Gear Diary » Clinton Fitch

Publishers Show Their Technophobia-It’s Time to Fight Back!

Carly Z — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:45:21 +0000

This morning, the Wall Street Journal reported that Simon and Schuster and Hachette Book Group are considering delaying their major releases in eBook form until FOUR MONTHS after the hardcovers go on sale. This is an extraordinarily long time, and they are being blatant in admitting it is an attempt to slow the growth of eBooks over hardcovers while they still can. I sent the information out to the team here, and asked what they thought...and they had a lot to say! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Making a bootable USB stick to upgrade to Windows 7

Clinton Fitch — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:08:55 +0000

So you have Windows 7 and you are all fired up about installing it on your netbook. The problem is that your netbook doesn't have a CD or DVD player built in which means that DVD media that Windows 7 comes on is pretty much a coaster. You can solve the problem by popping $80-90 bucks on an external drive, but what if you could make that 4GB USB flash drive do the magic for you? Well you can, and it is pretty straight forward to do. All you need is a 4GB or bigger USB flash drive, a little bit of patience and your Windows 7 media. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Review of the Skooba Design Checkthrough Roller

Clinton Fitch — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:20:13 +0000

It is not a so-well-kept secret that I travel quite a bit for my day job. While 2009 has seen a slow down in travel for me, I still will easily make my American Airlines Platinum status for the 4th year in a row. As a reminder to everyone: Airline status is not something to be proud of. It means that you spend too much time on airplanes and that you know exactly which seats and rows have power outlets... but I digress. Since September 11, 2001 the single biggest challenge with air travel has not necessarily been the airlines but the security process you have to go through in order to get to your gate. I'm not complaining - security has kept us from having any significant airline issues since 9/11 - but it can be challenging, especially for seasoned travelers. Normally when you go through the security checkpoint at the airport you are required to remove your laptop from your bag and put it in a seperate tray in order to be x-rayed amongst the other things you have to removed from your person - shoes, belts, etc. For most this is not that big of a deal but for people who have a lot of stuff in their bag along with their computer, it can take a minute or so to get the computer out of the bag and onto the belt. Meanwhile, the seasoned travelers are tapping their toe behind you waiting impatiently. To help solve this challenge of travel, Skooba Designs has released a wide range of bags they refer to as their Checkthrough series. This series of bags are approved by the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) for allowing your computer to remain in the bag and be x-rayed. It is a tremendous time saver, especially on those days when the airport security is exceptionally busy. Skooba Designs was kind enough to send me the Checkthrough Roller bag for this review and after several trips with it I have to say it is a winner. Not only does it help you get through security checkpoints but it is a roomy and functional roller bag.

The Skooba Checkthrough Roller Bag

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Microsoft Opens Windows Marketplace for Mobile Submissions

Clinton Fitch — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:00:03 +0000

Today is a pretty cool day for Windows Mobile developers. Today Microsoft has begun accepting submissions to the all new Windows Marketplace! Starting today, registered developers and ISVs can upload their application, game or widget to the platform and Microsoft will begin the certification process of them according to their published process, policies and guidelines. They are certifying applications on a First In, First Out basis. The certification process takes about 10 business days but you can always check the status of your application online. If for some reason your application does not get certified you will get a detailed explanation of why so you can try it again. The good news is that Microsoft has published all of the guidelines and policies as well as the tool set Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Review of the Just Mobile CB-200 Cooling Bar for MacBooks

Clinton Fitch — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:30:01 +0000

One of the challenges with any MacBook or notebook PC is cooling. While these devices are made to be a bit more heat tolerant than their desktop tower counterparts, they still can overheat which can cause damage or diminish performance. Getting air flowing through the cooling fans and vents on your MacBook or notebook is they key to avoiding potential disaster and the team at Just Mobile have come up with a sleek, stylish and amazingly simple solution for MacBook users. The CB-200 Cooling Bar is an solid, all aluminum bar that you rest the back of your MacBook onto. This lifts it about an inch from your desk surface, providing plenty of space for the cooling fans and vent to work properly. Although designed with the MacBook in mind, the CB-200 works well with any notebook PC as well and it has a hidden benefit that Mac and PC users alike can benefit from while using it.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

MobilityMinded – Fresh new look and feel

Clinton Fitch — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:29:52 +0000

Earlier this week my fellow MVPs Johan van Mierlo and Remo Knops launched the complete revamped MobilityMinded website.

