The on-lap 1301 can be used with MacBooks or laptops and we even set it up with their trademark green stands as an on desk monitor.

Design

The GeChic On-lap monitor’s strongest selling point is its clever design. The display has four suction pads that stick it securely to the back of the laptop, before its screen swings out to extend your screen. The additional screen can also be folded back to be used as a screen for presentations.

The On-lap monitor’s 13.3-inch screen has 1,366 x 768 resolution and comes with a USB cable to take power from the laptop. It comes with both HDMI and D-SUB cables that can be connected to the display source.

It’s worth noting that it will add around 860 g to the notebook’s weight and thicken it by 14 mm, so it isn’t a good idea to attach it permanently when you’re on the move.

Setup

As mentioned before you attach the GeChic On-Lap with four suction cups which by all accounts are very sturdy (not in a climbing up windows kind of way but you get the picture). You plugin the HDMI cable or VGA and you’re up and running without the need for drivers, you may have to switch dual displays on when using Windows but this is hardly a chore.

Windows or applications can then be dragged onto the external monitor so you can view two things at the same time.

Performance

Being an add-on, one should not expect much from the On-lap when it comes to image quality. It does not perform as well as the dedicated macbook screen, so if you’re working with photos and depend on the screen to make the best possible image quality, you may use your laptop’s main screen. It is, however, a perfect screen for office work, web browsing and general applications not dependent on HD visuals.

Conclusion

The GeChic On-lap monitor is an easy way to add more space to your screen, making work easier. The benefits of having a separate screen whilst working or surfing the web is untold, especially in today’s multitasking heavy environment. This sweet device is available for £121 too, a snip for people that need dual screens or a luxury for those who just love gadgets.

Gallery

GeChic On-lap monitor review is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

We’ve now got a Bibo water appliance of our very own and after several weeks have prepared the below review. The review includes installation, usage, comparison with the T6 water Dispenser and any other questions at the end.

Installation process

Bibo will come and do an installation anywhere in the UK for £72 (currently £36) or you can decide to install the system yourself. We opted for the install as we are not DIY minded.

Jonathan arrived with all the tools needed for the job in one neat kit. This included his own kitchen towel to mop up any spills or mess which is inevitable when installing a device of this kind. Talk about being well prepared!

Initially he took time to place the Bibo in different areas of our kitchen so we could decide the best place for our needs. The next stage involved drilling a small hole in our worktop in order to feed through the water pipe.

The pipework under our kitchen sink is maze like but this didn’t cause an issue and everything was up and running in about 50 minutes. Unlike other installers Bibo use a push fitting which comes complete with an isolator valve which allows you to switch the water off at source. This is particularly handy should you ever need to remove or move the Bibo in the future.

Once the installation process had finished Jonathan ran us through the various functions. He did not leave until we were happy with the operating instructions. He also left an instruction manual which would come in handy should you forget how anything works down the line.

Basically, the installation process was faultless. No bad points to mention.

Design

Bibo comes in eight different colours, ranging from standard tones to those which are much more whacky and vibrant. That said they aren’t as bright as what the T6 offers, so if you prefer psychedelic colours you may prefer their range instead.

Bibo has designed their machine to fit underneath cupboards and opted for a 30cmx35cm base. This ensures the footprint is reasonable for a machine which is capable of heating 15 liters of hot water and 7 liters of chilled water per hour. Granted it’s bigger than a kettle but does provide an awesome centre piece for any kitchen.

The most gadgety feature is the 2.8 inch touchscreen which allows you to select hot water, cold water or tepid water. These can all be set to your own personal preference, you can even tell the Bibo when to wake up and when to go to sleep which is particularly handy in an office environment (more on auto sleep later).

The interior includes a fan, CPU and the various tech to make the water taste great. The water is mechanically filtrated through a large carbon filter, which is like an industrial version of what you’d find in a filter jug. The water then passes under a UV light which kills any bacteria in the water. This filtration works out any impurities in the water to deliver water which tastes like the expensive bottled variety – basically how nature intended it to without the taste of chlorine, copper pipes or anything else picked up along the way.

