Hardware
Griffin Arrowhead iPad Stand
0I was asked if I wanted to review the Griffin Arrowhead iPad stand on behalf of the large UK phone company Three a short time ago.
The Griffin Arrowhead is a very compact and portable solution for the iPad. The two weighted and rubberised feet have internal magnets so when not in use you can just snap them together and pop them into your bag which makes them perfect for travelling and accessing mobile internet from your iPad wherever you go!
My iPad feels totally secure when in the Griffin Arrowhead, either in landscape or portrait. I recently had a poor experience with another of Griffin’s stands where the iPad slipped and fell backwards out of it, crashing onto the desk. That left me feeling less confident about trusting my device in another stand. However I have put the Arrowhead through its paces and I am 100% confident it is entirely safe.
It’s has a perfect viewing angle to have on the desk to watch a movie or catch up on BBC iPlayer.
Here’s how it looks on my desk in action.
The Griffin Arrowhead costs just £15.00 from 3 Accessories Store. It’s not just designed for the iPad, the Arrowhead will also accommodate most tablets up to 10″. For the price of this stand I would highly recommend it.
CushCase for MacBook Air
8Having not found a suitable sleeve for my MacBook Air in the 6 months I’ve had it, I went on the search for one a few days ago and came across a nice range by CushCase. I spotted the denim sleeve for every size of Mac laptop except the 11.6″ model in UK online retailers and was about to purchase it from CushCase.com for $23.99 plus $7.99 shipping until I decided to give trusty ol’ eBay a whirl.
I found CushCase on eBay and once again they had the denim sleeve for the bigger Mac laptops, not the 11″ Air. I emailed them to ask if they were expecting any stock of the 11″ in soon, but was told they don’t currently sell that size in the denim in the UK, however they said they could make one especially for me. All I had to do was order any other 11″ Air case and they would make the denim one for me. As luck would have it, they have a 40% off sale on across their entire range at the moment, meaning the case was just £9.99.
That was Wednesday and today I received the sleeve…
The material is proper denim and is darker than I was expecting which I LOVE! Inside is soft black fleece meaning a very soft and comfortable environment for the MacBook Air. The velcro fastening is very strong so there’d be no worries about it coming undone and the laptop falling out. It’s snug and perfect – I am thrilled to bits to finally have not only a stylish looking sleeve, but also one I’m confident will protect my expensive kit.
If you’re looking for a sleeve for your 11″ MacBook Air or any other size Mac laptop/iPad/laptop I would highly recommend CushCase on eBay. Not only were they super helpful in making the 11″ sleeve, they also dispatched it a lot quicker than I was expecting.
[rating: 5/5]
My thoughts on iPad 2
6Wednesday saw the Apple event in which iPad 2 was unveiled. I wasn’t particularly excited about it as you’ll all remember that I sold my iPad last November and bought the 11″ MacBook Air after we just didn’t get along. But, there I was, Engadget liveblog at the ready to follow events.
I’m going to cut to the chase early on and say that the most exciting part of the iPad 2 event for me was Steve Jobs taking to the stage and bringing us the lowdown. After all the recent and rather upsetting speculation on his health, I really didn’t expect that Steve would be fronting this. Judging by the standing ovation he received I don’t think many others did either. It was great to see him looking happy, healthy and in strong voice. I wish him all the very best. He really is a great showman and brilliant person.
iPad 2 itself, like it’s older brother, hasn’t stirred anything within me to even make me even remotely want one. They’ve made it thinner, they’ve made it faster, they’ve added cameras, they’ve added new apps, still has the same resolution display. I’ve got FaceTime on my Macs and iPhone: don’t use them. I’ve got iMovie on my Macs and iPhone: don’t use them. I’ve got GarageBand on my Macs: definitely don’t use them. I’ve got PhotoBooth on my Macs…yeah, you get the idea. [iPad 2 specs @ Macgasm]
I’m going to tie in my 4 months with the MacBook Air into this post otherwise we’ll be stopping right about now. The MacBook Air replaced my need for a tablet computer the moment we met. I briefly mentioned this in my November entry but it’s worth repeating: I can buy things, flawlessly, using my MacBook Air. The iPad was frustrating for the most part in completing transactions due to keyboard popping up over vital bits of information or not popping up where it was needed.
And although Apple would like us to ditch flash altogether (the world WOULD be better without it, no doubt) the fact is some sites still rely upon it currently which made the browsing experience extremely difficult on the iPad. With the Air I don’t need to worry about what sites I can and can’t access. Although flash does affect battery life quite acutely, I still prefer that I have it on a machine than not for those occasions when it calls for it. The iPad felt very redundant to me because of that.
