Reviews |
You're either in the market for a laptop desk, or you're not.
First of all, you've got to use a notebook computer and you've got to use it a lot. And, to really be a target consumer for [The Laptop Desk 2.0](http://laptopdesk.net/laptopdesk2f.html) from [Lapworks](http://laptopdesk.net), you need to be the kind of person that uses that notebook in many places, at and away from tables and desks. If that sounds like you, then you should take a long look at this product because, while this is not a flashy product, it knows what it is and it does what it should. ##Expectations## * It should create a sturdy, portable work surface on which you can place your notebook computer and/or a mouse, and work comfortably. ##Does it deliver?## The Laptop Desk 2.0 delivers on all of these.
The unit's design features recessed channels which allow heat from the computer to dissipate away from your legs. I was able to use my PowerBook on my lap for hours without feeling heat in my legs. I also use the Laptop Desk in bed, both sitting up and lying down (with the Desk on my chest). It performed perfectly. The Desk has two basic modes. First, when you unfold it completely, it forms a 20 inch-wide surface which you can place across your knees so that, wherever you find yourself, you can create a solid, sturdy desk to work on, as long as you can sit down. The unit can also function as a tilted laptop stand at your desk: you unfold it a small amount and set up the support arm. The arm creates a wedge that can hold your laptop at any of five different angles, inclining the typing surface and bringing the screen closer to you face.
The LapWorks website contains [a bunch of information](http://laptopdesk.net/thermal/thermalstudy-introf.html) about how independent researchers have found proof that using the Laptop Desk will reduce heat buildup and increase your laptop's life-span. I don't know that I really believe that, but the comfort benefits alone have sold me. ##Any complaints?## I'm happy to say that I don't have any real complaints about this product. I don't want to spoil the ending, but I'm going to give it MM Recs status. If I had to pick something to complain about, I might focus on price. The unit sells for $29, which seems like a lot for an item that I, personally, would not use every day. However, if I were a business traveller, that price would be much more reasonable. (The company does have an offer for two units for a $10 discount, but how many customers need more than one of these things?) Like I said at the beginning of the review, you're either in the target market for this product, or you're not. If you have need for a product like this, you'll be happy with the LapWorks Laptop Desk 2.0. If it doesn't seem like a perfect fit, the company's website offers different models to chose from as well. |
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*(Ed. Note: The following product review was prepared and written by Josh, a new contributor here at MacMove. He is far hipper and more stylish than I am, so this seemed to be a good piece to introduce him with. It's about the iPod and he is 'down with that.' If you like what Josh has to say, let him know by posting a comment.)* One of the biggest problems for college students these days is not whether or not to ditch class, but how to wear and protect their iPod when they are on the move. Boy, did the Kenpo iPod Jacket come at the right time. You will never have to bring your iPod Armband with you unless you are going to the gym.
Simply put your iPod into the specially-designed pocket on the inside of this jacket, plug in a few things and run your headphones up the track on inside of the jacket. You’re off, and your iPod is safe and sound in the jacket’s pocket. How do you control it you ask? Simple: this jacket has a specially designed system that keeps your iPod in hold mode when you aren‘t listening to it. The controller is on the outside of the left forearm. IT’S LIKE HAVING A NINTENDO POWER GLOVE ON!!
If the jacket gets dirty, no problem. You just unsnap the special ribbon connector that is attached to the inside of the jacket pocket and the jacket is ready to wash or dry clean. There’s even a friendly reminder to remove your iPod before washing. Finally by keeping the ipod inside your jacket, you limit its exposure to possible theft. ###Five things you need to know### * The jacket has several zipper pockets on the sides and underneath the forearms which are perfect for the other junk you need to carry. Because they zip, none of your crap will fall out. It’s a nice detail.
###Addendum### * You can visit the Kenpo website [here](http://kenpofashion.com/kenpo.html) to learn more. (Warning: The site auto-plays a commercial that includes music.) |
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So you’ve got your iPod and you want to share one of your songs with a friend. Or, maybe, like me, you want to listen to your music while you wash dishes and you don’t want to be tethered to an iPod around all those soapsuds. Or maybe you’ve got another reason... whatever the justification, there comes a time in most iPod user’s lives that external speakers begin to seem like a good idea. And, boy, are there a bunch of them to choose from. ##Features## First and formost, this sucker sounds *good.* This is not a portable system –it plugs into the wall– but the sound that it gives out more than makes up the difference. Put simply, music coming out of these speakers sound every bit as good as it does coming out of your iPod with a good set of headphones. If you’re an audiophile (read that as “sound-geek”) then you should check it out for yourself. But, if you’re simply an average Joe looking for crisp sound, you will be happy. Secondly, as should be obvious from the name, the ThunderDock isn’t just a set of powered speakers; it’s an iPod dock, too. It sports a USB port on the back (and comes with the appropriate cable, a nice feature that printer manufacturers can’t understand) so that, if you plug it into your Mac or PC, when you seat your iPod in the socket, it will sync as expected and charge.
