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Super Smash Bros. supports new 3DS C-stick, not Circle Pad Pro
The portable version of Super Smash Bros. will not support the Circle Pad Pro accessory for 3DS, according to a support page on Nintendo of Japan's website, as translated by NeoGAF. With the recent announcement of a new 3DS and 3DS XL, the upcoming entry in the Super Smash Bros. series will reportedly favor the new devices' use of extra shoulder buttons and C-stick as opposed to the accessory that added a second circle pad and shoulder buttons to existing 3DS systems. This implies that players using a traditional 3DS or 3DS XL will be locked to using controls specific to those consoles without the extra buttons and joystick. The game will launch prior to the new hardware; Super Smash Bros. for 3DS is due out September 13 in Japan and October 3 in North America. The revised systems, which will be region-locked, will launch October 11 in Japan and won't make the calendar year in the west. The other version of the game for Wii U will arrive this holiday season. We've reached out to Nintendo to confirm the 3DS version's lack of support for the Circle Pad Pro and will update as we learn more. [Image: Nintendo]
Xbox One Digital TV Tuner coming to Europe in October
Xbox One owners in Europe will soon be able to view live TV broadcasts through their consoles with the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner, a USB peripheral that offers an alternative way to view channels normally accessed via cable or a satellite set-top box. The accessory supports Xbox One dashboard features while active, letting users view TV content in Snap Mode while using other Xbox One applications. The Xbox One Digital TV Tuner additionally enables live TV pausing, TV listings via OneGuide, and voice-controlled channel navigation using Kinect. The Xbox One Digital TV Tuner will be available in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain in late October for €29.99. [Image: Microsoft]
Hori's 3DS accessory gives one hand a second circle pad
One of the bigger issues with playing a Monster Hunter game on the 3DS is the hand cramping that accompanies the game's camera controls. As discussed in our Deja Review of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, the Circle Pad Pro add-on is essential for the 3DS version of the game, and now Hori is taking the concept for the accessory and tweaking it for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (4G in Japan) players. Dubbed the Extended Slide Pad, Hori's new accessory adds an extra shoulder button to the right half of the 3DS or 3DS XL and a second circle pad to the left half for players' nimble index fingers to take hold of. The controller add-on also adds a "ZL" shoulder button to the underside of the 3DS near its Monster Hunter 4G branding, turning compatible games into a workout for players' left hands. There are two versions of the Extended Slide Pad controller, one for 3DS and another for the 3DS XL, and each cost 2,980 yen ($29). The accessory will arrive in Japan on the same day Monster Hunter 4G launches, October 11. [Image: Hori]
Nyko is ready to give your PS4 controller the battery life it deserves
Although the PlayStation 4 is a fine gaming console, it has a definite Achilles' heel -- the very, very short battery life of the bundled DualShock 4 controller. It's a good thing, then, that Nyko has at last shipped the PowerPak add-on that it promised back in January. Shelling out $20 gives you a 1,000mAh lithium-ion battery that roughly doubles the longevity of Sony's official gamepad. That's not saying much when the DualShock normally gets just a few hours of play time per charge, but the extra capacity should be good enough to handle a marathon Destiny session.
All the best hardware and app reviews last week on TUAW
Last week was a busy one with new hardware and apps making their way into TUAW's virtual office. Here's a quick roundup of our recent reviews you may have missed. App Reviews Camera Lock for OS X keeps prying eyes from spying on you Emergensee is a security system in your hand Bank of America's updated app creates a wonderful mobile banking experience Daily App: Two Dots will have you thinking about connecting dots all day long Zombie Highway just won't die Leafnote: A text editor that's powerful in its simplicity Review: Maskify for iOS is a nice photo app for adding frames and text Daily App: StillShot allows you to pick the best photos from your video clips Sugar, Sugar is so very, very sweet Daily App: Alarmed is a standout reminders and alarm clock app Daily App: Lockscreen Wallpaper Designer for iOS Daily App: Morning Sun is a free alarm clock for iOS with some unique features Hardware Reviews TUAW takes a second look at The Padcaster Twelve South HoverBar 3: A TUAW Video Review Beyer T 51 i headphones are a sonic treat for your iOS device TUAW will be back next week with another round of reviews, so be sure to drop by to see what's new and what's cool.
