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Retina iPad 3 & iPad 4 (2012) case review: Yoobao leather case

May 20, 2012 at 5:02 am

So you grabbed a new retina-display 3rd generation or 4th generation iPad and you’re now looking for an equally beautiful and functional case to keep your investment safe. For a device as popular as Apple’s tablet, you’d expect there to be infinite choices, and there are.

Today we’ll be looking at one of these cases, the Yoobao executive leather case for the iPad 3 and iPad 4.

You can get the Yoobao for around $30 in the US, £27-29 in the UK and 35-37 euros in the continent, just be sure to get the correct version for you iPad, i.e. look for the iPad 3 case for the new iPad. Bear in mind generally when you’re shopping for a new case to specifically look for one made for the new iPad as it is slightly thicker than the iPad 2.
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Manfrotto Nano VI and VII camera pouch review: budget, stylish protection for your mirrorless camera

Reviews

April 15, 2012 at 2:51 pm

If you’ve been into photography long enough you would have encountered the name Manfrotto. The Italian company is most famous for its quality tripods, but that’s not all the company does. Manfrotto also makes some really cool-looking backpacks, cases and pouches especially with camera gear in mind.

At Stuff-Review we like to keep our gear safe and stylish, so we’re always on the lookout for nice-looking and functional cases. I’ve also long pronounced my love for compact mirrorless cameras and when I came across the Manfrotto Nano pouch range I knew that I’ve just found my new favorite small camera bag.

The Manfrotto Nano range starts from the Nano I, suitable for tiny point-and-shoot cameras, and goes up to the Nano VII, the largest of the pack. We’ll be looking at both the Nano VI and the Nano VII, which are suitable for mirrorless cameras.

Fujifilm FinePix X100 digital camera real world review

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March 5, 2012 at 8:35 am

Fujifilm X100 digital camera - top front

I have to foreword this review of the Fujifilm FinePix X100 by saying that I am not a professional photographer or a camera expert, nevertheless I think there is value on a review done from the viewpoint of the average user. Thus, this review will be very different from other technically focused reviews; instead I will tackle the camera from a real world perspective.

I’ve tried to balance the review with a healthy number of sample shots. To depict the camera’s image quality, rather than my Lighroom skills, the images in this review have not received any software treatment, except from the odd straightening/cropping. The shots are mostly out of the camera JPEGs. Rather than photographicw merit, I’ve tried to include shots that demonstrate the camera’s capabilities.

It’s also good to note that this review of the Fujifilm X100 comes late to the party; the camera has been out for almost a year now, though initially it was impossible to get hold of one. I’ve had my own unit since late last summer. I do consider however that despite more recent mirrorless camera launches, and even Fuji’s own X-Pro1, the X100 still is a very unique camera with a very unique offering.
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Galaxy Nexus case review: Case-Mate POP!

Reviews

February 19, 2012 at 5:19 am

Case-Mate does one thing, it makes cases, the kind our devices need; especially costly devices with big glass fronts that we carry all day with us and might take a fall or two. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone is such a device and its slippery plastic body also doesn’t help at all — as you will find by reading our in-depth review right here.

We’ve already reviewed one case for the Galaxy Nexus, the OtterBox Defender, but we understand that it might be overkill for some as it adds significant bulk. This review will look at the Case-Mate POP!. It’s a one piece case that’s made of two materials, a shiny hard plastic and a soft rubber side grip. The rubber is grey but the shiny plastic comes in black, white and pink, creating a “pop”, see!
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Galaxy Nexus case review: OtterBox Defender series case

Reviews

January 23, 2012 at 4:45 pm

If you’ve read our Galaxy Nexus review (and you should definitely read it here if you haven’t) then you know that using the smartphone without a case is an accident waiting to happen. In fact, my first Galaxy Nexus had suffered a deadly drop. Hence comes the dilemma, enjoy the beautiful and thin lines of your pricey and very fragile new smartphone by carrying it naked, risking its demise at any point, or sacrifice some of the thinness for the peace of mind a case brings.

