reviews Archives

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 -- 10:50 p.m. -- at my desk

I downloaded BreakClassic tonight, a new addition to the App Store that's not too shabby.

It's brick break, or break out, or whatever it is that you call it ... you know, the game with the ball and the bricks that becomes addictive really, really quickly.

This game has different levels that change as you advance. You start with a rather drab and slow black/white/silver motif and eventually graduate to more vibrant colors and stars that fall depending on which blocks you break. And the stars give you bonus points, but it requires some serious hand-eye coordination to watch the ball and the stars at the same time.

When you hit a brick, there's a colorful trail that follows the paddle and the color of the trail changes depending on the block you hit last. Nice touch. The sounds are what you expect -- nothing special, but the important bips, boops and beeps. And, the stars provide the occasional ding-dong.

Here's what I don't particularly care for ... if I'm in the middle of the game and exit out of the game, I have no option to resume a game. It just goes back to the beginning screen.

And when a game ends, there's no real indicator that the game is over, just a return to the first screen.

In version 1.1, I would suggest the developers add some sort of option that allows game play to resume and definitely an option under settings to change sounds.

Otherwise, though, for a free app, it's fun.

You can download it right here

Let me know what you think.

Thanks for calling.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 -- 10 a.m. -- on my couch

I'm not sure if you knew this about me, but I'm a headphone snob. Now, don't go confusing a headphone snob with an audiophile -- I'm just someone who likes the headphones I'm listening to to sound good and look good.

In October, I reviewed the V-Moda Vibe Duos and was very pleased with them.

Now, I've had the opportunity to use the Shure SE110 Sound Isolating Earphones for several weeks and I'd put them in the same class as the Vibe Duos. I'll also admit that I'll miss them when I send the review unit back.

From the moment you take them out of the packaging, you can tell that this isn't going to be an ordinary headphone experience. And when you plug them into your iPhone for the first time, you might be blown away by what you hear -- especially if you are used to the standard Apple earbuds -- which are just OK.

Here's what you get:
Sound Isolating Sleeves
The Fit Kit includes three sizes (S, M, L) of the Flex and Black Foam Sleeves -- so if you have big ears like I do, you'll be OK.

Modular Cable
Detachable 3-foot cable allows you to tailor your experience.

Carrying Case
Compact and keeps the earphones tangle free -- you may have some tangles ... nothing horrible, but in my testing, it was rare that the wire remained tangle free.

OPTIONAL: Music Phone Adapter (MSRP $49.99)
You need this piece to switch between music and calls. This is the only thing I really didn't like because V-Moda includes this feature as part of the headphones. Even though there are several levels of Shure headphone above this one, every level should include this adapter.

I listened to these things on the bus, while walking fast and slow and in traffic and I was never disappointed by the level of sound quality. And what amazes me is that I know that the next level up sounds even more incredible -- just from what I heard. So, if I received this kind of quality with my test headphones, I can only imagine what comes next.

The Shure SE110's have an MSRP of $119.99, but you can get them for less -- I've seen them for as little as $80. For $80, I'd get two pairs. They are that good.

And additional kudos to the Shure folks for a great Web site. There's a lot of information here, including instructions, comparisons and even a demo.

If you have questions, let me know.

Thanks for calling.

Friday, December 7, 2007 -- 3:49 p.m. -- on my couch

AT&T and Apple call it a game changer ... no more listening to and fast forwarding through unwanted voicemails ... now, your voicemail is like your e-mail inbox -- you choose what you want when you want.

In theory, visual voicemail is great. Apple gets high marks for implementing it as a function of the iPhone. In true Apple fashion, it's sleek, sophisticated and fun to use.

Too bad AT&T absolutely ruins it.

Let me come right out and say it so there's no confusion later. AT&T's network is a big heaping pile of crap.

For me here in Chicago, there are way too many holes for me to approve of it. T-Mobile has a much better network.