That’s it for the major features. Two little things: One, the unit glows blue at the socket when it’s powered on, which is a pretty neat looking effect. Also, the volume controls are touch-sensitive. They’re made of metal, but don’t require pressing down; you simply touch them with your finger and, the longer you touch it, the louder (or softer) the music gets. ##Setup and Use## This isn’t really even worth talking about. You put the ThunderDock on a table and insert the correct plastic adapter for your iPod. Then you plug the unit into the wall and shove in your iPod. That’s it. The only possible wrinkle is if you use some sort of iPod cover or case that you leave on all the time. My wife’s 3G iPod is covered with skin from [MacSkinz](http://www.macskinz.com/cgi-bin/product_ipod_0905.cgi) which is about as thick as a credit card. It makes it a little tough to get the iPod docked. I have no problem, however, with my iPod shuffle or an un-skinned iPod. This would be perfect unit for a bedside table or kitchen counter, but it doesn’t make much sense to me to put it near your Mac or PC, since that probably has speakers of its own. So, the dock capabilities are probably a feature you’re not going to use very often. Still, it’s nice to have the option. ##Nitty-gritty## Included in the box: * A USB cable Tech-specs: * Maximum power is 6 watts/channel Retail price: $99 ##Conclusion## At a retail price of only $99, this is a really good buy. You get dock capabilities, a nice set of speakers and an additional place to charge and listen to your iPod. Plus, if you own more than one iPod, the ThunderDock can handle them all with a simple adapter-swap (and, again, the unit ships with adapters for all models). In a pinch, it will even work with a CD player or non-iPod MP3 player. It’s priced reasonably and offers solid features... which is why it has our recommendation. Check it out! |
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I remember when I was about 7, I visited the shopping mall with my grandparents. This was the late 70's, and malls were different then; they were less noisy, friendlier places, with no food courts or video game stores. They were, *less* somehow, but in a good way. Anyway, I remember walking along with them and rounding a corner to see a man, standing in the center of the mall's main hallway, tossing small toy airplanes into the air. I - literally - stopped in my tracks, transfixed. He had one glider in each hand and was alternatively tossing each one gently towards the ground, only to have them effortlessly float up, turn a complete loop, and come right back to his hand. He was *juggling* airplanes. It was remarkable. I simply had to have one of these toys and, as you might imagine, I used every power at my disposal to convince my grandparents to make the decision. They did, and I left the mall a happy boy, excited to go home and show my brothers these remarkable toys. Of course, once I got home, trying to reproduce the effortless flight demonstrated by the man at the mall proved to be impossible. The glider itself was made of cheap Styrofoam which broke almost immediately. I never got to see my brothers' faces light up as I amazed them with the toy; it was broken and forgotten before bedtime that night. Have you ever had an experience like that? One where the promise of a new product is so exciting, so exhilarating, that you literally can't wait to try it out, only to be disappointed when the reality falls short of the amazing promise of the concept? That's the BOOMTUNE mini, an oddly-capitalized and titled "tripod speaker for the iPod." Marketed in the US by [TuneWear](http://www.tunewear.com), a company which sells all sorts of neat cases for a variety of iPods, the BOOMTUNE mini is an iPod speaker which I first read about online about 3 months ago. I don't remember where I saw it, but when I saw the picture, I was amazed by the concept and design... then disappointed when I read that it seemed to only be available in Japan. Then, a little later, I was re-excited when I read that it was going to be made available in the US; when I was told that a review unit was on its way to MacMove World Headquarters, I was gleeful with anticipation.