Well if you are thinking of going with the latter then you might want to read on. OtterBox makes cases, and the company is known for some of the most solidly built cases you will find. We’ll be looking at the most rugged of the pair of OttorBox cases for the Galaxy Nexus, the Defender Series case. In fact this the most rugged case for the Galaxy Nexus that I know of, but correct me if I’m wrong.

For many this case will be overkill, and if size is a big issue then you might want to look elsewhere, because ruggedness comes at a cost. This is the case for the very active or very clumsy. If you are into sports, if your work puts high demands on you or if you want the ultimate protection for your smartphone, read on.
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iBooks Author hands-on: how anyone can now publish interactive books to the iPad

Reviews

January 19, 2012 at 12:45 pm

Apple has just announced the free iBooks Author Mac OS X application, which allows anyone to create and publish eBooks to Apple’s iBooks platform for the iPad. I went ahead and downloaded the free app from the Mac App Store, which only took a couple of minutes, and fired it up to for a first test.

First impressions are really good, the key to the application is simplicity. If you’ve ever used Blurb to publish a book, the experience is similar but faster and more accurate. On launch, you get a choice from six existing templates, or you can start from scratch. The six templates are OK for a start but relatively limited.

After that it’s a matter of putting down the text, either writing it directly or dropping a document on the page (you have full control on the typography and colors of course), and other content. Dropping images works very smoothly and you can easily move, resize, bring to front or send back. Things auto-align nicely and text boxes can snap to the end of other boxes automatically. While you are moving objects, guides pop-up to show you the margins between other objects and the page ends.
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Samsung Galaxy Nexus complete review

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December 5, 2011 at 6:41 pm

Samsung Galaxy Nexus in hand - on homescreen

There has been a lot of buzz around the release of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and that has mostly centered on the fact that this is the first smartphone to carry the latest (and greatest) iteration of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (‘ICS’). Similar to previous Nexus devices, it acts as Google’s launch device for a major Android version.

What one must understand is that this is a mass adoption device rather than a super high-end smartphone. It lacks the exotic materials found in other high-end phones and features such as Bluetooth 4.0, GLONASS satellite navigation or an advanced camera.

Nevertheless, it’s a well-executed device, albeit a few early teething problems. The Galaxy Nexus features a sharp 4.65-inch Super AMOLED 720p display and a fast dual-core 1.2GHz processor. It’s also a pure Google Android experience smartphone, without any user interface customizations such as HTC’s Sense or Samsung’s TouchWiz, which is important for some.

Most importantly, it’s the only device to officially run Ice Cream Sandwich, for a while, and similar to past Nexus devices, it will be the first smartphone to receive future software updates as they are released by Google — at least until the next Nexus device is launched. Although the Galaxy Nexus might not be bleeding edge with regards to hardware features, it will be cutting edge on software, which, can be argued, is more important.

This review is an in-depth look at the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and centers on the device’s hardware features, real-life performance, as well as what’s new in Android Ice Cream Sandwich. We will further cover Android Ice Cream Sandwich in more detail in a future review. So read on for our opinion on the latest and greatest Android smartphone.
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Sony MDR-NC300D noise cancelling earbuds review

Reviews

November 20, 2011 at 3:18 pm

Sony MDR-NC300D earbuds for monster noise cancelling performance

This review is part of our round-up of three active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones. We’ve already covered the excellent Audio-Technica ATH-ANC23 in-ear headphones here, and I recommend that you read that review as well. This review centers on the Sony MDR-NC300D noise cancelling earbuds and the final review will be of the Panasonic RP-HC55-S. As we’ve mentioned before, this group test only deals with the more portable earphone variety; if you read Stuff-Review you will know how much we appreciate portability and I wouldn’t imagine adding bulky headphones to my daily load.