Living with the Bibo

We have two main uses for our Bibo as I drink lots of tea/coffee and Kelly drinks lots of cold water. We have found to be indispensable since its installation as it has quickly become part of day to day life.

The void left by the removable drip tray is large enough for a teapot, water jug or even a saucepan due to the angular delivery of the water. This has sped up cooking time as boiling water can be instantly introduced to vegetables etc.

We’ve also been using the Bibo to fill our flasks and hot water bottles, granted you don’t need a UV and carbon filter for the latter but it saves a lot of hassle (see target market section).

A really neat inclusion is sleep mode which can be programmed to kick in after 1 to 4 hours depending on your preferences. You’ll know when this has happened because a cool graphic pops up saying ‘Your BIBO is sleeping’ – “Aw” Kelly said . This isn’t the only energy saving tech built in either as the Bibo operates at 100 watts less than the T6 – both are efficient at what they do.

From time to time Bibo will create a loud whirring sound, similar to that of a laptop computer(but louder). This could be troublesome if you live in a small apartment or open plan living area but we could only hear it when in the kitchen. When we inquired about the noise we discovered is was a fan cooling the CPU, necessary to stop burnout.

Maintenance and Service

Obviously we can only comment on the service so far which has been brilliant. We are confident that any future problems would be dealt with in the same professional manner.

Bibo give a 30 day money back guarantee and a 1 year warranty included in the price. You can opt to extend this warranty for £59 which includes telephone support and breakdown callouts.

The mechanical MAXI filter needs to be replaced every six months, it’ll even remind you with enough time to spare to order a filter pack – how geeky is that! The pack costs £66 (£54 for subscription) which includes two Maxi filters and one UV lamp which keeps you covered for another year.

Target market

During the installation I talked briefly with Jonathan about their target market. He explained that a wide range of people are buying their product for a variety of reasons. The obvious target consumer would be people wanting to banish bottled water from their lives or those living in areas where tap water has an unpleasant taste or is unsafe to drink (the Bibo is huge in Israel).

Elderly people or people with poor motor skills can also benefit because they would no longer have the need to lift a heavy kettle filled with boiling water. We found this particularly apparent when filling our hot water bottle, no longer need we fumble around with the bottle in one hand and kettle in the other!

The fact of the matter is that everyone could find a use for a device like this. Parents with small children would love it, tea drinkers would love it, people who like water would love it and people who love gadgets would adore it.

Main Differences to T6 

Conclusion

The Bibo is at home in our kitchen from now and forever forward. It’s killed the kettle and joined the fridge, freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher as the sixth major appliance in our household. It’s a similar device to the T6, much like an Apple iPhone is similar to an Android phone.

At the end of the day the simpler interface, cheaper consumables and extra toys tip our favor toward the Bibo but we think every consumer will buy based on personal preference as they are both great machines. What do you think?

P.S if you have any questions please ask.

Bibo Water Dispenser Review – Hot and Cold Water is now integrated is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Smart Astro Lava Lamp – In the box

- welcome document

- lamp base

- lamp top

- lamp bottle

- transformer

Design

The Smart Astro Lava Lamp maintains the shape of the original Astro while taking lava lamps to new heights. It has a sleek aluminum casing and has a steel Smart button on the base which folds underneath if you feel the need to tuck it away.

The lamp looks attractive when on and even off, it’s timeless design hasn’t been hindered by all the gadgetry inside it’s hand lathed metal body. Instead of using a traditional lightbulb to heat the lava, Mathmos’ Smart Astro uses what the company calls the new “Smart” lava lamp technology. The technology combines a computer chip, heating plate, temperature sensor and LEDs to provide a customizable lighting experience for many. It also has automatic temperature regulation, so the lava formula of Mathmos will always flow at the right temperature and never overheats. Because there is a separate heating plate, the LEDs will not heat up the wax.