TUAW takes a second look at The Padcaster
Way back in 2012, I reviewed a pre-production version of The Padcaster, an amazing pro tool that's used to equip an iPad with all sorts of accessories for professional-quality video or photography. You probably remember seeing a Padcaster in one of Apple's "What will your verse be?" advertisements, being used to shoot video of Iguazú Falls in Argentina. The person in that segment of the ad was Josh Apter, the brain behind the Padcaster and the president and founder of Manhattan Edit Workshop. The Padcaster is now in full production and available for the iPad Air (US$159), iPad mini ($99), and 2nd through 4th generation iPads ($149), so I decided to take another look at this versatile filmmaking and photography accessory. Design Highlights The Padcaster was obviously designed by a filmmaker who saw the potential of using the iPad for capturing video or stills. As such, it consists of a very solid aluminum frame with a flexible silicone insert that holds the iPad in place. The Padcaster we had for the original review was marked up with measurements and looked obviously like a prototype, with random holes drilled in places that seemed convenient. Not so with the final version, which is sleek, well-made and quite sturdy. Around the outside of the Padcaster for iPad are at least fifteen 1/4-inch threaded holes, along with nine smaller threaded holes. If you can't get all of your equipment loaded onto a Padcaster, then you may need to rethink your filming strategy. The Padcaster also comes with the Lenscaster, a precise threaded lens mount (58 mm) that is positioned over the camera on your iPad. For testing purposes, Josh thoughtfully provided a Vivitar .43X wide-angle lens to mount on the Lenscaster. A quick look at Amazon showed that 58mm threaded lenses from Vivitar are inexpensive -- the wide-angle lens runs $11.95, while a 2.2X telephoto lens is available for $11. Even a fisheye lens can be had for wild effects -- $40. So, now you have your camera (the iPad), an editing suite (iMovie or one of the other video apps like Vizzywig), and a way to make titles (IntroMate). Add a sturdy tripod or monopod (I used my trusty Manfrotto monopod with quick-release mount), some of those inexpensive lenses and some add-on filters, lights and a good directional microphone, and you're ready to go. What's more, rather than looking like a total fool waving your naked iPad around trying to take video, The Padcaster and accessories really make you look like a pro -- even if you're not. Appearances are everything, so having this piece of equipment with you might open doors that are closed to amateurs. Functionality Highlights One thing that can easily drive me nuts is having equipment that takes forever to set up. That's fortunately not the case with the Padcaster. I plopped an iPad into the frame, screwed on the Lenscaster and the wide-angle lens, added an external LED light and a Røde directional mic, and put the entire assembly onto the Manfrotto monopod in about five minutes. All of the threaded holes were flawless with no binding, and there are cutouts in all the right places on The Padcaster in case you need access to an iPad port. When you purchase a Padcaster, you are actually getting a full kit that includes the Padcaster, Lenscaster, 72mm-58mm step-down ring (the adapter for those screw mount lenses), two 1/4-20 screws, two 3/8-16 screws, one custom camera mount screw and one cold shoe adapter. That's a surprising amount of good stuff for such a reasonable price. If you already purchased a Padcaster for the 2nd- through 4th-generation iPad and want to use a new iPad Air with it, no problem -- there's a $24.95 Padcaster Air clip available that works not only to mount the iPad Air in the "old" Padcaster, but also works with an included handstrap for handheld use of the iPad Air. So who is The Padcaster for? Basically anyone who wants to make a quantum leap in their iPad photography or videography by adding lenses, filters, professional microphones and audio equipment, lights, and more. Professionals who are considering using an iPad for shooting need a Padcaster, no questions asked. Advanced amateurs may just find that adding all of those accessories to their iPad bumps up their work to professional level. Conclusion I was glad that I had a chance to look at The Padcaster again, so that I could see what a production version of the device looks like, how it fit the iPad, and how the entire accessory kit comes together. Josh Apter did the iPad videography community a huge favor by inventing this device, and I look forward to watching The Padcaster evolve. I personally plan on getting the iPad mini version for doing both TUAW work and personal videography. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
GameStop raises price of PS4 Camera as supplies dwindle
GameStop has raised the price of the PlayStation 4's Camera peripheral, seemingly in response to supply shortages across multiple retailers. Available at the PlayStation 4's launch last year for $59.99, GameStop now lists the accessory at $69.99. Retailers Best Buy, NewEgg, and Target report that the item is currently out of stock. Amazon has also exhausted its supply, leading to third-party resellers listing the peripheral at $99 or more. The PlayStation 4 Camera enables voice-controlled navigation, and allows players to stream live video footage via Twitch during gameplay. Sony's free PS4 application The Playroom requires the peripheral to function. Speaking to Polygon, a Sony representative declined to comment on a speculated shortage, but confirmed that the PS4 Camera is in high demand. "While we do not comment on the sales figures, shipment or monthly production quantity, PlayStation Camera remains in high demand, and we've been pleased with the camera's popularity among PlayStation 4 owners," the spokesperson said. "We continue to control our production according to market demand and increase the production as necessary to meet the needs." We've reached out to GameStop for comment regarding the price increase, and await a response. [Image: Sony]
You shouldn't buy the Lunatik Touch Pen, but you should definitely buy the Lunatik Touch Pen