Unfortunately, like that glider from my childhood, the reality of the BOOMTUNE mini turned out to be a little disappointing. I want to be clear in my criticism: The is a *great* concept and the unit's design in top-notch. It's the kind of product that you want to show everybody you know; and they all want to immediately hold it in their hands, play with the tripod legs and experiment with how it mates with an iPod. Reality doesn't hit until you turn it on. Because, unfortunately, the BOOMTUNE mini is a speaker. No matter how good they look, speakers aren't really useful if they don't sound good... and this one doesn't. The company's website and the unit's package proclaim that the BT mini contains a "1Wx2 high powered amp." That's one watt per channel; your car stereo probably has 25 or 30 watts per channel. A physics expert I know tells me that, mathematically, he'd expect a 1 watt speaker system to sound the same as your car stereo does... from a distance of 10 feet. I'm listening to the BT mini right now, and I'd say that's about right. The fact of the matter is that, while making a speaker that looks this cool work on just a AAA battery is neat, the sound simply isn't there. The volume isn't sufficient to overcome the dishwashing sounds I make and, if I turn the iPod up to compensate, the distortion is unbearable. I took the unit to my weekly poker game and showed it to the guys; the consensus was that it sounded like a transistor radio and that they would be willing to spend between ten and fifteen dollars for it. TuneWear is selling it for $39.95. Nobody I spoke to felt that the sound the unit delivers is worth that price, and I have to agree. Let me end on a positive note: this is a *really cool looking* speaker system. When you hold it in your hands, you're overcome with the urge to show it to everyone you know, and they will be blown away by it... until they hear it. Ultimately, like the glider I brought home so many years ago, the BOOMTUNE mini doesn't live up to the expectations it creates. I look forward to a second version of the product, with a little more attention paid to sound quality. |
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I tend to not write over-complimentary product reviews. This is true for a number of reasons: first, I am a discriminating consumer and I expect quite a bit from the things I choose to spend my money on. Also, I think that most peripherals for personal computers are over-priced. What this means is that you can expect the product reviews I write to be of a generally dismal tone; I don't often run into products that wow me.
As a matter of fact, the only negative remark I can make about this product is that you might not have a need for it. If you don't, that's OK, move right along. But if you have the problem that this little gem is designed to solve, then get yourself a few of 'em as quick as you can. They're that good.
Now, the cableyoyo is not the right product to deal with earbud cables.. but it *is* the perfect solution to virtually every other thin cable mess you have. I would try to describe how the cableyoyo works, but the photos these guys have made available do a much better job communicating the elegance of this solution than I could. Remember that messy iPod? Check this out:
The cableyoyo is a flat square of plastic 3.15 inches on a side and .35 inches (9mm) thick. It's what you would get if you ran over a butterfly-style yoyo with a steamroller. There's a notch to accept each end of the cord and you simply wrap the cable around the center spindle, leaving enough hanging out of each end to reach your devices, as shown here:
It even comes with a flat, sticky plate which snaps into the hole in the middle, so you can hang the entire gizmo on any surface. That's how it's stuck onto the back of the iMac.
It's a brilliant concept. You can even crate a sticky-stack of them, sticking a second unit right on top of the one before. Note that, once the yoyo is stuck onto a surface, it is far more irksome to wrap the cable than it was when you could manipulate it in your hand. It's not *hard*, it's just more of a bother... so the sticky-feature is something you want to reserve for installations that are at least semi-permanent.
The specifications say that it can handle any low-voltage or data cable up to 5mm in diameter, which includes a slew of the wires currently lying, tangled, in the bottom of your desk drawer. It will hold iPod cables, iSight wires, cell phone charging cables, the wires for large pairs of headphones, thin USB cables for scanners, printers, cameras, hubs and other devices, PDA and smartphone syncing cables, that silly, white phone cable you got with your Mac and even controllers for console gaming systems. There's a beautiful gallery of pictures of this thing in use at the company's [website](http://www.cableyoyo.com). You should check that website out for another reason, two, which brings me to my conclusion. There are three reasons why I think this is a fantastic product. The first, which I've beaten to death, I think, is that the durn thing works. It does what it says it will do and, unlike a pet rock or 15-button mouse, I actually need something to do what the cableyoyo does. The second reason I love this product is because of its design. It has the same brilliant, minimalist feel that Apple Computer's hardware does. I mean, sure, you could probably buy some velcro straps or, in a pinch, even use zip-ties or those twisty things from the supermarket to manage your messy cables. I know that's what I used to do. But you know that little giggle I get inside every time I pull my PowerBook our of my bag? That giggle that comes from knowing that I use a computer designed by people who really care how it *feels* when I use it? The cableyoyo delivers that same sort of feeling. If [Jonathan Ive](http://www.designmuseum.org/design/index.php?id=63) designed a cable-tie, this is what it would look and feel like. Finally - and I saved this for the end on purpose - you can have all of this cable-management-goodness for only $4.95. You can buy the things from the [website](http://www.cableyoyo.com) itself or you can go there to search for a retail store near you that stocks them. They come in white, black or silver, and you can save 50 cents if you buy them in packs of three (each pack contains only one color). So, it's a well-designed, useful, reasonably-priced product and has my hearty recommendation. |
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