In a design I can only describe as “why didn’t I think of that”, one enterprising airline passenger decided to turn the in-seat vomit bag into a simple iPhone movie case.
Forget $40 plastic cases with stands, this paper bag simply fits behind the seat table and provides an instant and easy way to watch your movies. The case is even “compatible” when the person in front of you reclines their seat.
Brilliant.
(Hodenmumps.to, via Engadget)
In this product review I’ll be giving you a brief look at the new 3M mobile privacy film.
3M has been making privacy filters for laptops for several years and the recent surge in popularity of smartphones has increased the need for privacy when you use your device in public.
The 3M mobile privacy film attaches to your screen, and is held in place with a special removable adhesive. Like the laptop version of the privacy film, you can only view what is on your screen when you look straight at it. Anyone looking at your device from an angle, won’t see a thing.
The mobile privacy film has the added advantage of protecting your screen and reducing screen glare.
I tested the mobile privacy film on several devices; the T-Mobile G1, the Apple iPhone, a Blackberry Curve and the new Sprint Touch Pro. Oddly enough, the Sprint Touch Pro was the only device that was not compatible with the privacy film, most likely due to the high resolution of the screen.
Applying the mobile privacy film is easy, and involves cleaning your screen, cutting the film to size (if needed) and removing the protective backing. Once on your screen, you simply rub any remaining air pockets towards the edge.
Because of the special adhesive used, it is easy to remove and reapply the film, or remove it for use on a different phone. The film does not leave any sticky residue behind.
Of course, the privacy film itself functions exactly as advertised; looking straight at the screen is the only way to see what is on it, but viewing from any angle does not reveal anything. If you plan to use your phone in public (or on a flight), this is the best way to read private messages, or play a game without revealing what you are up to.
The mobile privacy film is available for most smartphones on the market, including the Blackberry, Palm Centro, Treo and the Samsung Blackjack. Each sheet costs about $9 and can be cut so size for phones not specifically listed in the 3M lineup. Since most other premium screen protectors cost about the same, I found the 3M mobile provacy film to be a pretty good deal.
In this product review, I’m going to give you a quick look at a collection of products that can help mount your portable devices in a car or other vehicle.
In recent years, we’ve seen more and more device convergence – GPS has been added to your phone and phones are being added to GPS units. As we slowly move towards the ultimate single device, there is a growing need to be able to have easy access to that device in the car.
In my case, I often use my mobile phone with a navigation software package, and there is nothing more annoying than having to try and balance it on the dashboard in the hope it doesn’t slide off as I’m trying to find the right highway exit.
This is where Arkon mobile device mounts can help. Arkon have developed a massive collection of mounts specifically designed for your phone, PDA, media player or smartphone, as well as mounts for most existing GPS units.
Each mount consists of 2 parts; one part for the device itself, and one part that mounts to your car.
Arkon offers loads of options for mounting to your car including mounts for in your cupholder, on the sun visor, on the vents, with a windshield mounted suction cup, a dash mounted friction beanbag and even mounts that attach to the power outlet in the car. In addition to these universal mounts, Arkon also offers a lineup of vehicle specific mounts.
If you are like me, you’ll need a mount that can be moved from (rental) car to car. For this purpose, I found the windshield mount to be the best solution as the mount is nice and small, and folds up to be very compact.
Once you have selected the right vehicle mount, you can easily clip the device mount to it. This also means that any investment you make in the vehicle mount is never lost if you upgrade your device and purchase a new mount for it, you simply slide the old mount off and replace it with the new one.
The mounts are very reasonably priced. An iPhone mount is just $19.95 (plus $7.50 shipping). Larger or more complicated mounts like the beanbag mount or the sturdy gooseneck mount retail for $29.95.
My windshield mount has become a standard piece of kit I carry around with me, along with device adapter for my PDA and iPhone. Being able to actually see the screen of my device and keep it from flying through the car is great.
You can find the entire lineup of Arkon mounts on their site, where you’ll also find handy guides on how to pick the best mount for your specific needs.
If you are an iPhone or Blackberry Bold customer with AT&T, then as of today you’ll finally be able to access any AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot for free.
The 17,000 AT&T Hotspot locations are primairily found at Starbucks and Barnes & Noble.
There are no additional steps required to access the hotspots, you can simply select the hotspot name like any other wireless access point and login using your mobile phone number.
Being able to access Wi-Fi only really makes sense if you don’t have the 3G iPhone or if you desperately need access to something faster than the existing 3G signal.
Of course, it could also help a lot if you find yourself outside the 3G coverage area, or if you need to access something not possible over 3G (like accessing the iTunes music store).
Wi-Fi access to the AT&T network normally runs $19.95 a month, so this freebie certainly adds some more value to the monthly plan. Of course, AT&T is not the first to offer free hotspot access with their phones, T-Mobile offers a similar perk for Blackberry and G1 users with select data plans.
Via: Engadget.
In today’s product review I’m going to introduce you to BodyGuardz.
BodyGuardz are a device protection film designed to stick to your phone, PDA or MP3 player, safeguarding it from scratches. The film is made from a special kind of plastic film that is virtually indestructible, it is the same plastic used in the automotive industry to protect the front of your car from rocks and other abrasive elements.
The film is specially cut to fit the exact dimensions of your device, and is applied unlike any other protection film I’ve ever used. To apply, you use the included spray (which is a mix of water and baby shampoo). The first step is to clean your device, then you can apply each piece of film one at a time.
If you have ever applied a screen protector to your PDA in the past, you’ll know that it can be a massive pain in the backside, but because the BodyGuardz films go on damp, it is extremely forgiving.
In fact, if you completely mess up and apply the film crooked, you can simply slide it around to get a perfect fit or remove it and try again.
It took me a little time to get the courage to apply the product, but it turned out to be much easier than I had expected. I removed the battery from my Blackberry and cleaned it with a lint-free cloth. I then started with the front pieces of film (one for the screen and one for the sides). Once I had a perfect fit, I used the included squeegee to squeeze out any excess moisture. As soon as I got the hang of it, I had the back of my device done in a matter of minutes.
The hardest part of installing the film is the corners, the film does not stick very well to the corners when it is damp. The manual was clearly prepared for this, because it recommends letting the film dry a few minutes before trying to get the corners to stick correctly.
The end result is actually quite amazing; I now have a Blackberry with an extremely tough plastic protection layer, without it taking up any extra space. Because the film is so thin, my Blackberry still fits in my leather holster and my desktop charger.
BodyGuardz come with a lifetime replacement warranty, and each pack comes with 2 sets of film. BodyGuardz are available for over 100 devices. Protection is available for your phone, PDA, MP3 player, game console, digital camera and even several versions for laptop computers.
Prices start at just $14.95, and all orders are shipped free. BodyGuardz keeps up with new developments in the market, and constantly add products for the newest devices (like the upcoming T-mobile G1 and the Blackberry Bold).
It has been several hours since I applied the BodyGuardz product to my Blackberry, and now all the moisture has evaporated, you can barely tell my phone is wrapped in a protective layer. I’m quite bad to my gadgets, and they get thrown around more than they should, so I’m quite happy knowing that I’ve added a little bit of protection.