My experience reviewing the Lunatik Touch Pen was a unique one. I had two of the pens sent to me, and at first glance they appeared to be identical aside from the color. One was black and the other, which was in nearly identical, but slightly more bulky packaging, was silver. Both said "Lunatik Touch Pen" on the front, so I opened the black one and tried it out. Impressions The pen portion of the device is great, and I totally love the rolling ball tip and gel ink. As a pen, it's a bit bulky, but it's absolutely above average. When you click the pen closed the rubbery tip can then be used as a stylus for your iDevice, at least in theory. In practice the stylus takes a great deal of pressure to register on the screen of both my iPad and iPhone. Definitely not ideal, and certainly not on par with my other styli I've used in the past. I was all set to write a pretty scathing review of it, and then I examined the second pen that was sent along. I unpacked and realized that unlike the black one I had tested, this one was made out of aluminum. I flipped the package over and noticed that, unlike the front of the box which is a direct copy/paste of the plastic version, the rear notes that this version is the "Touch Pen Alloy." Aha! So what's the verdict? The Touch Pen Alloy is one of the greatest things I've ever had on my desk. Unlike its plastic counterpart, which requires that your fingers are in constant, firm contact with the rubberized grip, the Alloy version works as a stylus no matter how you hold it. And when I say it "works" I mean it's recognized the moment you touch it to the your screen, rather than requiring you to press the pen down with the force of a falling asteroid. Oh, and the super-smooth gel pen housed within still works like a charm. It's a little bit on the large side, even for me, and I typically have an issue with pens and styli being too small for my mitts. If you have particularly small hands, you might feel like you're holding a young tree trunk, but overall it's not a deal breaker. Specifications Dimensions: 6 in x 4 in Materials: Aircraft-grade aluminum barrel (Alloy version), Polymer barrel (plastic version), graphite clip, silicone rubber grip Conclusion I'm torn. If you saw both of these device on a store shelf, and didn't bother to take the time to compare the rear of each package, you'd never know the difference between the two. Well, aside from the fact that the plastic version is US$19.95 and the metal one is $39.95. On one hand, the "Alloy" Touch Pen is a fantastic accessory and an easy recommendation, even at the rather steep asking price, and on the other hand the plastic version is essentially a $20 gel pen. Rather than lump these two together, as the company seems to have done with its identical packaging and product design, I'll issue two scores. Rating: Out of 4 possible stars Touch Pen (Plastic) Touch Pen (Alloy) Giveaway Dare to tempt fate? We're giving away both of these beauties, so entering will give you a shot to win either the plastic or (far superior) alloy version of the Touch Pen. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 13 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before March 9, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive either a Lunatik Touch Pen valued at $19.95 or a Lunatik Touch Pen Alloy valued at $39.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Jumper Card puts power and sync into your wallet without emptying it
It's always fascinating to see how people seem to get the same idea at the same time on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, but usually the one company that is ultimately successful is the first to get an idea to market. In the new accessory category of "connection cable/battery pack/flashlight that fits in your wallet", that first product is Jumper Card. Yes, it is all of those things in one credit card-sized package: a USB to 30-pin Dock Connector/micro-USB/Lightning charge/sync adapter, a battery pack, and an LED flashlight. The manufacturer refers to it as the "geek Swiss Army Knife", which is an apt description of this useful accessory Specifications Price: US$25 (pre-orders now being taken for mid-March delivery) Connectors: USB to 30-pin Dock Connector, micro-USB, and Lightning Battery capacity: 480 mAh (by comparison, iPhone 5s capacity is 1570 mAh) Dimensions: 3.625" x 2.3125" x .25" (9.2 x 5.87 x .64 cm) Weight: 1.1 ounce (31.1 grams) Shelf life of fully charged battery: one year Battery can be recharged/discharged approximately 300 times Design Highlights OK, so it's just a tiny bit bigger and thicker than a credit card, but it can help you charge or sync your iOS devices -- can a credit card do that? I was quite impressed with the build on this device; to be honest, I am underwhelmed with the fit and finish of a lot of crowd or self-funded project, and these guys definitely have the understanding that people demand quality. It's simple to figure out how to use the Jumper Card. You just push the cables out of the card from the back, plug 'em in the appropriate places, and you're set. On one side there's a three-position switch that is clearly marked with Off, LED, and Power. Want the LED flashlight? Switch it to LED and two surprisingly bright LEDs turn on to shed some light on whatever you're looking at. Want to get some emergency power for your iPhone? Flip the switch to Power and a tiny green LED in the three-in-one connector head lights up indicating that you'll be able to give your device enough of a charge to provide about an hour of talk time. Does it fit in a wallet? Well, if your wallet is like mine (I have a nice SFBags Finn Wallet), it's easy to slide it in and always have the assurance that you're ready for a quick charge. My wife tried this in her purse and she's very happy that she doesn't have to carry around an easily-tangled USB to 30-pin cable anymore. Functionality I like everything about the Jumper Card. It's light, it has clean lines, and I can use it to charge or sync just about any Apple iOS device. The flashlight is bright, the extra battery capacity puts just enough in your iPhone to let you make an hours worth of calls, and as I mentioned, nothing gets tangled. Conclusion If you own any smartphone and want a way to quickly charge it when you're near a USB charging plug, or need a way to grab emergency power for your smartphone in a pinch, then the Jumper Card is $25 well spent. It's always going to be available when you need it, without taking up space or adding weight to your kit. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