The site, which provides news and information around the mobile community, now has a great contribution staff which will bring a freshness and unique perspective to the site. Be sure to check them out at http://www.mobilityminded.com Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

HTC Announces the HTC Snap / S522

Clinton Fitch — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:18:41 +0000

This morning at CTIA, HTC announced the all new Windows Standard Phone, the HTC Snap (US version is the S522). This is the true successor to the very popular HTC Dash and sports some impressive specifications, a sleek new look and a pretty darn cool story behind it. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Improve your traveling life – a review of Spb Traveler 2.0

Clinton Fitch — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:10:20 +0000

Editors Note: This review appears both here on Gear Diary and on Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! As I have stated many times throughout my reviews here and at Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com!, I travel quite a bit for my "day job". Just so everyone is clear: American Airlines Executive Platinum isn't all it's cracked up to be. It means that you have had a lot of time on airplanes. But I digress.... Understanding this, anytime I am able to find a tool that makes travel easier I'm automatically going to be interested. Once such tool has been Spb Traveler. Traveler was introduced in June 2007 and quickly became one of my must have applications while on the road. Traveler had everything I needed: Weather reports for multiple cities, a trip planner, currency converter, unit converter and a tip calculator just to name a few items. It was everything a traveler needed in one application. Building on the success of Traveler 1.x, Spb has now released version 2 of the application and it is terrific. The all new user interface draws its inspiration from Spb's other applications - Mobile Shell and Online - while providing you all of the tools that any traveler will need at some point or another. Add in a significantly improved flight planner, a 3D globe, and a flight search tool and you get the makings of a must have application for any serious traveler. The beauty of this application however is that even if you are the casual traveler, some of the tools that are built into the application you will find helpful. Regardless of how much you travel, every Windows Mobile owner should have a serious look at Spb Traveler 2.0. Traveler requires you have a Windows Mobile device running Windows Mobile 5.0 or higher. It can be installed either in your device's main memory or a storage card and will require approximately 8MB of storage space. Additional space will be necessary as city information and weather is downloaded so bear that in mind when you install Traveler. Many aspects of Traveler do require a data connection on your Windows Mobile device so keep this in mind as well as you use the application. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

High Resolution Touch HD, Touch 3G and Touch Viva Images

Clinton Fitch — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:56:11 +0000

As Wayne posted earlier, HTC announced three new "Touch" devices today: The Touch HD, The Touch 3G and Touch Viva. If you are looking for high resolution images of those, head over to Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! where you can download them, print them and have drool material Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

US Version of HTC Touch Diamond Now Available

Clinton Fitch — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:46:57 +0000

The US version of the HTC Touch Diamond is now available from Expansys. This version of the Diamond is identical to the EU released version except is now adds HSDPA/WCDMA: 850/1900 MHz support. This means that if you are an A&T subscriber, you can get all the 3G goodness! The US version is the same price as the EU version, $684.99. You can get more information or purchase at this link and remember that you can use PayPal as well! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Herald Return of The H/PC – Review of the HTC Advantage X7510 Part 2

Clinton Fitch — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:01:11 +0000

In the first part of my review of the HTC Advantage X7510, I covered the physical hardware of this new device that resides somewhere between Handheld PCs and Ultra Mobile PCs. If you haven't had a chance to read the first part of the review, you can do so here and then pick up this review afterward. In this part of the review I will be covering the software aspects of the device now that I have received the final shipping ROM from HTC. I will start by covering Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, the Operating System of the X7510 and will then go into the specific applications that come with the device. I'll conclude with a general discussion of what I like and don't like about the Advantage and if this is a device that you should consider. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

How To: Synchronize multiple mail folders in Windows Mobile 6.1

Clinton Fitch — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:03:58 +0000

While most of you know me as Clinton Fitch, writer for Gear Diary and owner of Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com!, I do have a day job. That would be the Unified Communications Product Manager for Spanlink Communications. While we are not the biggest Cisco Systems partner on the block, we are one of the best when it comes to applications in Unified Communications and Contact Centers. As you can imagine, I have email constantly flowing into my inbox and thus onto my HTC Advantage on a variety of different topics, customers and solutions. My answer to managing all of this email are sub-folders. I love them. I have them for just about every category out there and it makes it quick and easy for me to find a message. This is great on my Windows PC but by default Windows Mobile does not synchronize any folders other than your Inbox via ActiveSync or Over-The-Air (OTA) Push Mail. Fortunately this is somewhat easy to change and in this How-To I'll show you. Now for a word of warning: What I'm about to demonstrate requires that the folders you are wanting to synchronize are on your Exchange server. This will not work if you are trying to synchronize folders that are stored in your PST file on your PC. It could also be that your Administrator does not allow folder synchronization beyond the Inbox through policies set in place. You will need to check with them if this does not work for you. Secondly, this will require a lot of bandwidth depending on how much you have to synchronize so make sure you have an unlimited data account. Gear Diary is not responsible for your $5,000 data bill! :) Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

HTC Releases Windows Mobile 6.1 ROM for AT&T Tilt

Clinton Fitch — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:16:35 +0000

HTC has finally released the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional update for the AT&T Tilt. The new ROM Version 3.57.502.2 WWE brings Tilt users up to the news OS from Microsoft and includes: * HTC Home * Remote Desktop Monitor * Video Share Calling * Managed Programs * Threaded SMS * Push-to-talk button can now be reassigned * MS Voice Command * OneNote Mobile The download is approximately 88MB and you should make sure you follow the instructions closely. You can download the ROM by clicking this link UPDATE: Okay, so it appears that HTC has built out the page for the update but it is still linked to the older Windows Mobile 6 ROM Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Ultimate Receipt Organizer? A Review of The Neat Receipts Scanner

Clinton Fitch — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:22:20 +0000

I travel. A lot. While I'm sure that some of you reading this travel more than I, by then end of 2008 I fully expect to have covered well over 75,000 airline miles this year. The fact that I'm writing this review from the comfort of my townhome is, well, rare? Most of the reviews that I write both for Gear Diary and Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! are written from hotel rooms... but I digress. You get the point. As you can imagine, with as much travel as I do, receipts - and more specifically receipt management - can be quite a challenge. In the multiple years of business travel I have experienced, I have tried just about every method you can think of to try to keep track of receipts. Like most of you, I have to submit receipts when I submit weekly expense reports. That's find and dandy right up until you have been on the road for 3 straight weeks in 6 cities (real trip, February 2007 - Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, Houston and Oklahoma City) and you are trying to keep track of about 50 pieces of paper! That is where the Neat Receipts scanner comes in handy. With Neat Receipts you scan your reciepts using a self-feeding wand scanner which stores, organizes and creates PDF files of your reciepts. Further, you can export your receipts to Microsoft Word or Excel, giving you the ultimate flexibility to meet your companies receipt requirements. All of this in a small, slim package that easily fits into a travel computer bag. If you are a road warrior who is receipt management challenged, the Neat Receipts scanner could prove to be a real life saver.

Neat Receipts Scanner

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Celio’s REDFLY – The Ultimate Smartphone Extension Review Part 2

Clinton Fitch — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:55:13 +0000

In part one of my review of Celio's REDFLY, I covered the REDFLY's physical attributes. For part two I will cover the functionality of the device. First, it is important to remember that the REDFLY will only work with Windows Mobile 5.0 or 6 Professional (PocketPC) and Standard (Smartphone) devices and currently only a small subset of the total number of devices available. For a complete list of what devices are supported visit http://www.celiocorp.com/smartphone. Having said that, I did test the REDFLY with a number of devices including several that were not on the Celio website. All of them worked just fine although older O2devices did tend to have a little graphics trouble. All of the HTC devices I tested - The AT&T Tilt, the T-Mobile Wing, and HTC Advantage - worked fantastically well. The same is true for current MWg devices - Atom Life and Zinc II - although I did not test it with the new Atom V. More devices are being added as Celio does more testing but if you use a device not listed on their site, they will not provide technical support for that device and the REDFLY. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Photo Viewing Made Easy – Review of iWindowsMobile EyePhoto

Clinton Fitch — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:36:00 +0000

With Windows Mobile devices coming with ever increasing quality of digital cameras built into them, the need for applications to view those photos in a quick and easy way has also increased. While the built-in Photos & Videos application of Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6 does a reasonably good job, it still is somewhat stylus intensive. Fortunately the VITO Technology team has seen this as well and has developed a truly easy to use, simple and finger friendly - not stylus - application to meet the need - EyePhoto. EyePhoto is available through VITO's iWindowsMobile division and is a simple but effective photo viewing application. EyePhoto does not have any editing tools built into it - it is strictly a viewer both of individual photos and in a slideshow. That said however, it is fast and easy, turning any device into a virtual photo album in a snap. Figure 1: EyePhoto Main Interface Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Dashwire 2.0 Released – BIG Improvements (so far…)

