Flamingo Music Earbuds Review

The Flamingo Music earbuds feature EarClick technology which promises to provide a customizable secure fit for your ear that is also “weightless”. The product comes packaged with 6 EarClick ear-pads. I had to try on a few until I was able to find the one that fit my ear right. Once I found the appropriate one, the Flamingo did feel quite comfortable, however the non-appropriate sized ear clicks were just the opposite - they were uncomfortable. So you have to be sure to find the one that is best for you. True to their claim, the headphones did feel quite weightless as well, and the nature of the design does feel very secure - the earphones don’t fall out or get loose the way my iPod earbuds so easily do.

The Flamingo Music also came with a carrying pouch, which is appreciated because I hate carrying around headphones in my bag only to discover later that they’ve gotten all tangled up. Keeping them in a little bag keeps things neat in tidy. A clip is also included as well to keep things neat or to use to attach the earbud’s cable to your clothing or bag strap.

The design of the Flamingo Music is pretty slick and stylish, nothing spectacular but overall nice. Our review pair was colored in chrome and black. Although the Flamingo Music earbuds are a little bigger than your typical earbuds, wearing it in my ear was still pretty unobtrusive. The cable is shielded with a “sports-grade finish”. In other words, the cable isn’t your typical plastic cable that is more likely to snap or suffer from wear and tear.

Unfortunately when it came to sound quality the Flamingo Music suffered from significant tinniness and a lack of bass, even after playing around with the EQ settings. For $49.99 we’re not expecting Bose like quality, but even the standard iPod/iPhone earbuds provide a better audio experience. Is it the worst pair of headphones we’ve ever used? No. But still, for $49.99 we expected more punch.

The Flamingo Music retails for $49.99 and comes in a choice of 4 colors - chrome, black, blistered red or white. iPhone users will be happy to hear that the Flamingo Music is compatible with their favorite phone. Overall, if a high quality audio experience isn’t your priority but rather you are looking for something comfortable and lightweight, than the Flamingo Music might be for you.

Conclusion:

The Good: Available in 4 colors, Comfortable and Weightless

The Bad: Suffers from Tinny Sound and lack of bass

SpaceNavigator for Notebooks Review

It is a pretty well known fact that the typical optical mouse can be a trying to work with in 3D environments. You just don’t have that much flexibility to rotate items or pan smoothly. Especially when it comes to being on the road and you only have your dedicated laptop trackpad, it can be extremely difficult to work in 3D software. You just don’t have that many fingers! 3DConnexion released the newest addition to their SpaceNavigator line, the SpaceNavigator for Notebooks. Like the regular SpaceNavigator, the SpaceNavigator for Notebooks allows you to easily move around in 3D environments, but this one is more portable and travel friendly. We were lucky enough to get a some one on one time with the SpaceNavigator for Notebooks which was just released.

[Read more]

iTrip Auto SmartScan & RoadTrip SmartScan Review

When I hit the road for a long car trip, I always bring my Nano in order to hear some decent music. I get so tired of the same rotation of music on the popular local stations in the city. So I like to spice it up with variety. I hadn’t had much luck however listening to it decently in the car with other FM transmitters in the past. I was still using that archaic method of connecting my iPod to a the cassette tape and then inserting it into my tape deck. But just like 8 tracks, cassette decks in cars are becoming a thing of the past and getting harder and harder to find. So I was extremely excited when I received the Griffin RoadTrip SmartScan and iTrip Auto SmartScan to review. Off to the rental car company I went… [Read more]

TV Wonder HD 650 Combo for Mac Review

My Plasma is my best friend, when I get home it’s the first thing I greet. But these days I haven’t been feeling so well and I wanted to watch TV in bed. I really didn’t want to have to pay for another cable box or get another small TV. I figured I would just turn one of my computers into a TV watching machine. So low and behold we were sent the TV Wonder HD 650 Combo for Mac from AMD to review.