Designing a better MagSafe 2 connector
Apple's original MagSafe connector was a simple, but revolutionary new feature for its notebooks. Its T-shaped design also hates being placed in a lap. The straight-out shape makes it difficult to rest a MacBook on a pair of crossed legs without snapping the charger out of place. The second generation of the MagSafe addressed this issue by changing to an L-shaped form factor. Problem solved, right? Well, it was, until the MagSafe 2. For whatever reason, the new, thinner MagSafe 2 connector took a step backward with the lap-unfriendly T-shape. Users on forums across the web weren't pleased with this, and predicted that the change was made so that the company could come out with a "new and improved" L-shaped version at a later date. But rather than wait on Apple to potentially roll out a better MagSafe 2 product in the future, I decided to have a go at designing one myself. Things started modestly, and all I had to work off of was the dimensions of the existing MagSafe 2 adapter. I took those into account and made sure the surface area of the magnetic portion matched perfectly, along with the overall length and width of the connector. After I had the core dimensions in place, it was time to start smoothing a few of the edges and tweaking how far the charger would protrude from the side of a MacBook when plugged in. I used the L-shaped MagSafe 1 adapter as a guide for how thin I could make it. I also added the cord at this point. After adding the materials to the project, I came up with the first version of the adapter, and I thought it looked pretty good. But after walking away for a while and coming back, it struck me just how round the whole thing felt. That would be fine for some of the later polycarbonate MacBooks with their bulbous edges, but not so much for today's Airs and Pros. So I did some additional tweaking. I sharpened a few of the edges and once I did it really started to look like something I could see stuck to the side of my MacBook Air. It's as narrow as the L-shaped version of the original MagSafe adapter, has the exact contact surface of the current MagSafe 2 adapter and doesn't hate your lap. This one is free, Apple.
Jackery Leaf for iPhone 5/5s: Slim, inexpensive and fast-charging battery case
In March of last year, I had the pleasure of testing the Jackery Giant, a 10,400 mAh external battery back that works well with both iPhone and iPad. Today the company has released its first rechargeable battery case for the iPhone 5 and 5s, the Jackery Leaf. The device is a bit different from some of the other battery cases we've reviewed, with a slim profile and two protective cases that snap onto the battery pack. Specifications Price: US$79.95 Dimensions: 5.4 x 2.4 x 0.7 inches (13.72 x 6.1 x 1.78 cm) Weight: 3.4 oz (96.39 grams) Capacity: 2,400 mAh Output: 5V at 1A Charging method: USB to micro-USB cable (included). iPhone is charged first, then the battery case. Case material: Soft-touch polycarbonate Included: extra protection case in orange, audio extension cable, USB to micro-USB cable Design Highlights The Jackery Leaf comes in two parts -- a slip-on case in black, white or orange, and the battery pack itself (in black or white). Orange appears to be the company color for Jackery; it also happens to be one of the team colors for the 2014 AFC champion Denver Broncos! Regardless of whether you choose the black or white Leaf, you end up with a second free case in orange. That will come in handy when the Broncos beat the Seahawks on February 2... The case slips onto your iPhone 5/5s, and then the case/phone assembly slides onto the battery pack and snaps in securely. The battery pack is Apple MFi (Made For iPhone)-approved, using the standard Lightning connector. On the back of the Leaf is a small power button to check battery level. Pushing the button lights up a thin strip LED that flashes red, blue or green depending on what kind of charge the battery has. Flashing red indicates less than 10 percent charged; solid red means the battery has 10 to 35 percent of its total charge; blue means the battery is in the 35 to 75 percent charged range; and green means it has 75 to 100 percent of its total capacity. Normally the iPhone will charge first, followed by the Leaf battery. If you prefer to have the Leaf battery charge first, pressing and holding the power button for two seconds will do that. Once the battery pack is charged and the iPhone is attached to it, pressing and holding the power button for that same two seconds starts charging the iPhone. Compared to the Mophie Juice Pack Plus, the Jackery Leaf has more capacity (2,400 vs. 2,100 mAh), weighs slightly more (3.4 vs. 3.14 ounces), is almost exactly as thick (0.7 vs. 0.69 inch) and is more compact (5.4 x 2.4 inches vs. 5.58 x 2.63 inches). It also costs $40 less than the Juice Pack Plus. Functionality Highlights I like the two-piece design of the Jackery Leaf. If I feel like charging the case separately from the iPhone, my iPhone is still protected in one of the two plastic cases. Like the Mophie battery cases, the Leaf also includes "channels" to allow sound to escape from the iPhone's two bottom speakers. Another plus is the charging/capacity LED. While the device is charging, the LED is constantly flashing and it's simple to know just how close it is to capacity by the color. In use, I found the color cues to be a much better indication of remaining charge than the one to four white LEDs on the back of the Mophie cases. I charged the battery without having the iPhone attached, and it went from fully discharged to a complete charge in about five hours -- that's a bit different from the company's press release, which says that "full charging takes only two and a half hours." The instruction leaflet that comes with the