Clinton Fitch — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:41:06 +0000

Some of you may have seen me post about the greatness of Dashwire in the past. Dashwire is a service that runs on your Windows Mobile device that allows you to do a variety of things on your device through a web-based application on your PC. From Dashwire you can send/receive SMS', share videos and photos and give the world a view of what you are doing at a particular time just to name a few. Dashwire themselves probably state it best: Dashwire offers the industry leading Mobile/Web Connected Service to help people seamlessly connect their mobile phones with their computers and the web, enabling them to backup and manage their content, search and interact with their information, and share their experiences with friends and social networks. As you’ve Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Celio’s REDFLY – The Ultimate Smartphone Extension Review Part 1

Clinton Fitch — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:16:59 +0000

One of the challenges with using Windows Mobile devices, as with most mobile devices, is the size of the screen. It is great having Office Mobile on the latest and greatest device but doing a significant edit of a document on a 3.5" QVGA screen is, well... fun? Granted, on bigger devices that have VGA screens, the HTC Advantage comes to mind, it is a bit easier but you still end up doing a lot of side-to-side scrolling. Couple this with either a soft keyboard on the device or a small thumboard to type with and once again, doing big edits on a document is, well... fun? How then do you get around this quandry? With a colorful insect of course! The Celio REDFLY is designed to help resolve this difficulty for Windows Mobile users by allowing them to connect their device via a USB cable or Bluetooth to the REDFLY and gain an 8", 800x480 VGA display and full QWERTY keyboard. The REDFLY has no memory, storage or operating system itself. It is literally an extension of your device, utilizing the memory, storage and operating system of it. Even better, the REDFLY has a VGA output so you can display on an external monitor or projector straight from the device, something only a select few Windows Mobile devices can do natively. All of this in a package that is less than 2lbs. and 9" wide and under $500? If you a a true power user of your Windows Mobile device, you should seriously consider a REDFLY. It could save your eyes and thumbs! Figure 1: The REDFLY Closed Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Unlimited Data? Yes Please!

Clinton Fitch — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:17:18 +0000

To start, let me clarify that I'm not going to post about data plans pros and cons. No, my questions is about usage - your usage to be precise. Let me set the stage a bit for all you GearDiaryites.... I eat up a lot of bandwidth. A lot! I average nearly 100MB per day on my phone-flavor-of-the-week. That means if you extrapolate that out, I'm burning through about 3GB worth of data a month. Mind you, this is on my Widows Mobile device - not my PC - and that doesn't include what data I download while I'm here at home on my WiFi network. How do I eat up nearly 3 gigs a month? Easy really. I have a corporate Exchange account in a company of nearly Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Herald Return of The H/PC – Review of the HTC Advantage X7510

Clinton Fitch — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:24:42 +0000

When I first began my adventure into mobile technology, it started with Handheld PCs. H/PCs, as they are known, were made from the late 90s to 2003 by a variety of manufacturers, most notably NEC and Hewlett Packard. The devices were more-often-than-not a clamshell form factor, with a built-in keyboard and VGA or HVGA screens. They were powerful and business friendly, especially in light of the fact that at that time, Pocket PCs (as they were known) did not have built in keyboards. Through a variety of market changes and marketing blunders, the H/PC soon became a non-factor in the mainstream mobile arena. I say mainstream because Handheld PCs are still widely used today, despite having not been made for several years. In fact, I co-own HPC:Factor, a site which is considered by many to be the hub of the H/PC user community. There you can find anything from drivers, to software and how-to's, to reviews for Handheld PCs which allow the owners of these great devices to keep on keeping on. Still, with the advent of Bluetooth, built-in WiFi, GPRS and other technologies - most of which were not available during the years H/PCs were produced - the longing for a H/PC-like device with the power and flexibility of a contemporary Windows Mobile device has been and is strong. While some have tried and come close, none have ever fully satisfied that longing until now. HTC has done it with the Advantage X7510, a device which hearkens back to the glory days of H/PCs, yet provides users with outstanding performance and flexibility. It is truly a business class device, one that would have made the visionaries of the Handheld PC proud, and one that makes this H/PC die-hard jump for joy! The Advantage X7510 is a Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional device that sports an impressive VGA display, built in Bluetooth and WiFi, a detachable keyboard and a fantastically powerful processor. It is easy to see this device as the natural evolution of the H/PC, given its satisfaction of both consumer and commercial needs combined in a single device. This review will be the first of two installments covering the X7510. In this review I will be covering the device's physical hardware, while the second will cover the software including the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional OS which the device runs. The reason for this separation is both practicality and timing. Given the extensive detail of the device and its specifications, making a single full review of the device and its software would prove to be one heck of a read for you! Secondly, at the time of this writing, the X7510s ROM is not in its final shipping version. Instead of risking discussing something that may not make the final ROM, I've decided to have a separate discussion on the ROM and software when it is available in June. To begin, let's take a look at the physical aspects of the X7510. As I mentioned before, this device is bigger than most Windows Mobile devices on the market today, measuring 98mm x 133.5mm x 16mm (or 3.9" x 5.3" x .6") in width, height and depth. Those dimensions make the X7510 roughly 2" wider than the TyTN II, one of the most popular Windows Mobile Professional devices today. Like its physical size, this device also is heavier than most at a weight of 375g (or 13.2 ounces). That puts the X7510 at about twice the weight of the TyTN II. Still, even at this size, the X7510 can easily fit into a back jeans pocket, a jacket pocket, or handbag without giving you a weighed-down feeling. Having used it now as my primary device for a couple of weeks, I have found the size to be a non-issue. The detachable keyboard measures roughly the same size as the device from a width and height perspective, but is only 3mm (or 1/10th") thick, adding virtually no depth or weight to the device. Figure 1: Advantage X7510 - Compared to AT&T Tilt and MWg Atom Life Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

