Monday, December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas!
I want to wish everyone out there a very happy Christmas. I hope the festive period is good to you and your family and friends and rounds off 2006 in a nice way. I'm off to enjoy this time with my family. Now where is that turkey....
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Cygnett GrooveTube iPod Speaker mini review
When I got the chance to review the GrooveTube from Cygnett, I was very keen to do just that due to its very complete feature set and good price point. While this speaker system initially seemed a mixed bag to me, it quickly grew on me as the majority of original shortfalls were ironed out.
The feature set on the GrooveTube is excellent for a speaker system covering all the main areas you will require; this will charge any dock enabled iPod, uses a remote control, and includes a 3.5mm line in for the Shuffle or other audio source as well as video output via composite and s-video. Battery support in also included and for completeness sake, there is even a headphone socket on the rear.
Included in the box along with the user guide and power supply is a single dock insert. While this small number might seem to limit the compatibility of this unit, the Groovetube employs a clever trap door mechanism for holding the ipod in place meaning the included insert is really only required for the aesthetics of the ipod bay when holding the smaller nano. The GrooveTube is very obviously a ‘for iPod’ designed product and it looks like an oversized mini or nano 2nd gen liying on one edge with its tube like appearance. Construction seems good with its combination or metal and plastic and it feels weighty in the hand.
Opening the trapdoor is simply a case of pushing it in and letting it slowly spring out allowing you insert or retrieve the iPod. All iPods with a dock connector are supported in this bay making it a very universal product.
The remote control is Infrared and does seem quite cheap but works extremely well with a wide line of sight and a range easily long enough to cover the distance of a large sized room and quite probably a fair bit further. The remote will control power on/off, volume, play/pause, skip/seek, bass/treble and the full iPod menu system. I cannot stress how important it is to include this support on a remote control and I’m glad it is present and correct on the GrooveTube.
From an audio stand point, I must admit to being very much in two minds early on. I was expecting decent sound given the size and construction of the unit and some albums did sound decent but others were distinctly flat. This inconsistency can be attributed to the different quality of the iPod recordings however still left me initially feeling a bit disappointed. Thankfully after speaking with Cygnett and discovering how to correctly use the undocumented bass and treble features on the remote control, I was able to greatly improve the sound adding more warmth and detail to the music. Out of the box, this system does not sound at its best but with a little tweaking can sound very good indeed. Bass is handled very well and always feels under control and the treble is well delivered although I would have to concede that the lows and highs do not quite stack up against the best and more expensive systems out there. That being said, it will easily satisfy the needs for music in any room in the house and doesn’t exhibit any obvious signs of distortion at comfortably high levels of music.
One thing that was absent was audible amplifier hiss as this system appears to turn off power to the amplifier when no music is being transmitted. This has the benefits of no hiss, especially at high volumes and saving power however also introduces one caveat; as music starts to play again, it takes a split second for the amplifier to start up again meaning that some tracks seem to kick in almost unexpectedly and not make a graceful entrance. This can be noticed between tracks on an album depending on the gap between tracks and while it is a minor annoyance, it is an annoyance all the same! It would be better if the time before the amplifier goes to sleep was extended, even if only by a few more seconds.
Battery support is also included which makes this a very versatile speaker system and is another reason to consider this as a viable purchase although taking eight size C batteries at a time may well limit the number of times you opt to use this functionality. Still the ability to use this unit away from a mains source is very commendable.
The GrooveTube is well constructed and feels very sturdy which gives you faith that this system will handle the vast majority of knocks and keep on delivering a good sound. Designed very much in the iPod style, it is a good looking unit and discreet buttons on the top give access to standby, mute and volume controls without intruding on the design. The bottom of the unit is a large rubber section that keeps it in place and absorbs any undue vibration and similar rubber is incorporated into the small handle on the rear making it secure to carry. The amplifier sleep issue aside, the only other issue I have with this system is the blue power led which flashes while in standby mode which could prove a distraction in a dark room but is admittedly just another minor annoyance.
Small issues aside, the GrooveTube from Cygnett proves to be a very competent performer and deserves to be on everyone’s shortlist for a well specified iPod speaker system. The excellent responsive remote control, full feature set and versatility offered by battery support all complement what is a very good sounding system provided you take the time to adjust the tonal output.
Retailing for around the £100 mark, more details can be found at the Cygnett website.
The feature set on the GrooveTube is excellent for a speaker system covering all the main areas you will require; this will charge any dock enabled iPod, uses a remote control, and includes a 3.5mm line in for the Shuffle or other audio source as well as video output via composite and s-video. Battery support in also included and for completeness sake, there is even a headphone socket on the rear.
