of three feet about ten times and not once did the case crack, scratch or even break open. However, this did make me realize one thing; anything that is likely to break this case is also likely to shatter the iPod Nano screen.

Given that my testing was more rigorous than most people will be, this is a great case to protect one’s iPod Nano, which makes one wonder why Apple doesn't just coat their Nano in this from the start!

For other iPod products and ways to protect them, please check out my reviews at:
Griffin iPad Screen Care Kit
Apple Silicone Sleeve For iPod Shuffle
iPad (64 GB)

6/10

For other electronics reviews, please be sure to check my index page by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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It’s Like A Condom For Ipod Shuffles: Fixing Poor Color Choices While Protecting Small IPods!

The Good: Easy to use, Relatively inexpensive, Can make color choice for iPod less problematic.
The Bad: Still leaves back partially exposed, Not the strongest protection in the world.
The Basics: Apple’s blue silicon sleeve is a stylish way to protect an iPod Shuffle from wear and limited catastrophes.


As some of my readers might know, I recently found myself in possession of an iPod Shuffle (click here for that review!). Because sometimes it’s the thought that counts and because I am paranoid about scratching the screen on my iPod Touch (click here for that review!), I have been taking my new iPod Shuffle with me more on the go to listen to music as I walk to and from the library. As a result, I found myself in the market for a silicone sleeve for my iPod Shuffle.

For that, I went directly to Apple, despite the fact that things there tend to be a little pricier than they ought to be. The 1" wide x 1 1/2" long x 1/4" thick silicone sleeve I picked up was blue. The reason for this was simple: first, the blue was a better color for me than the purple of the actual iPod. Second, the silicon sleeve from Apple is somewhat translucent and the yellow and white were not opaque enough to be those colors on the purple Shuffle. The lilac of the iPod Shuffle’s body was effectively overshadowed by the bright blue of this silicon sleeve.

The silicon sleeve is essentially a rubber, much like a pair of galoshes, which one wraps around the face of the Shuffle the way one would put the bottom of the foot into the galoshes. Because the Shuffle has no screen, the purpose of the silicon sleeve is to keep the Shuffle clean and protected. The face of the sleeve has raised harder silicon nodules over the buttons on the Shuffle’s face, so it has the same clockface pattern as the Shuffle itself. Because this was specifically designed by Apple for their iPod Shuffles, these nodules line up perfectly with the “play,” “stop,” “track forward,” and “track back” buttons on the face of the Shuffle.

This silicon sleeve effectively keeps dirt and dust from getting into the controls and I’ve found it also effectively cushions the Shuffle from falls from a moderate height, like when I was running and the clip detached from my coat and my Shuffle went skittering into the street. That the Shuffle was intact and perfectly usable afterward, I attribute to the fact that the silicone sleeve was on it (and the fact that some of the momentum was broken by my earbuds being wrenched out of my ears and slowing the Shuffle’s descent down).

Because it is specifically designed for the Shuffle, there are two holes in the top of this silicon sleeve where the jack for the headphones may be plugged in as well as an opening for the power on and off button. This helps the user figure out what the top and bottom of the sleeve are as well.

After a few weeks of use, the silicon sleeve has proved itself adequate in protecting and recoloring my iPod Shuffle!

For other i-products or devices designed to protect them, please check out my reviews of:
Griffin iPad Screen Care Kit
Jwin Silicone protector for iPad
OrionGadgets Synch and Charge USB Cable For iPad

6/10

For other electronic device reviews, please check out my index page for a coherent listing of them by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


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Unrepentant, I Declare The IPod Shuffle An Overpriced, Worthless MP3 Player.

The Good: Small and brand named?
The Bad: Too small, No screen, Small capacity, Annoying to use buttons.
The Basics: After a few weeks of navigating my mother's orange iPod Shuffle, I'm realizing how much I hate trendy little electronics.


I'd like to open my review of the iPod Shuffle with a pretty extended disclaimer for a change and this is the closest to holiday spirit that I get. First off, I have an iPod Touch (click here for that review!) and I am generally quite happy with it. Last year, my mother came home with an iPod Shuffle after her birthday and when that happened, I toyed around with this tiny MP3 player and pretty much hating every minute of it. But when I sat down to pan the living daylights out of this little electronic device, I got to thinking about grandparents and parents who either might not know technology or might not be able to afford the more expensive things. And that led me to the following disclaimer:

There are a ton of MP3 players on the market now, many of which have become tiny portable computers and one looking for a basic MP3 player still has a ton of options available to them. The iPod Shuffle is the bottom market MP3 player from Apple. There are essentially three types of people who you might be buying MP3 players for: those who like bells and whistles, those who want to be trendy and those who want an MP3 player. For the first type, giving an iPod Shuffle is woefully inadequate. This does not even have a screen to inform the user what is going on and it is a basic MP3 player without any video functions: the Shuffle is a poor choice for the technophile. Those who want to be trendy might be the only niche to actually want an iPod Shuffle (see next criteria); because it is an Apple iPod, they will be happy to fit in with their peers who have the brand name iPod even if it is the least-sophisticated model. Then there are those who want an MP3 player. For that niche, it is important to be willing to ask follow-up questions when it comes to gift giving. "IPod" has become synonymous with "MP3 Player" because it is the dominant brand in the marketplace, despite it being a trademarked name (like "Band-Aid" for adhesive strips); if the person you're buying for is demanding an iPod instead of an MP3 player, then they are just trendy and annoying, as opposed to serious about having a portable music source. I write that with full confidence (even knowing it will annoy some) because there are basic MP3 players with similar capacity to the 1 GB iPod Shuffle which have both more features and are half the price. For the same price as this problematically expensive MP3 player, one could get an equally portable MP3 player with more capacity, a simple LCD display and probably still save money. The only people who would be ashamed to receive such a gift would be those who are getting an MP3 player to get an iPod (those slaves to fashion) and there's no real negotiating with that.

That said . . .

My mother returned home in early December (last year) with a 2nd Generation iPod Shuffle with 1GB memory capacity and having had experiences with getting my iPod Touch up and running, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect from this device. Even so, it shocked me how difficult to use and annoying this MP3 player actually is. Clearly designed for portability above all else, the iPod Shuffle is a very basic MP3 player, so much so, it does not have any form of screen or indicator. Right off the bat, this raised the question from me, "How do you know where you are and where the song you want is?" The answer is: you don't. . . unless you memorize your entire playlist in the order in which you put it on your iPod Shuffle. This, to me, as an audiophile with a massive collection, is a ridiculous concept.

The iPod Shuffle is designed for portability, it is an MP3 player designed for runners and those who want a small MP3 player in the car to take music with them as opposed to c.d.s. As such, it is very small, measuring 1" wide x 1 1/2" long x 3/8" thick. That thickness includes the clip on the back, which may be used to attach this iPod to a sun visor in the car, a lapel on a jacket, or even to a runner's gloves so they do not have to hold this in their hand. This is a very expensive MP3 player for its physical size and for the fact that it only has a 1 gigabyte capacity to it. The orange metal casing is pearlescent and almost looks coppery. All of the buttons on it are made of hard plastic and the inscrutable little device has a port for both the recharger and headphones.

Getting music onto and off of the iPod Shuffle also requires users to use the same port, but the iPod Shuffle comes with the cord necessary to both recharge the iPod Shuffle through a USB port on one's computer and exchange information with the Shuffle the exact same way. I found that playing music constantly for about ten hours drained the battery to the point that I needed to recharge it, but this is an older iPod Shuffle; brand new ones with new batteries might last longer.

The iPod Shuffle has no external speakers, so one must plug headphones into it in order to hear the music on the MP3 player. It comes with the standard white Apple earbud-style headphones and they plug into the same port hole that the other cord fits into. As a result, one may either be playing music or recharging the iPod Shuffle.

Use of the iPod Shuffle is where this becomes so problematic as to not be worth purchasing. First, one must use iTunes to put music onto the Shuffle and remove it. With 1 GB capacity, it is supposed to hold about two hundred fifty songs, but my mother's was packed by the time I hit 189. This is only about a dozen albums and nine hours worth of music. The interface which illustrates what is on the iPod Shuffle is only available on one's personal computer. To use the iPod Shuffle, one generally has to have a personal computer running iTunes and that can be a hassle for those looking to quickly and cheaply condense a small collection of c.d.s onto the Shuffle.

But the Shuffle operates on simple controls: there is an on/off button which slides to turn on. The front of the orange Shuffle has the five controls this device actually possesses: play/pause, track forward, track back, volume up and volume down. There is no control panel which indicates what one is listening to, what track number or even album one is playing. As a result, the playlist one uploads into the iPod Shuffle becomes a mystery after one disconnects it from their computer. Tracks become a hit or miss and one needs to listen to the beginning of each song in order to determine where they are on the overall playlist and they only know where they are relative to where they want to be if they recall the source material or have otherwise memorized the playlist.

I found the lack of an interface irritating. I had absolutely no idea what I was listening to and when my mom wanted to listen to a specific track, the weakness of the device was perfectly illustrated. She asked me to find a specific track by Loreena McKennit and, as it turns out, her iPod Shuffle is loaded with music by that artist. Every minute and a half until I stumbled upon the right track, I would be interrupted when the song which she asked me to find turned out to not be the right track, but rather one which started the very same way!