Features:
Included in the box was the TV Wonder Unit for Mac, a power supply, a USB 2.0 Cable, a Driver and Application CD, and a user manual. On one side of the TV Wonder is CATV/FM and DTV coaxial connectors. The other side consists of a USB and power inputs, and on the top of the unit is 3 (red, yellow, white) Composite inputs and s-video jack for outputting to a VCR or camcorder for transferring footage. [Read more]

Kensington’s Contour Balance Notebook Case Review

One of the downsides of having a laptop is having to lug it around with you. Even if your laptop is only 5lbs, after awhile it begins to feel like it’s 50lbs and seemingly every part of your body starts to hurt. Not fun. Kensington, well known for computer accessories and peripherals, has launched a new line of Contour Balance notebook bags just for women. These bags both stylish and comfortable, so comfortable in fact, that they are endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association for maximizing comfort while minimizing muscle strain. Available with or without roller wheels, and also as a backpack, they retail from $69.99 to $119.99. True, a bit on the spendy side; but for the sturdy nature of the materials, I think it’s money well worth spending. [Read more]

The Sims 2: Castaway Review

Ever since acquiring Maxis (the original makers of the Sims Franchise), Electronic Arts (EA) has managed to create and expound on a very viable, highly addictive computer game that has achieved a cult like following; turning it into a sub culture, complete with its very own vernacular that continues to capture the hearts, minds, imaginations and in some respects transcend societal lines in terms of staying fresh in shaping the human condition that is called life. However, the good thing about The Sims is that it continues to entertain and delight millions of fans across the hemisphere! After all, it’s a computer game!

[Read more]

Toshiba Gigabeat T-Series Review

Previously we’ve talked about how Samsung wants to be a iPod shuffle and iPod Touch killer, well now Toshiba has entered the ring to take on the 3rd generation Nano. We have to say that they certainly know how to put up a good fight. At first glance we weren’t sure how the Toshiba Gigabeat T-Series T400 was going to stack up next to the Nano but we were pleasantly surprised. So read on for our in depth review.

Setup/Installation:
The Toshiba Gigabeat T-Series installed pretty easily on computers running both Windows XP and Windows Vista. There was no drama or headaches involved. I just plugged in the USB cable into the USB port on the computer and on the Gigabeat and it was picked up automatically. A Windows dialog box popped up and asked me if I wanted to explore files on the Gigabeat. If you have WMA 11 you’ll have a much easier time dropping and dragging songs/videos to sync. I had WMA 10 when I started this process and updated right away to WMA 11 and it was sooo much easier to get around and the Gigabeat sync’d to it much easier. The CD included with the player has the WMA 11 software included as well as User guides, Adobe Reader, and a link to the Gigabeat website. The device is truly plug and play and you will not break a sweat over installing it. Thankfully the USB cable not only serves to sync the player but charges it as well when connected to your computer. [Read more]

mStation Orb Review

As we all know iPod dock stations are a dime a dozen these days. However what make the few of them standout from the rest is their design and sound quality. The mStation Orb is one such Docking/Speaker Station that is great looking and great to listen too and we were lucky enough to review it.

Setup/Installation:
When we excitedly unpacked the Orb from its box we were greeted with a pretty slick docking station that resembles a red tomato. Other items included inside the box are 10 docking cradles, all in red as well as a color coordinated remote control, a USB Cable, and a stereo mini cable. On top of the Orb are 6 buttons: power, volume controls, previous, forward, and play/pause. These buttons are also located on the remote and you can also control the Bass and Treble from the remote. The remote is thin and light weight, only somewhat bigger than a credit card. Overall, setup was easy, and we easily snapped in the appropriate cradle for our 3rd generation Nano. Besides using the included cradles there is a Firewire port that allows you to connect really older iPod generations, which is a great feature that most iPod docking stations don’t have. Then we plugged in the AC adapter to power the speaker and the included USB cable for syncing the Orb to your computer. The whole set-up took less than 5 minutes and even though there were instructions included, we figured it out on our own. [Read more]

