Electronista

Reviews

Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio for iPad
Friday, June 14

Since the fourth-generation iPad didn't evolve much over its predecessor, the market for iPad accessories has remained somewhat static, to put it mildly. Certainly some new gear had to be produced for the Lightning connector, but even now most iPad cases will still accommodate the old 30-pin format. It takes a little extra to make a case stand out, and that's what Logitech seems to have had in mind with the FabricS...

More

Huawei Ascend Mate
Saturday, June 01

The Huawei Ascend Mate is a phone that fits the screen-size gap between the 4 to 5-inch smartphone and the seven-inch or more tablet, with a screen that could easily be described as being right in the middle of the two. Since it has to effectively perform the tasks of two mobile devices in one single unit, did anything major get compromised when the Ascend Mate was being designed?Design and constructionThe physical s...

More

MaxUpgrades MaxConnect for 2006-2008 Mac Pro
Sunday, May 19

Nobody outside of Cupertino's privileged bunch knows the future of the Mac Pro line for sure. Despite Apple's reluctance to tell us what the line holds, there are a large number of machines in service all getting a bit long in the tooth, relatively speaking. As production Mac Pros have been replaced with new iMacs and even the Mac mini, IT departments are looking for creative ways to repurpose some of the older machi...

More

Brother HL-3170CDW LED Printer
Tuesday, May 14

We've mentioned before that we are far from a paperless society. For now, at least, there are tasks that require a piece of paper for confirmation, proof of purchase, or a litany of other needs. Laser printers have existed since the first practical commercial model in 1984 and have been known for excellent text quality. One name present in printing for years at this point is Brother -- the lineage grew this year with...

More

HTC One
Sunday, May 12

It is hard to overstate just how critically important the HTC One is to the Taiwanese company’s fortunes. Despite its alarming decline in market share, HTC has taken a gamble with the One. It has opted for high-quality materials, which eat into its profit margin, while it has made a bold, but risky move with its switch to the 4-megapixel UltraPixel camera instead of joining the smartphone camera megapixel arms race. ...

More

Samsung Galaxy S 4
Wednesday, May 08

Samsung's new flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy S 4, faces even stiffer competition than its popular predecessor. With a five-inch, 1920x1080 display, it is also one of the largest phones on the market. Will the fresh hardware and slew of new software features enable Samsung extend its lead in the smartphone market? In our full review, we'll determine if the S 4 succeeds in outpacing the competition.Design and ...

More

HighPoint RocketU 1144CM USB 3.0 PCI-E card
Monday, April 29

Apple was one of the first -- if not the first -- major computer manufacturers to provide then-fledgling USB support at the expense of legacy ports on its iMac line some 15 ago. Since then, the Mac maker hasn't always been the fastest at adding new USB protocols to machines, generally lagging six months or more behind, depending on the product line. The Mac Pro is languishing these days, awaiting a revamp -- but stil...

More

Nikon WU-1b wireless adapter, PicturePro app
Tuesday, April 16

We’re talking George Jetson here. Nikon’s recent introduction of the D600 full-frameDSLR brought a raft of accessories, one of the most interesting being the WU-1bWireless Mobile Adapter. Couple that with David Shield’s PicturePro app, (motto:Leave Your Laptop Behind) and an iPad, and you have a new, lightweight solution toshooting and sending photos from wherever you can score a Wi-Fi signal.Along the way, your lapt...

More

Digital Treasures Props Power Case for iPad
Thursday, April 04

It's not often an iPad case comes with a manual, even a short one, but it seems like an increasing number of models include some form of electronics. The Props Power Case needs a manual for its integrated lithium ion battery -- we received an 8,000mAh unit, although a 12,000mAh model is also available. In our review, we'll test how well the case works as both protection and a power supply.The Props uses a folio des...

More

Acer Aspire S7 11.6-inch Ultrabook
Monday, April 01

Ultrabooks abound. Just about every major manufacturer makes them, and too many look like the MacBook Air. The 2011 Intel spec for ultrabooks is very detailed, and gives guidelines for performance, enhancements, and even battery life. As defined by Intel, ultrabooks are designed for reduced bulk without a corresponding hit on performance and battery life. Nearly all of them are "inspired" by Apple's ultralight notebo...