The buttons basically worked and the iPod Shuffle has been in operation for a few years, so this is generally a durable device. But those looking for a very basic MP3 player with even only 1 GB capacity will find there are less expensive options on the market, many of which have even a basic track number indicator or enough of a display to figure out what they are listening to. This makes the iPod Shuffle an overpriced, trendy device, even in its generally stylish orange color.

For other Apple electronic devices, please check out my reviews of:
Apple iPad 64 GB
iPod Nano (5th Generation)
OrionGadgets Synch and Charge USB Cable For iPad

3/10

For other electronic device reviews please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


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No Harm In Going Generic On This One! OrionGadgets IPad Sync Cable!

The Good: Less expensive than an Apple one to replace, Works perfectly
The Bad: None (that I can find!)
The Basics: An inexpensive replacement for the connector to an iPad, the OrionGadgets cable does the trick!


It seems like no matter what new electronic gadget I get, my rabbit, Rowe, quickly became interested in it. This is the way it was for me with the new iPad (click here for my review!) we brought home. In fact, Rowe quickly showed her interest in the iPad by chewing through the cable needed to connect the iPad to the computers we have at home. That just makes me miss her more now. So, when she ate through the first one, I set out to find a new connector and that is when I encountered the OrionGadgets Synch Cable. While Apple charges in the $10 - $15 range for one of these custom cables, the OrionGadgets version may be found in the $5.00 range. Foregoing the brand name can turn a necessary but overly expensive product into a perfect product.

What makes the OrionGadgets Synch Cable perfect? Quite simply it works and it is not overpriced. For those unfamiliar with it, the iPad has a unique port on it. That port is the point of entry for energy when recharging and information when swapping around files using iTunes. In order to get the iPad to work properly, it must periodically be connected to a computer and/or a charger. For that, one needs the cable which connects to the unique port on the iPad and then also connects to a USB port. The OrionGadgets Synch Cable does that, at a third of the price of the brand name one. The synch cable is a specific tool used to connect the iPad to the computer.

The iPad has a very thin port at the bottom of the tablet PC. This port is a 1 1/2" long slot that is essentially configured like a USB port, save that it is wider. This port is unique to the iPad and this port is what allows the iPad to connect to docks and to one's Apple or PC. The method of connecting the unique port to the Universal port (USB port) is through the synch cable. The iPad has the female end, the port, the (in this case) OrionGadgets Synch Cable has the male end, which fits into the female end.

The synch cable is a simple piece of equipment. It has the male unique port for iPods on one end, a three foot plastic-coated cable, and a USB male end on the opposite end. The USB end fits every female USB port on the planet, from laptops to PCs. The OrionGadgets Synch Cable provides power to the iPad to recharge because the USB port, when connected to the iPad through this Synch Cable, transfers electricity. As well, the Synch Cable transfers information. This vital little cord is what moves the information from one's computer and iTunes account to the iPad. Without it, one needs a different recharging port to repower the battery within the iPad. As well, they must rely on the wireless connection on the iPad to transfer information to the it, after the initial setup is complete.

As a result, the OrionGadgets Synch Cable is a vital piece of equipment, but it is a specialized cord. The male end has little clips that inform one of its successful insertion into the iPad by a little "click" noise that indicates it is properly attached. Those clips seem not to wear out or rust and because it is made of metal, it will not wear out when one simply pulls it out of the iPad when they are ready to be mobile again.

Despite being fragile to rabbit teeth, the OrionGadgets Synch Cable is necessary enough that at this price it is a perfect replacement should anything happen to the cord that comes with the iPad!

For other iPod/iPad accessories, please check out my reviews of:
Jwin Silicone protector for iPad
Griffin iPad Screen Care Kit
iPod Touch

10/10

For other electronics products reviews, please check out my index page by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


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A 16 GB Dark Purple IPod Nano Is Cool, But Not Ideal For A Cinephile.

The Good: Light, Good capacity, Generally decent battery capacity
The Bad: Annoying controls, Truncates video images
The Basics: I end up feeling pretty neutral about the iPod Nano, though it is easy to figure out for new users and has great capacity.


As the links at the bottom will attest, it's a bad time at the Swarts household for independent, freethinking audiophiles. IPod has become synonymous with portable digital music the way "Walkman" (which was a SONY trademark) was with portable cassette players and pretty much every other MP3 player enters the marketplace from a disadvantageous position. In my house, iPods just keep falling out of the sky. Well, not quite the sky, but my mother keeps returning from visiting her sister and returning home with iPods as my aunt upgrades to the latest, best iPod. Yesterday, it was the 16 GB iPod Nano.

This was my first experience with the iPod Nano and it's weird for me because this one came fully loaded, so my experiences are largely with how it operates.