Boynq Alibi Web Cam Review

The Consumers Electronic Show (CES) ushers in the New Year by giving one a bird’s eyes view of what products will be available in the months ahead. Some of the electronic products offered cover the gamut of being mundane while other products are innovative. Take for instance, the slick and futuristic looking Boynq Alibi Computer Speaker Webcam and Microphone. We jumped at the opportunity to put this gadget to the test.
Dubbed, the Alibi, this USB plug and play combination computer speaker, webcam, and microphone, aims to add a bit of style to the way one uses a webcam. What makes this webcam different from other web cams is that the web cam is enclosed inside of the body and is released by pressing on top. Hence, the web cam pops out and the speakers are turned on as well (this is the on/off button). This webcam can also manually tilt and swivels around. The microphone is located to the right of the web cam lens (it’s a small slit), and the speakers are housed on the bottom of this unit (four stands prop up the body of the web cam, thus allowing the sound to emit from the speakers). The volume “control ring” button for the speakers is located in the middle of the webcam and is smartly labeled “volume”, and minimum and maximum buttons are clearly but cleverly marked. Also, the packaging for this web cam is the best marketing presentation that I’ve seen in awhile. [Read more]

iRobot Roomba Vacuums Its Way Into Our Hearts

I have never been a fan of vacuuming in fact I have gone through many many vacuums because they weren’t powerful enough or I felt they didn’t clean well. Besides that, as much as I do want to Vacuum I never get around to it because I’m too busy! Well iRobot, the makers of the Roomba were nice enough to send us the newest generation of their little robotic vacuum cleaner who I already named Ronnie…

Setup:
When the UPS man dropped off the Roomba I got twinges of excitement. Would this be it?! My dream come true - would I never have to touch a vacuum again. I’m sick of hurting my back bending and sucking up crap from my floors or unclogging the nozzle and hose from items that I sucked up by accident. And I’m just lazy.

I unpackaged the box and was greeted with the iRobot Roomba 560 Vacuum Cleaner. The 560 is part of bunch of newer models that were released this year. I unpackaged the box and inside I found a self charging home base, 2 virtual wall lighthouses, and 2 extra filters. Immediately out of the box I felt the need to name the Roomba. Don’t ask me why but I did. According to the iRobot panel we attended at CES this year, many owners name their iRobots and become extremely attached to them. And I guess I was just charmed right out of the box. I plugged in the home base right away and then put “Ronnie” to sit on it to charge for the day. The Roomba began pulsating an amber color meaning it was charging. There was no setup needed to put him together. Unfortunately I had to wait till the next day when I would put Ronnie to the test. [Read more]

Insignia Sport Bluetooth MP3 Player Review

I happily brought in the New Year with lots of cheer and good wishes but I also got the opportunity to merrily put Best Buy’s Insignia mp3 player to the test. You may also recall this brick and mortar electronic giant, acquiring the on-line Rhapsody digital music store. Thus, this began their foray into the digital download era. However, not satisfied that their digital store could work with various manufacturers’ mp3 players, they decided to launch their very own brand of mp3 player. Dubbed the Insignia Sport mp3 player, Best Buy wanted this player to have what most mp3 players (such as the iPod lacks) and that is the ability to use A2DP Bluetooth. The Insignia player is compatible with Windows 98, 2000, XP, and Vista as well as Mac OS 8.6 or later.

