Hands On: AVS GEAR BL-741 LED backlight keyboard

Posted in Review,Uncategorized by Conner Flynn on March 15th, 2011

When it comes to computing, the keyboard is pretty boring. Do we even know that it is there anymore as we mindlessly mash key after key? Well, AVS Gear wants to spice up your computer time and let you know that the keyboard is still there with their ZIPPY BL-741 LED backlight keyboard. They sent us a review unit so we could check it out. The ZIPPY BL-741 offers a 512-color level, allowing you to adjust the colors the way you want them.

You can adjust the brightness in dark settings and it consumes low power. You also get triple-color LEDs and an On/Off switch to regulate the backlight atmosphere.

Hands On: Epson WorkForce 840 All-in-One

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on January 20th, 2011

The Epson WorkForce 840 All-in-One was announced at CES 2011 and one of the first things you notice is that they have crammed a bunch of features into a fairly compact frame. The price is $300(Down to $199 on their site already). It’s ideal for the small office at that price for what it packs in. The 840 will do the usual printing, copy, scan, and fax. It will scan to your PC or to e-mail and can print from or scan to memory cards or USB drives. It will also print or copy multiple pages onto a one sheet.

Hands On: dB Logic SPL2 Headphones

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on December 8th, 2010

dB Logic’s SPL2 headphones are designed for healthy listening so they won’t damage your ears. The company was kind enough to provide us with a review unit so we could hear how they sound. These are no-battery-required ultra-low distortion sound pressure level headphones and earphones, which include models for adults and kids.

The SPL2 lowers the volume while still keeping the shape of the sound wave curve. The headphones regulate the volume when it is needed, while still keeping the “musical content largely unchanged”. How do they sound? Read on.

Samsung Galaxy U gets some hands-on time

Posted in Samsung by Conner Flynn on August 9th, 2010

We already showed you what the Samsung Galaxy U looks like last week, and it’s all set to arrive in South Korea anytime now, but now you can see it in action at the link below.

Launching later this month, it shares many features with the Samsung Galaxy S, including a 3.7″ AMOLED Plus display. We still have no word on pricing though at this time.

Quick Review: C.Crane Universal Solar Battery Charger

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on March 25th, 2010

We were asked to check out C.Crane’s Solar Battery Charger, so CableOrganizer.com sent us a review unit and all we needed to do was wait for some sun. Luckily for us, the sun is returning around these parts. So we rounded up a bunch of dead batteries and got to work.

This solar battery charger will charge AAA, AA, C and D size batteries and has a solar power meter on top which shows the charging rate. Just open the plastic cover and put some batteries in. At any one time, you can charge several batteries, a few AA or AAAs along with some Ds for instance.

Hands On: iFrogz EarPollution CS40 headphones

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on March 8th, 2010

iFrogz sent us a pair of their new EarPollution CS40 headphones for review. They come in several stylish colors and actually look pretty nice compared to what’s out there on the headphones market, so we were eager to give them a go and see if they are worth the $39.99 price.

The CS40 claims to offer “cranium busting sound with supreme comfort” and they have a high gloss finish with black dura-strength rubber cups and headband. They also promise light-weight and high quality.

Hands On: Stylophone Beatbox

Posted in Musical Instruments by Conner Flynn on December 4th, 2009

Hands On: Stylophone BeatboxThe Stylophone Beatbox was recently released, some 40 years after the original Stylophone. They sent us one for review purposes. Now I’m not musically inclined myself, but I did find the device to be fun and pretty easy to use. And despite my lack of hip musical skills, it was pretty easy to figure out and start making beats.

Nexus One gets some hands on time

Posted in Android by Conner Flynn on December 3rd, 2009

Nexus Hands OnThe guys over at Engadget recently got some hands on time with Google’s Nexus One. So now we have some high quality pictures of the sexy device and some initial impressions.

Firstly the phone is sexy and it’s just a tad thinner than the iPhone. The Nexus One features Google’s Android 2.1, 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, 3.7-inch 480 x 800 display, 512MB of ROM, 512MB of RAM and comes bundled with a 4GB microSD card. The phone is a T-Mobile device that includes a light sensor, proximity sensor, and accelerometer.