4 months into my Air ownership I still have not heard the fans in this. It’s just absolutely cool and silent. However, the Air most definitely does have fans as Tom over at tomacintosh.com recently discovered. My next iMac must be SSD. No more spinning hard drives for me after experiencing this.
I’m now just looking forward to iPhone 5, hopefully in the summer. That’s where my excitement is lying for Apple this year. It’s hard to imagine how they can improve upon this, hardware wise, as it’s pretty much spot-on, but I would like to see some overhauls to iOS in particular notifications.
So, now that I’ve told you that I won’t be buying iPad 2, how about you?
The New Apple TV
13I’ve kicked off 2011 as I fully intend to carry on, with a new gadget. Over Christmas I’d been giving great thought to purchasing the new Apple TV. I already have the 1st gen which is located in my bedroom, but I wanted something for the living room which can be enjoyed by the whole family and friends.
After a little bit of hesitation between Christmas and New Year, yesterday I decided to head to Apple Store MetroCentre and finally give in to the temptation. It wasn’t until I arrived that I realised I was lacking an HDMI to HDMI cable. Rather than heading off in a different direction to hunt for a cheaper cable, I just gave my extra £15 to Apple for one when picking up Apple TV.
First thought on Apple TV – wow, isn’t it small? This thing is just tiny. Inside the box is simply the Apple TV, Remote, power lead, two Apple stickers and instruction booklet. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the set-up process as I’d heard some people running into various difficulties when they purchased theirs on release day. It didn’t sound like the “works right out of the box” that we’ve become so accustomed to with Apple, but there were no problems at this end. Choose your language, choose your network, input your network password, pop in your Apple ID, turn on Home Sharing and you’re done.
The pleasing thing about the new Apple TV is it’s speed. When it goes into screensaver mode you just hit the menu button and boom, you’re back at the menu, no messing. On the 1st gen you press the menu button and sit back as it clicks and clunks a bit, has a think about it and then it asks “oh, you mean now?”. Not only is it quick in that respect but when previewing trailers I have been impressed by no lag, no jitter. Similarly when streaming a movie from my iMac it just does things extremely smoothly. That was one of my concerns, but it needn’t have been.
It’s so nice to be able to access my entire iTunes library from the living room now. I have my own collection of movies and TV shows building in there, plus a few movies purchased via iTunes that I’ll finally be able to watch on a 42″ screen, on demand. I look forward to the future for Apple TV, which I am sure will be a brighter one than the forgotten 1st gen. Hoping that apps will be arriving soon to open this up even more and make it a very attractive home entertainment device for all.
A Very Techy 2010
5Compared to 2009, 2010 has been jam packed with gadget buying for me. I think one of the only gadgets I purchased last year was the Magic Mouse, so this year has been a real treat. Here’s a little look back over the past 12 months and my thoughts on the gadgets that found a home at Fruit Bytes HQ.
Apple TV 1st Gen, 140GB
For quite a while I’d to’d and fro’d on the idea of getting an Apple TV, then in February I finally gave in and bought one. I must be perfectly honest and say that it wasn’t a blow-away purchase in the beginning as my plans to copy my DVD’s to the hard drive didn’t materialise mostly due to the tedious process involved. I’d also planned on purchasing movies and TV shows digitally rather than physically, but the difference in price between the two formats is still a huge factor for me. iTunes still tends to be three times and more costly for TV shows compared to DVD. I am only now warming to my Apple TV and have purchased a couple of movies recently. One contributing factor for that has been the lack of delivery in the UK due to the snowfall we’ve had since the end of November, so it’s been very convenient to just sit back and hit BUY in iTunes. So easy…too easy 
[rating:3.5/5]
Apple iPad WiFi 32GB
As I wrote here, myself and the iPad just didn’t get on. I look back now, several weeks after selling it and feel no warmth or affection for this device at all. I’d even go so far as to say it’s the most disappointing Apple purchase I have ever made in the 5 years I have been ‘A Mac’. I’m sure iPad v2, reportedly coming very soon, will be more appealing to others but I cannot see myself ever wanting to purchase an iPad again.
[rating:2/5]
Apple iPhone 4, 32GB
From day one this has been one of the best purchases of 2010. iPhone truly is the gift that keeps on giving. I love the improved camera on this which has totally wiped out any need I have for a separate digital camera. I love the speed of it and that beautiful Retina Display which just knocks me out everytime I pick it up. It’s hard to see how Apple can improve on this next year, other than a better quality front camera and more storage for those who need it.
