PocketBerry » Accessories

Review: Scosche flipSYNC – Mini & Micro USB Wire in a Keychain

Mac Jadalhack — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:30:26 +0000

This is the best. When I received this in the mail yesterday for review, I was just so amazed by it. Yes, it’s a simple as a USB wire, but its useful purpose and small design into a keychain, how could you not love it? The Scosche flipSYNC has both mini and micro USB adapters (as seen in the image after the jump), with a USB end on the other side to plug into any desktop computer or laptop. It hangs right on your keychain and has definitely become my new best friend. So how much are one of these bad boys? For 20 bucks, you can grab flipSYNC for BlackBerry or Apple products.

If you think it’s expensive, then you’re still not thinking outside the box. Your mind is stuck in “20 dollars for a USB wire” mode. Leave that thought, and think of the convenience of having it in this small keychain form and there you have the value. Of course some of you still may not take my word for it after this and call me crazy for it, but I do sync/charge via USB a lot and this will do wonders for me.

As seen in the picture above, there isn’t much to it. Use it like any other data cable. One improvement I would like to see is if they could add a retractable wire to it instead of having it so short as you see. Perhaps this will call for making the flipSYNC larger, resulting into a not so convenient gadget. Other than that, there’s not much you can say about a simple accessory like the Scosche flipSYNC

Gadgets it goes well with? I’ll go ahead and say the ZAGGsparq. Instead of carrying around a USB cable, ill just use my flipSYNC right off my keychain for it.

For more info and to purchase click the link below!

Scosche flipSYNC >>

-by Mac Jadalhack

Review: Case-Mate Fuel Lite Case for the BlackBerry Bold 9700

Mac Jadalhack — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:38:59 +0000

I was fond of the Case-Mate Fuel Case for a while and always thought they ought to make a housing for the BlackBerry that charges your phone without the belt clip portion. So Case-Mate did indeed do so with the Fuel Lite series here. I started testing over the last few days finding both pros and cons in the device. I used a white BlackBerry Bold 9700 for pictures just so you can actually see the case and its thickness. When it’s all black, it meshes very well together and it isn’t even really noticed when glancing at it. So white Bold users – prepare to be noticed with one of these bad boys on. Hit the jump for more pictures and our full review on the Case-Mate Fuel Lite case for the BlackBerry Bold 9700.

Features:

Slim design and profile
Weighs only 2.1 oz.
Battery capacity up to 1020 mA
Power on/off button and LED lights to indicate charge levels make for optimal efficiency
Completely encases and protects the BlackBerry Bold 9700, including corners
Access to all ports and controls
Screen protection kit included

Additional Features

Talk Time: Up to 2 additional hours beyond standard BlackBerry Bold 9700 battery life
Internet Use: Up to 2 additional hours beyond standard BlackBerry Bold 9700 battery life
Video Playback: Up to 2.5 additional hours beyond standard BlackBerry Bold 9700 battery life
Audio Playback: Up to 5 additional hours beyond standard BlackBerry Bold 9700 battery life
Standby Time: Up to 150 additional hours beyond standard BlackBerry Bold 9700 battery life

Specifications:

battery capacity: up to 1020mA
battery charging current: up to 450mA
battery max discharging current: 2A
power consumption: 5v/2.5w
battery operational temperature range: 5°F to 122°F or -15°C to 50°C

Convenience:

I have a ZAGGsparq which I love having around to charge my portables (BlackBerry, iPad, camera). With that said I’m a fan of the whole capability of charging electronics wireless. As this Fuel Lite case is for the Bold 9700 only, I can’t charge my other gadgets with it (obviously) but the fact that it is designed in a hard-shell case that wraps around it, it’s a winner for me. There was a day this weekend where I did not charge my BlackBerry and was going to be on the road with a friend for a couple of hours. What to do? Bring in the ZAGGsparq or car charger? I figured the Fuel-Lite case would be the easiest, giving me less to carry and to forget in other people’s cars. On top of everything else, it charges via micro USB, just like your BlackBerry. So is it convenient? I think so.

Design/Size/Weight:

It’s pretty much an extended battery built in the the cover. Your phone will not be light as it was before, so don’t expect it. The Fuel Lite case is a 1020mA battery, so keep that in mind. As for the size, it’s pretty big. With the added thickness in the back, your BlackBerry will be noticed in your pocket a mile away. Good luck finding a holster to put your Berry with a Fuel Lite in. The design I was slightly disappointed with. As I’ve seen the iPhone Fuel Lite case, it seemed to be better designed. On the iPhone Fuel Lite case, there’s a little button in the back that clicks together when putting both pieces on to the device. As for the Bold 9700, it just slides right on, and is not stable at all. Eight out of ten times, I’m able to slide the top portion of the case right off at ease which worries me about drops or taking it out of my pocket or carrying it around. That’s something I would definitely like to see addressed in future models.