Functionality

The lamp is switched on using the touch sensitive metal tab attached to the base. Not only does this power on the lamp but also allows you to set a static colour of your choosing, you have to get the timing just right to ensure you hit your favourite colour but this is an awesome feature which sets it apart from traditional one colour lava lamps. The Smart Astro is available in three colors: green to yellow, which phases through orange; blue to red, which phases through pink and purple; and blue to green, which phases through sea green.

The self regulating heating ring doesn’t heat up the lamp any quicker than a traditional bulb, so you’ll have to wait an hour and half before bubbles start to appear. The build up is equally interesting though as weird alien shapes start to appear as the wax is super heated. The colour changing makes the experience all that more exciting and sometimes eerie.

Getting one

The limited edition hand-made Mathmos Smart Astro Lava Lamp is priced at £84.99. For more information about the product, visit the Mathmos website or compare the price at Idealo. Here is our gallery showing our Lava Lamp Heating up, the box contents and packaging:

Mathmos Smart Astro Colour Changing Lava Lamp Review is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Today I’ve received some high-end headphones from British headphone company Atomic Floyd. They’ve just released its new bass-heavy SuperDarts in-ear earphones, their flagship model. I’ve got the glorious task of putting them through their paces to see if they are worth the £199 price tag.

Overview

The Atomic Floyd SuperDarts are dual driver earphones which are compatible with iPhones and other media players. The SuperDarts earphones features a microphone for voice calls if used with an iPhone, and clicker button controls the phone’s music playback.

In The Box

- One set of Superdarts

- Small, Medium and Large sound silicone tips

- airplane adapter

- 6.3 mm stereo adapter

- silicone carry pouch

- Owners manual

Design

These earphones look like tiny bullets, which not only looks cool but also serves the purpose of creating the ideal shape for in-ear use. The all metal construction make them look very attractive and feel sturdy (just warm them up before popping them in), they are truly gorgeous and put other in-ears back on the shelf.

The machined construction ensure that these earphones won’t be falling apart anytime soon, they feel solid to the touch and should take any punishment you throw at them (to sensible extents at least).

Steel acoustic chambers, combined with its noise isolating silicone tips, feel reassuring whilst in the ears. One problem though is the weight, which is a little heavy for its size. This can be a problem sometimes if you are an active type of person who moves around all the time, I could use them on the tube and even on the cross trainer in the gym and they felt safe when on the treadmill. They do come with several different sized silicone tips which range from tiny to large (i’m sure their are more technical ways to describe them!). This allows the ideal fit, these can also be replaced in the future should the need arise.

The earphone’s Kevlar cable does not easily get tangled (even if you treat them badly) and looks amazing in red. The company chose kevlar because it is ultra strong and light (it’s the same material used in bullet proof vests), if you do break them the two year send in warranty would cover the repair.  The 3.55 mm jack is crafted from gold plated steel, making sure that the earbuds will last longer than their cheaper competitors.

Performance

The SuperDarts are designed specifically to deliver supercharged bass. These bad boys perform well across all music varieties with a full sound spectrum delivering impeccable audio, from quiet acoustic songs to the low frequency boom of a bass drum.

The SuperDarts also features the Atomic Floyd SoftSeal silicone tips that offer two-way noise isolation. The SoftSeal tips significantly reduce environmental noise upon insertion, enabling users to listen comfortably at low volumes. This also ensures that music won’t leak when listening at high volumes, whilst at a loud convention I tested these whilst the MC boomed out over a PA system – thankfully I couldn’t hear him and continued to enjoy my music. In my book that makes them worthy of their price tag.

Conclusion

For people who are looking to spend £199 on a high-end pair of earphones, the SuperDarts are highly recommended as they are capable of toppling even the highest-end brands. With their supercharged bass sounds and its metal construction, they’re worth every penny.

Gallery

Atomic Floyd SuperDarts Remote Headphones Review is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Now we take a look at Denon’s mid-range headphones that aims to bridge the gap between higher-end audiophile systems and budget headphones, the AH-D1100.

