Daily deal – 16GB iPod Touch (1st gen) for $199

by Scott Carmichael on

In the market for an iPod? Then my daily deal for today might be the best way to prevent having to stand in line at your local superstore.

This 16GB iPod Touch is the “previous generation”, but with the exception of a few minor cosmetic changes, not much was updated between this one and the new one.

The current generation 16GB iPod touch still retails for $278, but you can pick up this first generation version for a mere $199!

Of course, there is one small thing I need to point out; this unit ships with the previous version of the iPod software, and to take advantage of all the newest features, you’ll have to pay Apple an additional $9.95. Even after this fee, you are still saving quite a lot of money by going with a slightly older model.

The 16GB iPod touch ships for free, and comes with a USB cable, headphones and a dock insert.

Daily deal – Polk Audio portable iPod speaker dock for $30

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is for the Polk Audio miDock iPod speaker dock. This stylish portable iPod speaker is powered by 4 AA batteries, or the included AC adapter.

The miDock is only 100% compatible with the 5th generation iPod. Other iPod versions like the 2nd and 4th generation Nano will play, but they will not charge. The iPhone and the iPod touch don’t fit at all, and will need to be connected to the aux input jack of the speaker.

So, if you have a 5th generation iPod, this is a great way to get a high quality speaker dock for under $30 ($29.99). The miDock is on sale at Woot.com, which means you only have till the end of inventory or the end of the day, whichever comes first. Shipping is $5.

Included in the box is the speaker, an assortment of iPod adapters, a carrying case and an AC adapter.

Product review – Altec Lansing iM237 Orbit MP3 speaker

by Scott Carmichael on

Back in July I posted a review of the Altec Lansing iM207 “Orbit MP3” speaker. This product has long been one of my favorite gadgets on the road, albeit with a couple of minor issues that annoyed me (the lack of a power light for example).

Altec Lansing clearly listened to their customers, because they just released their newest Orbit MP3 speaker (the iM237).

This portable speaker has the same basic features of the previous model, but adds a “real” power switch and a power indicator light. The power light also shows the battery life by turning red when you are running low.

The tiny speaker produces a mindblowing amount of sound, and it sounds very clear and crisp, with no distortion at all. Of course, it is still a single speaker, so you won’t get that full stereo effect. Audio even has a decent amount of bass.
Altec Lansing also made some design improvements when it comes to carrying the speaker; they added an opening for attaching a wrist strap (included in the box), as well as a nice carrying case with a carabiner for hooking the entire thing to your belt loop or bag.

The speaker runs off 3 AAA batteries which provide enough juice for about a full day of non stop music. When you are not using the Orbit, you can store the audio cord around the bottom of the device and clip the audio jack in place. Like the previous model, the audio jack is still compatible with the previous generation iPhone.

Compared to the previous Orbit MP3 the basic concept has stayed the same, and it produces the same stunningly good sound quality, but the minor changes in design and accessories really make it a big improvement, and well worth the purchase price.

The Orbit MP3 is currently available directly from Altec Lansing ($39.99), or from Amazon.com ($35.11).

Product review – BodyGuardz device protection film

by Scott Carmichael on

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.

Daily deal – Accessory Genie portable battery pack

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is for the “Accessory Genie portable power pak”. This portable Lithium-Ion battery pack can be charged using your desktop or laptop computer, and comes complete with power charging tips for most portable electronic devices.

Included in the package is the power pack itself, a USB charging cable and power adapters for the iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone, Blackberry, Nokia, SonyEricsson, Motorola and Samsung.

The battery has a capacity of 1000mAh, which should be enough for at least one or two full charges of your device.

The portable power pak is on sale for just $13.99 through Amazon.com but since it is being sold through a third party, you’ll have to pay $7.99 in shipping.

Devices like this can be a real lifesaver if you find yourself stuck at the airport with a dead phone, or an iPod that funs out of juice halfway over the ocean.