Logitech Wireless BoomBox for the iPad Review

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I have reviewed more than a few speaker systems over the years. Many of these speaker systems are still situated in various rooms of our house providing music while I putter around the garage, workout, fold laundry, get in the Holiday mood, etc. The speaker system I use most is the Altec Lansing iMT800 MIX BoomBox, which provides good, solid sound throughout the upper floor of our house. The one issue I have with the iMT800?s setup (and others like it) is that you do not get to carry it with you or use your iPhone while listening to music. You must insert it into the dock for a hard-connection. Thankfully, Logitech?s new Wireless Boombox for the iPad solves this issue. It allows you to pair your Bluetooth-enabled device to the wireless speaker system so that you can move about or use your device (think Words with Friends) while the speakers crank the tunes (am I showing my age?!?).

While Logitech specifically references the iPad in the Wireless BoomBox?s name, it can pair with up to eight Bluetooth (with wireless audio profile [Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP)]) enabled devices. I guess they thought that since the iPad is the hottest thing since sliced bread, having it in the name would help sales. My point is, it can/should be able to pair with any Bluetooth 2.1 enabled device. I have tested it with my iPhone 4, MacBook Air, the Gadgeteer Kid?s iPad 1, and my wife?s first generation Android Incredible. All paired/connected quickly and easily. After the initial bonding, it quickly re-pairs with the last connected device as soon as the Wireless Boombox is turned on.

As stated above, the Wireless Boombox has the ability to pair with multiple devices, but cannot switch between them without a manual input being made from the (new/latest) device?s Bluetooth settings menu. Instead, the Wireless Boombox continues to attempt to connect again to whichever device it last paired with until it?s told to look elsewhere. For me at least, this operational logistic really is not a big deal.

Package Contents:

• Wireless speaker
• Power supply (6-foot cable)
• 3.5 mm auxiliary cable
• User documentation

Specifications:

• Wireless audio: Bluetooth (A2DP)
• 2 ? 3? laser-tuned neodymium drivers
• 2 ? �? neodymium tweeters
• 4 ? 2? passive radiators
• Rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery
• Battery life: 6 hours
• Auxiliary input: 3.5 mm

I have reviewed many Logitech devices over the years, ranging from fancy universal remote controls to wireless surveillance cameras. Logitech?s Wireless Boombox is just as nicely made and well-engineered as the previous products I have looked at. This speaker system is a very nice size, not too big and not too small, and looks great. Its unassuming size and all black exterior will look/work in a majority of settings. It measures approximately 15.5 inches wide, 4.75 inches high, a sleek and slim 2.25 inches deep, and weighs just 2.5 pounds.

As you can see, the Boombox is completely black, except for a small orange button on the underside to release the foot and has green (power) and blue (connection) indicator lights and a silver Logitech logo on the front.

The back has two passive speakers/radiators, foldout stand, and input and power ports.

As you would expect, there is a well designed kickstand/leg/foot that comes out to hold the wireless boombox upright.

Under the back (rubber) port cover are the power and 3.5mm plug ports.

As I have said, the Wireless Boombox for the iPad is definitely well sized and has a nice form factor?.good sounding as well. Considering the size of the speakers, the overall spectrum of sound is well represented, even the bass. The Boombox did not distort at all, even at its highest volume levels.

I can meander around a majority of our home (main floor and upstairs) and still maintain the connection between my iPhone 4 and the Wireless Boombox. Depending on what is between your Bluetooth device and the speaker system, its range is between 30-60 feet. I love how you can control song selection and volume via your paired device (vs having to use a remote or [worse yet] having to walkover to the system and press a button). Sitting there in my cushy chair making the teenagers listen to old-folk music?..?Ooooo, have you heard this one?!??

Another great feature of the Wire Boombox is it?s built-in rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery giving it six hours of play time on a single charge.

Alright, I just had to use this BoomBox collage I created for my MIX review on more time. My point is, that I do not consider this device a true ?boombox? from back in the day?..it would have to have a handle, large(r) speakers, thumping bass (aka be able to shake/vibrate the popcorn off the ceiling) to be considered a BOOMBOX from the 80?s. That not withstanding, the Logitech Wireless Boombox (for the iPad) is a great cable-free speaker system. It works very well with every device I paired it with. For under $150, it is a great wireless music playing solution for any moderate sized room.

