Review: iWatchz Carbon Collection

What makes iWatchz watchbands so different from the others? The feel is natural, solid, and very much like a real watch. iWatchz has a number of higher end models, but the Carbon series is the lower end version of their watchbands and works amazingly well. I recieved the iWatchz Carbon sample with the silver stitching and while the color doesn’t make a huge difference, it adds a nice touch, especially if your iPod matches the color. The iWatchz stitching comes in a variety of colors: with SIlver, Black, White, Red, Green, Orange, Blue, and Pink stitching.

The pins on the band are also removable so that a user has options as to what color they prefer to wear. Other than that small color difference, the band is the same and sports a very classy and modern look with the faux carbon fiber band and the anodized clip to set the iPod in. The iPod Nano slides into the watchband and clicks into place, with the clip on the Nano being used to secure the device. iWatchz is currently selling all colors of the Carbon series for a low cool price of $49.95 The iWatchz Carbon is currently available on the site and can be bought [here].

Pros

-Great band; high quality

-iPod clicks right into place; very secure

-quick removal for runs and gym exercises and clicks right back into place

-Very lightweight

Review: TYLT PowerPlant and Zumo Portable Chargers

Image from fkn-famous

TYLT, a new portable electronics company is now unleashing a slew of products, targeted towards smartphone owners who are constantly running low on battery. The iPhone 4S and many other smart phones and music players now do so much more, and require more battery. TYLT has the perfect solution, bringing in a range of portable battery packs, including the PowerPlant and the Zumo, which we will talk about. Note: The PowerPlant is available in Sprint Retail Stores and Sprint online. All other TYLT products are not yet available for purchase but will be soon (check out TYLTs website by clicking here or going to www.TYLT.com)

PowerPlant

The PowerPlant has a 5,200 mAh battery with a built-in “Flex Charging Arm”. The TYLT PowerPlant comes equipped with either a Micro-USB connector for smartphone and Android devices or an optional 30-pin Apple connector for IOS devices. The TYLT PowerPlant has a Micro-USB charging socket located  behind the “Flex Port” cover, and also a “Universal Female USB Charging Socket” for other devices. The PowerPlant, when I received it, came with a USB charger to charge the PowerPlant itself.The wall charger plugs right into the female mini-USB port. After the PowerPlant is all charged up, you can plug in a mini USB, or any regular USB charger. I used the PowerPlant to charge my iPhone 4S and my iPod, one right after the other and the battery juice held up for a few days.

It is quite impressive; TYLT advertises the PowerPlant as a portable charger, capable of charging a smartphone twice, as well as tablets, such as the Apple iPad. The “Flex Charging Arm” charges most phones from Blackberry’s to HTC, and holds to its name, the PowerPlant. So far, from my two weeks of everyday use, I can say that my battery has always been charged and I don’t have to worry about the PowerPlant’s battery running out of juice to charge my iPhone, so long as I charge it every few days. I’ve used other portable chargers in the past and this one by far is one of the better ones out there. Other portable chargers can only charge one or two things and is usually limited to the iPhone, however, this one comes built in with a mini-USB and allows a USB to plug in simultaneously.

Apple Issues Invitations for iPad 3 Event on March 7

On Tuesday, Apple issued invites for the long awaited iPad 3. The invite showed the iPad in use and has the following line across the bottom, “We have something you really have to see. And touch.” The event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM Pacific / 1:00 PM Eastern. Rumors prior to this invitation suggested that Apple was planning to hold the event on March 7th, in line with other reports from top sources, including The Wall Street Journal. Apple is expected to introduce the new iPad 3 with a higher resolution display (likely Retina), a new A6 chip, possibly a more tapered (albeit thicker, 0.81 mm to be exact) design, and a better camera (likely in line with the iPhone 4S).

OS X Mountain Lion Preview, 100 new features, Inspired by iPad

On Thursday, Apple announced the newest version of the Mac operating system, OS X 10.8. The newest version is being called ‘OS X Mountain Lion’, up from the current OS X Lion running on Mac computers. Apple has made a preview version of OS X 10.8 available to registered developers and will release the final version, with over 100 new features later this summer.