You might also want to brush up on the terminology and technology behind active noise-cancelling headphones. Our primer, which can be found here, covers the different types of noise reduction implemented in consumer audio headphones and the differences between active noise cancellation and passive sound isolation.

In simple terms, sound isolation works by stopping sound from reaching your eardrum through soundproofing, while noise cancellation through special circuitry which create a noise-cancelling sound wave. I’m more in favor of the latter kind, simply because they offer the most comfortable experience and are more effective in cutting out constant frequency noise. Most ANC headphones offer noise isolation as well, and when you load-up your music, turn the ANC circuit on and cut-out the outside noise you are transported to a different world.

If you use any form of public transportation, or frequent any public place you cannot appreciate how much ambient noise there really is until you cut it out.
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Audio-Technica ATH-ANC23 QuietPoint in-ear headphones review

Featured Reviews

November 13, 2011 at 3:52 pm

Audio-Technica ATH-ANC23 active noise-cancelling in-ear headphones

We’ll be covering an important, but neglected, section of portable audio, active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones. We’ve already covered in detail the different types of noise reduction implemented in consumer audio headphones and the differences between active noise cancellation and passive sound isolation, so you may want to read our primer here first.

If you use any form of public transportation, or frequent any public place you cannot appreciate how much ambient noise there really is until you cut it out.

We’ll look at three different ANC earbuds: first, in this review, the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC23, then in follow-up reviews, the Sony MDR-NC300D and finally the Panasonic RP-HC55-S. This group test only deals with the more portable in-ear earbuds/earphones; if you read Stuff-Review you will know how much we appreciate portability and I wouldn’t imagine adding bulky headphones to my daily load.
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Motorola Defy+ (Plus) review

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October 23, 2011 at 9:21 am

Rugged phones had been monstrous beasts that could do nothing more than send and receive calls and messages. Motorola pretty much created the rugged smartphone space and last year introduced the Motorola Defy. The Defy looked very normal — which is a good thing — with the added benefit that it was ‘life-proof’. A year later, Motorola released the Defy+ (Plus), which is for all intents and purposes the same as the original Defy, with two key improvements: a faster 1GHz processor and a more recent version of Android, 2.3 Gingerbread.

The Defy+ is a mid-range 3.7-inch Android smartphone, and everything on it shouts average. But for its class and price it’s a really well executed device. It currently retails in Europe for around €240 or £240 ($360) sim-free, while it hasn’t yet reached American shores. The original Defy was available on T-Mobile for $99 on contract.

Motorola also makes military grade rugged phones, like the Admiral; the Defy+, although not military grade, is water, dust and scratch resistant, and much more stylish. Note it’s water resistant, but not waterproof. In a sense it’s a standard Android phone that has been inoculated against the weather and active and demanding lifestyles.
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Apple MacBook Air review (mid-2011 11-inch and 13-inch)

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September 18, 2011 at 3:29 am

This is a review of the mid-2011 Sandy Bridge MacBook Air (MBA). I’ve been using the 11-inch model, but most of what I will say also applies to the 13-inch version — a comparison of the two is at the bottom of this review. The review will concentrate on the hardware, rather than the software, aspects of the laptop. After all, loading Windows on the MBA is straightforward and we ours loaded with both operating systems — of course you can also load your favorite Linux distro as well. We’re certainly not discounting that the new MBA comes pre-loaded with the new Mac OS X Lion, but, that is a totally independent review in its own. Enough, however, with the introduction and lets move on to our experience with the new MBA.

We like to front-load our reviews, so, lets just say that there is very little that I don’t like with the new MacBook Air. What I mean is that there are only pleasant surprises, such as the performance, with most nags from last years’ model already worked out. But the MBA is certainly not the only laptop to offer performance in a small package, especially now that Intel is pushing the concept of the ‘ultrabook’.

