Genuine Curiosity

Does the iPhone OS v3 fix my top gripes?

Several months ago, I wrote about the top 3 things that I felt were missing from the iPhone.  This week, version 3 of the iPhone OS was released and I’m using it now.  I don’t have the new iPhone 3Gs hardware – I’m running on the “old” iPhone 3G hardware, but since that’s the bulk of the installed base right now I figured it might be useful to share my findings here.

Gripe	Status
I couldn’t cut & paste.	Fixed – and it works very well in iPhone OS v3.
I couldn’t invite others to appointments (i.e. initiate meeting requests).	Fixed – it works fairly well.  Would like to be able to check the availability of other attendees, but at least I can invite people to meetings.
I couldn’t attach / forward contact information to others.	Fixed – it is now possible to “Share” contact, which opens an email and attaches the contact as a .vcf file, which is fairly standard.

The v3 OS update is free for iPhone owners (iPod Touch owners must pay $10 for some reason) so it should be an automatic for you if you have an iPhone.

Killerest feature

The “killerest” new feature (my opinion) is “Spotlight Search,” which provides the ability to search for things on the device.  It was very painful to find things in old emails before – it was all manual and time-consuming.  Now you can search for items, messages, songs, appointments, etc. and find them in a jiffy.  The only limitation I’ve found is in searching email folders other than your inbox: if you haven’t opened the folder on your iPhone, or you haven’t opened it in a while, you won’t find recent emails in the search – you’ll have to open the folder so it will sync.

To make this slightly easier, each folder now has a Search field at the top of the folder so you can easily find things within that particular folder.

…And the rest(ish)

Some other improvements I’ve noticed in this version (not a complete list – there are even more):

• Support for stereo Bluetooth (A2DP) so you can use wireless headphones
• You can now sync Notes between Outlook and the iPhone (not wirelessly – only when you dock with iTunes)
• Better rendering of HTML in the browser
• Addition of a Voice Memo application (ideal for those “notes to self”, though I still prefer Jott)
• Better support for clicking on links, phone numbers, etc. in appointments if you’re syncing with Microsoft Exchange (though for some reason, you can’t click on any of these if they are in the subject of the appointment – only in the body, and only if they aren’t inside an attachment) 
• This capability, along with cut & paste (which also won’t work in the subject line for some reason) will save a lot of idiotic instances of needing to write down meeting phone numbers and passcodes
• This also means you can put addresses inside the notes part of a meeting, click on the address, and it will automagically look up the address in Google Maps – again, don’t put it in the location field because it won’t be clickable there – put it in the notes
• The podcast controls, which I mentioned in my last post
• Lots of cosmetic/usability improvements in the recent calls, favorites, and other phone-related lists
• The ability to rent movies from your iPhone
• Better support for seamless password storage when using WiFi networks that require account names & passwords
• Support for saved passwords and autocomplete on web forms
• Improved VPN support

That’s my list off the top of my head, and I know I’m forgetting a few things.  If you’re lucky enough to be able to get an iPhone 3Gs (the new hardware) you’ll get all of that plus a compass, faster processor, and the ability to film and edit movies on the phone (and you get a higher-res camera).

Hope that helps update you on the iPhone. 

If you don’t care about iPhones: this isn’t an iPhone fanboy site but I will post something about them from time to time, particularly around big releases.

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del.icio.us Tags: iPhone,iPhone v3,gadgets,Dwayne Melancon

Technorati Tags: iPhone,iPhone v3,gadgets,Dwayne Melancon

Unlocking the iPhone’s potential, part 1

Despite the title, this article is not about unlocking the iPhone so it will work on networks other than AT&T.  And as much as the cool kids keep trying to tempt me to do it, it’s also not about jailbreaking the iPhone so you can run rogue apps on it.

As you may know, I wrote about my “top 3” challenges with the iPhone a while back and they were irritating enough to get me to switch back to my Blackberry.

Now, I’m back on the iPhone 3G.  What’s changed?  This post begins the discussion about what’s changed for me in the hopes that other iPhone users (or wannabe users) can benefit from what I’ve learned.  I want to share with you how I’ve been able to overcome (or at least make tolerable) some of the iPhone’s current limitations, and I’ll start with my top 3 issues from the previous post:

Voice power and your phone

I am in the midst of a switch of phone platforms, yet again.  I’m going back to my iPhone 3G.

During the coming week, I’ll share more information with you about how I’m working around the iPhone’s limitations (I’ve mentioned why I switched away from the iPhone in a previous post).  In the mean time, I wanted to share information about a free “super app” that works on both the Blackberry and the iPhone.  The application is called “vlingo” and it allows you to talk to your phone to make it do stuff.

Voice control is very handy in many situations, such as when you’re driving.  You can use Vlingo to call people, update social network status, do web searches, and more.  The Blackberry version has more functions and is a little easier to access since it maps to one of the “convenience keys” on the side of your phone, but the iPhone version is still very good (I wish I could use vlingo to send text message on the iPhone – I did that all the time on the Blackberry).

Very cool – check out vlingo today – it is free, after all.  Would love to hear what you think.

Want to see a demo first?  There are a couple of cool demo (Flash) videos online of vlingo on the Blackberry, and vlingo on the iPhone.

Amazon's Kindle 2 Starts A Fire

I've had Amazon's Kindle 2 for the past couple of weeks, and I am really glad I bought one. I thought I'd take some time to share what I've found with you in case you're considering buying one.

First, I'd like to give you some context to better understand where I'm coming from.

• Contrary to my gadget-loving nature I didn't buy the first Kindle (though I was chomping at the bit to pick up version 2).
• This is my first time using an electronic reader, and I've never liked reading long documents (much less books) on a computer.
• I read quite a few books -- typically 4 or more each month, and usually with more than one going at a time (one or more business / non-fiction, one fiction, etc.).
• When I travel, I typically have 3 or 4 books with me which can be heavy and bulky.

The Device

I'll start with my impressions of the device itself. Amazon took a cue from Apple and really paid attention to the "unboxing experience" with the Kindle. The elegantly boxed arrived and I felt like I was opening a gift, rather than just some gadget I ordered. The fit & finish are impressive - this is a sturdy, light device - and it has a nice minimalist feel. The only items you need to carry around are the Kindle itself (about as big a footprint as a Moleskine notebook, but thinner than an iPhone), a USB cable that you use for charging and connecting to your PC, and a USB-to-AC adapter so you can charge via an electrical outlet).

I added Amazon's protective leather cover for the Kindle 2, which about doubles the thickness of the device but gives me peace of mind that it won't get dinged up as I carry the Kindle around. Click the image at right for a larger view of all the gear together.

Obtaining Stuff to Read

One of the things that's been a breeze is buying books for the Kindle. The device is integrated seamlessly with my Amazon account, so I can:

• Buy Kindle books via the Amazon web site, and they show up seconds later on my Kindle 2
• Browse or search for books on the Kindle, order (with automatic billing to my account)

These are the two most common actions, but there are other ways to get content to read, including:

• You can email PDF's and Word docs to yourself and (for a cost of 10 cents) they will be converted and appear on your Kindle a few minutes later. If you are a GTD user, this could be an effective way to bring your "To Read" stack with you without adding bulk to your briefcase. You can also add others to your email "good list" so they can send you documents this way.
• You can subscribe to newspapers (of which there are quite a few) or magazines (there aren't many) from Amazon's Kindle Store.
• You can subscribe to a small number of leading blogs (more are purportedly coming) so you can read your RSS feeds on the go.
• You can get free books via ManyBooks - they have Kindle format versions of many books from Project Gutenberg.
  • ManyBooks has over 20,000 free eBooks available, and a bunch of them are available in Kindle format (.awz files).
  • You can also browse to "mnybks.net" from your Kindle to download from ManyBooks directly on the device.
  • If you download the books to your PC, you have to manually copy them to your Kindle 2 via the USB cable but hey - they're free!

In addition to reading, you can listen to things on the Kindle in a couple of ways:

• Have the Kindle read a book to you in its robot voice (I'm not wild about the voice, but it might be good in some situation I haven't yet encountered).
• Copy MP3's to your Kindle (again, via USB) so you can listen to music or audiobooks on the device. Warning: MP3 files take a lot of space (but Kindle format books do not).

Book prices are reasonable. First, you can download samples of books to decide whether you want them or not. When you buy, most current / hardcover titles cost $10, while older / massmarket paperback books range from free to about $8 (most of the massmarket books I've bought run about $6 or $7).

The best thing? The Kindle weighs the same and takes up the same amount of space no matter how many books you put in it.

OK, So What About the Reading?

