MobiBLU Cube 2 Reviewed
The MobiBLU Cube 2, possibly the world’s smallest mp3 player, that we saw a while ago is now available for purchase in the US. The 1 gb Cube 2 costs $100, and the 2 gb Cube 2 costs $120.
The MobiBLU Cube 2 is available in four different colours, with memory capacity ranging from 1-2 gb. The MobiBLU Cube 2 also has WOW HD sound enhancement, a 65 k colour 0.6 inch OLED screen, FM radio and a battery life of 10 hours for audio or 5 hours for video. CNET reviewed the MobiBLU Cube 2 and gave it a “very good” rating, with 7.3/10. CNET liked the Cube 2’s cute form factor and bundle of features (FM Radio, Video Support, Voice Recording, etc), but disliked the Cube 2’s menu system, which was “a pain to navigate”, the small screen size, no simultaneous picture viewing and music listening, questionable FM reception, and “mediocre battery life”. Overall, “…the Cube will continue with this new model, the world’s smallest multimedia player. While it doesn’t offer an ideal user experience, it makes up for it in style.”
Viewscore Review
- Find: Select the product category and desired features.
- Rank: View the product’s rankings and reviews.
- Compare: Compare prices at thousands of online retailers.
Viewscore also lists the top 5 digital cameras and mp3 players on its main page. The top mp3 player is Apple’s iPod Nano with an aggregate score of 87.0, while the top digital camera is currently Canon’s EOS 3D with an average score of 96.6. I certainly intend on using Viewscore the next time I look into buying an electronic, so that I can save time and money.
Sony Ericsson K790a Review
Sony Ericsson recently launched the K790a- their first Cybershot cell phone.
The K790a has a 3.2 megapixel camera with 16x digital zoom, flash and image stabilization, a 2 inch 240×320 LCD screen, music player, video player, FM radio, Bluetooth, 64 mb of internal memory, and a Memory Stick Micro expansion slot. The K790a’s phonebook holds 1000 entries, with a maximum of 5 phone numbers per entry. Sony Ericsson’s K790a also has a respectable talk time of 7 hours.
With Sony Ericsson’s K790a you can email the pictures you take, or post them directly onto a blog via EDGE technology.
CNET gave the K790a an “Excellent” 8.3/10. They were very impressed by the phone’s design and superior 3.2 megapixel camera. The only features they disliked were the K790a’s volume, which was “a tad low” and its navigation control set up. CNET also disliked the lack of world phone support. However, CNET also gave Sony Ericsson’s K790a their prestigious “Editor’s Choice” award.
An unlocked K790a from Sony Ericsson is available at Amazon for $480. While the K790a has a high price, it is a phone well ahead of its time with an exemplary 3.2 megapixel Cybershot camera.
Planon’s Docupen RC800 Review
Planon’s Docupen RC800 is a portable, lightweight (2 oz) scanner in the shape of a pen, and essentially is a more updated version of their Docupen R700. The scanner can scan at 100, 200, and 400 DPI , and has Monochrome or Full colour modes, and Standard Resolution and High Resolution Modes.
The Docupen RC800 came with a black, leather case, the USB cord, the Docupen RC800 and the Docupen software installation CD.
The lights on the left end of the Docupen RC800 show what mode you’re using, the battery life, and the remaining memory of the Docupen.
The Docupen software was quite easy to install- the onscreen directions were excellent!
As I had never used a Docupen before, becoming acostomed to the specific, smooth, even scanning motion that you need to use when trying to scan a document was a bit tricky.
Once you scan your documents (or magazines or photos or articles), you need to transfer them to your computer. I would have been quite lost at how to do it, as it is a complicated process, without the manual. First, you open Paperport. Then, from Paperport you click scan with the selected scanner being the docupen. Then, Pentwain pops open, and from there you click the download button. After the images are downloaded, you select which ones you wish to transfer to Paperport to edit, save, print or turn into a Word Document or PDF.
My first few scans were a bit messed up, because I had not yet mastered the proper Docupen RC800 scanning technique.
I suceeded, however, in scanning an Economist political cartoon,
Half of the cover of The Economist before the memory ran out (I had not bothered to supplement the internal memory with a microSD card),
My brother’s University of Rochester housing details letter,
and a bit of Beethoven’s Fur Elise. I was scanning from a music book, and so the Docupen couldn’t fully reach the left side of the page, where the page was bound.
Books are not particularly scanned well by the Docupen RC800, as it is difficult for the docupen to get close enough to the text on the side of the page that is bound to the book. Also, if you look above at the Rochester letter, you’ll be able to see that it is a bit difficult to read the small font. It is also difficult for the Docupen to capture the very top of letters and such, as you need to hold on to the document there to keep it steady. Below is a scanned page from Paolini’s Eldest. About half an inch of the writing closest to the binding was not scanned by the Docupen RC800.
Pros: Design is beautiful, and the Docupen RC800 is extremely lightweight. The software is easy to install, and the manuals help explain how to download scans. The Docupen RC800 is also adequate at scanning letters, magazine articles, and documents.
Cons: The price of $300 would be a big factor for some, especially as the Docupen ony has up to 400 DPI. Also, it is difficult to become accustomed to using the docupen, as you have to master the right technique. The Docupen RC800 does not scan well books, and cannot adequately capture the very top portion of documents. While it takes 8-10 seconds to scan, it can take up to another 30-40 seconds for the Docupen to actually store the scan.
Summary: With a $300 price tag and a maximum of 400 DPI, most consumers will be satisfied with a flatbed scanner, which for the same or less price can have a DPI of 3200 or more. While the Docupen RC800 is useful for scanning documents and letters on the go, the small DPI of 400 will turn away possible owners who want a more accurate scan.
invisibleSHIELD Review
I recently applied the invisibleSHIELD on my Creative Zen Vision: M mp3 player. The directions were easy to follow, especially with the demo video, and the application process took about 30 minutes.
The invisibleSHIELD in its wrappings
Putting on the Front Shield
The Front is on!
It was harder to apply the invisibleSHIELD to the back (it had flaps, which folded over to cover the sides).
The finished product
The Pros: It really is invisible- you can’t tell its on the mp3 player unless you inspect it. The instructions are easy to follow, and the small bubbles disappear after you allow the invisibleSHIELD to set for 24 hours. Also, there’s a lifetime warranty on the invisibleSHIELD, so if you somehow manage to destroy it, they’ll get you a new one (although that’s highlly unlikely, as it’s created from the same material that protects helicopter blades- in fact, check out what this sceptic did to his invisibleSHIELD to test it.) The price is decent too: $25 for a full body shield, or $15 for the front shield.
The Cons: While the instructions are clear, it’s sometimes difficult to attach the larger pieces (ie the back). I had to reapply the back piece, as I had misaligned it slightly the first time. Also, you have to ration out the application spray (especially if you think you’re going to mess up), because there’s not a lot of extra spray to use.
Overall, however, the invisibleSHIELD offers excellent invisible protection for your electronic device (it covers iPods, mp3 players, laptops, digital cameras, PDAs, and gaming devices) at an affordable price.