Denon’s 100th anniversary AH-D1100 is an ultra lightweight, circumaural (full size) set of headphones which claims spectacular and clear audio quality, without the need for spending extortionate amounts of money. I put them to the test to see if these claims were true.

Design

The earpieces of the Denon AH-D1100 headphones are constructed from synthetic leather with foam padding. While this is nothing new, as headphones commonly incorporate the same design attributes, Denon has built a seriously comfortable pair of headphones. You can wear them the whole day without feeling any discomfort. To facilitate a comfortable fit, the headphone’s earcups are suspended, enabling vertical pivot.

The outside of the earcup has a “multi-layer sandwich design that incorporates machined aluminium alloy bonded to a resin compound material that together provide the ultimate combination of lightness and rigidity.”
The earcups of the AH-D1100 will rotate and pivot enough so you can fold them down and to fit them in the included leather pouch. While this is great, one problem some may experience with this is that they don’t fold down to a more portable/compact form. However, if they did the quality and comfort may have been compromised and i’d take that over space saving everyday of the week.

The AH-D1100 has a cord that stretches 3 feet from both right and left headphone, and has a standard 1/8″ headphone jack. If you are going to use them in the recording studio  a 1/4-inch adapter and an extension cable has been included, making these headphones versatile right out of the box.

The shorter cable, unfortunately, is hard-wired to the set, so if ever you come across some issues (like you cut or snag the cable), you will have to send the whole headphones in for repair, instead of just swapping the cables out just like on other headphones like the Beats Pro by By Dr. Dre from Monster, or Vmoda Crossfade headphones.

One common complaint that these headphones have is their ‘plasticky’ feel. The company claims that the chassis is made of an aluminum alloy, which is great, but it could be made from plastic, as it feels, looks and smells like it.

Even though it feels that way, one of its positive aspects is the lightweight construction. The Denon AH-D1100 just weighs in at 189 grams, which again makes them extremely comfortable to wear.

Performance

The Denon AH-D1100′s performance mirrors its design, as these headphones offer clear, balanced and precise audio. With its closed-back design, the headphones can facilitate enhanced bass production. Its 50 mm drivers, combined with generous enclosure, good seal and the company’s voicing efforts make the AH-D1100 offer some robust bass response. Bass guitars are very percussive and kick drums are resonant and punchy.

The AH-D1100′s mid-range was open and uncongested. Vocal tracks were reproduced with the intimacy and clarity that you can only experience by using high-end headphones. The bass response does not affect the headphone’s mid and high output.

Surprisingly, the AH-D1100 can handle audio at high volumes very well. It has a lot of headroom, meaning that the sound does not easily distort when listening at higher volumes. Although it is not recommended to listen to music at loud volumes, it is good to know that these won’t lose control when you need to crank it up .

Despite their ultra-lightweight construction, the AH-D1100 offers good sound isolation. Even though it does not include noise-cancelling technologies, its earcups do a really great job at blocking sound from the surroundings. It doesn’t let too much sound in and it also does not let too much out, meaning that you can turn the volume up without annoying the person sitting right next to you.

Conclusion

The Denon AH-D1100 is a very light and sturdy pair of headphones that offer a strong, balanced sound. Even though some parts feel plasticky, they are very comfortable and can be used the whole day without any problems. These are great for those who are looking for great sounding headphones without having to pay too much.

Right out of the box, you can use it to listen to your favorite songs from portable media players and move to the recording studio to finish up you tracks with ease. The Denon AH-D1100 is now available for £110 £97 from Amazon.

Denon AH-D1100 review is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The 3M PocketProjector MPro 180′s liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) projector has a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels, and can support input resolutions up to 1440 x 900. It is not the lightest pico projector in the market though as it weighs in at 338 g, and its 3-cell 2600 mAh Li-ion battery makes it a little bulky with dimensions of 150 x 65 x 33.5 mm. The projector’s battery pack can power the device for two hours, so a spare battery must be purchased.