Leaf has the correct time, and notes that the iPhone will charge in about three hours. Although I did not test this, it appears that charging both the iPhone and Leaf would take about eight hours -- in other words, an overnight charge cycle. Once the battery pack was charged, I took the iPhone and protective case and snapped it onto the battery. The case is quite nice and rigid, and there is no movement once the case is attached to the battery pack. My only complaint is that the flat black soft-touch material used for the battery pack seems to pick up fingerprints quite easily. Fortunately, they wipe off quickly. It should be noted that, as with the Mophie cases, you do not really need to use the audio extension cable. I've found that the existing headphone cable for the iPhone 5s plugs right into the headphone jack and is easily removed as well. Conclusion I'm fairly impressed with the Jackery Leaf, which provides more battery capacity than the Mophie Juice Pack Plus in a case that's slightly smaller and does the job for $40 less. It's Jackery's first foray into the world of battery cases, and by all indications it's done it right. Rating: 3-1/2 out of 4 stars possible
Alcatel's 4-inch Bluetooth e-reader will offer a more portable reading experience
Alcatel doesn't just show up to trade shows with phones, it also likes to come with a handful of clever accessories (regardless of whether they're final products or just prototypes) as well. At this year's CES, the TCL-owned manufacturer showed off a 4-inch e-reader called the Magic Flip, which connects to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. It's incredibly small, thin and light, and is meant to be a companion to your daily driver -- as long as it's made by Alcatel, that is. The Magic Flip is exactly what you'd expect it to be: a pocket-friendly e-book reader capable of receiving notifications from your phone. The E Ink reader, company reps tell us, is supposed accept every standard e-book format, which theoretically should make it pretty easy to transfer books back and forth. In terms of hardware, it offers three capacitive buttons underneath the display, consisting of backwards, forwards and home buttons. Since the demo unit we played with did not feature final firmware and was prone to quite a few bugs, we weren't able to navigate the user interface outside a basic demo page. Still, the Magic Flip makes its way to the market in the next few months, and even though it will likely appeal to only a small number of people, we appreciate a smartphone maker that's at least thinking outside the box and taking risks.
Nintendo's high-capacity Wii U GamePad battery comes to the US, $32 for 8 hours of playtime
Tired of tethering your Wii U GamePad to a wall socket? You no longer have to: Nintendo has finally made the screen-toting controller's high-capacity battery pack available to US gamers. The 2,550mAh battery first debuted in Japan this summer, promising to boost the device's middling 3-5 hour battery life to almost eight. The upgrade took months to crawl its way west to Europe, and is now available to North American buyers in Nintendo's online store. The price of an extending gaming session? About $32, give or take shipping. We're glad to have it available, but admittedly, we wish it came just a little sooner.
The Monkey Kit adds a tail to your iPad so you can go hands-free
The Monkey Kit (US$69) from Octa is essentially a long, posable tail for your iPad plus a small handle accessory. Like a monkey's tail, the Monkey Tail (also sold separately) allows you to hang your iPad or merely provide support when propping it up. While not everyone will have a use for the thing, the Monkey Kit might come in handier than you think, whether you appreciate prehensile tails or not. Design The tail is a flexible metal neck sheathed in nearly 3 feet of grippy silicon, with a locking mount on one end and a rubber tip on the other. When you attach the Vacuum Dock (which should have been called Monkey Head, but I digress), the dock attaches to your iPad using suction. The dock is very sturdy, and the button used to pull a vacuum gradually shrinks into the handle so you know when you've applied enough suction for a secure grip. As you can imagine, the dock will work with any nonporous, smooth case or tablet, so this isn't just for iPads. The tail provides that mythical balance of stiffness to flexibility -- mostly. That is to say, it will often stay put as needed, even with an older, heavier iPad. It is reasonably flexible, allowing you to make a "spring" configuration to rest upon your lap, a table or the floor. I had success mounting it to wire shelves and an office chair. All that said, I'd love to see a way to pull tension in the tail, firming up the grip. Over time and with repeated, er, monkeying, it does get looser. Not so much as to be useless, just needing more adjustment when used and abused. The Monkey Kit can be used without the tail, however. That dock can be removed and secured to an iPad so it can be used as more of a handle or smaller prop for the device. That's handy, but I preferred having it attached to the tail most of the time. It also means I have to keep up with the little rubber piece that's used to hide the hole where the head unit attaches to the tail. Not a huge deal, and that dock can be used with the company's Whale Tail product, which is a firmer plastic attachment for basic positioning and support. Functionality As an additional handle for your iPad with just the smaller head unit applied, the Monkey's vacuum dock is sturdy and cool, but there are other products to help you hold your iPad in your hand. If you're doing handheld product shots, for example, the Monkey is a good way to keep one hand out of view while still holding the iPad. I used to use a sort of rubber band (reviewed here), but the Monkey attaches quickly and securely and out of sight. As a way to hang your iPad, or prop it up with the tail, the Monkey is a great accessory. Of course, that's if you need it. Ask yourself how often you need to be able to prop up your iPad from an overhead bar, or maybe lift it up a foot or so off the table or ground. The Monkey Tail allows you to