Now, let's get into the reason I bought this device: the reading. In short, "wow - this is cool, and better than I expected." You start with a home page that shows you all of the books currently on your Kindle, with a small, graphical indicator of how much you've read. When you find what you want to read, point to it using the joystick and press in on the joystick to select. Boom - the book comes up on the screen and you're ready to read.

The controls on the Kindle 2 are easy to use and you forget about them after a few minutes of reading (you'll mostly use the Previous and Next Page buttons). At any time, you can mark text, add annotations, add a bookmark, or look up a word using the built-in dictionary. You can also switch to another book, and the Kindle 2 will remember where you left off any time you return to a book already in progress. Very nice.

The on-screen reading experience is surprisingly good. I have read for up to 4 hours at a stretch with no eye fatigue, and find I can read faster on the Kindle than I can using a "real" book. I suspect it's because I can adjust the text to a size that's optimal and because the whitespace around the screen makes it easier to focus on the page that's before me.

The annotation tools are handy, too. Since I often review the books I read (or at least the ones I like), I find myself using the highlights a lot and they're a snap to use on the Kindle 2. In the screen shot at the right, you can get an idea of how easy it is to keep track of multiple highlights and annotations - click the pic for a larger view (and please excuse the wonky angle - I didn't get the camera straight).

Net-net on the Kindle 2

Once again, I'm really glad I bought the Kindle 2. If you read a lot, you'll love this device - and I think heavy readers will be able to justify the expensive price much more easily. There are so many things I haven't even mentioned in this review, but hopefully you've heard enough to get an idea whether this device is right for you or not. If you still want one, pick one up a Kindle 2 from Amazon - and happy reading!

And here are my top 5 pros and cons, to wrap things up.

Kindle 2: Top 5 Pros	Kindle 2: Bottom 5 Cons
Excellent, readable screen with adjustable font size	Expensive
Seamless integration with Amazon account	Joystick is a little stubby and harder to use than I'd like
Huge library of current (and older) books available on-demand	Battery and memory are not user-accessible
Very portable form factor, even with charging cable	No ability to password protect the device or its ability to order (though you can disable it via Amazon.com if it's stolen)
Easy bookmarking, highlighting, and annotation	Not enough magazines available for subscription yet

More power to ya.

The other day, when I wrote about the Samsung power trees in Newark Airport, my friend Kevin sent me a link to a Wiki page created by Jeff Sanquist that is devoted to sharing things like power outlets, wifi availability and other travel amenities at various airports.

This looks like a great resource for planning ahead or finding the resources when you need them (you can even look this up on your phone or PDA if you aren’t connected).

If you have any other resources to share, let me know or leave a comment.  And, if you’re so inclined – add your own discoveries to the wiki.

Power now grows on trees?

In the Newark airport a few days ago, I found a place where power grows on trees. It seems Samsung is beginning to install free charging stations in various places, including the Newark airport (this one is near gates 132 & 133 in Terminal C).

I like this idea because it seems it is often hard to find the power oasis in the midst of the airport power desert. I often see travellers wandering the concourses, looking for a place to plug in - frustrated that they are all taken. This approach provides a number of convenient outlets to help travelers (and keep people from unplugging ATM's and other councourse appliances - yes, I have seen that).

Hopefully, this kind of power tree will become more popular - there is an advertisement and a sample of a cool new Samsung phone in the "trunk" of the tree, so they are getting some good branding from this effort.

Oh - and another thing - if you find this (or any outlet) in an airport, it's highly likely there won't be any available sockets. My solution? I travel with a handy travel powerstrip (click here to see my review). This approach makes it easy - I just ask someone if they are willing to share using my powerstrip. I generally find someone who's willing to do that.

BlueAnt Supertooth 3

An increasing number of locales are beginning to require drivers to use hands-free devices while driving, which prompted me to look for a good in-car Bluetooth solution. I tried a few that didn't work very well, and have settled on the BlueAnt Supertooth 3.

This is a compact, Bluetooth-based handsfree device that attaches to your visor. It comes with two visor clips (to which it attaches magnetically) making it easy to move it between a couple of cars. It is also small enough that you can tuck it in your bag and take it along when you travel. I've even taken it out of the car and used it as a speakerphone for a conference call, and it worked great.