Surprisingly, the device only has VGA and composite video inputs (no HDMI). It has 4 GB of flash storage and a micro SD slot at the side. It can also be connected to a PC or laptop via the supplied mini-USB cable and bluetooth which can also be used to copy files. 3M also has released an AV adapter for iPods and iPhones that costs £28.99.

The 3M PocketProjector MPro 180 performs weel, though. IT can project images that range from 10-inches to 80-inches from a distance of three meters. The quality of photos is quite reasonable, but it lacks sharpness.

To get the best out the the device, you’ll need a dark room and stick with a wall space sized of 60-inches to 70-inches.

The MPro 180 is an attractive pocket projector for the on-the-go professional. It’s compact and well-built body, and its built-in memory will make you leave your laptop in the office. Its touchscreen controls and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity makes it the ultimate device for your needs, just make sure that it is right for your budget.

3M PocketProjector MPro 180 review is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Snugg is now offering a headrest mount holder that is designed to work with their iPad 2 case and flip stand. The Snugg iPad 2 cover is made of polyurethane faux leather that has white stitching on the sides. The front and back of the cover are stiffened to provide extra protection for your device and for better support when it is used as a stand. The case’s interior is lined with a velvety fabric in order to prevent unnecessary scratches to the tablet’s body.

You can slide your iPad 2 into the frame and secure it with a velco strap. The Snugg case is 9.5-inches long, 7.5-inches wide and 0.75-inches thick, and it weighs just around 9.4 ounces.

It also comes with a car headrest mount that will provide an all-in-one mounting solutions for those who travel with their favorite tablet. Perfect for long trips, the Snugg iPad Car Headrest Mount will keep your children occupied and entertained so that you can focus on the ride. You don’t need to remove the device from the case before using the headrest mount. Two small U-shaped clips at the bottom will grip the device and hold it in place – it is pretty secure, even on slippery leather seats.

The Snugg iPad 2 case is available on Amazon for £29.99 and the Snug iPad 2 Car Headrest Mount Holder is available for £19.99.

Have you tried the Snugg mount, let us know what you think of it below.

Snugg iPad 2 case with headrest mount protects your iPad 2 is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The Zagora protective sleeve is made from heavy duty natural basketweave hemp that is harvested in rural China, where the material grows very quickly and plentifully. Hemp is naturally grown, easy on the soil and is one of nature’s strongest natural fibers. It uses no pesticides so you know that it won’t harm the environment.

The ColcaSac Zagora will give your MacBook Air excellent scratch and damage protection, thanks to its thick inner lining that also grips your device and keep it secure (it’s fairly tight). Also, the velcro closure, which is thinner and quieter than conventional velcro, prevents your device from slipping out, enabling you to easily remove your notebook whenever needed. The sleeve also has a front pocket that can be used to keep your MacBook Air’s charger in place, ensuring that it stays there comfortably until you wish to use it. The only minor problem with this is the UK power adapter, it fits in at a squeeze.

The ColcaSac Zagora 13-inch MacBook Air sleeve comes in two colors: black and white. The Zagora sleeve is available for $40 (around £25).

Our hunt for the best Macbook Air case will continue, the Colcasac is a decent contender and an ideal case for people who slip their Air into another bag. It’s also less conspicuous than other 13″ laptop cases on the market. You’ll love the quirky use of denim and the ultra soft white interior (just make sure you keep your hands and Air clean).

ColcaSac Zagora MacBook sleeve: made from natural materials is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

First impressions

At the start of the day we were given the cameras to explore on the ground, we dropped them in tanks of water and tested the different features. The TA20 uses robust rubber covers to stop water, dust and general pocket lint ruining the camera – these covers are tight! The battery cover was tricky to open, although that’s pretty important when you are relying on the camera to be watertight and dirt proof – we certainly put the cameras through plenty of that throughout the day.

The Panasonic HM-TA20 is waterproof, shockproof and is capable of recording Full HD videos, as well as taking 8-megapixel photos. It can record videos in 1080p, 720p and 480p, at 30 frames per second. It even has an LED video light right next to the lens. It records H.264 MP4 files to an SD card, with AAC audio in stereo, except for its audio recording function that uses LPCM for the highest quality.