[rating:5/5]
Apple Magic Trackpad
This was very much an impulse buy and I didn’t expect to enjoy using it quite as much as I do. When using the trackpad of my PowerBook G4, I always used to get wrist pain and generally found it uncomfortable to use. So before the Trackpad arrived I was asking myself “Why did you buy this, then?”. I was most surprised to find that it felt completely natural and the gestures make it much more comfortable and easier to use than a standard mouse. Infact I don’t think I could go back to a mouse again after using this.
[rating:5/5]
Apple MacBook Air 11.6″, 64GB
After selling my iPad, I quickly ran out and bought one of these in early November. And I’m so glad I did. This along with my iPhone 4 are joint ‘best purchases of 2010′. It is the perfect machine for me and I find myself using it far more than my iMac thesedays. The battery life is pretty good, it’s a super fast and cool machine and I *still* have not heard the fans in this. I’m pretty sure mine was shipped without them! When the Mac App Store launches in January then the Air will probably become my primary machine even more. I love typing on it, it makes me more productive when writing and it’s just an all round pleasure in every way.
[rating:5/5]
Nintendo Wii (black) with Mario Kart Bundle
Just over a week ago I bought the Nintendo Wii with Mario Kart, steering wheel, Motion Plus controller and Wii Sports after months of “will I, won’t I?”. I’m so glad I did. For fun it’s amazing, for exercise it’s even more amazing-er! I loved playing Mario Kart on Nintendo DS, but playing on the Wii is even more enjoyable and can play online against my friends which is the most fun of all. Amazon had a great bundle price of just £149 recently so I took the opportunity to purchase then. Wii Sports is also a very fun packed game, especially Tennis and Bowling – and some laughs have been had when competing with friends and family – and that’s even before Christmas arrives.
[rating:4.5/5]
HP Photosmart Plus All-in-One Printer
I bought this from PC World for £79.99 around a month ago, just before iOS 4.2.1 with AirPrint was released, safe in the knowledge that this printer was going to be compatible with this new iOS feature. I did have a couple of teething troubles setting this up. After installing the cartridges it kept returning a print head error which was only resolved after several attempts at cleaning them. Wasn’t the ‘works straight outta the box’ that I’m so used to in gadgets I buy, so this will be reflected in my rating. However, aside from that I’m extremely pleased in the quality of the prints and the features this has, especially ePrint and AirPrint. I’ve had my iPhone photos on my phone for just too long, so it’s nice to be able to bring them to life by printing them out and sharing with people.
[rating: 3/5]
I think that concludes my Very Techy 2010 list. I hope 2011 is just as exciting and gadget-filled as this year has been!
iPad to MacBook Air
36At the end of May I bought an iPad 32GB WiFi for £499. I’d been looking forward to having the perfect machine for web browsing, email, apps and games from the sofa and bed – filling the gap between my iMac and iPhone. After the repeated delays in the iPad being released in the UK, it just made my excitement and anticipation grow for when it finally did arrive in my hands, knowing it would be worth the wait.
I wanted to love the iPad. To feel like it was the one can’t-live-without-gadget. But I couldn’t love it no matter how hard I tried. And I tried, especially as I’d just spent my hard earned £500 on it. I just kept feeling that something was missing and it certainly didn’t feel like the magical device that Apple were touting it to be.
I had been asked by many people to write a review of the iPad shortly after I bought it. You may have noted the absence of an iPad review here, simply because I was still trying to figure out where this was fitting into my life and why. And somehow putting it all into words would have made me realise that the iPad just wasn’t for me. Quite hard to admit to for my own sake, believe me. But, I wanted to give it time. Time to see what apps would come along to improve it, to see whether UK magazines would finally start coming to it and the arrival of books I’m interested in, in iBooks. It deserved a chance to prove itself.
The iPad, sadly, was starting to feel like an oversized iPod touch, to me. It also felt extremely limited. I’d bought some iPad versions of apps that I already had on the iPhone, thinking that the larger screen estate would make them more enjoyable. Yet I found playing games much more comfortable on the iPhone, particularly driving games. Navigating twists and turns on the heavy iPad was not ideal infact it was awkward. One of the reasons I wanted the iPad was for full size games, so this was a heavy disappointment.