Here are some highlights:

• The sound quality of this device is very good (you can hear a sample of the BlueAnt's voice quality here), and I've been happy with how well it deals with background noise.
• The pairing process is very simple and, once you've paired it, you simply get in the car and hear the confirming "Connected to phone" statement from the phone so you know you're good to go.
• You can upload your phone book into the device and it will announce callers in your address book by name when they call (if the caller isn't in the address book, it recites their phone number to you.). If you want to take the call, you can either press the green button to answer or say "Answer" and it will connect the call.
• The Supertooth 3 has great battery life -- I've had it for a bit over a month and have had to recharge it once after quite a bit of use.
• There is a nice power-saving feature built into the unit. When it isn't connected to a phone for a while it will go to sleep and save power; it contains some vibration sensors to wake it up when you get into your car, slam a door, etc. I think this contributes to the battery longevity.
• It integrates with phone voice dialing on many phones. For example, on my phone (Blackberry Curve), there is a convenience key on the side that I have programmed to initiate voice dialing. When I press this, the voice dial prompts are redirected to the BlueAnt and I can conduct voice dialing from there.
• In addition to the two visor clips, it comes with a car charger.

If you're looking for a good handsfree device for using your Bluetooth phone in your car, I recommend the BlueAnt Supertooth 3.

Del.icio.us tags: blueant supertooth 3, Dwayne Melancon, gadgets, bluetooth

Superior airpower

When I boarded my plane this morning, I sat in my emergency exit row seat (next best thing to a First Class upgrade) I was pleasantly surprised to see that this plane, a Continental Boeing 737-800, has power outlets throughout the plane!
Of course, the plane *didn't* have video or audio on board, but I'll take a "bring your own" model with power any day. Now, if only they'd add these to every plane...
By the way, this also gave me an excuse to try out Typepad's mobile client for the iPhone to snap the phot and write this post. Pretty cool little app.

iPhone 3G battery life, part 2

Yesterday I wrote about how I extend my iPhone 3G's battery life (using Kensington's Mini Battery Extender and Charger for iPod and iPhone).

Well, I've got another day under my belt with both the phone and this device, and have some additional thoughts:

1. The battery on my iPhone 3G seems to last a bit longer each day, and was noticeably better today. Maybe it needs some "breaking in" through a few days of use, or something like that. I am assuming it will level out soon since it can't continue to get better forever, can it?
2. I decided to try recharging my phone with the Kensington battery extender today, and I find that it will charge the phone very quickly - much quicker than I'd expected. In less than an hour, it brought my phone from approximately 25% charged to fully charged.

I still haven't fully tested its effect on talk time (i.e. live use of the Kensington battery as a power source while talking vs. just as a charger when I'm not using the phone) but I'm still quite pleased with this device as a way to keep the juice flowing in my iPhone 3G.

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Technorati tags: iphone 3g, battery, gadgets, productivity Del.icio.us tags: iphone 3g, battery, gadgets, productivity

My solution to iPhone 3G battery life

Well, I took the plunge on Saturday and moved from a Blackberry to an iPhone 3G. I am working on a more detailed review of the pros and cons of what I've done but, in the mean time, I wanted to let you know my solution to the shorter battery life of the iPhone 3G.

For the record, the battery life is "just OK" - it isn't abyssmal and, as PC World reports, the iPhone 3G's battery life is better than that of competing smart phones.

What's my solution? I bought Kensington's Mini Battery Extender and Charger for iPod and iPhone (available via Amazon and elegible for free 2nd day shipping for Amazon Prime members). I've only had it for a couple of days but I love it already. On a call-heavy day, I start to run out of juice on my iPhone by late afternoon / early evening. By plugging this battery extender into my phone I get a few more hours of talk or browsing time (I haven't had it long enough to give you definitive times, but it definitely lets me finish the rest of the day).

This battery extender plugs into the docking connector on the bottom of your iPhone (original or 3G, and it works with the iPod Touch, too). It is small enough to carry in my pocket which I did all day today, for example. When you attach it to your iPhone, it is small enough that you can still use your phone without feeling like a mutant and you can continue using your headphones since the iPhone's jack is on the top of the phone.

This battery comes with a retractable charging (but not syncing) cable which plugs into your USB port or iPod charger, and you can charge it alone or while it's attached to your iPhone (in which case both will be charged). The LED's on this battery are very useful. When you are charging it, the three blue LED's (on the left in the photo) indicate when the charge level has reached 20%, 60%, and 100%. The red LED (on the right in the photo) is lit during charging and during use with the phone, it begins blinking to let you know when you have less than 20% remaining.