And because AT&T's network is so craptastic, that makes visual voicemail craptastic.

Case in point. This morning, at 2:30, I got an important call from the office that required my immediate attention. Even though my iPhone is always next to me, it didn't ring. Luckily, the person who needed to call me has my landline number and all ended fine, but AT&T's network let me down.

And the icing on the cake was when I was standing in my office again at 3:10 and the voicemail sound went off as if the call just came through. There was the time stamp of 2:26 but nothing to explain the 45 minute gap between call -- which I never got -- and the voicemail.

Granted, I live in a high-rise where reception can be spotty. But when I'm walking around the middle of Downtown Chicago, it's far from perfect.

So Apple apparently needed AT&T's GSM muscle to implement its visual voicemail, but unfortunately, Apple has stuck customers with AT&T's poor quality.

And yet, despite this seemingly deal-breaker of a problem, I stand by my iPhone -- I stand by it because I stand by Apple's wonderful product -- but if I had the option today to go out and switch networks and keep my iPhone? I wouldn't think twice.

Here's hoping that the 3G iphone is a better machine and that AT&T finally learns how to make its network all it can be.

What do you think? You a fan of AT&T's footprint?

Thanks for calling.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007 -- 6 p.m. -- at my desk

When I was asked if I wanted to review some of the latest iPhone gear from Altec Lansing, I was excited. I use speakers by the company and I really like them.

For a week, I tested the UHS306 earphones, part of Altec Lansing's Upgrader series with microphone. Like the V-Moda earphones I reviewed in October, these have a microphone that allow you to talk during calls.

And like the V-Moda, the earphones have a cloth wire and they come with 3 different sizes of silicon coverings.

And that's pretty much where the similarities end.

Judging by my past experience with Altec Lansing, and going off of the competition at this price level, the UHS306 earphones are just disappointing. The treble is really boosted and the bass is pretty much non-existent. I listened to many different genres, turned the equalizer on the iPhone off and the result was the same every time. The sound was tinny. And the overall product is very plastic-heavy and feels cheaper than what I'm used to. And the silicon coverings didn't feel comfortable in my ears for more than a few minutes at a time.

The earbuds are sound isolating and are supposed to shine when traveling, for example in a plane or on the subway. I rode the subway with these and in that case the sound isolation worked well. I didn't hear much around me, and in that kind of atmosphere, perfect sound is probably not too important. But while walking around town or sitting on my couch, I expect better. I wouldn't want to use a certain earphone based on where I am or what I'm doing. I put the Apple earbuds in as a comparison and noticed very little difference. Actually, there's more bass in the Apple earbuds.

Now back to the general craftsmanship. It doesn't feel sturdy. There's a potentially nice feature where there's a little slider that acts as a main volume control. The part surrounding it is plastic and feels like it could fall apart at any second. And there's a loud, loud crackling when you move the slider.

And the cabling was fraying on my sample. After storing them night after night in the included carrying case, they didn't untangle nearly as quickly or neatly as others I've reviewed.

The microphone sounded average, no matter where I held a conversation. The V-Moda microphone was much, much stronger.

The suggested retail price on the headphones is $89. I've seen them for much less on a bunch of online retailers. I think you'd do just as well with the Apple earbuds or spend a little more for the V-Modas.

Please let me know what you think ... if you have these headphones, do you agree or disagree?

Thanks for calling.

Summary
PRODUCT: Altec Lansing UHS306 Upgrader Series earphones (with microphone).
PACKAGE CONTENTS: Earphones with microphone, call button, silicone eartips, fabric cables, in-line volume and mute controls, 2.5mm adapter, carrying case.
PRICE: $89 (retail).
PROS: Nice large case, iPhone use doesn't need adapter.
CONS: Treble-heavy sound, volume slider crackles, overall quality feels cheap.
RATING: 2 out of 5 iPhones

Wednesday, October 31, 2007 -- 12:48 p.m. -- at my desk

I forgot the URL. It is www.apple.com/webapps -- Thanks B K.