Weighing less than one ounce this 4gb player measures 043” x 1.6”, sports a 1.7′ viewable resolution, plays music, videos audio books and photos and has built-in Bluetooth wireless audio (which enables one to pair it with Bluetooth stereo head phones) as well as a built-in FM RDS tuner which shows the Song and Artist. The latter feature is only available if the FM station has this service. Additionally, this player comes with Wired Ear buds, a mini USB 2.0 cable, and a full hard copy of the User’s Manual, Software and can accommodate extra external storage by way of a SD Micro slot on the player. We should also point out that we were supplied a pair of Insignia Bluetooth Stereo headphones for the testing of this unit (however, you can use any comparable Bluetooth stereo headphones). [Read more]

TUFFWRAP PLUS Review for the Nano

Cases! We seem to be in undated with cases! Unlike some of the previous iPod/Nano/iPhone cases we reviewed recently, this is not a clear shield for a change and doesn’t require any solution or steady hands or a squeege to put it on. XtremeMac’s TuffWrap Plus for the 3G Nano is a practical and lightweight case that does a great job of keeping your 3G Nano protected through out the daily grind.

Combining the best of both worlds, the case is made of the standard silicone you’re used to seeing on many other cases. The silicone of course helps protect from bumps and scratches and contours to the shape of the Nano. Touch sensitivity with the silicone was great - I didn’t experience any lag and my Nano was left looking sporty yet protected from any harm. The front part of the case is made of an impact resistant screen protector that protects the Nano’s screen from any damage but still lets you enjoy a pleasant viewing experience. This screen protector is easily removable and can be so that it can easily be washed. I’ve had many iPod cases, and the ability to take off and wash the screen is integral. After awhile these cases get so gross, especially in the screen area and it’s not always so easy to clean under them without have to take the whole case off again. This takes care of that. [Read more]

Spi Inc’s Pink Accessories Galore

Spi Inc. is not a counter intelligence subsidiary as you may guess from the name. Rather, it is a female owned business whose products appear in many major US stores such as Sharper Image, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Neiman Marcus. Rocking their girl power, is a new line of pink ipod accessories.

There are a few, starting with the pink Laptop Lapdesk. Pretty much all of us have experienced the overheating of a laptop while it is on our lap, and it isn’t much fun. The lapdesk props up the laptop to allow it to breathe. It also lends itself to ergonomic practices, such as a padded area for your wrist as you type. After hours on a laptop, the finger pad mouse gets a little annoying. To alleviate this, in the back of the desk, clipped in, is an attachable area for your mouse. It is designed to clip into either side of the desk (kudos for thinking of the lefties!). There is also some slight padding on the bottom that is shaped for resting on your legs. This certainly was designed for those who use laptops for long periods of time. [Read more]

Maxtor Shared Storage II Networked Hard Drive Review

I guess it comes along with the territory that I have lots of computers. So when you have that many you tend to save documents and images separately on all of them. Which makes it very frustrating when you are trying to work with a document and it’s on another computer. It’s a terrible unorganized way of working. I always seem to be running between computers constantly to find what I need.
So thankfully many companies are making external network shared hard drives which you can dump all your files on to and access remotely from anywhere as long as you have a Ethernet/WiFi connection where you are and the hard drive is connected to a live connection as well. The Maxtor Shared Storage II with 1 Terabyte of space is one such drive that we fortunately were lucky enough to get our hands on to review. [Read more]

Flamingo HappyEar Bluetooth Fashion Headset Review

There is no doubt that Bluetooth technology makes our lives a bit easier. Life is busy enough, who wants to live life held down by wires and cords? But picking a wireless Bluetooth headset can be daunting given the vast array of choices. Most also have that annoying hook that you have to put over your ear, which can be particularly cumbersome to those who wear glasses, sunglasses and/or earrings. Flamingo HappyEar by Cellpoint with its sleek Scandinavian design has a patented EarClick technology that goes directly into your ear like regular earphones. It’s ergonomic so it’s super comfortable, so much so that I almost forget that I was wearing it. This would make a perfect holiday gift for those with a Bluetooth device, which is pretty much just about anyone. Retails for $80.