I gave it 6 months to see whether I would start to see it as a gadget I couldn’t do without. But there were just too many shortfalls – some websites automatically reverting to their mobile versions rather than standard with no way of changing it. I know this is down to the individual site developer rather than the iPad itself, but it still meant I was having to run to the iMac to view the site(s) as intended. The inability to log into some sites on the iPad was also a huge frustration and defeated the entire purpose of being able to browse the internet and buy things from my favourite online stores from my sofa and bed.
Once the new MacBook Air was revealed at the October Apple Keynote, the future of my iPad was sealed; it had to find a new home. I was lucky enough to sell it very quickly for £429, meaning a loss of just £70 compared to what I paid for it. I couldn’t ask for more than that.
Today I headed to the Apple Store Metrocentre and walked away with the new 11″ MacBook Air 64GB, costing £849. I am absolutely thrilled with it. I have hardly been able to wipe the huge grin from my face eversince I opened the box. It’s fast – open the lid after sleeping and it’s there, good to go – no delay. It’s cool and absolutely silent. The screen size is perfect as is the clarity – and the keyboard feels so very comfortable to type on, infact this entire review has been typed on it. I can see this being much more comfortable when using it in bed, compared to the iPad.
Do I regret buying the iPad? No, not one bit. I feel fully qualified to give my own honest and unbiased opinion on it after using it for 6 months, not just a five minute fumble with it in the Apple Store only to instantly declare it a piece of rubbish or the best thing since sliced bread. It’s not a piece of rubbish, it’s just not for me.
It’s far too early to cover everything and give a full intensive review after such a short period of time with it, but I will say I am absolutely blown away by the Air – it was definitely love at first touch! If you have any questions then fire away in the comments and I’m sure I’ll be writing more on the MacBook Air soon 
From o2 to Virgin
181 year ago
For three years I’ve written about my experience with o2 Broadband. All sickeningly positive, praising the reliability of service, speed and customer support. Because of this experience I switched my home telephone provider from BT to o2 when their home phone service began in the Spring. It was this move that heralded the beginning of the end of my love for o2. It’s a long story, one I shall attempt to condense into a few short paragraphs.
Since switching to o2 Home Phone and Broadband my connection has been terrible. Really terrible. It began almost immediately from my switch-on date of May 20th. It came in the form of many disconnections initially, to much slower speeds, dropping from 3.5mbps with reliability to 1.5mbps with disconnections as often as every 30 minutes.
Many telephone conversations have taken place between myself and o2 Broadband in the last 3 months and sadly the relationship has continued to deteriorate. Within 6 weeks they send me 2 brand new routers (o2 Wireless Box II), sent me new filters, changed the noise margin on my line to see if that would provide stability and I have had no less than 3 BT telephone engineers to my home to check and repair faults. All these engineers left my property satisfied that the issue was resolved. Only it never was.
o2 Broadband told me that once they’ve run all the tests they can on my line, they will send out a Broadband Engineer, not a telephone engineer. Last week we reached the point where the tests were completed, but the last conversation I had with them was the final straw. I was told, by a lady at o2, that I would need to have 30 disconnections an HOUR before they would send an engineer to me. Yes, 30. It was clear that with my current rate of re-syncs that they just were absolutely unwilling to do anything more than fiddle with noise margins and repeatedly talk to me like an idiot, asking “are your filters plugged into your sockets?”.
So, despite still being in contract with o2 Home Phone and Broadband until May 2011, I have signed up to Virgin Media to receive their 10MB Fibre Optic cable broadband (and TV package). I will get 3 months for £15 per month for my broadband then £20 per month thereafter. This means I’ll still be paying for an o2 Broadband service that I won’t be using, from o2. It’s not ideal since I should be receiving a service that I’m paying for, but o2 have let me down really badly and have had little choice but to seek an alternative.
As many longterm readers know, I’ve been a huge advocate of o2 Broadband the entire time I’ve been writing here. I have converted many friends, online and offline, to o2. Now I am advising to avoid like the plague. When it really matters and you have a problem, their support just aren’t prepared to send the necessary engineer to resolve the issue. Their advert about nobbling broadband niggles is now laughable. And their telephone message when calling for technical support is equally so…
Did you know that many o2 broadband connection problems can be fixed by switching your broadband box on and off?
Ah if only, o2, if only.
So, after 3 years I am finally waving goodbye to DSL with o2 Broadband and when my contract expires in May I shall also be taking my home phone needs to Virgin Media. I hope that I have a better experience with Virgin Media and that support will acknowledge and deal with problems should they occur. From what I’ve been told by friends who are already with Virgin, it seems that they do technical support very well. My installation date is Saturday 11th September.