The Basics

The iPod Nano is a 3 1/2" tall (or wide, depending on how you have it oriented) by 1 1/2" wide by 3/8" thick media player. This iPod is one which has a 1 1/4" wide by 1 1/2" tall video screen under which there is a wheel-type control panel. This was the first time I had to deal with the wheel controls and I, frankly, did not like it. The screen is surprisingly detailed. Right now, I have When Harry Met Sally playing and despite the fact that the screen is tiny, the leaves in Central Park in the background of the scene that is playing are clear and have great color definition.

The top of the iPod Nano has a tiny power button which slides on and off. While my iPod Touch has a pair of physical volume buttons, the iPod Nano does not. Below the wheel controls are a 1" in diameter circle with Menu, track back, track forward and play/pause controls with an "Activate" button in the center. The bottom of the iPod Nano has a port for the iBud headphones and a slot for the connector to the computer or the charger. The slot in the bottom is specific to the iPod products and the Nano comes with the connectors which allow it to charge via an USB port connected to a computer or a special recharging adapter.

The purple Nano has a metallic purple finish which is actually a deeper purple that looks very stylish. The metal casing on my iPod Nano came to me untarnished in any way and considering that my aunt had it for at least a year, this is a good sign for durability.

Capacity

The 16 gigabyte capacity is making me a little jealous, as my 8 GB iPod Touch ran out of room before I finished getting my entire music library into it. Rather extraordinarily, the iPod Nano with 16 Gigabytes has such capacity that it holds one feature length movie, five half-hour television programs, 269 songs (29 albums), a complete audiobook (unabridged) and four computer games and still have 9.7 GB of free space on it. So, this is enough capacity for most people who have significant music collections and who want to use their digital downloads from DVDs.

Functionality

The iPod Nano has the usual iPod issues, with a few additional ones. The first iPod issue is that in order to load anything onto the Nano - or to remove material once it is there - one has to upload iTunes and program the Nano. iTunes is essentially the operating system for iPod products and it is through that which all materials get transferred to the iPod. ITunes is easily available on-line at the Apple store and with a high-speed connection it may be quickly installed on the computer. With iTunes, installation of materials is simple.

Use of the iPod Nano is remarkably easy. Turning the power button on and/or connecting the iBuds to the Nano turn the iPod on. This brings up the main menu, which gives users the options of choosing Videos, Music, Photos, Podcasts, etc. To navigate the menus, and this is weird for me as I had a tough time initially getting used to the touchscreen controls on my iPod Touch, one has to run their finger around the outer wheel on the Nano. The white disc is essentially a touch screen. This moves the cursor on the screen up and down the screen depending on whether or not one is going clockwise or counterclockwise. When you hit the option you want, simply press the button in the center of the dial and it is selected. All of the menus go up and down based on the wheel.

Playing a movie, which I was enjoying as I wrote this, presents a physically truncated version of a film. The proportions are noticeably cut, so one does not get a "widescreen" version of a movie while on the iPod Nano. To adjust volume, one uses the wheel. The annoying aspect of video play was that if the Nano gets bumped, it flips the image upside down. So, for example, I nudged the Nano a few minutes ago and suddenly Harry and Sally were laying down rug on the ceiling! To get information or adjust the brightness of the picture, one just needs to press the central button and rotate along the outer dial.

Actually, the controls, once I knew the basic functioning, were quite intuitive. Getting around the Nano took me a few moments to get used to, but once I understood the clockwise/counter-clockwise touch pad, it became very easy to use and I appreciated how this was designed to be simple to use with minimal fuss. So, for example, hitting "Menu" goes back to whatever the last menu or function one used. Movies pick back up where one left them when one goes back forward to them, and the physical "track forward" and "track back" buttons can move the movie to the next Chapter.

As for music, the iPod Nano's music playing is equally intuitive and one can go to songs and albums using the screen, so it is easy to find exactly what one wants. But the music quality is only as good as the digital file one takes it from. So, if one has CD-quality MP3 files, they sound amazing, if one has lesser-quality MP3 or .wav files, they sound less impressive. Listening to the movie, for example, I was acutely aware of the stereo sound and there was a richness to the audio I had not heard before.

Watching a two hour movie has drained the battery halfway, which is not bad. Using it to simple play music presumably extends the battery life. It recharges within an hour from half a charge.

Conclusions

The iPod Nano is convenient and arguably enough for anyone who wants a little more than just a basic MP3 player. However, for a similar price, one could get an iPod Touch with a bigger screen and more applications, but despite feeling a little unenthusiastic by the wheel system, this is an affordable MP3 player which provides audiophiles with enough capacity for a significant music collection. For cinephiles, this is not the ideal digital player for using those digital downloads.

For other iPod products, please check out my reviews of:
iPad 64 GB
iPod Touch

5/10

For other electronics products reviews, please check out my index page!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.





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