As I said, I've got more coming about my iPhone conversion but this was just too exciting to wait.

How about a Trackberry?

A while back I wrote about SameCell as a way to find out when you're near your friends, and SameCell's addition of a FaceBook app. The folks at SameCell have been steadily improving their service (I use it all the time and I like it) and have recently added a new twist. You see, they rely on cell tower locations to determine when you are close to other users. This can be a challenge when you're on different carriers or if you're bouncing off a cell tower that SameCell hasn't mapped yet.

To solve this problem, they've created a small mapping application for use on phones with GPS's (like my Blackberry 8310). The app "watches" the cells you connect to and correlates it with your GPS data to help SameCell build its database of cell towers and locations.

Money - for good or for yourself

What's in it for you? You could make a little money for yourself or your designated charity. SameCell tracks the new cells you've discovered and pays you a few cents for each unique one you've found.

The money may not be enough to change your life, but you'll certainly be helping improve their service (and, as an avid user, you'll improve my experience with that service). So, if you have a GPS in your phone, just click here in your mobile phone's browser to head over to SameCell (or navigate to http://www.samecell.com/cells), and start helping them map the wireless world.

Fresh Gear: How about a Monster power up?

When you're traveling with a notebook computer or other electronic essentials, a power outlet is like an oasis in the dessert (and you can usually spot them by looking for clusters of tethered travelers huddled nearby, drinking up the precious current). When you're low on juice, it can be frustrating when you're in an airport with only a few outlets.

Well, Monster has a great way for travelers to increase their access to power on the go: It's their Outlets To Go 3-Outlet Portable Powerstrip and it's pretty cool. This allows you to expand a single (grounded) outlet and turn it into 3 outlets. This extra capacity can come in handy in several situations:

• In the aforementioned scarce outlet situation, you can provide the means to share an outlet with other travelers
• For international travel, simply carry this power strip and a single international power adapter, and you'll be able to plug in 3 devices at once
• Its short length of cord allows you to more easily utilize power outlets in tight spaces - especially if you have clunky power supplies for some of your devices

There are a few other nice features on this little power strip:

• It rolls up small (as in the picture) and you can plug it back into itself to keep the cord tidy, and maintain a small profile
• The outlets have enough spacing to accommodate even large power bricks (there are 2 outlets on one side; 1 on the other)
• The power connector is flat and exits to the side, so it is less likely to interfere with other plugs or devices
• The "Monster Power" logo glows blue when the strip is "live" so you can tell when the circuit is hot
• It has a built-in circuit breaker to protect you from dodgy power situations

You can get the US version of this for about $12 on Amazon so it's reasonably priced.

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Related items

• Fresh Gear: The flattest wallet ever (5/2/2007)
• Travel Light: I've got the power... (9/25/2006)
• Things to do in the middle seat (6/28/2006)

Can you watch your legally purchased DVD’s on your video iPod?

I have quite a few DVD's in my collection that my wife has little interest in watching (usually because they are a bit violent or intense - like my 24, Donnie Brasco, Highlander, etc). I also have a video iPod , and I decided that I wanted to have the option of watching my videos on long flights, in addition to the audiobooks I listen to.

One option, of course, is to buy video content through iTunes - and I've certainly done that a few times. However, I already own copies of these movies so why should I have to pay twice just to see them on my little iPod screen?

Access denied!

There are several problems that prevent me from just copying these videos to my iPod:

• iTunes is not capable of ripping DVD's the way it rips CD's
• most commercial DVD's are encrypted with CSS (Content Scrambling System) so my (also legally purchased) copy of Nero 7 Ultra Edition will not rip them
• the copy protection laws under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) make it illegal to circumvent CSS

Let the research begin!

How fair is Fair Use?

I understand that the DMCA exists to protect content producers / owners, and I agree that stealing videos or music is unethical. However, under "Fair Use," consumers are allowed to make a backup copy of a CD or DVD and can store the original and watch the backup. This is no different from copying the DVD to your iPod, putting the original away and watching the backup that's stored on your iPod.

The problem is that the DMCA makes it illegal to circumvent the CSS encryption used on the DVD's, so you cannot make unencrypted copies of the content. This effectively prohibits you from watching your licensed video on one of the video devices you own, and seems a little ludicrous to me.