My o2 Broadband [rating:0.5/5] AVOID AVOID AVOID
Noir Luxe case for iPhone 4
2A few weeks ago my Apple Bumper arrived as part of the free Case Program from Apple for iPhone 4 customers. I chose the Bumper as I didn’t want my iPhone completely covered by a case. However, I wasn’t impressed with the way it made my iPhone look – bulky and very un-iPhone-like.
Up until today I had been using my old Proporta Maya sleeve from my iPhone 3G. Because iPhone 4 is slimmer, the sleeve was very sloppy on it and easily slid out. But, it was enough to protect it in my pocket for the short term while I shopped around for replacement sleeves specifically for iPhone 4.
A few days ago I was browsing AmazonUK and found a Noir Luxe leather sleeve for less than £12. Here are some photos…
It’s hand stiched fine quality leather and has a soft protective interior – and a pull tab to get the iPhone in and out easily.
If, like me, you prefer your tech naked in your hand but fully protected when it’s in your bag and pocket then I’d recommend the Noir Luxe leather sleeve for iPhone 4.
[rating:5/5]
2 Weeks with iPhone 4
11Little over two weeks ago I took delivery of a 32GB iPhone 4, having ordered the SIM free version direct from Apple. I was out of contract, making me fully available for an upgrade from o2, but the lure of my current £15 o2 iPhone Simplicity tariff with 300 mins and unlimited texts was too much to ignore and I decided to buy the handset outright and stay on the Simplicity plan with a 12 month contract.
I have been totally blown away by the speed and beauty of iPhone 4. The screen is just beautiful – turn it to any angle and it just stands out, looking like the icons are painted ON the screen. That’s the first thing you notice. The second thing is the speed. Coming from a laggy iPhone 3G, it is a real treat to use something that loads games much easier and switches between apps that much quicker.
The 5MP camera on the iPhone is wonderful. I am truly stunned at the beautiful shots it produces and the tap to focus is a dream. Coming from a 2MP on my 3G is a huge upgrade and I think it’s safe to say that I won’t be needing a separate digital camera for my photography needs anymore. The iPhone 4 camera has taken it’s place. Here’s a photo straight from the iPhone, no editing…
One question I have been asked the most over the past two weeks is what my signal strength and reception is like, given that many are experiencing issues due to the antenna placement. I have not experienced a single dropped call. I know many people personally who have the iPhone 4 and none of them have experienced any significant issues with regards to signal, nor are they regretting their upgrade in any way. There’s now a rumour of an iPhone 4 recall. It’s interesting to note that of the people I follow on Twitter, those who appear gleeful of a possible (though unlikely) recall are the ones that don’t have an iPhone 4 or any interest in Apple. Make of that what you will.
I have made several phone calls and all of them have been clear and constant, no dropouts. Infact recently I was on a call and not paying attention to how I was holding the phone. When I looked, one of my fingers was near the ‘death grip’ corner and yet my bars were full. I’m pleased to say that the signal issue isn’t affecting me to the extent that it’s reportedly affecting others. However, talk to my Brother and he will tell you a different story with his handset – but then again he’s using a Nokia and gets repeated drops with every call he makes
Have you bought iPhone 4? What are your thoughts and experiences thus far?
[rating:5/5]
Griffin Jumper for iPad
6With the iPad due to land at Fruit Bytes HQ in just 3 days, I have been wanting to find a suitable sleeve to carry it in. I first turned my attention to the official iPad case from Apple, but after hearing about it’s tight fit and inability to sit in the iPad Dock while in it’s case, I started to look around for alternatives.
Because I wanted a sleeve to easily pop my iPad in and out of between using, I started my search online a couple of weeks ago for something that not only does the job but looks good aswell. One of my first stops was Griffin Technology, knowing how they make great accessories for Apple hardware. I found the perfect sleeve: Jumper for iPad.
I ordered the Jumper on Monday 17th May and it was shipped on Tuesday 18th May. Despite the estimated delivery time of 2-3 weeks it arrived today, just 7 days after shipping! That’s super speedy delivery.
I am absolutely thrilled with it. The material is a soft stretchy neoprene on the outside with a beautiful soft material inside which will really offer great protection against dust and dirt.
Griffin also have fantastic support, from the speedy and friendly response I got when asking for stock estimation, to the despatch and delivery of it. Jumper for iPad is just $29.99 which is a fantastic price for such a good quality and well made sleeve.
[rating:5/5]
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