The release will likely be in late August, as usual, and will begin to ship with MacBooks and iMacs during the initial education sales and beginning of the school year, when Mac sales typically increase. SVP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller commented on the release, saying:

The Mac is on a roll, growing faster than the PC for 23 straight quarters, and with Mountain Lion things get even better. The developer preview of Mountain Lion comes just seven months after the incredibly successful release of Lion and sets a rapid pace of development for the world’s most advanced personal computer operating system.

Apple launched OS X 10.7 Lion during their “Back to the Mac” event, bringing a number of iOS features back to the Mac in order to blur the lines between the two devices. With OS X Mountain Lion, Apple is pushing iOS integration to a whole new level, integrating a number of apps, including Messages (replacing iChat), Reminders, Notes as well as Game Center and Twitter integration.

Apple has also incorporated Notification Center from iOS 5, allowing the Mac to keep track of all notifications in one place. Prior to this integration, users would have to rely on third-party software like Growl for notifications. The Cupertino-based company has even brought over AirPlay mirroring, allowing users to mirror their Mac screen on their HDTV through the Apple TV.

Review: UnYOUsual Custom iPhone Cases

UnYOUsual, with a rather unusual name offers custom made iPhone cases and glass panels for the iPhone. I received two units to try out from UnYOUsual, one of their GlassPic Panels as well as a Slender Case. Both of the cases allowed me to add my own image, which I believe UnYOUsual laser prints on, so its pretty permanent, no scratching or peeling. FIrst, let’s start off with the Slender Case.

UnYOUsual Slender Case

The slender case arrived packaged in a pretty cool recycled box, which appeared to be a gift box at first glance. After opening the box, I noticed the case that I custom made nestled in styrofoam packing to protect it from cracking or breaking. Upon inspecting the Slender Case and giving it a once over, I noticed that the case wasn’t made of the thick polyurethane plastic that most of these cases are made out of, but instead a slightly cheaper, lighter plastic, which gave off an excellent shine and showed the designs very well, but had me doubting its duty of protecting my iPhone, if I were to drop it.

The Slender Case is your average polycarbonate iPhone case, but what truly sets it apart is UnYOUsual’s addition of customer designs. UnYOUsual allows you to add your own custom design, however, they also have a collection of artist designs that you may also apply. Check out the Pros and cons below and other cases that UnYOUsual offers, which we’ll also look at, keep reading!

Review: SF Bags iPhone Suede Jacket

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WaterField Suede Jacket [2011

 

SFBags Suede Jacket — “It doesn’t get any thinner than this!” SFBags (WaterField) was right on the money when they made this statement and it is in fact, very true! The iPhone suede jacket is the perfect balance between simplicity, and style because of how it retains the thin form factor of the iPhone while adding an impressive and sleek style. The case, as mentioned in the  title is made out of a very fine suede and contains a small pocket on the front to store your iPhone earbuds and any small accessories  you might use with your iPhone on a daily basis. SFBag’s Ultrasuede® slipcase is the perfect addition to your iPhone, and allows very good drop protection.

About a week into use with the case, I dropped my iPhone with the case in it and the soft suede edges actually protected the iPhone — no dents or scratches on my iPhone and no marks or tears on the case, perfect! *Update: Since I last reviewed this case, Apple has added the iPhone 4S to their iPhone lineup and its fits this case perfectly. To those of you wondering if the hold switch on the iPhone is affected with this case, the answer is no. The case allows the 4S to work seamlessly with this case. The iPhone Utrasuede jacket is available in 3 different colors and prints:

iPhone 4S/4 Suede Jacket Case
iPhone 4S/4 w/Apple Bumper** Suede Jacket Case
iPhone 3GS/3G Suede Jacket Case – 2.5 ” x 4.6″ / 0.1oz