do this, and a lot more. The Monkey Tail can't cheat physics, however, so there are some limits. You have to be careful about balance, so the iPad doesn't tip over when you position it. Also, the adjustable neck in the tail isn't magic, so it is limited to a certain amount of bend. My son was clever enough to figure out a way to jam it into an office chair's hand rests, for example, but I can see how that would be a little dangerous if you were scooting around on a hard floor. After spinning around like Captain Kirk, however, I felt pretty confident in the ability of the silicon coating to hold firm. I think we probably bent the tail almost too far, however, as the bend was pretty severe to wedge it into the chair's armrest, but the Monkey Tail has thus far showed no signs of breakage. Hanging the iPad can be frustrating if you've ever tried one of those wraparound flashlights which seem to have waned in popularity. If you've ever wrapped something around a pole only to see it wiggle down to the floor, you know what I mean. This isn't the Monkey's fault, but I'm just telling you the accessory isn't magical and doesn't contain anti-gravity functions. You'd think this was obvious, but my hilarious attempts to secure my iPad on these shelves make a reminder necessary. I wasn't willing to commit to duct tape, either, but once you get the hang of it (groan) you'll find the Monkey Tail is great for securing your iPad to certain structures. The Monkey Kit, with dock and tail, is very well constructed, and I have already found a dozen useful placements for the thing. Some examples: In the morning when I shave I'm able to bring the iPad closer to eye level. When I jog on my treadmill I'm able to quickly secure the iPad at a comfortable location. In the kitchen the iPad no longer sits on the counter, but is closer to eye level and further away from where I'm chopping ingredients. I've even watched a weather forecast while shaving. Octa's website has a gallery of more uses like watching movies in bed and reading ebooks on the couch. Be sure to read the instructions on how to lock and unlock the dock from the tail, too. You can separate the two for easier traveling. Conclusion The Monkey Kit is useful for anyone who needs a rear handle for their iPad, but its real feature is the Monkey Tail which gives your iPad a flexible neck for an almost endless array of secure positioning options. If you know someone with any flavor of iPad who uses it while lounging, the Monkey Kit is a good deal for a gift.
NeatConnect Cloud Scanner: Computerless scanning and digital filing
You've probably seen Neat's TV ads touting their new NeatConnect Cloud Scanner (US$499.95). They show someone with a desk somewhat neater than mine quickly scanning in receipts, bills, and business cards with nary a desktop computer in sight. The company sent one to TUAW for a review, so read how this latest scanner from Neat might just change your thinking about scanning ... and keeping a desktop computer around. I have a love/hate relationship with scanners and the entire "paperless office" concept. While I'd love to get rid of every piece of paper that comes into my home and office by scanning everything and storing it in the cloud, every solution I've tried so far has at least one failing. Take, for example, my great idea of using my Epson WF-3540 all-in-one printer/scanner (it has a sheet feeder!) to grab handfuls of bills, receipts, and other paper detritus and bump them up to either Dropbox or Evernote ... or both. That sheet feeder works a lot better in theory than in practice -- it often jams if I scan documents that were folded into envelopes or if I try scanning sheets of different sizes. The software included with the Epson scanner wasn't that great, so I tried PDFScanner for Mac ($14.99). The app helped a lot in terms of turning the scans into PDFs that I could send to Dropbox and Evernote, but lacks a way to automate a lot of the process. The NeatConnect Cloud Scanner is designed to remove the personal computer from the loop, allowing direct wireless scanning to a number of cloud services. It does this by putting a small color touchscreen onto the front of the scanner not only for entering commands, but for cropping scans if needed. Neat's business plan appears to be oriented towards selling the Neat services rather than the scanners, but if you're averse to spending anywhere from $60 to $240 a year for their cloud storage, you can still use Dropbox, Evernote, Box.com, Google Drive or even Microsoft SkyDrive. The scanner features 802.11b/g/n compatibility, and also has a USB port if -- for some reason -- you want to scan to your Mac. An SD card slot makes scanning directly to removable storage a possibility, perfect for situations where you may want to do scanning off-network. The scanner can do single- or double-sided scanning with a maximum resolution of 600 dpi, while scans of up to 8.5" x 30" can be done at the lower resolution of 300 dpi. The sheet feeder on the device can take up to 15 business cards, 15 receipts, and 15 letter-size documents at one time. Take out the paper tray, and you can slam in up to 50 letter-size docs. Dimensions-wise, the scanner fills a volume of 11" width x 8.7" depth x 7.5" height, and it weighs in a 5.3 pounds. Test Drive For me, the proof of how good (or bad) a scanner is lies in how it works in real life, so I unboxed the review device and set it up. My first complaint? The way that the prongs are set up on the power brick insures that unless you plug it in on the end of a power strip, it will cover up three other outlets... That aside, setup is dead simple -- plug it in, turn it on, and follow a tutorial that appears on the screen. That color touchscreen, which measures about 2" wide by 3" tall, takes you through accepting the terms and conditions of use connecting to your Wi-Fi network, connecting to NeatCloud (a subscription is included), and then using the device. Entering the password for the network is made easy through the use of a tiny on-screen keyboard, which is smaller than what you may be used to on an iPhone. Next, the device lets new users of NeatCloud sign up for the service or existing users sign in. A