Tag results for gadgets

So I decided to give Apple another try.  Back in 2006, I bought a white Macbook and after a few months of using it, I gave up.  I just couldn't deal with the difference in keyboard shortcuts, and just mainly how everything on Mac OS X was so different than Windows.  Plugging away in front of a PC for over 20 years of your life will do that to you.  But after checking out Samsung's Series 9 and watching these other Macbook Air-wannabes coming out, I decided that the form factor of the Air was just unbeatable.  I anxiously awaited the refresh specs and was satisfied to hear that the 11-inch model would come with an i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD.  Off I went to get one from Best Buy last night, taking advantage of quadruple Reward Zone points.

The keyboard folio case that I have anxiously been waiting for has finally arrived.  The good 'ol FedEX man dropped it off today and I was excited to strap my Xoom into it.  I haven't had time to play around with the thing too much yet (it's on the charger now) but I do have enough to throw together some initial impressions for those wondering what and how the unit is like.

It's a leather (I'm guessing) case that seems to be fairly high quality.  I'm not a huge expert in leather crafting but I have no complaints about the quality of the product just by handling and looking at it.  It uses a magnetic clasp on the outside and two button clasps for the strap which also plays double duty to perk up the Xoom for display purposes.  The fit was a little tight - the case has a "safety clasp" on the left side (which is essentially just another two button clasps) to snap down the Xoom.  You insert it from the left, push it all the way to the right and then fight with the safety clasp to get it locked down.  Unfortunately I have some bulges (in the photos) on the left and right side.  I'm hoping it goes away with time, but it's such a minor annoyance right now, we'll see if it stays that way.  I'm not sure if this is an issue with all the cases or just mine, I haven't heard from anyone else that has received theirs yet.

The keyboard case comes with its own micro USB charger.  It has an on/off switch and a sync button, so it is its own power source and does not supply additional power to the Xoom unit itself.  There's no sort of connections between the Xoom and the keyboard - hence being Bluetooth - so install is really just shoving the Xoom into the top case area and fighting with the two button clasp.

The keyboard itself is obviously cramped and takes a bit getting used to.  I was already hitting the home key instead of the ' or backspace key several times.  There are a ton of Android specific function keys, which is nice, though I'm a little perplexed as to why there's a Messaging key when there's no Messaging app on the Xoom.  Yes, pushing it does absolutely nothing.  I'm hoping there is a way to remap the keys to something more convenient.

My only major complaint as of right now is that there is only one viewing angle with this case.  It's not a huge deal, but it would've been nice to have a couple more.  It does certainly add some bulk to the entire thing, which almost defeats the purpose of a tablet for some.  Weight however is not a major issue as the case and keyboard itself is pretty negligible.  I don't have access to a scale but I can say it's not a deal breaker.  The overall thickness though is thicker than my Lenovo X200, which I guess at the end of the day is a bit ironic.  But hey, I bought a tablet for the convenience of a touchscreen and Android OS and I personally love the idea of pairing it up with a physical keyboard.  Is it a laptop replacement?  Surely not.  But there's usages for each and now the Xoom just has more possibilities of being my email replying device or even my blogging device, further limiting what I'll actually use my laptop for.  Wait, what do I use my laptop for now?

Yes this entire post was written on the Xoom.  Hurrah!

I've been dying for a keyboard folio case for the Xoom and ever since someone over at XDA forums posted about it late April I've been keeping my eye on the post for some good news.  Well it came today and figured I'd post up about it for those that aren't aware of the XDA post.  This is the official Motorola Xoom keyboard folio case which includes a built-in Bluetooth keyboard in what looks to be a leather folio case.

So I was one of those people that went nerd crazy when Nintendo announced its 3DS. Obviously I'm a big geek when it comes to anything and everything technology related, and the idea of a glasses-free 3D display intrigued me. I kept up with the news and pre-ordered one with Best Buy as soon as I was able to. Like everyone else that was interested in the 3DS, I read each and every article that was released once the unit got into people's hands. But one thing I refused to do was spoil the system itself by playing a demo unit somewhere. I avoided that at all costs until I was able to pick mine up, which was this morning. I charged the sucker up and picked up two games, Super Street Fighter IV and Ghost Recon Shadow Wars. Yes the launch titles are pretty weak, especially for a Nintendo product, so I went with what the majority of the websites out there recommended were worth the money.

Read my first day impressions after the break.

I have gone over 3 days without charging it and it is still showing 28% battery life remaining.  This is with decent usage throughout the day including emails, twitter, browsing and plenty of posting on forums.

When I decided to get a screen protector for the Xoom, I started browsing around for reviews and videos to determine which one to get.  I run a Zagg InvisibleShield on my Epic 4G, and while it's nice, I'm not a huge fan of it anymore.  There's certainly that orange peel look to it and the thickness/tacky feel to it is a little weird sometimes.  It does its job of protecting the screen, but you can clearly tell that there's a protector on it.  So Zagg was off my list to begin with so off I went to do a ton of research and reviews from other people.

I mostly had to check out install videos and photos off iPad screen protectors, but the major companies that were being tossed around over at XDA was Skinomi and Steinheil.  I ultimately decided on the Steinheil SGP Ultra Fine because of its matte finish and fingerprint-resistant attribute.  One of the things that really bothered me about having the Xoom is how it's such a fingerprint magnet.  When the screen's off, the unit just looks dirty.  I'm always hesitant to wipe a glass screen thinking I'll scratch it (even though I probably won't since it's Gorilla Glass), so having a fingerprint-resistant protector was the highest priority for me.

Read the rest of the review after the break.

OK so I caved in and paid the 1.66 for the Thumb Keyboard app and immediately it has jumped towards the top of the list for must have apps if you're using a tablet.  It simply just makes typing a breeze on a tablet and for those that are used to typing quickly on a keyboard, it is probably the closest you can get without a physical unit.  Huge kudos to the app developers for creating such a great product.  Now to go and play with its settings to fit my preferences.

So I figured I'd test out how posting from the Xoom would be tonight and so far so good.  I have gotten a little more used to typing on it and while it's not over 100 wpm that I'm used to doing on a physical keyboard, it is certainly not as painful as I thought it would be.  I had a good chance to do some heavy browsing today and so far I haven't ran into any force closes.  The unit is definitely very speedy and for the most part does everything it was made to do well.  I played Dungeon Defenders for a bit and found it a smooth and pleasant gaming experience overall.

Just about a week after I successfully ordered my Motorola Xoom, it arrived today at my front door.  Unfortunately I had quite a bit of work to do still, so I threw it on the charger and let the battery get nice and full before I dove into playing with it.  So with about six hours of tinkering around with the Xoom I figured I'd post up some impressions and go a little in depth on why I chose an Android tablet over an iPad (or iPad 2) and just my general thoughts on Android in general and the direction that tablets are heading.  There's probably going to be a lengthy post after this jump as I'll just start regurgitating everything that's currently in my brain, but if you're really wondering what the differences are between an iPad and a Xoom and which one may be for you, the post might be worth reading.  So check it out after the break if you're interested, or just want to know how the Xoom feels in the hands of your everyday nerdy consumer.

After successfully jumping on the 25% off deal that had a small window of opportunity due to a Motorola coupon snafu, I've been anxiously awaiting confirmation that my order was shipped.  Unfortunately I didn't select two-day shipping at the checkout - I was too anxious fumbling around for my wallet, sitting in the middle seat while 18,000 feet in the air on a US Airways flight - so I'm stuck having to wait for UPS to Ground it to me for a Friday delivery.  Makes for an early birthday present to myself, can't wait to tinker around with it!