Product Information

Price:	$149.99
Manufacturer:	Logitech
Requirements:	Bluetooth enabled music device
Pros:	- Well built/engineered - Wireless stereo streaming - Can pair up to 8 devices - Good size and weight - Sounds great - Built in battery giving up to 6 hrs of play time
Cons:

Tagged as: Bluetooth speakers, iPad

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Take smarter videos with your smart phone with Mobislyder

by Mark R - on November 30th, 2011

One of the problems with shooting video with your phone is that a phone was never really designed with that purpose in mind. Moving shots in movies and television are often done with tracks and pivots, in order to avoid that shaky feeling that comes from unsteady hands.

Now smartphones have the Mobislyder, which is a portable dolly designed for small video enabled devices. It requires a lot less set up than professional video equipment.

There is a video of the Mobislyder in action after the jump. As you can see, it can be placed on any surface with its glider track and a swivel for many angles.

Of course, it will take a little bit of setting up, but not like some big Hollywood production. I believe that this is worth it just to get the emotional effect that a moving camera can create.

I once heard that scenes from the upcoming Avengers film were filmed with iPhones, but it turned out that this was just a rumor. Clearly, director Joss Whedon could get some great shots with an iPhone if he had one of these.

You can pre-order the Mobislyder for about $135, and cure shaky hand video syndrome.

Mobislyder from Glidetrack on Vimeo.

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A Bag Indiana Jones Could Love

by Janet Cloninger on November 30, 2011 � 0 comments

in Bags, Backpacks,News

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I was very interested to see these Filson bags while surfing recently. �Filson makes a line of fabric and leather luggage, travel accessories and wallets, briefcases and totes, and field bags (think daily-carry gear bags). �They use twill and wool fabrics in their bags, and I especially love the looks of the medium Wool Field Bag. �The medium field bag in blue/black plaid is shown, but the bag is available in a variety of plaid fabrics, camo designs, and solid black. �There?s a full-width slip-in pocket on the back and two pockets on the ends. �Open up the front flap to access two bellows pockets on the front and the main interior pocket. �The bag is lined with rugged twill fabric for strength. �At�14?W x 11?H x 5?D, it?s big enough to carry a smaller laptop or netbook, too. �The medium Wool Field Bag is $250.

Tagged as: gear bag

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Deal of the Day ? 55? Samsung 3D LED HDTV (2011 model) with $400 eGift Card and 2 Pairs of 3D Glasses

by Janet Cloninger on November 30, 2011 � 0 comments

in News

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Today?s LogicBUY Deal is the 55? Samsung (model UN55D6500) 3D-ready LED-LCD HDTV bundle with $400 Deal eGift Card and 2 pairs of 3D glasses for $1897.99.� Features:� 1080p, 1.4 HDMI (4 inputs), 120Hz refresh rate, 3 USB ports,� 0.2? bezel panel.

$2399.99 �?$502 instant savings �= �$1897.99 with free shipping. �This TV/glasses/$400 gift card is the lowest price seen by LogicBUY for this HDTV.

This deal expires December 1, 2011 or sooner. Check the above link for more details on this deal, and check the LogicBUY home page for other deals.

Tagged as: Deal of the Day

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In France, Quadrocopter Robots To Work In Construction (Video)

But hold on a bit, because it?s not like a high rise is going up in Paris built entirely by flying robots. Too risky! Instead, a squad of the compact quadrocopters are going to embark on an impressive demonstration of architectural forward-thinking. In what is probably a first in robotics, the quadrocopters assembled by Italian designer Rafaello D?Andrea are going to execute a design made by a Swiss architectural firm.

The six foot high cylinder will be composed of precisely measured rectangular blocks cleverly stacked on top of each other. The quadrocopters will lift each piece individually and arrange them to form a twirling structure. The installation that emerges should at least hint that robots are the next frontier in heavy duty construction.

It?s also a great promotional tool for the architects at Gramazio & Kohler, who want to exhibit their smarts for an almost three month duration, starting on December 2 when their abbreviated skyscraper goes live for public viewing in the FRAC Centre in Orleans, who are hosting the rare occasion.

Excellent, a video!

Source Gizmag

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All I want for Christmas is the Toyota Fun-Vii

by Mark R - on November 29th, 2011

Toyota has created one of the ultimate concept cars, and like most concept cars, I doubt there will be many copies of this on the road.

This is the Fun-Vii, and it is the best combination of a smartphone and a car that doesn?t end with a flattened mobile device. In case you can?t tell by this picture, the Fun-Vii has touch-sensitive displays that can show all sorts of colors, patterns, or photos.

