Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Keep your lap cool, and radiation free with the DefenderPad | Review

Laptops - they can get hot!  And, some may claim they can emit some radiation...but alas, you have to put them on your lap (mostly).  Depending on which laptop you have, some get hotter than others, of course, or if you are having a long-winded gaming session, you could experience it more than others.  I personally use a MacBook Air, and it stays relatively cool.

I've spent the last week adding the DefenderPad to my bag of tricks (both literally, my messenger bag, and figuratively, my awesome bag of tech).  Admittedly, I have to remind myself to grab it, but the DefenderPad is designed well to encourage use.  It's fairly light, it's rigid, and you can just slide it in your bag next to your laptop.

A few years back, I had an angled lap pad that I would rest my Toshiba laptop on, but this is obviously much smaller and can be added to your bag with little addition of bulk.

I've never really thought about whether my laptop is causing (or could cause) issues with radiation, however, it being (like cell phones) are such new technologies that we're not sure what will happen over time, but there are studies that state the dangers with the emitted radiation...I now have piece of mind that I'll be protected.
At first, I actually felt this item wasn't really anything to get excited about.  And as far as a piece of tech accessories, it falls pretty flat (pun intended) - it's not all that exciting - but it adds safety, and when I travel for work, I love having the flat, sturdy, rigid surface that is afforded by the DefenderPad.  Even for day to day use, I've found myself changing the way I interact with my laptop at the office, while leaning back comfortably in my chair, using the DefenderPad.  The only other negative would be the price, which at $89.99 is a bitter pill to swallow. 

Mashbuttons.com would recommend the DefenderPad as a "buy".

Check out their Blog that goes into details on why you'll want to keep EMF part of your radar here


Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Power All Your Gear with Griffins PowerDock 5 | Review


Cool devices need power.  They derive this power from batteries.  Batteries drain quickly.  You have to re-charge your batteries.  Lather, Rinse, and Repeat.  This elementary logic simply highlights the fact that we're slaves to our batteries, and so we must make quick work of keeping their insatiable thirsts for electric juice by charging them.  And most of us (Us, meaning the tech geek, nerd, modern gamer, etc) have more than one device, so Griffin created the PowerDock 5.  No, this is not the 5th generation of said device, but the 5 signals how many devices can charge from the station.

The PowerDock 5 is, as the name suggests, a docking station that has 5 full-powered USB ports (read: 10 Watt Power through all 5 ports).  Like a surge protector for up to 5 USB chargers.  Though the packaging may suggest this is only compatible with iPads or iPhones, quite the contrary, you can use any USB charger.  I have my iPad, iPhone, Kindle, headset charger and PS Vita all connected.  It should be noted, however, that some devices tested, don't necessarily work, according to Griffin. 

Workmanship on the device isn't bad, but the choice of plastics feel a little cheap.  This doesn't take away from the overall usefulness of it, however.  I'm also comparing it to the Griffin TWENTY Airplay Amp, that has that Apple-like plastic feeling.
The only improvement I'd suggest would be a better cable management system.  What ends up happening is you double cross the cables to help hide them, but they just get messy, and there's no clean, secure way of keeping it tidy.  The images on their site suggest it to be much easier, but I just couldn't get them to stay clean and tidy.  A small gripe for helping to manage your array of devices that need charging.

Mashbuttons.com would definitely recommend the PowerDock 5 for your charging needs.

The PowerDock 5 retails for $99, however they're currently out of stock on their online store, instead try Amazon

Sunday, August 25, 2013

id America outfits us with a lineup fit for any executive

This next review comes from an innovative case and accessory company that is know for their unique look, with cases designed to look like an engine gaskets and headphones that resemble spark plugs. I am talking about id America and rather than a fun style, we got more of a mobile executive suite and the theme is black leather. If you are a proud owner of an iPhone 5, iPad Mini, MP3 player, or multiple electronic devices that requires charging via micro USB, 30 pin, or lightning, id has got you covered. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss my time spent with the Wall St, SmartFold, new Spark, and CrossLink so let’s get to it.

First up is the Wall St, the genuine leather case for the iPhone 5 that offers a place to store cards to try to eliminate that bulky Costanza wallet. This is a sleek little case offers a sleeve design where the phone slides into the case from the top, and it contains a slot for ID, business card, or VIP passes. While this additional slot for storage was nice for an evening out when I only needed my ID and bank card, but it only held 2 cards before I would really have to cram anything else in, the suede lining also make it easy to slide cards out for access. I would have liked for the Wall St to have come in a model without the card slot as well for those of us that have separation anxiety from our wallets. Wall St is available now and comes in a variety of six colors priced at $34.95.

Next up is the SmartFold, a leatherette case for the iPad Mini, and while it is not genuine leather like the Wall St, it is a nice and slim case for the mini tablet. The front flap folds to hold the device at multiple viewing angles and is designed to be a smart cover to auto sleep and wake. I did have an issue with this as my tablet did not sleep with closed and sometimes woke when opened, but was able to feel magnets hold flap closed. With the SmartFold, I still had access to take pictures and face time without obstruction to my view and is easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth, and the iPad Mini slides into the case rather than wrapping in a plastic or rubber shell that is sown onto the synthetic leather material. The SmartFold is available now for $39.95 in black or white.

To go with the black on black on black theme, are the new Spark earbuds that offer high definition sound with an aluminum build. These little plugs come packing a 9mm driver, one button in line remote/microphone, carrying case, and black and white cable that is reminiscent to how the Bose earbuds cable looks. That is where the similarity in looks stops as the actual earbuds are designed to resemble spark plugs. In terms of sound the mids and highs were crisp and offered a nice range, the bass was nice and subtle without drowning out the clarity. That being said, they do fit comfortably with three silicone tip sizes and the cable always tended to get tangled up but while moving around, they always stayed in their place and did not have to fumble with finding and putting them back in place. The new Spark is available now also in black or white for the price of $59.95.

Lastly, and this is more of a must have multi purpose cable that is great for consolidating numerous charging cables. The CrossLink is a flat cable with soft rubber coating that does not tangle or bind and is three feet long. It has the capability of charging apple devices by lightning or 30 pin for the older devices, along with a micro USB capabilities for most other tech toys. This cable is great, especially for anyone on the go that takes multiple devices with them, like a digital camera, tablet, phone, or Bluetooth speaker, the ClossLink Sync & Charge cable is up to the task, priced at $17.95.

AOC's new USB monitor, old look with new tricks

Speaking of upgrades to previous models, we have AOC’s follow up to last year’s USB monitor. You may remember the AOC e1649Fwu, better known as the AOC USB powered monitor, well this time around it goes by e1659Fwu and while it looks identical to the latter it does sport some nicer features. Some of those features include a thinner design, USB 3.0 connection, capability to mount on walls, and the next two are my favorite upgrades as they were my biggest issues with the e1649Fwu, carrying case and brightness control. The tech specs for this portable secondary monitor consist of but are not limited to 15.6” display, 1366x768 resolution, and an 8ms response time so let’s see how it compares to the e1649Fwu.

I mentioned it before but the lack of carrying case really hindered the ability to take on the go without scratching the screen and AOC listened because not only did they include a decent little carrying case but also included brightness controls. They didn’t stop there as the built in Display Link technology was able to allow me to use more than two monitors without requiring additional software. For those unfamiliar with the USB monitor, this gem is simple to use, just one cord connected the USB monitor and I was up and running. After downloading the driver, I was able to get into the settings and adjust everything to my liking.

There were a couple things in which I think could have made the experience even better and that would be the angle in which the monitor stands, whether it be portrait or landscape orientation. Even though the instruction manual advised against it, resting the adjustable arm on the base of my desk lamp did the trick. However, if you do want to follow the manual and abide by the rules, this can easily be resolved by mounting on the wall and also freeing up valuable desk space. The only other thing I would have changed, would be the length of the USB cable as it is on the short side and does not leave many options outside of using on the go.

As a big fan of the previous model, this is a pretty big step up and anyone on the fence for a second monitor that couldn’t be any easier than taking your laptop with you on the go. It is nice to know that AOC is listening and actively working to give us consumers what we want, I liked the last monitor but I loved my time spent with this reboot. It is more expensive than standard monitors in it’s size, but you are getting portability and less cords. Whether you set up shop in the local coffee shop or just need some additional digital landscape, I suggest the AOC e1659Fwu USB Monitor if you are are in the market for a 15.6” monitor as they are available now for the price of $129.99.

Ecorox is Ecoxgear's latest smaller Bluetooth speaker

What better way to follow up a waterproof iPhone case than with a waterproof Bluetooth speaker, and Ecoxgear has provided us with their Ecorox. The Ecorox is similar to last year’s ECOXBT, but significantly smaller and there are more buttons. On board controls now consist of  power, sync, volume up/down, track forward/back, and pause/answer because like most Bluetooth speakers on the market now, the Ecorox also doubles as a speakerphone. Like the previous model, this miniature beast is both shock resistant and waterproof, allowing it to float and be used in the shower while the streaming media device stays dry.

In comparison to the previously reviewed ECOXBT, I love the new smaller size and the additional controls given to the powerful little go everywhere (literally) wireless speaker. The smaller size makes having a camera mount screw post even better and it goes great with just about any of Joby’s Gorillapod’s for adjustable mounting angles and magnetic feet. I have really only used this speaker in the shower mounted to shower curtain and on the patio to the side of the beer fridge providing both my patio and bathroom with clear sound at about 70% percent volume. The top facing bass radiators add some additional depth, similar to that of the larger speakers, but I tend to be be more of a fan of the bottom or rear facing radiators.

The were a couple things I noticed during use not to do. The first would be allowing the speaker to float, and maybe I was just spoiled with the ECOXBT, but the speaker is forward facing, so it is hard to hear when the front is submerged. My solution was just resting poolside as it can take both a bath and a beating. The other lesson learned was that there is a volume threshold and it isn’t full blast. The Ecorox sounds great up to about three quarter volume, but anymore than that and I would get a noise that was a toss up between the speaker grill rattling and distortion.

The ECOROX is an amazing little speaker, the size is incredibly portable and can take just about any abuse you can throw at it. Sure, the ECOXBT felt more comfortable floating in the pool, I gladly sacrifice that for portability and threaded camera stand mount. In terms of the amount of sound you can expect to get, it will easily fill a room with sound, even with the shower running in the bathroom, but on the patio it got harder to hear if I got more than ten feet away. The ECOROX is available now for the price of $129.99 and I would highly suggest getting a mount for it as well, mine is never without it.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Ballistic Hydra Series is built for land, sea, and everything in between

My favorite people behind rugged iPhone cases have provided me with their latest waterproof case, the fine folks being Ballistic and the case at hand is the Hydra Series. Ballistic is one of the few cases in which I am comfortable tossing at someone unknowingly to them and watching said person spaz trying to keep my phone from hitting the ground. Being this is a waterproof case, I would not suggest this display of rugged, unless you want to water test after each impact. A bit about the Hydra, it is Ballistic’s “Designed To Survive Life” case designed to withstand water, dust, and impact (to an extent), so it is time to see what all it is capable of.

To start, being a waterproof case, the Hydra is pretty low profile and I would say it is comparable in size to the Lifeproof case. The ports are easier to access and do not have plugs that are easy to misplace. Installation and tear down are easy as long as you have some finger nails to get up underneath Active Latches that are used to keep the case waterproof for 30 minutes in up to 7 feet of water. On top of handling the elements, the case is also built with butterfingers in mind as it can withstand drops of up to 8 feet, by way of the Air Gap Suspension Springs that surround the phone in 1mm of air. The downside and there was only one that I encountered during use was touch sensitivity,  as I had to press on the screen significantly harder for my phone to detect my input, which also slowed down my texting speed and made for even more interesting autocorrect issues.

The Hydra Series is a great all weather/abuse ready case for anyone that sees more places than an office, car, and apartment or house. With this case, I took my phone anywhere, floating in the pool and riding my bike/ATV/skateboard with no worries of it taking a fall with me or if accidentally splashed or knocked in the pool, I was safe. It is highly suggested that if your phone take a dive onto a hard surface, you need to perform a water test, but it only takes five minutes and is well worth the peace of mind. Ballistic’s Hydra Series case is available now in a variety of five different color combinations at the price of $79.99.

Roccat latest gaming accessories, the Hiro and Kone XTD

It is time for some hands on time with the latest PC gaming accessories from Roccat’s lineup and this there is big news, because finally, the driver for the mouse now has Mac driver support. I will rejoice about that later, right now we are talking about Roccat’s Kone XTD gaming mouse and the Hiro mouse pad. I will briefly touch on the mouse pad because, well, its a mouse pad, and the Hiro is 350 x 250 mm’s, has a non slip rubber base, and vulcanized silicone surface. The Kone XTD is the more technical item in this review with 8200 DPI Pro-Aim laser sensor, 32-bit Turbo Core V2 processor, and the ability to add up to 20g in weight to the mouse by way of 5g easy-to-clip-in weights.

It is time to see how the mouse and mousepad perform under pressure, starting with the Hiro and boy this is one large mouse pad. Luckily, I have a lot of real estate on my desktop and Hiro fit nicely, the non slip rubber bottom worked and did it’s job rather well. The surface is not like your typical surface, as the vulcanized silicone surface is much different than the fabric I am used to, and would best compare it to a truck spray-in bedliner. I initially used it with my apple mouse and thought it slid across with more friction than on fabric, but when I put the Kone XTD to the Hiro, it was like butter. This desktop and gaming companion is also easy to clean, I would just take a clorox wipe to it once a week and that’s it, also since the Hiro uses a silicon surface, no fraying.

Now on to the big boy, Roccat’s Kone XTD, a gaming mouse with some incredible customization abilities. While Mac owners do not have the selection that PC owners get, but the community is growing and Roccat is listening because the Kone XTD has Driver support for Mac gamers, greatly improving my League of Legends and Diablo 3 experiences when I have just about everything mapped to the palm of my hand. I also immediately loaded all 20g of weights into the mouse for that heavier feel and the feet slide so smoothly, not only on the Hiro but on multiple mouse pads. Lastly, and as always, the driver is great and user friendly, sure it takes some time for initial setup and additional profile setup but well worth it as I can load controls on the fly based on the profile.

Alone or together the Kone XTD mouse and Hiro mousepad are superior products and will likely be the last ones you would need to buy for a long time due the superior build quality. If in the market for the Hiro, take measurements of your open desk space as it is larger than most i have seen or owned. Huge kudos goes to the Roccat team for listening to their fans and releasing a driver for additional operating systems outside of the previous “only” windows option. Both products are available now, the Hiro has a pricetag of $49.99 and the Kone XTD is priced at $89.99.

Booq stylish encase the iPad Mini and iPhone 5

Our friends over at Booq sent out a couple new items from their lineup to outfit my two must have items on the go, the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini. Both the Booqpad agenda for the iPad Mini and the Fiber snapcase came to me in matching grey color and material so it is a match made in heaven.  These cases come with a fibre material much like that debuted in the Mamba Courier, previously reviewed. The snapcase is compact with thick sides to protect from impact, while the agenda is built to be you compact on the go networking device, so let’s how they fare.

First up we have the Fibre snapcase, similar to many other cases out there, this one goes with a grey soft touch polycarbonate, built with the intent to protect your phone but with fashion taking priority over function. The stand out visual appeal of this case is the fiber inlay, and the textured look is what makes the snapcase stand out. It does grip well and does not slide when held but also does not empty my pocket every time I reached for my phone. The fiber material is what I really liked, it is stylish and matches cases for other products.

Speaking of matching other products, it is time for the Booqpad Mini agenda for iPad and this case is less like your typical case and more of a padfolio as the agenda buttons closed, includes a pen/stylus holder, and notepad. Being a lefty, I was worried that this case was made for the majority, but there is a slot at the top and bottom to hold a notepad no matter what hand you use without resting directly on the iPad Mini. This case does not double as a stand, so do not expect to hold the tablet upright along with lacking a hole for the camera, so when the camera is needed, the mini needs to be removed from the case.

Booq made my week as more cases in their fiber material means time to rewrap my electronics. Whether alone or together the Mini agenda and Fibre snapcase are a sleek and stylish way to make your apple iPhone or ipad stand out from the numerous tablets out there. The notepad was nice but I did not finding myself using it to ofter as it is just as easy to take notes from the iPad, but it did make a nice sketch pad when brainstorming. Both cases are available now in an assortment of colors and priced at less than eighty dollars if you pick both or $39.95 for the Mini agenda and $29.95 for the Fibre snapcase.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

MashButtons get colorful for Saints row 4 review

The time has finally come, you know that time in which we get our early copy of Saints Row 4 and the onslaught of people threatening to ban me for playing pirated games come in. In the spirit of of the content in hand, this review is going to be pretty fucking colorful and what better occasion to let the shit fly. The Saints are once again in the shit but this time not as celebrity figures but as the big badass commander in chief, of course still customizable to your liking. Shit gets real in the forth installment as this time their are motherfucking aliens out for Saints blood, as the leader of the Saints you must save the free world from the bastard Zin Empire. These bastards are lead by a real shitbird named Zinyak and he captures the president and cabinet, locking them in a mental prison cellblock where you are equipped with superhero abilities.
Now that I am sleep deprived from playing hours on end doing absolutely nothing that progresses the storyline and just random shit in the fake world of Steelport, I came to terms that this is likely not leaving my Xbox 360 disk tray for a while. The gameplay is smooth and very similar to most other open world games out there, but this bitch slaps games today by satirizing titles we have loved (or hated) from the current and previous generations. The customization is where I had the most fun and you can change just about anything from the weapon appearance, chest and crotch sizes, personal appearance, superpowers, and other shit. There is a fun and off the fucking wall story that really made me feel like I was playing The Naked Gun of open world sandbox games.
The downside, ha what downside, this game is so much fun that...shit, I forgot about those times in which I rage quit doing the tower climbs. A little word to the wise, upgrade your jump ability early as you will rely on on it to climb the alien towers and complete missions. There were a couple times in which I did encounter bugs which caused me to reboot my Xbox, but at the time in which I typed up this review I had been informed that there will be a day one update to address these issues. Lastly, there were times in which I would go into missions not knowing if I was going to get my ass handed to me and had me screaming obscenities, but after 4,5, 10 attempts, it was apparent to level grind and just come back later.
Saints Row 4 is a damn good time, from the over the top story and the satire of other games' stories and play styles had me laughing out loud, looking for easter eggs, and just fucking shit up in ways that only a Saint can appreciate. Like Saints Row of past, there is a lot of side missions and activities to do throughout the world and more often than not, I would be headstrong on missions, find a cluster on a rooftop, look around, and spend the next hour going rooftop to rooftop for more clusters to upgrade my super abilities. I still hear the relation of Saints Row to GTA, sure that may have been how it had been perceived in the sandbox games, but do not go in expecting GTA, expect a game that is open world like a number of games but by no means ever takes itself too serious. Saints Row 4 gets a “fucking A right” from MashButtons, now just need it to be released to get in on some coop action.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Musemini lets MashButtons play with their DBoom


It’s another Bluetooth speaker review and this speaker comes from musemini and ambitiously titled DBoom. Packed inside this boombox is Bluetooth 3.0 and NFC technology, built in noise canceling microphone, on board controls if your phone isn’t nearby, and six watts through two speakers with passive subwoofers.  This little speaker was also designed for skins so that you can personalize with photo’s or representing your favorite team by including a free voucher for up to a $20 value from their exclusive “skin” partner. Let’s see if musmini’s wireless speaker lives up to it’s name.
To start, the DBoom looks great, with the glossy front and the “shattered” looking speaker grill. It was a bit odd to me that the speakers faced upwards, but the down firing passive woofers are pretty common and the rubber feet do not slip on any surfaces. The sound quality is very clear at any volume even when giving it all you have got. I liked the front facing controls as I was able to play, pause, and change the track from the front making it easy to change tracks without having to access my phone. You are able to daisy chain the speakers and it is easy to do for additional sound in larger areas, but I was not a fan as it takes away from listening without the hassle of wires.
With a number of bluetooth speakers now providing the ability to charge from the speaker, the DBoom does not offer that feature. The name DBoom was also a touch optimistic as in terms of what this speaker provides in bass is pretty low in comparison to most portable speakers reviewed, but if bass isn’t an issue the highs and mids make up for the shallow depth. The only other item I was not sure of were the controls, as you have to access your phone if you want to turn it up or down. I have seen a number of speakers successfully use the pause/answer/track controls into one button and then the other two that are labeled by “+” and “-” signs adjust the volume. 

After a solid week of use and numerous playlists, I enjoyed my time spent with the DBoom. It was slightly larger than I was expecting as some are so small they look like toys and stick, but the DBoom is pretty loud at 95 decibels from two feet away so filling a room with sound is no problem. Also, unlike most, the DBoom uses a removable 2600mAh battery, so if you know you will be without charge and are unable to go without music, just take a couple full batteries with you to swap and go.  Musemini’s DBoom is available now in five colors at the price of $129.99.

Use the coupon code mashbuttons15 when ordering and save 15% off your order.

D23 Conference unveils new Disney Infinity Play Sets and Characters

 This weekend, Disney enthusiasts embarked on the annual D23 Expo in Anaheim for all things Disney!  Being a large fan myself, and just missing this year, at least there was some news for forthcoming expanding lineup of play sets and characters to be available for Disney Infinity after launch. 

It's good to see Disney investing so much into this new IP, Disney fans are dedicated, and will buy additional items to keep expanding and collecting.

First up is the "Toy Story in Space" playset - featuring Buzz, Jessie and Woody.  This is the 6th set, and will be released sometime in October.

Secondly, Disney announced some new playable characters; including Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey, Rapunzel (from Tangled), and other characters from Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Phineas and Ferb; all scheduled to be released in October and through 2014. 

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Urbanears lets us play with their Plattan

It’s been a while but we have another headphone review; this time Urbanears has provided me with the Plattan on-ear headphones. The headphones were provided in the Dark Grey color, but are available in ten different colors along with a special edition in collaboration with Pax, which each set purchased goes towards preserving five square meters of the rainforest in Costa Rica and you will get the GPS coordinates of your saved plot. The features to the Plattan headphones consist of ZoundPlug for daisy chaining, in line remote with microphone, along with fabric wrapped cord/headphones and folding design. The sound comes to life with a 40mm driver to each eardum, so lets see how they perform out of the box.

Immediately I noticed how light the headphones were and I was not immediately a fan of the design, but after some use, the Plattan's single color look with subtle accents on each side really grew on me. The sound had a pretty average range across the board and volume was good, loud when needed and not complaining about the lack of not having enough. Surprisingly these headphone had significantly less sound bleeding than a lot of the other headphones I have had the chance to get my hands on. There is not a lot of pressure on the ears, which is nice for extended use but is also necessary to provide a seal to keep outside noise out. That was really the only concern as regardless to which way I used them, I could hear my co workers trying to get my attention.

When all is said and done, the price point is what makes the Urbanears Plattan stand out to me. With a price tag of $59.90, the Plattans are ten to twenty dollars more affordable than others in their class. There is a reason in which I feel that the Urbanears headphones look and are named similarly to that of products from a certain Swedish retailer in which I can hardly stand to step foot in, and that would be because Urbanears is another Scandinavian collective. When not in use or on the go, the Plattans fold up small enough to fit in the palm of your hands and have a place to wrap the cord and take up very little space in most any on-the-go bag.

Digital Treasures Pocketpro always keeps your laptop on you

It’s time for another laptop case and this one is a new type of product for me as it is not a backpack or messenger bag, but the Pocketpro Padfolio Case from Digital Treasures. I have reviewed a number of their products before but they were all mobile power products, so I am anxious to se how the cases are. The Pocketpro is a large portfolio that was designed to hold and easily carry around the 13.3” Ultrabook, 13’ MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air. This padfolio case is crafted with textured koskin material and stitched to make up an impressive six pockets and that does not even include card slots, dual pen or stylus holder, or notepad slot.

For being a padfolio it is sleek and not much larger than the laptop it holds, so it isn’t hard to take it on the go. The laptop pocket is snug, so my MacBook Pro did not slide around in transit and the strap closure gave me peace of mind that my laptop, pen, stylus, notepad, and iPad Mini were going to stay where left and not going to get left behind. The only issue I had was making sure there was a charger where I was headed or packed in a bag as space is very limited. I also felt that the card slots were added to just have another pocket listed on the fact sheet, because although it did carry my MacBook and iPad Mini, I couldn’t bring myself put anymore personal information into the padfolio. The red accent felt out of place and I thought it took away from the look of the case but the koskin is a nice substitute to leather; but at times, mainly if there is any moisture on my hands, the case gets rather slick.

After using the Pocketpro I found it to be a lot more convenient for daily commuting as I have a charger both at home and in the office. Especially when I was not counting on it to conveniently house my iPad mini with it’s Bamboo stylus, there really was not any need for the notepad, although I did end up using it on conference calls, at those times the Mini was being used for Netflix. The Pocketpro is available now for the price of $49.95 from Digital Treasures and at that price point it is more affordable than most entry to mid range bags and carries just about as much with exceptions to space for your charger or mouse.

eleMount kickstarter is stylish mount for iPhone/iPad


Hot on the heels of Bracketron’s NanoTek Stand review, I have received word of eleMount. Elemount is a universal mount that is designed with CNC machined aluminum and built to mount your phone safely to your desk, car, tripod and more. Made to fit with the apple styling by use of aluminum, the eleMount is also made for function as it allows for full 365 degree viewing angles by ball and socket joint, portability without leaving marks or residue behind, and a ¼” threading to mount to tripods and other camera accessories. The eleMount Kickstarter can be found here, priced at $59 for early bird backers and as you can see,  they are well past meeting their goal with plenty of time to go.