• Dec 22, 2011

    Review: mysaver:diy

    I've read about a number of mysaver (sorry, the website is all Flash) which aimed to make the iPhone/iPad cables more robust. I didn't know I needed the product until I looked at one of my cables started to split at the end where the cable entered the connector. While most projects take awhile after funding to make it to production and shipment, I was amazed at how quickly they got the product out the door.

    My 3 DIY kits arrived yesterday, and after watching the instructional video, I put them together. They were easy to assemble and I think that they're going to work well as they make it easier to pull out the cable, but not strain the cord. The only problem I had is that the glue dots that were included were rubbery, so the aluminum cover started moving around and while the video said to use some silicone to secure it, I know that silicone is flexible and wouldn't do exactly what I wanted. I put a few drops of superglue on the connector and presto, I now have very solid connection.

    Pros

    • Solves a real need.
    • Easy to "install".
    • Looks neat.

    Cons

    • A little expensive.
    • Required a modification to make it work.
    • If installed on 2 USB cables, they both can't be plugged into a MacBook Pro as one blocks the second USB port.

    Summary

    I love the concept of extending the life of my iPhone/iPad cables as I use them all the time for my collection of devices (I always have 2 iPhones, 1 iPad, and 1 iPod Touch on my desk) that I use for development. While I just got this, I believe that this is going to be the solution to worn cables. Time, of course, will tell if this lives up to my expectations.

    If you have worn iPod/iPhone cables and a few extra dollars, this is a unique solution that I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.

  • Dec 22, 2011

    Review: Viewcon Active USB Extension

    One of the features of my Ooma system is the ability to add a Bluetooth Adaptor
    so that I can use a Bluetooth headset with it. I bought the Bluetooth adapter and started trying out headsets. Unfortunately my Ooma box is in one room and my office is in the next. Despite getting a 10 ft. USB cable, I couldn't get the Bluetooth adapter close enough to have a clear connection.

    Not being deterred by this setback, I started poking around Amazon and found a Viewcon USB Active Extension. This is a USB to Cat5 adapter that can transmit a signal up to 150'. I was a bit skeptical at first as I knew that adding latency to the connection could degrade the signal. However, for $19 it was worth the risk. I chose this connector (there are a number of them) as it came with a power adapter which could come in handy to boost the signal.

    Setup of this was quite simple. Since I already had Cat5 running from our TV room (where the Ooma is and is the center of my network) to my office, I just plugged the adapter into the Ooma, ran Cat5 to the wall and then Cat5 from the wall to the Bluetooth adapter. I did a few tests and was absolutely amazed that it worked without problems. Luckily the Bluetooth adapter was USB 1.1, so high speed transmission wasn't a problem.

    If you need to run a USB device from a different room or a long distance, this adapter is a dream.

    Pros

    • Easy to setup.
    • Inexpensive.

    Cons

    • None.

    Summary

    This device easily solved my problem at a reasonable price. There are lots of options out there and I just got lucky that on my first try, I got one that worked. The reviews for this and similar devices were very mixed, probably because people had much higher expectations; my needs were quite simple and this adapter met them.

  • Dec 22, 2011

    A nightmare shopping experience

    Despite my wife warning me to not go shopping today, I decided to leave the house to look for a Logitech h800 wireless headset. I checked Best Buy's website and saw that they had the headset in stock. (I wanted to get it locally in case I needed to return it.)

    After a quick trip to Costco (it wasn't too bad despite being this time of year) and Target, I headed to Best Buy. Parking was easy and then I went into the store to find the headset. It was a complete zoo, so I started looking for the headset. First I saw headsets in the PC area. They had some Logitech wireless headsets there, but not the h800. So I went to the mobile phone area and there were more headsets, but not the h800. Onto mp3 players to find more headsets, but not the h800.

    So, I asked a sales person and he said to check over by the home stereo area as I had said "wireless headphones". Nope, not there. Someone else suggested gaming. There were headsets, but not the h800. By this time, I was about to lose my mind. I tried to use Best Buy's mobile website to verify that the store had it, but the Find in Store option kept spinning and didn't show me results.

    I went to one of the cash registers (they have them scattered throughout the store) and asked the guy behind the counter to look it up. He looked it up and the computer said they had 7 of them. He went into the back (I thought I'd never see him again) and when he came back maybe 10 minutes later, he said that they were unloading a truck and that they were probably in the shipment. However, he didn't stop there and asked someone else who said that they wouldn't have them listed in the computer unless they were already unloaded. The very helpful guy went with me looking for it. First was gaming to double check, then he said "let's try wireless mice". Presto, the headset was next to the wireless mice. I'm not sure I would have been able to find them without help. I profusely thanked the man and went on my way to pay.

    So Best Buy has headsets in no less than 6 different locations in the store! I'm not sure that anyone there would have been able to find it on the first try. This was an exercise in frustration and a valuable lesson; shop online, it's easier and faster!

  • Dec 10, 2011

    The value of hotel WiFi

    It now seems that hotel WiFi is the norm with many places I stay having free access. However, sometimes even at free, it just isn't worth it. At times, the speed can be so slow and problematic that it is more frustrating than anything to use. Up until May, I had a Sprint MiFi 3G router, so having poor hotel WiFi wasn't an issue and for the most part, I didn't even use the hotel WiFi. However, it is now important if I have any hope of getting something done in my hotel room.

    In my last 3 trips to Portland, the hotel I've stayed at, Hotel Monaco, has WiFi that is a) free and b) works quite well. I've been able to stream Netflix, download apps, upload things, and even carry on FaceTime calls with excellent results.

    I wonder if there is a site that rates hotel WiFi. Does good WiFi matter in a hotel room? With our always connected society, it almost might. I can do many things on my iPhone over 3G, but having WiFi is so much nicer.