I suppose that a good use for the Fun-Vii now would be as a roving billboard. Sort of like the ones that peruse the Las Vegas strip, but the Fun-Vii would have moving images on it.

By the way, the Fun-Vii has interior surfaces that are essentially one big display as well. I know that there is no way the DMV would approve of a vehicle that is essentially one giant distracted driving magnet on wheels.

Still, it is fun to imagine a whole road full of these. Perhaps if we live in some Minority Report world, where cars drive themselves automatically, this is what they look like. I wonder how much advertising space would cost for them, and would they make the world look more dystopian.

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YouTube U.S. Passes 20 Billion Monthly Views

ComScore has released some new statistics this week, that show just how big a reach YouTube has in the U.S. We all know YouTube is a massive site but these figures show just how big it is when compared to other similar services. View the statistics after the jump.

YouTube accounts for 49.1% of all videos watched on the web in the US. In total, 42.6 billion videos were viewed that month, revealing that 20.9 billion were served up by Google. In a distant second place is VEVO with 827 million and Hulu in third with 791 million.

Facebook is even eclipsed by the massive amount of unique views YouTube is generating. With Facebook achieving 60 million and YouTube a massive 161 million in just the month of October 2011.

Source: Geek

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Half-Life?s Classic Intro Re-Created As Live Action Short Movie Half-Life: Origins

After more than 10 years since the launch of the original Half Life game. The classic opening sequence of first Half Life game has been reproduced in a number different ways. But this short new live-action Half-Life: Origins movie provides a slightly different take on the well known opening sequence.

Half-Life: Origins is an independent short movie created by Infectious Designer, and the director provided a few notes to accompany his creation.

?After 10+ years since it?s release, if you ever go back and replay the original Half-Life, it doesn?t look anything like you remember. The graphics are horrible compared to present day games, but years ago it blew my mind. This video plays with that contrast. I incorporated a fusion of live action and CG environments that give it a semi-realistic look, but also not realistic at the same time. Hope you enjoy it!?

You can view more�movies�created by�Infectious Designer on their YouTube page.

Source: Kotaku

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Save 10% on Quiver Moleskine Pen Holders

by Julie on November 28, 2011 � 1 comment

in News

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Our friends at Quiver are offering gadgeteer readers a special 10% discount on their popular leather pen holders for Moleskine and other notebooks. Just head on over to their site and use the code gadgeteer2011 upon checkout. The code is good till 12/7/2011, so you have plenty of time to place your holiday gift orders.

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Nathan?s Wooden Knife Kit Review

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A while back, Julie posted a news item about a ?wooden pocket knife.? �I was intrigued: normally, one cuts wood with a knife, right? �So when the opportunity to review Nathan?s Knife Kit from Klecker Knives came up, I had to check it out. �My 8-year-old son had been asking me when he could get his own pocket knife. �I want him to begin to appreciate knife safety, but at the same time I know that he is not ready yet in the responsibility department for an actual knife of his own. �Add to this that he and I like to do little DIY-type woodworking projects together (bearing in mind that my tools and skills are meager at best), and this seemed like a perfect fit for both of us. �Onward!

Background

The origin of Nathan?s Knife Kit is a neat story. �Nathan Klecker asked his father Glenn, a knife designer, to help him design a knife that he would be allowed to use since Nathan was not yet old enough for a real knife. �Glenn and Nathan built a knife for Nathan from all-wood components and had a great time doing it. �The dull-bladed locking knife allowed Nathan to have a working knife of his own and demonstrate that was learning responsible knife care and use in preparation for a real one. �The idea expanded beyond just Nathan and Glenn, and Nathan?s Knife Kit was born. �The kit is manufactured by Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT Knives) and is available through their website, at�Glenn Klecker?s site (Klecker Knives)�and also through several other online sellers.

Packaging

The kit?s packing is a fairly standard plastic bag with cardboard top. �Nothing fancy, but the graphics are descriptive and it does allow a potential buyer to have a look at all the pieces in the kit before purchasing, which may aid in gauging difficulty level for the builder(s).