A wise man once said that god is in the details, and that’s where the MBA wins over other offerings, in the details. We don’t have any preference with regards to manufacturer or operating system. But as said, it’s the little things that count. Apple has, over time, accumulated a list of extra features and little nuances that make its notebook products stand out. The MagSafe connector with a truly portable power brick, the oversized clickable multi-touch glass trackpad, a strong unibody construction that leaves zero room for flex, an excellent backlit island keyboard. The MBA is a culmination of all of these. It’s also the culmination of true portability and finally power.

The MBA is a svelte performer, never boggling down even with a dozen of browser windows, Mail, Photoshop and Spotify running all at the same time.

That’s not to say there are no faults, but it would have been unfair to mention these first; we found the poor vertical viewing angles somewhat restrictive, particularly for the form factor, while, the lack of ports could be a deal-breaker for some. Battery life is also on the lower side, not to say it’s bad or anything, but could be disappointing to some road warriors wanting a whole day charge. But please, read on while we delve deeper on Apple’s latest ultra-mobile notebook.

Pixlr online photo editor lightning review

Reviews

September 10, 2011 at 5:07 pm

The best things in life, and on the internet, are free. Pixlr is a free photo editor which you can access through the internet; imagine something along the lines of Photoshop in your web browser. I first discovered Pixlr more than a year ago and have been using it for quick photo editing whenever away from my main computer.
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External battery roundup review — keeping your devices charged on the go

Reviews

August 21, 2011 at 1:36 pm

There is nothing new in saying that modern devices are being held back by lackluster battery performance. If you’ve bought a new smartphone, tablet or portable media player you are faced with the situation that while you want to use all the great features much more and adore the big bright display you are forced to keep features off, such as 3G or Wi-Fi, and keep brightness down or risk being tethered to the wall.

It’s not that manufacturers are oblivious to the situation, they just have to tread a fine line between respectable battery life and keeping a device light and slim. Unfortunately advances in battery technology have not caught up with our rapidly growing appetite for mobile tech. Even worse is that although we can get access to a power outlet in our daily routines, when in unfamiliar territory is when we need to use our devices more, such as checking for restaurant recommendations, looking up maps, communicating or just keeping entertained, and that’s when it’s hard to stay charged.

What I have done over the years is carry an external portable battery as an alternative power source on the go. Nowadays with the omnipresence of the USB port as a power source it’s much easier to keep all your gadgets charged with the same battery.

This roundup review will cover three choices for keeping your gadgets charged on the go. Oh and if you are unsure what is the difference between mini and micro-USB, make sure you read this know your ports.
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Why we love tech: Björk’s Biophilia is an album wrapped in an app; or is it the other way round?

Reviews

August 18, 2011 at 11:47 am

Biophilia is a project/album by Icelandic singer-actress-composer Björk. What makes it so special is that it’s the first interactive ‘app album’ putting as much importance on the experience and visuals as the music. Björk has composed part of the album on an iPad and so completing the circle the application has been released, in collaboration with Apple, on iTunes for iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod touch).

The ‘host’ application is free to download and includes the theme song, Cosmogony. The host app is an interactive 3D map of the ‘cosmos’ made up by the different songs. Each additional song takes the form of an in-app purchase for an eventual total of ten songs for the album. Every song operates as a mini-app with different visuals and animations, a game, moving score for the song with karaoke playback and an essay. There are currently two songs that have been released, Crystalline and Virus, each available for $1.99.

Putting any discussion on excessive commercialization to the side, this is one of the most exciting and ground breaking music related productions we’ve seen. What’s important is that you are not checking your friends’ status on Facebook or sending an email while listening to the music, but actually interacting with the song. Art direction by interactive artist Scott Snibbe is excellent, though quite abstract, and certainly the experience is engaging. Although this is something that could have ended in just being a gimmick it certainly is not. We only lament the fact that this is an iOS app only.

You can find more about the app in the intro video narrated by the man himself, David Attenborough, together with the song Crystalline, after the break.
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