Hands On: BlackBerry Storm launching Friday

Posted in Review by Darrin Olson on November 20th, 2008

BlackBerry Storm hands on reviewAs I am sure you are all aware, Verizon Wireless is launching the much-anticipated BlackBerry Storm tomorrow. This device is RIM’s first delve into a touchscreen mobile phone and swing at taking some of the market share away from Apple and the iPhone. We had a chance to get our hands on the Storm on the eve of the launch day and had some fun playing with the touchscreen and its unique clicking technology.

Obviously the most interesting part of the Storm is the single big button of a screen so we’ll just cut to the chase. The touchscreen in general works as you would expect, sensing your touch on the glass and allowing you to scroll through things like lists, menus and across maps. What’s different about the touchscreen on the BlackBerry Storm which sets it apart from other touchscreen phones is that the glass display is like a single large, mechanical button.

Hands On: Griffin Simplifi dock/charger/reader/hub

Posted in Review by Darrin Olson on November 18th, 2008

Griffin Simplifi iPod dock and charger, card reader and USB hubWe got a chance to get our hands on Griffin’s new Simplifi desktop device recently and we feel they really got the name right on this one. The Simplifi is a small Swiss Army Knife of accessories packed into a smooth silver box that adds some convenience and maybe even a touch of sophistication to your desk.

For starters, the device is a dock and charger for your Apple iPhone and/or iPod. It has the docking port right on top and comes with little plastic adapters to custom …

SanDisk Sansa Fuze makes a great stocking stuffer

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on November 16th, 2008

SanDisk Sansa Fuze makes a great stocking stufferIf you’re looking for an affordable MP3 player, the Sansa Fuze is a nice slim device that feels high-quality in your hands. It’s available in several color options. The device sounds good too, offers a ton of features for the price, just $80, $100, and $120 for the 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB models. The Sansa Fuze is not new by any means, but it holds it’s own thanks to the great price, easy interface, and a bunch of features. It even has an expansion slot that accepts micro SDHC cards.

Some features include: an FM tuner, Rhapsody DNA integration, photo, video, and a voice recorder. The scroll wheel makes navigation a real joy. I really couldn’t find anything to complain about with this player. The battery life is very good whether you are watching videos or listening to tunes. If you plan on buying a music player this Christmas, the SanDisk Sansa Fuze is the way to go. Drop the small amount of dough required and drop it in a stocking.

Hands On: Epson EX70 Multimedia Projector

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on November 2nd, 2008

Hands On: Epson EX70 Multimedia ProjectorThose who tote around a portable projector for presentations will appreciate this one. Connecting to your computer with a VGA or DVI cable is very clumsy. The great advantage of the Epson EX70 is that you can connect via a USB cable. There are maybe one or two other projectors that can do this. If you want that convenience, check out the Epson EX70 for $799. You’ll like the fact that a USB cable is pretty easy to carry with you rather then a DVI or VGA cable. It makes setting things up a breeze.

The WXGA 1,280 by 800 resolution will go good with widescreen notebooks and the EX70 is easy to carry around. You can even show presentations without a computer, using an SD card or a USB drive. All of the ports are easily identified. Even a monkey could do it.

Hands On: SanDisk Sansa slotMusic Player

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on October 27th, 2008

Hands On: SanDisk Sansa slotMusic PlayerAs you might have heard, SanDisk is offering players with a feature that’s a little unusual, a microSD card slot. The slot is a requirement to work with the new music format introduced last month called slotMusic.

The slotMusic format is basically just digital tracks written on a microSD card. SanDisk’s new Sansa player is made especially for the format and is pretty bare bones with no internal memory, no LCD, and no rechargeable battery. It operates on a single AAA battery. It plays slotmusic cards. Period. The device retails for $19.99. You can also get a customized player with an artist skin and a slotMusic card for $34.99. The skins on the player can be swapped if you like. Both models will be available in 2009. But how did we like it? Click through to find out.

Hands on: Epson Artisan 800 All-in-One Printer

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on September 23rd, 2008

Hands on: Epson Artisan 800 All-in-One PrinterWe recently got a chance to go hands on with Epson Artisan 800 All-in-One Printer. Just like the Epson WorkForce 600 All-in-One, it didn’t disappoint. The Artisan 800 is geared toward the more creative type of office. Designed to combine sleek styling with high performance. It has many of the same features, but with a creative slant. The Artisan 800 features built in wired and wireless networking, ultra fast print speeds (38 ppm), 6-color ink, a 7.8” touch panel, a 3.5” LCD screen, standalone photo capabilities, faded photo restorations, and a smart ink system. The Artisan 800 is smaller then the Epson WorkForce 600, which is nice as it can be tucked away a bit more conveniently.

Out of the box you get an ethernet cable, power cable, driver/software disc, user manuals, some sample paper, a small bit of phone cable and the necessary printer cartridges. No USB cable, but if you plan on using it wirelessly, that’s no big deal.