Included in the box along with the user guide and power supply is a single dock insert. While this small number might seem to limit the compatibility of this unit, the Groovetube employs a clever trap door mechanism for holding the ipod in place meaning the included insert is really only required for the aesthetics of the ipod bay when holding the smaller nano. The GrooveTube is very obviously a ‘for iPod’ designed product and it looks like an oversized mini or nano 2nd gen liying on one edge with its tube like appearance. Construction seems good with its combination or metal and plastic and it feels weighty in the hand.
Opening the trapdoor is simply a case of pushing it in and letting it slowly spring out allowing you insert or retrieve the iPod. All iPods with a dock connector are supported in this bay making it a very universal product.
The remote control is Infrared and does seem quite cheap but works extremely well with a wide line of sight and a range easily long enough to cover the distance of a large sized room and quite probably a fair bit further. The remote will control power on/off, volume, play/pause, skip/seek, bass/treble and the full iPod menu system. I cannot stress how important it is to include this support on a remote control and I’m glad it is present and correct on the GrooveTube.
From an audio stand point, I must admit to being very much in two minds early on. I was expecting decent sound given the size and construction of the unit and some albums did sound decent but others were distinctly flat. This inconsistency can be attributed to the different quality of the iPod recordings however still left me initially feeling a bit disappointed. Thankfully after speaking with Cygnett and discovering how to correctly use the undocumented bass and treble features on the remote control, I was able to greatly improve the sound adding more warmth and detail to the music. Out of the box, this system does not sound at its best but with a little tweaking can sound very good indeed. Bass is handled very well and always feels under control and the treble is well delivered although I would have to concede that the lows and highs do not quite stack up against the best and more expensive systems out there. That being said, it will easily satisfy the needs for music in any room in the house and doesn’t exhibit any obvious signs of distortion at comfortably high levels of music.
One thing that was absent was audible amplifier hiss as this system appears to turn off power to the amplifier when no music is being transmitted. This has the benefits of no hiss, especially at high volumes and saving power however also introduces one caveat; as music starts to play again, it takes a split second for the amplifier to start up again meaning that some tracks seem to kick in almost unexpectedly and not make a graceful entrance. This can be noticed between tracks on an album depending on the gap between tracks and while it is a minor annoyance, it is an annoyance all the same! It would be better if the time before the amplifier goes to sleep was extended, even if only by a few more seconds.
Battery support is also included which makes this a very versatile speaker system and is another reason to consider this as a viable purchase although taking eight size C batteries at a time may well limit the number of times you opt to use this functionality. Still the ability to use this unit away from a mains source is very commendable.
The GrooveTube is well constructed and feels very sturdy which gives you faith that this system will handle the vast majority of knocks and keep on delivering a good sound. Designed very much in the iPod style, it is a good looking unit and discreet buttons on the top give access to standby, mute and volume controls without intruding on the design. The bottom of the unit is a large rubber section that keeps it in place and absorbs any undue vibration and similar rubber is incorporated into the small handle on the rear making it secure to carry. The amplifier sleep issue aside, the only other issue I have with this system is the blue power led which flashes while in standby mode which could prove a distraction in a dark room but is admittedly just another minor annoyance.
Small issues aside, the GrooveTube from Cygnett proves to be a very competent performer and deserves to be on everyone’s shortlist for a well specified iPod speaker system. The excellent responsive remote control, full feature set and versatility offered by battery support all complement what is a very good sounding system provided you take the time to adjust the tonal output.
Retailing for around the £100 mark, more details can be found at the Cygnett website.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Proporta can help you fill your stockings…
Proporta is feeling particularly festive this Christmas holiday...and as it is the season to be giving, if you do not have a Promotion Code, Proporta is giving you the opportunity to add 1 of 3 products to your basket - absolutley free. Simply click on the 'To Checkout' button and make your selection. You can choose between Cable Tidies to help you keep all your cables in check, an Aluminium SD Card Holder to keep your memory safe or Mobile Device Cleaning Fluid . Nothing wrong with getting a freebie during your Christmas shopping.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
ProportaUSB mobile device charger mini review
A spooky thing happened a couple of months back. While speaking with a marketing executive at Proporta, I mentioned about how I would love to see some form of mobile charging solution for people on the go. I was told in the same conversation that Proporta had just such an item on the way and it would include a rechargeable battery and connect using USB. Fast forward to today and this product is now available and is even better than I was anticipating!