Performance

We were up the trees for roughly 4 hours, by the time I slid down the final zip wire the TA20′s battery was on its last bar – not bad when you consider it hadn’t been off for a single second. It has suffered some minor surface scratches due to the constant knocking against trees and it being dragged along underneath me when I came to a high speed stop after the five zip wires. Despite this the camera still functioned perfectly without any detriment to quality. The wrist strap performed well and the the camera is light enough to carry at all times, even with full safety harnesses and ropes flailing all over the place.

The result

The below video is a culmination of everybody’s video from the day, there was probably a lot more but this is a PG 13 campaign. All of the video was shot on Panasonic home camcorders, saved to SD and then cut together to produce the video.

The day was great fun, the cameras performed well and I would have no trouble recommending the Panasonic TA20 to anyone using a camera in adverse or simply unusual conditions.

Pros

The HM-TA20′s design is great and the metallic orange color is impressive. It is comfortable to hold, and though it is a little thicker compared to other devices, it can still be carried all the time without it weighing you down.

TA20′s ruggedness is a strong feature and it’s really safe and reliable underwater and up trees! For those who don’t take good care of their devices, this camcorder is perfect for you.

Cons

The device’s 3-inch touch screen that is not that responsive and it only has digital zoom, so there’s loss in image quality, so we don’t encourage using it.

Panasonic TA20 Camcorder Tested at GO Ape is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The Sony Ericsson LiveView is a tiny accessory that pairs with your Android phone (via Bluetooth) or Sony Walkman which keeps you up to date with your calls, messages and social networking updates on your wrist or document. Sony sent us one to review, and as I love gadgets that make me feel like a spy was delighted to give it a test.

Design

The Sony Ericcson LiveView measures at 25x35x11mm. Though it is very small, it is still big enough to have a 1.3-inch OLED touchscreen and at 128×128 resolution, the texts are readable but not particularly sharp. The watch is pretty robust and isn’t prone to scratching, a bonus if you are wearing it in a working environment.

LiveView can be clipped on your clothing and it can also be worn as a watch or clipped to a document. Putting it in your pocket is not advisable because it will be no more accessible than your smartphone, it’s also likely to become entangled in pocket change and guff. We found the best way to wear it is as a watch so you can easily look at it without exerting too much effort, the strap isn’t the best looking but it is functional and can be easily adjusted.

The Sony Ericsson LiveView’s battery life is okay, but not amazing. It is good for one day, but will not live up to the two days quoted in the official blurb. So you have to charge it daily, thankfully Sony supplies a dedicated wall charger or you can plug it via a micro USB cable to your PC.

Performance

The LiveView can do quite a lot of things, you can check incoming messages and take a look at tweets from your friends. You can also control music using this device without looking at your

phone, so if you want convenience or to feel like James Bond, you should get one.

It also has a ‘Find Phone’ function that is really helpful if you forgot where you placed your phone. You can also download plugins from the Android Market, which include the Gmail plugin, Tasker, and many more.

Some minor glitches can affect the LiveView,  sometimes the screen freezes and though not very often, you’ll experience some connection issues. The device disconnects when your phone is out of range, which is not an issue at all and can work in your favour as you’ll know if you have forgotten it.

The support of LiveView is comprehensive, Sony Ericsson Xperia phones that have been updated to Android 2.0 are supported, along with other models of HTC, Motorola and Samsung.

Gallery

Conclusion

The Sony Ericsson LiveView W800 is a treat for users of the Android platform, you’ll just need to check the list of supported phones to make sure it will play nice. The convenience of not having to pull out your phone from your pocket is useful for people who are always on the go, or sneaky people who want to covertly stay connected.

If you gave up wearing a wristwatch long ago, buying the LiveView is worth it even if you just want to change tracks without the hassle of taking your phone out. At the time of writing Amazon were selling the LiveView for £44.

Sony Ericsson LiveView review is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos