My wife and I have a few areas where we are wildly different. Most notably, I’m a gadget freak while she would probably still be using one of those old-timey candlestick phones if I hadn’t begun an effort to drag her into the 21st century. That having been said, I’ve been trying to convince here to upgrade to a smartphone—particularly a pre-paid version because, in her case, we simply don’t need to spend another fortune on cutting edge features and plans.
So, when I got a chance to test out the LG Optimus V, I thought it would be a good opportunity to see if an affordable prepaid Android phone would be up to snuff. After spending several weeks with it, I can say that the Optimus V will probably be her next phone.
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We got a chance to test out Aluratek’s Mini Surge Dual USB Charging Station, and the bottom line is that it does what it’s supposed to do. You can charge up to two USB devices while keeping both outlets free. Plus, it has the added bonus of surge protection.
The only complaint I have about the device is the position of the USB outlets. It would have been better if the unit was more compact for better weight distribution. Because the unit is tall and the plug is way down at the bottom, there is a gap between the wall and the plug itself—meaning that the whole thing tends to wiggle around in the outlet when you plug and unplug USB cords. Annoying, but not exactly a dealbreaker.
Still, if you have a lot of gadgets to charge and outlet space is scarce, this is a far neater solution than messing around with bulky power strips and USB plug adapters.
Product Page ($20)
I’m not what you would call the most organized person in the world, which is why I could find some use for a decent label maker. This is especially true when it comes to all of those damn bins I have in garage. I can’t seem to find anything when I need it.
That having been said, the Dymo LabelManager PnP will definitely fit my needs.
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Belkin’s Conserve Valet claims to eliminate the use of standby power by charging up to four USB devices and automatically shutting down when the process is complete.
We got a chance to try out the Conserve Valet for ourselves and I can say that it does what it’s supposed to do—for the most part. Belkin’s product page makes it seem like the Valet can automatically detect when your gadgets are fully charged, but the reality is that it charges on a 4.5-hour timer. When another gadget is added, the clock simply resets. In other words, the Conserve Valet isn’t nearly as smart as it thinks it is. UPDATED…
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Aluratek asked us to take a look at their Cinepal personal media player and we said sure, why not. It might be interesting to find out if there is still room for relatively inexpensive PMPs in an age of iPads.
The answer to that question is yes, but not in the way you might think.
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The Microsoft Arc Touch mouse is a beautiful bit of design with features like the ability to fold flat for easy transport, a BlueTrack sensor that makes it usable on just about any surface and a touch-sensitive scroll pad.
And we have one to give away to a lucky CubicleBot reader!
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We got to take a hands-on look at the Just5 J509—a simple, inexpensive handset with big buttons that is aimed at seniors. However, since all of the seniors I know have smartphones, I gave this phone to my wife for a tryout. She’s technologically challenged—so it was like the next best thing.
Overall we found that the appeal of a device like this could extend beyond grandma and grandpa.
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Optoma is billing it’s brand new Neo-i as the world’s first “all-in-one iPod sound dock with built-in Pico Projector”, and they were kind enough to give us a hands-on look to see if it can deliver.
The answer is yes—it can.
It isn’t perfect, but the Neo-i is a surprisingly brilliant little device for iPhone/iPod touch and iPad owners. It also holds its own as an HDMI projector.
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Apple has made great strides with the battery on the iPhone 4, but if you do a lot of gaming or Netflix streaming, you still have to contend with a fairly quick power drain. One solution to this problem is to get case that also doubles as a battery backup—something like the new Dexim Super Juice Power Case.
I’ve played around with many a battery case for the iPhone in my day, but the Dexim Super Juice Power Case definitely ranks among the best.
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