Performance:

The Fuel Lite case promises talk time, standby time and internet usage by 1.5 times the normal amount. I must say that information is factual and I have had my fair share of battery with this bad boy. Most of my BlackBerry usage goes out to emailing, BBM, and web browsing and as I do keep it in my hand for most of the day (sadly), the battery gets obviously consumed quickly. Keeping my BlackBerry on the go charging wirelessly while still being productive is just awesome.

So is the Case-Mate Fuel Lite case good for you? For me, I will continue using it — not full time though. I’ll keep it charged and have it on standby for those rainy days where I forget to charge my BlackBerry and need to be running around for a few hours. the Case-Mate Fuel Lite for BlackBerry goes for $47.95, which is about the same price you’ll pay for a lot of heavy duty cases such as the OtterBox Defender series. Hit the link below to check out a Fuel Lite case for you!

Check out Case-Mate Fuel Lite Cases >>

-by Mac Jadalhack

Review: ZAGGsparq 2.0

Mac Jadalhack — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:50:00 +0000

ZAGG is definitely one of my favorite BlackBerry accessory companies as you never know what to expect from them next. We’ve seen the clever Invisible Shield, ZAGGskins, and even the ZAGGsparq. I’ve personally been following up on this bad boy for quite some time now, and found out that it has launched about two weeks ago officially. Now this isn’t a direct BlackBerry related accessory, but it does charge its battery for me and therefore it should very well be included here. For those unaware, the ZAGGsparq is pretty much a portable and chargeable battery that allows you to charge your electronics (BlackBerry, iPod, iPad, etc) by connecting the USB wire in it and into your device. If any of you have been following this item, then you’re well aware that this is version 2.0 which is new and improved, supporting the Apple iPad now. It’s got two USB ports allowing you to charge two devices at a time. As you can see in the thumbnails below, you have four lights and a button to push at anytime to check how far along the charge is. Remind you of a MacBook AC adapter by any chance? Hit the jump to check out our full review.

Now the biggest question many people ask is “how many full charges does this thing hold?” According to the video provided by ZAGG, you’ll be able to do up to 4 iPhone charges. As for the BlackBerry, I have used it twice so far without recharging it, and I am now just about low enough to need to charge the ZAGGsparq again. I would say 2.5 charges is quite accurate for the BlackBerry.

On a side note, I found it pretty cool that the ZAGGsparq 2.0 does support the Apple iPad. As I am a proud owner of one, i can add an addition 5 to 6 hours of video playback to the iPad according to ZAGG. Using it for the iPad, I have been able to get about 70 percent of my battery back up, which is wonderful.

ZAGGsparq Features:

Portable power: More than a simple extended battery, ZAGGsparq 2.0 carries multiple charges for any personal electronic device with you – including four full recharges for a power-hungry Apple iPhone™
On-the-go convenience: ZAGGsparq 2.0 fits easily in a pocket or bag, the perfect size for travelers and business people
Very compatible: ZAGGsparq 2.0 works with most USB charged device, including cell phones, handheld gaming systems, and digital cameras (adapters for mini-USB to USB sold separately)**
Charge multiple devices: ZAGGsparq 2.0 provides twoUSB charging ports: Optimized and General
Optimized: The top USB charging port is optimized for smartphones and other devices that are capable of taking an optimized charge, including Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod family of products.
General: The bottom port uses the standard USB specification and will charge devices that do not utilize the optimized USB charging specification.
Superior Engineering: ZAGGsparq 2.0 has been specifically engineered to charge Apple’s iPad. It adds an additional 5 to 6 hours of video playback to the iPad.

Do I Need It?

For me it’s great because there are many scenarios where the ZAGGsparq comes in handy. If you’re on the go a lot or just don’t always have local access to wall sockets and a BlackBerry home charger, then it is also good for you as well. Some see it more convenient getting an extended battery as it could be a little cheaper route. Again, in my case the ZAGGsparq is used for my BlackBerry and iPad and that’s what makes it right for me.

Pricing

It’s not that cheap, nor is it overboard expensive. Surely you’ll find lots of “Made in China” ones on eBay, but you won’t receive the same warranty or quality in the product as you do with ZAGG. The ZAGGsparq retails for $99.99 over at their website now. Given that it can charge all your USB compatible electronics, the price is right here.