If you are looking for the ultimate way to enhance your iPhone or iPod Touch experience, turn to Apple's directory of Web applications and prepare to be wowed.

Apple's directory of iPhone and iPod Touch Web applications has been out for a while now, but I've been taking it for a spin behind the scenes off and on for a while now.

My conclusion? I really, really like it.

Leave it to Apple to make it simple, and that's why the directory scores so high ... it's simple, elegant and extremely easy to navigate. There isn't too much information. No scrolling up and down pages to find what you want ... the categories are easy to follow and the links to try out the Web site for yourself are clear as day.

The site is constantly updated, so you know you are getting the latest offerings. And it works well on the iPhone as well, so no matter where you are, you're never more than a few clicks away from knowing what's new and useful for your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Other sites try to serve the same purpose, and some of them do it well ... but no one has done it as elegantly as Apple has.

I'd love to know your thoughts, of course.

Thanks for calling.

Monday, October 15, 2007 -- 6:50 p.m. -- at my desk

I've been listening to music. A whole lotta music. More than usual.

Why? Because I've been testing out V-MODA's latest Vibe Duo headset that compliments the iPhone.

Here are my feelings in a nutshell ... I don't know how I got by with the supplied Apple buds for as long as I did.

The VIBE Duo has control-playback functionality and features a discreet microphone with a call button.

Basically, it has everything the Apple buds have plus better sound and GREATER comfort.

Did I make it clear that these headphones are comfortable? Because I can make the text blink in red if you really want me to.

I always had 2 complaints about the Apple buds: First, they sounded tinny. Second, they always fell out of my ears after 2 or 3 minutes unless I was lying on the couch with my head in an awkward position looking at the ceiling.

With the VIBE Duo, I only have to look at the ceiling if I want to.

So how's the sound? They sound great. I listen to a lot of 80s music, so I tested everything from Abracadabra to Zeppelin. I also tried a litlte of everything else, from country to rock to metal to classical. The sound was consistent all the way across the spectrum with rich highs and lows.

You won't get them confused with something higher end from Bose, but you may be surprised to learn that they cost about $100. If a representative from VIBE Duo walked up to me and put these on my ears and said "how much would you pay for these?" I'd say $200. So $100 is a great deal.

The control button is what makes them very much like the Apple buds. Push the little button once and the music pauses. Push it twice in rapid succession and you fast forward to the next song. In my testing, the control button was a little high up for my taste and I had to almost touch my neck to find them. A little lower would have been perfect.

And, like the Apple buds, you can answer a call. And, if the phone rings while you are listening to music, the sound fades out gently and is replaced by your ringtone. Then, when you disconnect from the call, your Madonna song starts right back up as though you were never interrupted.

And getting back to comfort for a minute, the VIBE Duo comes with 3 different sizes of silicon coverings to ensure a proper fit. When I put the headphones in the first time, they fell right out. So, I put the large size ones on and my enormous ears were accommodated happily.

The VIBE Duo is lightweight and features black fabric cables and a pouch. You have to crumple up the headphones to fit them in the case, which worried me the first time, but after 14 hours in the case they popped right out untangled and ready to go.

The ones I reviewed were black and they match the iPhone perfectly. They are also available in chrome and they also look to match. I don't think you can go wrong with either color.

The white buds might be iconic, but if you would rather enjoy your music more than being iconic, I highly recommend the VIBE Duo. The price is right and they look great. You can pick them up at your nearest Apple Store. Or check them out online here.

Let me know if you have the opportunity to check these out, and let me know if you have any questions.

Happy listening. Thanks for calling.

Summary
PRODUCT: Vibe Duo iPhone headset from V-MODA.
PRICE: $101 (retail).
PROS: Great sound, very good price and oh so comfy.
CONS: Control button a little too high up, pouch could be just a drop wider.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 iPhones