Category : Tech News

By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman

I’ve had the ThinkTank Photo Airport Commuter backpack sitting around for a while but since I finally got to test it out on a trip and I was thrilled about it, I’ll still report my findings.

I’ve tried a lot of backpacks, which claim they can really hold a lot of gear, keep to form and not be a strain on your back but end up not coming through.

The Airport Commuter is on the other end because I filled it up and it held up as advertised and more.

I filled it up with a pair of DSLR cameras, 3 lenses, a flash, extra batteries and memory cards. In addition, I put a 15-inch MacBook pro and an iPad in separate compartments along with chargers and lots of cables and accessories.

If I organized it a little better, I’m sure I could have added even more.

The harness straps are padded and adjustable and include hardware to attach small accessories.

As with most of ThinkTank products, a built in rain coat is included along with lot’s of weather proofing throughout the bag, which includes material coated to be water resistant.

A medium sized tripod or monopod can be attached to straps on the side of the bag.

Other features include a cable lock, business card holder, water bottle pocket and an endless amount of storage compartments along with cell foam dividers, which create an endless amount of possibilities.

According to ThinkTank, the bag is “Sized to meet international carry- on size requirements,” which I can say I had no problem with.

www.ThinkTankPhoto.com $199.75

The X-mini capsule speakers are one of those “wow” devices I come across now and then.

They are every bit of pocket-sized and portable just as they are advertised to be but when you crank them up the sound is far from small.

Each speaker measures about 2-inches in diameter by 1.5-inch high, but expand to 2-inches when you twist open each speaker.

Unless you use the Bluetooth, the 3.5 mini audio jack connection cable that comes out the bottom of each speaker is easy to access and is easy to hide when not in use.

For setup, just connect one speaker to your tablet, smartphone or any device playing your audio, and then connect a speaker to the first.

Each speaker is magnetized on the bottom, so you can attach them together for easy storage.

They come in many colors in three different setups; wired mono ($39) or wired stereo ($59)  choices (as tested) or a Bluetooth stereo system ($79).

It’s powered by a built-in rechargeable battery, which has a playback of up to 18 hours. A USB connection in on each speaker for charging it back up (cable included).

www.x-mini.com

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman At a quick glance, you’ll think the PhotoFast’s i-FlashDrive HD is just another flashdrive and it is, plus a whole lot more. While one end of the drive is a standard USB connection, the other has an Apple 30-pin or lightning connection for your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch running iOS […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman I never thought an umbrella would enter my “to do” list for gadget reviews but the Brolly Rain Umbrella made the cut. It features a ergonomic handle and grip, enabling users to hold the umbrella to keep you dry and hold your phone at the same time. Brolly calls the technology […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman It’s taken me a little while to get used to the Logitech T651 Trackpad for Mac but now I’m hooked. The square shape (actually 5 x 5 1/4-inches) works like a laptop touchpad except this one is Bluetooth enable. It can be connected with a laptop or desktop computer and be […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman In general I stay away from reviewing Windows-based computers, basically because they get so much coverage on their own and also, to be honest, I’m a long-time Apple user. So when I was offered a chance to check out the new HP Spectre ONE (23-e010se) all-in-one desktop PC, I looked it […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman  The Doxie One portable scanner is computer-less and one of the easiest to work I’ve ever seen. Operating this scanner is as simple as a push of a button to scan photos, documents, receipts or just about anything you can feed it in sizes ranging from business cards to 8.5 x […]

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By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman

The MacWorld Expo trade show (last week in San Francisco) isn’t what it used to be, but if you’re an Apple junkie it still has a lot of appeal.

It’s pretty much all Apple, with a little PC thrown in here and there.

The show featured an endless number of innovative features your Mac or iOS device, even cooking, cleaning and singing.

A company named Daiya has nothing to do with the electronics world, but since I spent more time there then any other display, I thought it’s worth mentioning.

A company representative said they were displaying their dairy-free cheese-alternative products at the show because they want to share the product with people who like innovative products.

The company’s slogan is “deliciously dairy free” and after sampling more than my share of pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches, I was certain that if you didn’t know what the product was, you’d think it was made with 100 percent natural cheese.

The ingredients are all plant-based, making it vegetarian, lactose intolerance, kosher and cholesterol friendly.

www.daiyafoods.com

The super thin Garmin Nuvi 3597 does everything needed to get you where you need to be with directions that now include specific points of interest such as recognizable landmarks, stop signs and traffic lights.

It’s built with an incredibly thin body of a half-inch thick, and has a five-inch diagonal touchscreen LCD.

Features include a a new powered magnetic mount, which has a pass-through charging.

It directs you in friendly tones, telling (and showing) you what lane to be be in, landmarks to look for before turning and when a street light is approaching.

Right out of the box, it’s loaded with detailed maps of North American and includes free lifetime updates.

www.Garmin.com $379.99

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman Kensington’s Proximo Fob and Tag Kit creates a wireless (Bluetooth) monitoring system between your keys, accessories and an iPhone (4S or 5) that will alert you if they are separated. I tried the starter kit ($59.99), which includes a Fob, Tag, keyring and has a screen driver to open the hardware […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman The Logitech Harmony Touch remote does everything you want your pile of existing remotes to do and a whole lot more. It costs a little more than what you might want to spend for a universal remote but after seeing how easily it can be programed with your computer to operate […]

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By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman

Cleaning out a notebook from last weeks Consumer Electronic’s show is an impossible and endless task, but here are a few items I either used all week to get me through the show or caught my attention as cool everyday items.

The Innergie PocketCell Duo, did an amazing job at keeping my iPhone and iPad powered up all week while I was away from wall outlet charging.

It’s a pocket sized charger, measuring just 3.75 x1.75 and 1-inch deep – 40 percent smaller than a typical eye glass case – so it’s easy to carry in any pocket.

The device is a rechargeable battery with 6,800 mAh of power and pair of USB ports in the side, which attach’s to most any portable electronic gadget for charging. This includes the power-hungry tablets, which require 2.1 Amp USB ports for charging.

Five LED power level indicators along with a power/charge activation button are are also built into the side of the battery.

Included is the Innergie Magic Cable Trio, which has an integrated 3-in-1 Apple 30-pin, Micro and Mini USB connectors in a single cable. The battery also works with the USB cable, which comes with virtually every gadget.

The powerful 6,800 mAh are good for charging a smartphone four times or giving a tablet a full single charge.

The PocketCell Duo is charged up itself via USB and is certified for use with Apple devices including those with the new Lightning connection along with Android tablets and smartphones

www.myinnergie.com $99.99 available in March, the Innergie Lightning Tip will be available in early April.

Goal Zero, the world’s largest manufacturer of portable solar products, launched the Goal Zero Yeti 150 Solar Generator.

It weighs 12 pounds, measures 7.75 x 5.75 x 6.75-inches and has a 150-watt battery for powering lights, laptops via the built-in AC, 12V and USB ports.

The 15W Bolder 15 Solar Panel can fully charge it up in 15 hours of sunlight.

www.goalzero.com $359.99 and available in the spring

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