Design & Weight

For a device that can charge your electronics on the go, it’s not heavy at all. It’s only half a pound (0.54lbs) and fits great in any backpack or laptop bag. It looks a lot like an Apple MacBook charger in its design, but is a bit bigger and obviously a little bit more heavier. Don’t look at this as pocket candy though folks unless you’re rockin’ some big pocket jeans and don’t mind them sagged a bit.

Where to Buy?

You can buy the ZAGGsparq right from the official ZAGG website today for only $99.99.

Check out more items from ZAGG >>

-by Mac Jadalhack

Hands on: BlackBerry Bold 9700 Go Bare by Case-Mate

Mac Jadalhack — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:50:03 +0000

I like rockin’ my BlackBerry naked sometimes. There are moments where an OtterBox is good (I love my Commuter for the Bold 9700), and then other times where I want to enjoy the actual device. Life is short, no need to never miss out on what’s all the way underneath five layers of casing. We’ve seen the Invisible Shield by ZAGG and other clear covers available from other vendors. In reality, this was intended to be a comparison review to ZAGGskins as we haven’t seen those yet and were supposed to have some on hand by now. So since we never received them we’re going to give you the full scoop on Case-Mate’s all new Go Bare which was introduced at CES this year. In my opinion, we were really excited to test out another product similar to ZAGG’s which is very comparable to it as far as quality and “performance” goes.

It’s tough to take actual pictures of the Go Bare on the BlackBerry since it is invisible and unnoticeable so bare with us! We did our run test on the Bold 9700, Curve 8900, and Curve 8520 so far but since it’s pretty much the same for all them, let us stick to the Bold. Generally, we are really impressed by the heavy duty feel the clear covers provide as well as how unnoticeable it is after applying it. The instructions were very much precise and easy as the only hard part was actually getting it on right without making any mistakes.

Conveniently the Go Bare covers come with an installation card to squeeze any bubble out and a fresh cloth to wipe off dust, dirt, and finger prints making your BlackBerry shiny before the procedure. What we found difficult was applying it perfectly without getting any fingerprints on them. The ZAGG Invisible Shield does come with a spray that can be applied on your fingers and device screen that will eliminate any visibility of fingerprints.

Even though it seems to be inconvenient, Case-Mate is pushing for simplicity as they exemply that there is no need for spray and the only real tools required is your thumb. If you’re confused check out the thumbnail images below to see what I’m talking about. Have no worries. After you put on the first few pieces, it gets easier and easier. If you’re looking into purchasing one, we definitely suggest to leave the screen til last as it is the biggest challenge. Everything else goes on simply and can be readjusted without noticeable prints. Just please be careful when applying the screen cover.

The quality on the Go Bare is phenomenal and there is actually a feature that Case-Mate doesn’t bring up (not to our knowledge at least). Having the Go Bare gives your BlackBerry a better grip in the hands which will avoid tragic incidents of dropping it on the floor and so on. Given that it covers your whole device, gripping it becomes very easy, keeping you confident walking around in the streets with it at hand. Another cool feature we saw was that even after removing it off your BlackBerry, there is no nasty stick adhesive gunk all over. All the sticky substance stays and remains with the Go Bare at all times. A lot of covers out there give your screen that annoying gunk and an annoying glare on the screen which will results in you removing it in a heartbeat. If you apply the screen cover correctly, then you will not notice any difference while using your BlackBerry. As we learned the hard way on the BlackBerry Curve 8520 test, the screen came out a disaster as I went ahead to apply the screen cover before anything else stubbornly and resulted in a lot of bubbles! As we suggested earlier, leave the screen cover til last so you get the hang of it.

So overall, we love the Go Bare. If you’re looking to get the latest and greatest, then the Go Bare is for you. The ZAGG Invisible Shield will run you $24.99 as the Go Bare does as well. As these products are still not out on the market yet, they are coming soon and the retail packaging will look just as you see them in the images below. If you have any questions about the Go Bare before purchasing it, drop us a comment below. Stay tuned for more as we’ll be announcing the availability of the Case-Mate Go Bare for BlackBerry.

-by Mac Jadalhack

Review: BlackBerry Bold 9700 OtterBox Defender Series

The PocketBerry Team — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:41:00 +0000

I’ve been using the Commuter series case for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 for a few weeks now and have been very satisfied with it. As the Bold 9700 is a smaller and slimmer device, there’s room to add more “junk” to it as it can make it more comfortable to hold. But the Defender doesn’t just add extra layers to your BlackBerry for cosmetic appeal. Instead, maximum protection is provided through this industrious case. So over the weekend I spent some quality time with the OtterBox Defender for the Bold 9700, taking it everywhere I went. What an interesting experience it’s been..