Contents

The kit includes the following items:

• Left & Right Handle Frames
• Locking Bar
• Blade
• Bamboo Spring
• Back Spacer
• Pivot Pin
• Lock Pin
• 2x Dowel Pins
• Small square of sandpaper
• Instruction booklet

Assembly

My son is very mechanically inclined and we have done several woodworking-type projects before (Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, birdhouses, etc). �Therefore, he was very eager to jump right in and get building, so I had to convince him to stop for a minute so we could read through the directions together. �As we did so, we looked at each of the parts to determine how they would fit together. �One thing I have to point out here is that while one side of the black has the ?CRKT? logo burned into it, on the reverse side is a small adhesive sticker (easily removed) that reads ?Designed by Nathan Klecker??I thought it was pretty cool that this was included. �You go, Nathan!

So with the pieces all laid out in front of us, we read through the directions, which were fairly simple and included easy-to-understand diagrams. � The parts were all pre-cut and cut quite well. �As with any wooden DIY kit, the surfaces and edges were a bit rough, but they all fit together quite well by hand, without requiring any tools. �We did use the included small sheet of sandpaper just a bit to get the pins to slide into position. �The only tricky part that my son needed a bit of help with was orienting and aligning the locking bar, bamboo spring and pin. �Even here, I only provided an ?extra hand? and some guidance. �Within just a few minutes, we?d completed it! �Some shots of the completed knife in closed position:

Some shots of the knife in the open and locked out position. �Yes, the locking mechanism really does lock out, and the thumb button must be depressed to close the blade, just like in a real lock-back folding knife. �It even produces a tactile and audible ?lock? sound when locking open.

Detail shot of the locking mechanism in the open and locked out position:
A few more shots to illustrate the finished construction. �The parts in our kit all fit together nice and tight, with no slop or loose connections.

Something to keep in mind is that, while the blade is not ?sharp? in the sense of having a true blade edge, it does have a sharply pointed tip. �

Part of the benefit of having the kit made from wood is that the finished knife can be sanded, glued, sealed, stained, painted and decorated as desired. � They encourage everyone who completes a kit to send them some pics of the finished work which they will post in their Hall of Fame.

A shot of me holding the knife, to give an idea of relative size. �No, I do not have the hands of a Hobbit. �As you can see, the finished knife is a bit oversized. �I think this is a great added feature as it allows the parts to be a bit larger to aid in assembly and still see and understand how the parts work together.

And finally, below are a few shots of my son holding the completed knife. �He was eight when we assembled the kit just a month or two ago.

Conclusion

Every parent needs to really know and judge his or her child?s readiness and responsibility level before allowing their child to have an item like this. �No, it is not a ?real? knife, but it is not a soft foam ?Nerf? toy either. �However, with regard to the kit itself, it was relatively low difficulty level and required no tools, adhesives or anything else. �The design of the kit is top-notch: I was impressed with how similar it looks and feels to a locking blade folding knife. �My son and I had a good time assembling the kit. �With the caveat mentioned at the start of this paragraph firmly in mind, I would suggested that the kit would be great for a parent-child (or grandparent-child, etc) project, Cub Scout (or other organization) crafty/project, a teenager or adult who is curious about knife construction or likes simple woodworking projects, and so on. �The price is right (low), and the low difficulty level, quality construction and fun factor make it a virtual no-brainer. �Perhaps a great stocking-stuffer with Christmas fast approaching!

Product Information

Price:	$5.99
Manufacturer:	CRKT Knives
Retailer:	Klecker Knives
Pros:	+ Easy assembly--no tools or glue required + Looks and feels like a real knife
Cons:	- Not a "toy"--parents need to judge their child's readiness and assist with assembly

Tagged as: DIY, Pocket Knife

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Time Command Mini from Stem Innovation

by Mark R - on November 28th, 2011

This is the Time Command Mini by Stem Innovation, makers of the iZON Remote Room Monitor for iDevices. The Time Command Mini is also made for iDevices, and normal docks are just accommodating for the iPod and iPhone. This one will hold the iPad. To me, I think that this is a very important feature.

I got a chance to try it out for myself, and I was pretty amazed at the sound. The official site states that ?don?t let the small footprint fool you?, and that also applies to the big sound coming from its small size.

The Time Command Mini is really designed for those who have an iPod/iPhone dock by their bed and use it as an alarm clock. Once an iDevice is connected to the Time Command Mini, the time on the clock syncs with the time on the iDevice. This is very cool.

The user has a chance to download an app known as Stem:Connect. The App allows for customizing multiple alarms and saving them for use at any time. You can also choose from custom alarm tones or music, and many other features as well.

All in all, the Time Command Mini from Stem Innovation is quite an iDock. You should be able to purchase it from the Stem Innovation site for about $79.95.

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