The USB mobile device charger is one of those products that you think could come in handy and you end up using it a whole lot more than you imagined. Coming in the form of a relatively compact and simple design, you have a product with a single button and led for controlling the power state and two USB ports; one mini for power in and one standard for power out. Included in the package is a matching white USB to mini USB cable, a retractable USB cable with an assortment of end connectors and a simple user guide. I say a simple user guide because there really is not much to the charger itself. To charge a device, you simply use the USB cable supplied with the device or one of the adapters included along with the charger; iPod, Sony Ericsson and Nokia mobile phone adapters are included. Plugging the device into the standard USB port and pressing the power button starts the charging process and disconnecting the cable will stop the power. If the device is fully charged and stops charging, the USB charger will automatically shut down in approximately one minute and likewise if the USB cable is disconnected. When the led glows red, the charger itself is in need of replenishment and that is where the supplied USB cable comes in handy. Any USB source can be used for charging such as a computer, a USB hub or a main or car USB charger.
The mobile device charger holds a very healthy 3400mAh of power and can be used to charge any device that can be charged from a USB port such as a mobile phone, iPod, PDA and many more. Another benefit is the ability to actually power the device so if you run out of power, you can hook your phone for example up to the charger and continue using it straight away. Imagine video iPod users being able to watch multiple movies on a long haul flight, safe in the knowledge that when their battery is running low, power is on hand to see the end of their movie and perhaps a few more. Off a single a charge, I was able to fully charge my Acer Pocket PC, Sony Ericsson mobile phone, GlobalSat GPS receiver and iPod nano and there was still no sign of the red led warning of low power on the mobile charger.
All in all, the Proporta USB mobile device charger is a fantastic product; simple to use, excellent connectivity and capacious battery all wrapped up in a very portable solution. If you are a mobile user of gadgets, this really is the ideal product for you! The only thing I could see to improve this package would be a small slip case to keep the charger secure and together with the USB cable and adapters.
Fantastic value at £29.95, more details can be found at the Proporta website.
The USB mobile device charger is one of those products that you think could come in handy and you end up using it a whole lot more than you imagined. Coming in the form of a relatively compact and simple design, you have a product with a single button and led for controlling the power state and two USB ports; one mini for power in and one standard for power out. Included in the package is a matching white USB to mini USB cable, a retractable USB cable with an assortment of end connectors and a simple user guide. I say a simple user guide because there really is not much to the charger itself. To charge a device, you simply use the USB cable supplied with the device or one of the adapters included along with the charger; iPod, Sony Ericsson and Nokia mobile phone adapters are included. Plugging the device into the standard USB port and pressing the power button starts the charging process and disconnecting the cable will stop the power. If the device is fully charged and stops charging, the USB charger will automatically shut down in approximately one minute and likewise if the USB cable is disconnected. When the led glows red, the charger itself is in need of replenishment and that is where the supplied USB cable comes in handy. Any USB source can be used for charging such as a computer, a USB hub or a main or car USB charger.
The mobile device charger holds a very healthy 3400mAh of power and can be used to charge any device that can be charged from a USB port such as a mobile phone, iPod, PDA and many more. Another benefit is the ability to actually power the device so if you run out of power, you can hook your phone for example up to the charger and continue using it straight away. Imagine video iPod users being able to watch multiple movies on a long haul flight, safe in the knowledge that when their battery is running low, power is on hand to see the end of their movie and perhaps a few more. Off a single a charge, I was able to fully charge my Acer Pocket PC, Sony Ericsson mobile phone, GlobalSat GPS receiver and iPod nano and there was still no sign of the red led warning of low power on the mobile charger.
All in all, the Proporta USB mobile device charger is a fantastic product; simple to use, excellent connectivity and capacious battery all wrapped up in a very portable solution. If you are a mobile user of gadgets, this really is the ideal product for you! The only thing I could see to improve this package would be a small slip case to keep the charger secure and together with the USB cable and adapters.
Fantastic value at £29.95, more details can be found at the Proporta website.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Spb Software House Releases Spb Mobile DVD
SPB Software have released their latest product designed to help Windows Mobile users get movies onto their mobile devices. Spb Mobile DVD - a Quick and Easy Video Converter - has been structured to take a lot of the guess work out of DVD conversion while still providing great results. Features include: real time preview, language and subtitle support, and WMV/XVID formats.
I’m unsure how this will stack up to the easy to use yet very customisable DVD Catalyst 2 but it is always great to see competition, especially from such a highly regarded developer.
More details from SPB Software House.
I’m unsure how this will stack up to the easy to use yet very customisable DVD Catalyst 2 but it is always great to see competition, especially from such a highly regarded developer.
More details from SPB Software House.