So let’s start off with the clip. I’m very impressed by the new design of the Defender belt clips. Traditionally they were normal slide in and out clips but now the it’s a bit different. Instead of “sliding it in” up and down, you can just clip it on to the holster as the Bold now has two wedges that meet the other two holders on the clip. It becomes very easy to clip it in and take it right out throughout an average day.

The BlackBerry does get a lot bigger with the Defender. Not as big as the Bold 9000, as many of you including myself would be complaining! As we mentioned earlier, a significant addition is put on to it, so before you decide if this is for you make sure you can accept the big brick effect. The three layers include a full clear keyboard cover without all the adhesive gunk that sits good right on top and wraps all the way around to stay securely. As for the screen cover, OtterBox has made your life easier and slapped a screen cover on to the second layer which is the hard shell. I personally struggled getting the Commuter screen cover on properly, so yes definitely I was thankful for the built in one here as well as the other cover over the camera and flash. After the hard shell clips all the way around your BlackBerry, making it really rugged-looking, a thick silicon cover wraps all around covering all the little wedges and pieces sticking out. All buttons are still accessible which include shortcut convenience keys and the mute/lock buttons up top.

Now for what I wasn’t too fond of. I didn’t like was the fact that pushing the lock and mute buttons are quite difficult. Of course you have to understand that the case is so thick so you would have to push a little harder than you would normally on it bare boned. Next was the camera cover. This problem we experienced with other Defender cases such as the Bold 9000. The clear camera cover interferes big time when there’s some light hitting wrong in the room or using the flash. The flash reflects off of the clear cover and ends up ruining your picture. So if you like to play paparazzi, the Defender may not be for you. Also, there were moments of my day where i felt my left side sagging down, but that’s not to blame the OtterBox only because it’s been awhile since I messed with the Defender.

Overall, the Defender for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 by OtterBox is very impressive over various ones released for other devices. If you’re looking for maximum protection, hit up one of these bad boys for only $49.95.

Features:

Foam sound-isolating ring over microphone
Sound is transmitted through case
Acoustic vent on headset speaker
Added bump, drop, and shock protection
Sleek, slim fit to BlackBerry device
Full use of camera, trackpad, and flash
Silicone plugs provide access to all ports
Includes holster style swivel belt clip

Specs (case only): 4.59″ x 2.77″ x 0.87″

Weight (case only): 1.39 oz.

Click here to shop at OtterBox>>

-by Mac Jadalhack

Hands on: BlackBerry Bold 9700 Commuter Series OtterBox

The PocketBerry Team — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:59:22 +0000

The OtterBox is personally one of my favorite industrial cases for the BlackBerry. When I feel like having my phone naked, I’ll hook it up with a ZAGG Invisible Shield. A little while back, we told you about the BlackBerry Bold 9700 Commuter Series OtterBox launch. Later after that came the entry level Impact Series for it as well.We finally got our hands on it to see how well it went with the device. As you all know the Bold 9700 is very slim and a lot smaller than the original Bold. Infact, it is currently RIM’s slimmest QWERTY BlackBerry on the market. The Commuter is OtterBox’s mid-range case which is not as bulky as the Defender and not as slim as the Impact.

Being a two cover case, the Bold 9700 feels a lot more full in the hands and very comfortable. As we tested out Commuter cases in the past, we aren’t so surprised by the layers, but more oh so satisfied with the perfect fit. The convenience key buttons feel great and are very fashionable like the Storm 2 OtterBox cases. The rubber silicon fits on really tight and easy covering all corners where a hard shell comes and wraps right around it all. I struggled putting on the screen cover but that’s only because I don’t have the steady hand for it. The screen cover is really heavy duty and thick, but won’t be noticed at all once placed properly.

What we did not like was the cover for the headphone jack as it continues to be hard to keep the cover on it without popping out a little bit. That could just be me as I am very OCD about my BlackBerry looking sleek and uniform at all times. The USB cover didn’t give much trouble as the headphone jack did. Those two components do become necessary though as they will help protect your BlackBerry.

After reviewing Commuter case by OtterBox for the BlackBerry Bold 9700, I’ve decided to keep it on my personal device. OtterBox for BlackBerry starts at $19.99.

Click here to shop at OtterBox>>

-by Mac Jadalhack

PocketBerry » Accessories

Review: Scosche flipSYNC – Mini & Micro USB Wire in a Keychain

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