Review: AGF Vent Shell Case

AGF introduced this case last year after the release of the iPhone 4 and it has been sure to turn a lot of heads since then. While I do not own an iPhone 4, I tried out the case on an iPhone 4S and it worked almost perfectly. The only problem with the fitting of the case was an issue with the mute switch which is slightly lower on the iPhone 4S than on the 4. Not to worry though, the large opening for the mute switch on the AGF Vent Shell case allowed both phones to work on this one case. The case is rather simple, a plastic shell covered by a rubbery outer cover, which does not pick up dirt or debris and stays rather clean (beware of oily fingers though!). The AGF Vent Shell is exactly what the title makes it out to be, a vent shell, allowing the heat from the back of your iPhone to escape and comes in handy during those times when the battery really heats up (during video calls, movie streaming).

Review: Cadence 4:20 Watch

Elegant, Useful, and Superior. These are the three words that describe the Cadence 4:20 Classic watch in my opinion and I truly believe that the watch is a testament to how the company manages its products, from production to shipping. The unit that I received came in an orange gift box and the minute I opened it up, I knew there was something special about it, from the leather band to the ticking hands on the face. With that, let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of the watch. As I mentioned before, the watch  has a elegant vibe that you get as soon as you open up the box, and one of the best things that I loved about the watch is the presentation of it.

“If you think 4:20 is the most important time of day, this watch is for you. If you have no idea why 4:20 is a special time of day, there is nothing here for you.”

Review: XtremeMac MicroShield Layers

Apple released the iPhone 4S last month and a number of cases have come out that add a little bit of style and pizzaz to your new investment. The XtremeMac Microshield Layers is truly a great pick for the iPhone as it combines a layer of soft protection for the inside and a hard outer shell that defends against small drops and bumps. Together, it is one of the strongest, most durable, and simple cases to use. The case wraps tightly around your iPhone 4S, so there’s a guarantee that the iPhone will be snug when taking in and out of your pocket. One negative side note though, the Michroshield Layer case is one of the cases that is very tough to remove. I had to pry open the case with a number of items, including a credit card. There should be a small opening or slit that, with a slight push, should open the case right up. Other than that, there are absolutely no complaints about this case.

The rainbow color wasn’t really my taste, however the case including two inside soft layers, one Rainbow, one all blue. The blue one seemed to be the best fit for me, as it protected my iPhone very well, but at the same time, added some solid colors and design to my phone. The small bubbles on the back on great for resting on tables and good for grip. The back of the iPhone, on the inside collected no dust which I found impressive, as most iPhone cases usually accumulate a good amount of dust and debris that scratches the backside of the iPhone. This one however, did a very good job of protecting against that. The XtremeMac Microshield Layers are not yet available for sale, but will be coming soon. You can purchase yours here for $39.99.  In the end, here’s a recap:

Pros 

-solid case, colorful, very efficient in protecting the iPhone

-soft and hard combo is very interesting and useful

-protects iPhone 4S from drop/dust/debris

Cons

-Very, Very hard to remove and plastic breaks sometimes when trying to remove

Out of 5 stars, this case receives a 4.5

Review: iMainGo X for iPhone and iPod touch – Small System, Huge Sound

The iMainGo X case is covered in a synthetic, smooth black fabric, which houses hard plastic for extra drop protection. The case is closed by a zipper that goes all around the edges of the case, and when fully closed, shows two speakers , each  7/8” in diameter, covered with a metal grill.  There are also two open bass ports which allow heavy beats and smooth undertones. On the outside, near the bass ports and the charging input, there are two headphone jacks, numbered 1 and 2.

When headphones are plugged into jack 1, the iMainGo X is powered off and the sound comes directly from the MP3 player, allowing for private listening without having to take out the iPhone. The iMainGo X is specifically tailored for the iPhone and iPod touch and features a window on the back of the case which allows you to put your device inside of the case and use it in one piece.

You can navigate the interface exactly as you would without the case and allows for multiple iMainGo Xs to be linked together for maximum sound. The great thing about iMainGo X is that it doesn’t have to be a case but could also double as an external speaker for other devices larger than the speaker, like the iPad or even a Macbook.