MWg Xda Flame Only $449 at Expansys-USA

Clinton Fitch — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:26:23 +0000

If you are looking for an inexpensive VGA Windows Mobile device then Expansys-USA may have an option for you. Currently they have the MWg (formerly O2 Asia) Xda Flame on sale for an amazing $449.95 (US). The device sports a 3.6" VGA display running the nVidia GEForce 5500 Mobile Graphics chipset. Couple that awesome graphics power with a 520Mhz PXA270 Processor, a whopping 2GB of ROM and 128MB of RAM and you get one heck of a device for gaming and multimedia.... oh yeah, and work stuff too! You can get more information at Expansys-USA on this offer but hurry, it looks like they have less than 50 in stock Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Microsoft Surface Images Available at Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com!

Clinton Fitch — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:36:55 +0000

I fully admit that Microsoft Surface has completely captured my attention! This use-to-be-sci-fi way of computing is going to revolutionize how we interact with technology and I so cannot wait to actually get to play with this thing. Microsoft has released a series of Press images of Surface in action and I've posted them up at Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! for your viewing pleasure.

The full press release follows after the jump... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Lego Artist

Clinton Fitch — Thu, 31 May 2007 19:06:04 +0000

I ran across this earlier today and I had to share - and this should make Kerry's day! Meet Nathan Sawaya. He is a Lego Artist. He's not a Lego Builder. He is a Lego Artist. What is the difference you ask? Ah, well take a look at some of his work and you will understand exactly what I mean! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The BeyzaCASES Universal Leather Case Review

Clinton Fitch — Thu, 31 May 2007 13:31:29 +0000

On the short list of accessories that Windows Mobile device owners need is a case. Cases not only protect your device but often put that device in a convenient and easy-to-access location (like your hip). In the not-to-distant past, most devices shipped with, at a minimum, a neoprene or vinyl slip case of some type. Unfortunately this has changed in recent years and now is more of an exception than a rule. A relative newcomer to providing cases for Windows Mobile devices is BeyzaCASES. The company, based in Istanbul, Turkey, provides a wide range of leather cases designed to custom fit a variety of Windows Mobile devices. They have been making cases for other companies to rebrand and sell for years, but in 2004 began selling cases under their own marquee. A few weeks ago BeyzaCASES sent me two cases to review, both designed for my O2 XDA Zinc. While these cases are technically universal cases - they will fit a variety of similarly sized devices - I have to say I am quite impressed with the cases. Not only do they fit nicely around my device but they look stylish and elegant. As Judie will attest, I am a huge Louis Vuitton fan (yeah, I'm a guy... got a problem with that?) so anytime I get something that comes with a dustcover my interest is already peaked! That is exactly what you get when you open up the box of your BeyzaCASES case. Inside the box is a small drawstring dustcover which contains your leather case. Open up the dustcover and you'll find the case is a supple, smooth leather with a rich aroma. Figure 1: The BeyzaCASES Box Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

My First “Pocket” PC – A Tribute to Clinton Sr.