More

Full review: Apple 27-inch iMac (Late 2012)
Tuesday, February 26

The new iMac was introduced in late October, however trying to get your hands on one is not easy. Even now, if you choose a customized option as we did, you will need to wait for up to four weeks before you can get yours. Even ahead of its launch, rumors were circulating that Apple's manufacturing partners were having problems using the new 'friction welding' technique that Apple has employed in its design achieve th...

More

Iomega PX2-300d NAS
Monday, February 25

Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices are similar in one respect to the iPod on release -- until one used it, the utility wasn't immediately apparent, and then, upon acquisition it becomes nearly vital to day to day operations. The Iomega PX2-300d is the Cadillac of NAS boxes. Driven by a dual-core Atom processor, the device is brutally fast for what it is, and runs a host of services, including the core of a securi...

More

Killer Concepts RocksteadyXS
Tuesday, February 19

Headphones and portable speakers are, for my money, still the best uses of Bluetooth, at least when it comes to audio. There are other options, like connecting to a full-sized stereo or car system, but in those cases there are often equally convenient alternatives with better fidelity. It's when you're traveling somewhere that fidelity takes a back seat to qualities like compact size, or minimizing wires. On the s...

More

House of Marley Riddim On-Ear Headphones
Tuesday, February 12

House of Marley is a fairly new entrant in the headphone market, arriving in late 2011 among a host of other celebrity branded headphones. In order to standout in the crowded market, House of Marley decide to make it their goal to not only offer top audio-quality products, but to do it in a way that is as environmentally friendly as possible. All of its products use earth-friendly materials wherever possible, which i...

More

HighPoint RocketStor 5322 Dual-Channel Dock
Thursday, February 07

Modern drive docks are awfully convenient. Without taking the time or expense to case a hard drive, contents are readily accessible to the user, and with the advent of eSATA drives docks, most are hot swappable, assuming the OS allows it. Storage solution provider HighPoint has an excellent paired solution for PCI-E equipped machines -- the HighPoint RocketStor dual-channel 5322 SATA drive dock, and the newly release...

More

HighPoint RocketRaid 642L SATA/eSATA card
Wednesday, February 06

While a small handful of drives is adequate for most, there are sometimes situations calling for a truly epic amount of storage either internal, or in external RAID cases. Or, perhaps, a specific computer has an older SATA protocol on its motherboard, and the need for speed is beckoning -- on a budget. Either situation is addressed by the new PCI-E x4 HighPoint RocketRaid 642L. By itself, the specs for the HighPoint ...

More

Gomadic SunVolt solar charger
Monday, February 04

Solar energy still has a ways to go for widespread adoption, despite its 'green' nature. It doesn't have a high power density, meaning that a large area of solar panels, intense sunlight, or both, is required for optimal energy generation. Plus, the panels are expensive. Reston, VA-based Gomadic Corp supplies the former Kickstarter project SunVolt Solar Charger, in an attempt to make solar charging available to the m...

More

MacBook Air OWC 240 GB Aura Pro SSD
Monday, January 14

Solid state drives (SSD) are fantastic. They are power-sippers as compared to a spinning platter, more resistant to shock, and other elemental damage. Even if you just count the performance increases, it comes as no surprise that Apple has shifted most of its desktop and portable line to SSD storage. Tragically, the price per gigabyte is dramatically higher than that of platter-based hard drives, so the capacities as...

More

Matrox DS1 Thunderbolt dock
Wednesday, January 02

The Thunderbolt interface has opened the door for a variety of new accessories, and Matrox' DS1 docking station exemplifies the standard's versatility. The DS1 is geared for Apple's notebook computers, pairing either HDMI or DVI output with additional ports for USB 3.0/2.0, Gigabit Ethernet and audio input/output. In our full review, we try out the HDMI dock's full range of connection options.DesignThe DS1 is a bit s...

More

Sony MDR-1R Bluetooth headphones
Saturday, December 29

Sony has a long and distinguished history when it comes to making quality headphones to suit the majority of listeners. In recent years, however, their headphone business has shown signs of becoming commoditized, targeting mainstream users at the expense of audiophiles. Over the past twelve months, though, this has started to change for the better. The Beats range of headphones, among others, has shown that many main...

More

More Reviews>>