few more steps, and the scanner lets you do a sample scan. Pages and/or cards are put into the three slots on the Cloud Scanner, you are prompted for whether you'd prefer a grayscale or color scan, if the pages are single or double sided, and if you'd like scans combined into one document, and then you press a large orange button on the display. I was quite surprised at how fast the scanner whipped through a few double-sided pages, as I'm used to watching my existing scanner try to (and usually failing) pull the paper back through. Not so with the Cloud Scanner, which did both sides of the pages at once. The scanner is even smart enough to realize if you've accidentally turned on double-sided scanning for single-sided documents, and eliminates the blank pages. That's quite impressive. So what happens once your scans are done? They're stored on the device in an "outbox" and you just tap a "Send" button on the touchscreen to send them to the cloud. Once the documents are happily spending their time in the cloud, you can choose to do any number of things with them from either the website, the Neat desktop software, or a free iOS app. I consider business card scanning to be the litmus test of scanners, as they usually jam or the text isn't recognized properly. I took nine different cards -- some "traditional" and some that were just plain odd -- and plopped them into the card slot. Scanning took just 12 seconds for all of those cards, with the cards being properly oriented on the touchscreen once they had been scanned. Within seconds and without any prompting on my part, those cards started appearing in the NeatCloud inbox -- not only the image, but where possible, with the data extracted into the proper fields of a contact page. How accurate was the recognition? As you'd expect, business cards that had a traditional portrait or landscape layout worked quite well, especially those with dark type on a white background. One card (from Apple co-founder Ron Wayne!) had a photograph in the background, but still picked up important information like street address and name. Three of the cards could not be processed -- a look at them showed that they either had very odd layouts or typefaces. Receipts scanned amazingly well and moved data into the proper fields of an expense form. The only receipt I had an issue with was one from a thermal printer that was from February -- it was faded quite a bit, but the recognition still picked up the card type, the charge date, and the type of charge (it was for a restaurant). Next, I connected to two other cloud services: Dropbox and Evernote. Once the Dropbox connection was made, I was informed that scans would appear in the root folder... not exactly where I would have put them. I have a folder specifically for scans, and it would be nice if it was possible to direct the Cloud Scanner to drop my scans in that place. It was the same for Evernote -- scans go straight into the top level of that service. To select between NeatCloud, Dropbox, and Evernote, you simply swipe across the touchscreen until you see the destination you desire. It's fast and easy to change destinations between scans. As you'd expect, the documents appeared in their proper cloud within seconds. Did I ever have issues with sheet feeding? Yes -- one set of documents had been folded, and I found that I had to "counter-fold" the pages to get them to feed properly. But considering how fast the NeatConnect Cloud Scanner is, it wasn't a hassle to tweak the pages to try again -- successfully. Seriously, six pages of double-sided documents from scan to Dropbox in less than 30 seconds? Nice. If my testing of the NeatConnect Cloud Scanner has done anything, it's made me regret buying an all-in-one device. For the type of scanning I need to do -- in other words, getting from under the avalanche of paperwork that shows up on a regular basis -- this device rocks. Side note: As I tested the scanner, I ended up clearing up a lot of paperwork that I was dreading sending through the scanner on my Epson all-in-one. Large businesses and even small businesses with a lot of paperwork would probably be best served with a document management system that can handle a large amount of incoming paper, but for those who are self-employed or small businesses with a couple of employees, this is an almost perfect solution. Conclusion For small businesses or individuals and families that want to digitize their lives by turning bills, receipts, and business cards into their electronic equivalents, I can't think of a better solution than the NeatConnect Cloud Scanner. It's fast, amazingly easy to set up and use, and works seamlessly with the major cloud services. If you require the ability to have business cards and receipts entered automatically into a contact list or expense report, then the ability of the Neat services to extract that information will be well worth the cost. Pros Bright color touchscreen makes setup of network and cloud accounts fast and easy Scans business cards, receipts, and documents (single- or double-sided) in seconds Doesn't require a Mac or PC Works with all major cloud services plus NeatCloud Small footprint ensures that it won't take up a lot of room in your home or office Generous return policy if you decide it's not for you Cons NeatCloud has issues recognizing some business cards or poorly printed receipt Price puts it out of reach of most consumers; small businesses could expense the hardware Who is it for? Anyone who wants to digitize quantities of printed material quickly for storage in a variety of cloud services
Felix TwoHands II: A whimsical, functional iPad stand (updated)