Hands On: Sansa Clip+

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on October 12th, 2009

SanDisk Sansa Clip+ MP3 playerSanDisk sent us a complimentary Sansa Clip+ to check out. After using it for several days, we’re ready to share our thoughts on the device. The original Sansa Clip has been a popular choice where cheap mp3 players are concerned and the Sansa Clip+ is even better.

The design beats the original, with a larger capacity and better features. The first thing that you notice is how durable this thing is. Despite it’s tiny size, it looks and feels tough. It’s definitely more durable than your average mp3 player. And it feels natural in your hand.

Hands on: Epson WorkForce 610 All-in-One Printer

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on September 27th, 2009

Hands on: Epson WorkForce 610 All-in-One PrinterEpson’s new Workforce 610 all-in-one printer is aimed at small businesses and home offices and the like as it’s capable of handling a wide variety of jobs all in one convenient device. You might remember that when we reviewed last year’s model, the Workforce 600, we really liked it. So how did the 610 stack up? Read on and find out.

Hands on: Logitech Speaker System Z323

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on September 21st, 2009

Hands on: Logitech Speaker System Z323Good speaker systems are hard to find. Especially if you want a small form, with big sound. And bass is usually disappointing in these small systems. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been disappointed with speakers that don’t deliver. So I decided to give Logitech’s Z323 a try.

These speakers are acoustically engineered to project audio evenly in all directions, not just one. The idea is that you hear the full range of sound throughout a room. Another interesting feature is the down-firing woofer designed to deliver rich, deep bass. The two satellite speakers claim to produce warm mid-range tones and crisp high notes. You can plug in your Logitech Squeezebox, gaming console, iPod or DVD player. So what did we think of the Z323? Read on.

Hands on: ifrogz Ear Pollution Plugz

Posted in Earbuds by Conner Flynn on September 8th, 2009

Hands on: ifrogz Ear Pollution PlugzOne of the most often replaced items in our gadget collection is earbuds. You use a pair for a while and they bite the dust. So when it came time for another pair, I recently gave ifrogz Ear Pollution Plugz earbuds with microphone a try. They are affordable noise canceling earbuds, available in a variety of colors, and they offer some decent style.

They look great and have style. They are also comfortable and if you are like me and have trouble getting earbuds to fit and stay in the ear, they come with three tip sizes that should fit any ear. They feel great and actually block out almost all but the loudest noises around you.

Sporting Seven Displays with HP’s USB Graphics Adapter

Posted in Review by Darrin Olson on August 2nd, 2009

HP USB Graphics Adapter background image across multiple monitorsRunning multiple monitors on a single computer is just plain cool. At least it is for us here at the ‘Brick, and the more the better. So, when we heard about HP’s USB graphics adapters which allow you to connect multiple monitors via USB, we had to try it out. HP says a single computer can run as many as six of them and we wanted to see just how well.

THE SETUP:
We ran our testing with some pretty standard equipment. We used an HP ultra-slim desktop PC running Windows Vista with 2GB of RAM and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, along with six average 19″ displays and a single 20″ display. And of course six USB Graphics adapters (actually we had seven adapters but we’ll …

Hands on video of the Beanzawave USB microwave

Posted in USB by Conner Flynn on July 2nd, 2009


We first showed you the Beanzawave USB microwave last month. Well here’s the first hands on video of the Beanzawave in action. Sure,when it comes to power and size it’s lacking, but it makes up for those cons with portability and convenience.

It’s powered by onboard batteries that can be charged via USB or an AC adapter. Of course, it’s designed to work with Heinz’s very own single-serving cans of Chef Boyardee foods. We still don’t have any details on pricing or availability.

Hands on: K-box portable speaker

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on June 24th, 2009

K-box turns tables and walls into giant speakersWe told you about the K-box from Kerchoonz a few weeks ago. The portable speaker that aims to turn nearly any surface into a speaker with an emphasis on bass. It’s targeted at those who want sound on the go, but don’t want to carry bulky speakers with them.

It’s about the size of the iPhone and yes it really does turn your tables, walls and other flat surfaces into giant speakers. It works by plugging into your laptop, portable gaming device, netbook, mp3 player etc. Anything equipped with a headphone jack.


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