Clinton Fitch — Fri, 18 May 2007 18:16:13 +0000

[Judie's note: This article is also currently running on Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com!, and it can be viewed in the original format (with even larger pictures) there. If you haven't already checked out the many Windows Mobile software reviews on Clinton's site, then be sure to visit soon.] If you read my biographical information on the Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! Staff page, then you will see that I've been writing reviews of some type since the late 1990s. Likewise, if you read my blog entry over at Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine last month, then you read about how I got started using Windows Mobile devices. I'd like to go back a bit further and introduce you to my very first "pocket" PC, The Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer. The TRS-80 Pocket Computer The history behind this device is as much a personal story as it is a technical one. As I look back, it�was�seeing this device that I attribute to my strong desire to work in the technology field and that�ultimately lead to the creation of Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! and others in the past. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The nxZEN 5000 VoIP Bluetooth Headset Review

Clinton Fitch — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 17:33:28 +0000

I freely and openly admit that I have purposely avoided getting a Bluetooth headset.� It isn't that I'm opposed to them (although I do find it funny at the airport when people forget to take them off and try to go through security!) it is just that I have never found one that I've been completely thrilled with.� Most of them either weigh too much on my ear, the ear bud isn't comfortable or the sound quality for me and/or whoever is on the phone with me has been less than wonderful.� With this in mind, when Judie contacted me about doing a review of the new nXZEN 5000 VoIP Bluetooth headset I was happy to review it but not overly enthused.� Now, a month later, I'm glad I did the review!� I have found the nXZEN to be one of the better headsets that I have tested both from an ease-of-use perspective as well as sound clarity and quality.� Combine those two with a lightweight form factor and you have a winning headset that any Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone or Smartphone user should consider. To begin, the nXZEN is different than many of the Bluetooth headsets available in that it will work with Voice over IP technology as well traditional cellular-based calls.� If you think about it, this somewhat makes sense.� As long as you have an application on your device or your PC, getting the data to output/input to the headset really isn't that difficult but it does take some effort.� nXZEN has done that and done it well.� In using the headset with the included Skype client for PC and the application available for Pocket PCs, I found the sound quality to be good.� Because of my day-to-day job, I was also able to test the headset with the Cisco Systems Cisco Agent Desktop (CAD) and Unified Communicator and it worked flawlessly with them. The nXZEN is small, coming in at an amazingly light 17 grams (.54 oz) and is 59.9mm long by 28.5mm high.� This small, lightweight package makes the nXZEN 5000 comfortable to wear for hours without any feeling of pressure or weight on your outer ear.� Further, the clip bar which holds the headset on your ear is reversible, easily flipping to be worn on your left or right ear.� Finally, it comes with a wide range of various shaped and sized ear buds to meet the comfort level of virtually any user.� The ear buds easily snap on-and-off of the nXZEN and I recommend trying them to see which one fits your needs best.� all photos click to enlarge Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Vaja MiniSD x2 Case Review

Clinton Fitch — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:02:08 +0000

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of reviewing a Vaja case for my O2 XDA Atom.� As we often do, Judie and I were chatting online about�Vaja's cases, and she described them as �yummy� when it came to their deep leather scent.�I laughed this off, but after experiencing their case�s wonderful aroma for myself, I can tell you that they indeed do smell yummy!� It goes beyond the scent, though:� These cases are just outstanding and really are a wonderful way to luxuriously protect your PDA, phone, or MP3 Player. Enamored by the scent and the quality of the XDA Atom case, I decided to order another from Vaja to complement my device case.� As one who carries multiple MiniSD cards with me (I�m one of those who�keep their music on a wholly separate card), I decided the logical choice was a MiniSD case.� After spending a bit of time pondering my leather color choices and options on the Vaja website, I placed my order and soon received�the new case.� Ah, the wonderful smell of leather once again flows from my desk! When my case arrived via FedEx it came in the familiar Vaja white box.� Opening it up was a treat as I could already smell the leather and I'm always a sucker for great product presentation.

The nice packaging of my MiniSD case

My case sitting tight in its form fitting box and insert

The MiniSD case is, well, mini! :-) The case I ordered is the i-volution x2�which is designed to hold two MiniSD cards.� I chose to have the outside of the case in Friar Brown leather while the inside inserts is in Rossa.� Oh yeah, it looks good!� The case itself isn�t much bigger than the cards themselves, measuring only 1.14� (w) x 1.77� (h) x .55� (d) and is held closed by a set of small magnets.� Continue reading on Gear Diary ...