Being a sucker for fun and functional design, I jumped on the chance to review the Felix TwoHands II (US$24.99) tablet stand. Join me as I take a quick look at this useful device, and then enter to win a TwoHands II courtesy of Felix Brand and TUAW. When in its "relaxed" mode, the lightweight (2.4-ounce, 68-gram) aluminum, plastic and silicone TwoHands looks like a pair of very skinny arms ending in hands forming a heart shape. There are even "fingers" on the "hands" to top off the effect. On the end opposite of the "hands" are two "feet" that you squeeze to open the "arms" wide to caress your iPad. With the "arms" open, those "hands" take a firm grip on the sides of your iPad or iPad mini. A spring in the bottom of the TwoHands makes sure that your tablet is gripped tightly, while a soft silicone covering keeps your iPad from being scratched. The same silicone material on the "feet" keeps the base of the TwoHands from sliding on a desk or tabletop, ensuring that your iPad remains in the upright and locked position as you watch video or read. While this TwoHands review unit came in basic black plastic/silicone, potential owners can choose from a veritable rainbow of colors -- red, green, pink, blue and white in addition to the black. Felix notes that the TwoHands II works on any tablet or e-reader that is less than 10.5 inches wide and thinner than three-eighths of an inch, meaning that it's perfect with any iPad or iPad mini. Conclusion This infinitely adjustable, easy-to-use and humorously designed iPad stand is perfect for anyone with an iPad or iPad mini without a case who would like to be able to prop up that tablet. It's affordable enough for anyone (about $20 on Amazon), and would make a perfect stocking-stuffer for the upcoming holidays. Update: Guess what? You can also pick these up at Target. I saw them yesterday while doing shopping for Operation Christmas Child. Pros Lightweight, compact and easy to use Adjustable to a variety of angles Fun design! Inexpensive Cons None Who is it for? Everybody who doesn't already have a way to prop up a "naked" iPad Giveaway We'd give you the shirt off of our back, but we'd prefer to give you the hands, feet and fingers of the TwoHands II. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before November 15, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Felix TwoHands II tablet stand valued at $24.99 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Romotive partners with Brookstone to bring Romo iPhone robot to retail starting today
The Romo iPhone robot is one of the more unique smartphone accessories we've ever seen, and after a couple of rounds of Kickstarter fundraising, the device is now ready for retail. According to a press release from creator Romotive Inc., the company has entered into a deal with retailer Brookstone to bring the fancy robotic add-on to customers starting today. For international customers without access to a physical Brookstone location, you can pick one up via the Brookstone website. After installing the Romo app on your iPhone 4 or higher, and plugging it into the Romo base, you can control the bot from any other iDevice or from your Mac. You can control the little guy's movements and facial expressions, view a live video feed of what the robot can see and even snap photos and video using the iPhone's built-in camera. The device retails for US149.99.
Livescribe 3 smartpen appears in FCC filing, can't wait to digitize your doodles
Now that we've got those naming suits out of the way, it's time to get down to brass tacks. With "brass tacks" involving a new smartpen, in this particular instance. The Livescribe 3 has just made itself known in a public FCC filing today, showcasing a svelte writing utensil whose main purpose in life is to digitize your handwritten notes. It's equipped with Bluetooth in order to pair with your iOS device and the accompanying Livescribe+ app, and once you start doodling in your Livescribe notebook, those very scribbles will appear in the app. There's a micro-USB connector on top for recharging it, and a handy twistable handle that turns the unit on. (Oh, and if you're curious, we're told that "more supported devices" will be added soon.) For the power users, there are Pencasts -- said to be "interactive documents containing audio that is synchronized to your handwritten notes." As is always the case with FCC reveals, pricing and availability are nowhere to be found; that said, an FCC submission generally signals that it's just about ready for store shelves in the US. We'll watch as you attempt to digitally write about the art of containing your excitement.
Binatone's Brick phone was acceptable in the '80s (hands-on)
"If you're an '80s guy like me, then you know it's important to be a shark. That means getting up, choking down a double espresso and listening to Huey Lewis. Then it's time to hit the trading floor and make a cool hundred mil or something before dinner. Lunch? Lunch is for wimps. Talking about wimps, those hipsters who use Native Union's Pop retro smartphone handset are scum. Me? I'm all about the Binatone Brick. Cram in a SIM card and you can make calls on this thing AND play Snake (I mean, we are living in the future) even while riding the elevator. But pair it over Bluetooth to your smartphone, and you'll impress everyone when you're walking and talking. It'll launch soon for you mere mortals, priced at £50 in the UK with a 1,000mAh battery, but for a big-shot like me who's always making deals, I'm holding out for the 2,000mAh version that'll come later for £80. Oh, and one more thing -- in the time it took you to read this, I just bought San Marino." -G. Gekko Mr. Gekko's views are entirely his own and do not reflect those of Engadget or AOL. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub! Dana Wollman learned during this report that greed, for want of a better word, is good.
Surface Power Cover rumored to ship after the Surface 2, provide the whole family with extra juice
Despite Microsoft's claims that the Surface family of tablets was a representation of "no compromise," many road warriors have found the battery life to be... well, compromised. In order to address said concerns, it's looking as if Microsoft will be launching a line of Power Covers. In a nutshell, these battery-inclusive Type Covers will snap onto Surface tablets as the existing ones do now, but a bump in thickness (from 0.21-inches to 0.38-inches) will add "significant" life. Interestingly, WinSupersite is reporting that the covers won't ship until after the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, and the original Surface RT won't be compatible. Oh, and as for pricing? Mum's the word, as you might expect for an unconfirmed accessory.