Hands on: Epson WorkForce 600 All-in-One Printer

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on September 21st, 2008

Hands on: Epson WorkForce 600 All-in-One PrinterPrinters can go either way. I’ve found that they are generally terrible due to high expectations, or in some cases they actually live up to the hype. I can tell you straight away, the Epson WorkForce 600 All-in-One Printer lives up to and even exceeds the hype. First, it looks great and it’s not much bigger then your standard printer, so you don’t need a lot of extra desk real estate. That’s a good thing for anybody, but being designed for small and home businesses, it’s a huge plus to have a work horse that looks good and goes just about anywhere. Some of the features on the 600 include WiFi capabilities, laser quality printing, fast printing speeds, built-in memory card reader, and a super handy LCD to preview your pictures and operate the whole thing effortlessly.

Right out of the box you get an ethernet cable, power cable, driver/software disc, user manuals, even sample paper, a small bit of phone cable and the necessary printer cartridges. No USB cable, which is common and with the Wi-Fi capabilities you really don’t need one.

Stix 200 reviewed: Wiimotes need not fear

Posted in PCs by Conner Flynn on August 31st, 2008

Stix 200 reviewed: Wiimotes need not fearIt’s hard to take the Stix Wiimote knockoff for the PC seriously when it looks the way it does. It’s trying to hard. But the proof is in the play and at least one reviewer failed to shake any fun out of the thing. It’s only a 2D controiller after all.

The Stix 200 may look a lot like Nintendo’s wiimote, but it’s more like “a set of slightly unresponsive, highly inconvenient arrow keys” instead of an awesome motion controller. Like the device itself, the PC games that can be played with it are bad. The 3D-capable Stix 400 controller might do better, but the consensus seems to be that it’s not worth the bother after this review. The reviewer pretty much sums it up by saying, it’s the kind of gift “parents who can’t get their hands on a wii should get their children to make them cry.”

Poptherapy: The week in geek news

Posted in Humor by Conner Flynn on May 23rd, 2008

Poptherapy: The week in geek newsWell, it’s Friday. Another week has come and gone. As usual we’ve covered a fair amount of geek related freakiness at Poptherapy. Below you’ll find a small sampling of what we’ve been up to this week, none of it good for society in general, but an awesome way to waste time.

How about using a large digging machine to undress a pretty woman? Kinda like using a back-hoe to undress a real ho.(I kid…I kid. She was a very nice lady.) What about a half-baked smurf? If it’s gaming and apparel you’re interested in

Review: Skullcandy Skullcrusher headphones

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on May 22nd, 2008

Review: Skullcandy Skullcrusher headphones
Skullcandy is known for their quality headphones. Skullcandy’s Skullcrusher headphones are not new, but I wanted to give them a try and see what all the fuss was about. They don’t have any sophisticated active noise canceling features, but still manage to drown out background noise with a nice level of bass rumbling and sheer over-powering volume. And they do it very well.

The folded headset takes up an amazingly small amount of space. They are pleasingly lightweight and portable, perfect for anyone on the go, especially if you use have a backpack. You get a vinyl protective carrying pouch, one AA battery, a 1/4″ plug adapter and a two-prong plug adapter. I really like the fact that with the included adapters, I’m covered no matter what. The cord is about 5 feet long, so you have plenty of freedom.

Review: Skullcandy Icons headphones

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on March 19th, 2008

Skullcandy Icons headphones
Normally I’m not a big headphones kinda guy. I mean, I use them fairly often, but I don’t really get much enjoyment out of them as for the most part, one pair always seems pretty much like the other. So I don’t really go out of my way looking for quality and comfort. It’s been my experience that there really isn’t much room for improvement in headphone design.

I was wrong. I can admit it after listening to these headphones. When you plug a pair of Skullcandy icons in and crank up the music, the difference between these headphones and a standard pair is obvious. First, the double headband design and weight of less than 45 grams, makes for an exact fit and total comfort. You don’t even know they are on you and they don’t bother your ears. As far as sound, the 30mm audio driver really does provide absolutely crystal clear and amazing sound.

Review: iPhone Otterbox Defender

Posted in Review by Conner Flynn on February 12th, 2008

iPhone Otterbox Defender
In honor of our current contest, Otterbox sent me their Defender case for review. Keep the funny comments coming guys(and gals), you have until midnight on Valentine’s day to enter. I have to say, you people are really surprising me with your creativity. Now, on with the review.

The Otterbox is probably the most rugged iPhone case I’ve seen. Comprised of plastic and rubber, it couldn’t be easier to install. It will protect not only the body, but the screen as well. It’s water resistant NOT water proof.(Don’t go swimming with it, ye of withered braincells) I found it interesting that the Defender actually protects the headphone jack, serial jack, speakers and mic, helping keep any debris safely outside.

“Sport” Vii 2 Wii rip-off video review

Posted in Wii by Conner Flynn on February 7th, 2008

“Sport” Vii 2
The cheap knock-off game console market seems to be high gear lately, what with the Polystation 3 and px-3600 console. We first told you about the Vii back in October. Well, it looks like our british friend who reviewed the Polystation, just got himself a KenSingTon Sport Vii 2.

You can watch his video review after the jump and explore the strange bizzarro world of crap knock-offs. Among the games on the GBA type cartridge, are a few that involve some sort of mutated rabbits. And as bad as these rip-offs are, you have to admit that they at least provided some color on the Vii-mote unlike Nintendo’s white. Though it does resemble some sort of weird long squid.





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PopTherapy.com - A therapeutic guide to popular culture

WeathyReader.com - Where reading pays off.

HealthyReader.com web site

Botropolis.com web site