Nonetheless, the motion picture industry is taking a hard line to try to prevent consumers from watching their CSS-protected DVD's anywhere else. Only changes in legislation will make this any better, so if you're in the US and you don't like this Draconian approach, contact your representative in Congress and let them know how you feel about this.

What are the options?

The only means allowable under the DMCA is, apparently, to take your DVD's with you and watch them on a laptop or DVD player.

What about transferring your DVD to the iPod? If it's CSS-encrypted, your legal option is to purchase the content in iTunes (assuming it's available there).

I'll also share that, in doing some research via Google, I found that there are some free device drivers (try searching for DVD43, for example) that (on Windows XP at least) claim to allow you to use your DVD ripping software on commercial DVD's. From there, it should be a simple matter of using your ripping software to convert the video to MP4 format on your hard drive, adding the movie to iTunes, and synching it to your iPod. By the way - I also noticed that Nero Recode (a module included as part of Nero 7 Ultra Edition) has a preset for output to iPod compatible video.

If this approach works (remember, never rip anything you haven't paid for and don't share them with anyone else!) you will be able to use your iPod to watch your own DVD collection on the road.

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Related items

• Things to do in the middle seat (6/28/2006)
• Fresh gear: Travel headphones (2/10/2006)
• Technorati: gadgets, travel

Fresh Gear: The flattest wallet ever

For the past several years, I've been a "front pocket wallet" kind of guy. However, I found that my front pocket wallet was growing thicker, and that I couldn't significantly downsize it because I have a need for more cards of various kinds.

I also don't like a big, thick back pocket wallet because I find them uncomfortable and unsightly. If you've ever seen the Seinfeld episode where George's wallet explodes because he puts in just one too many receipts, you'll know what I mean.

Thin is in (my pocket)

I recently found just the solution: the "All-ett" wallet, which claims to be the world's thinnest wallet. I've been using it for a little more than a month and I am so happy with this wallet!

It's made out of spinnaker sail cloth, which is a very thin and strong material (you can choose from a variety of colors - I went with black). In the picture at right (from the All-Ett site), both wallets contain exactly the same things. You can clearly see that the All-Ett, on the left, would be much more comfortable to have in your back pocket.

Curious how it works? Check out the demo at their site to see the flat wallet in action. There are also some good testimonials posted there.

Something for everyone

Check out the variety of products they offer - in addition to several types of wallets, they carry card cases, checkbook covers, and travel wallets.

Give it a try - there is a 30-day, unconditional money back guarantee, but I don't think you'll be sending this one back!

Fresh Gear: Logitech Mobile Headset

This is a "Fresh Gear" post, but it also fits under "Travel Light" - it's all about a travel headset that's impressed me quite a bit. This one is called the Logitech Premium Mobile Headset, and I have been using it for about a month and just love it.

I'm a traveling dictater¹ once again

Me, a dictater? No, I'm not a tyrant - I just use software to do dictation while I'm traveling.

Last year, I posted about how I use Dragon NaturallySpeaking (voice recognition software) to perform a number of tasks like creating speaker notes in presentations, responding to email, and even composing blog posts. I still do that, but I have not been traveling with my old headset since I wore it out (actually, I rolled a chair over the cord and sliced it so it got all staticy²).

I was looking for a replacement and found the Logitech Premium Mobile Headset. Here are some of the highlights:

• This new headset folds up very flat and I can fit it easily into one of the inner pockets on my laptop bag
• It has adjustable earpads so it is very comfortable
• It includes an adapter so you can use it with USB or standard microphone/headset jacks
• It works with any voice-related software, such as NaturallySpeaking, Skype, and even voice-capable instant messaging clients
• It has inline controls for volume control and microphone muting
• The microphone sound quality is excellent (I'm using the USB interface, primarily)
• It has stereo sound so you can listen to music on it, should you wish to do so (and the sound is decent)
• Its the behind the head design keeps you from getting "headset hair"
• It also includes a carry case - however, I found the case to be too bulky for my needs

I'm very impressed with this one so far, and it has earned a place in my 'permanent checklist' for what goes in my laptop bag for every trip.

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¹ Yes, I know dictater isn't a real word. Some of my jokes are meant for me. Feel free to enjoy them with me, if you like.
² I'm not sure "staticy" is a word to anyone but me, either.

Related items:

• Fresh Gear: Type with your mouth (9/12/2006)
• Fresh Gear: Why use a headset that isn't handsfree? (12/11/2006)
• Fresh gear: IPEVO and Skype (3/10/2006)