Setup:
I placed the headset in the charger. You’ll know that it’s charging when the indicator lights up red. The headset also makes a clicking sound since the magnet in the charger snaps it into place. It takes 4 hours to have it fully charged [ asindicated by a green light]. In the meantime, I was customizing the fit. It comes with 6 different EarClick earpads. I have very small ears so I naturally went for the smallest size. No dice. One of the middle sizes actually had the best fit. To remove and put on just requires you to push/pull it from the pins. Once it was charged, I paired it with my phone. Just press the control button until the light flashes alternately red and blue. Once the device is found, enter the pass keycode and that’s it. Easy peasy! [Read more]

Ice Red Drift Laptop Messenger Bag Review

Ice Red’s “Drift” is a messenger bag that can also masquerade as a laptop bag. The Drift bag is very versatile and exhibits sporty chic appeal with utmost utility.

Unlike many other laptop bags, this one is overflowing with usable space. It is a great option for those who find laptop bags too confining. Most of the time one needs to put more in a laptop bag then just techy stuff, maybe some makeup, hair ties, or a good read, and this bag can fit it at 17”x 13”x 7”. In addition to your laptop you can probably fit most of your electronic collection- ipod, camera, external hardrive, CDs, and a few other things too. [Read more]

StarTech’s Infosafe Ultra-Portable DVD +/- RW Review - Burn Without Breaking Your Back

It is so vital these days to have external storage components for your computer that you can easily drop files on to if you are on the run. Certainly USB keys and external Hard drives are great but sometimes you need an external DVD-RW for powerpoint presentations or to watch DVD’s and that expensive ultra-portable laptop of yours may just not have one. Well StarTech.com has resolved that issue with the Infosafe, a very slim and portable external DVD +/- RW drive.

Specs
The Infosafe is an external Slim USB 2.0 DVD +/- RW Dual Layer Drive which can read CD-ROM’s at 24x and DVD-ROM at 8X. It will also burn CD-R’s at up tp 24X, CD-RW’s at 16X, DVD-RW’s at 6X, and DVD-R’s at 8X. The infosafe will also support mini CD’s which is great because many Laptop drives don’t. The tray opens and closes with a push of a button. The design of the Infosafe seems very durable as well as sleek. It only weighs about 13 ounces and measuring 5.31 inches in width, and being just a tad thicker than two cd cases stacked on top of one another, the Infosafe is small enough to quickly slip into your messenger or laptop bag. It’s buffer memory is 2MB and and the optical drive works with both PC and Mac. If you have an older operating system, a CD is included for Windows 98 and SE support because the drive isn’t picked up automatically. Overall the design and concept make it very portable and versatile. [Read more]

Rock Band Review for Xbox 360, Best Music Game Ever

Oh, Rock Band how you have sucked my life away! We have had the privilege to review Rock Band and we could just barely tear ourselves away to review it. This has been no easy task as I’m starting to already get withdrawal symptoms - how I long to hit those drums and do awesome guitar solos… but, no, I must be strong. So does it live up to all the hype? Will people want to suddenly be your friends? Will you be able to live out your fantasies of being a rock and roll superstar? YES, YES and YES.

Graphics
It’s pretty much unavoidable to not compare Rock band to Guitar Hero III. While the graphics are less superior than Guitar Hero III, Rock Band does get the job done well enough. In the end it’s really the gameplay that matters and you are primarily staring at the red green, yellow, blue, and orange targets on the bottom of the screen. Unfortunately, I do wish though that the targets were bigger like they are in Guitar Hero. The targets in Rock Band are slimmer so it can be difficult to tell if you actually have hit them. However, there is one option that Rock Band has that Guitar Hero doesn’t, and that is the ability to set up TV calibration so that IT really may be your TV who is to blame for missing all those targets. Just select what TV you have (eg: Plasma. projection, etc) and your audio and video should play at the same speed as it was meant to be. [Read more]

BodyGuardz for the Ipod Nano Review

A few months ago we reviewed the InvisibleSHIELD for the iPhone which is a clear film that protects your baby without hiding its good looks. Well BodyGuardz is another company taking a stab at making clear film protectors for your many Apple gadgets. BodyGuardz was nice enough to provide us with a transparent skin for the Nano and iPhone.

We like to be different and not be too repetitive here at Chip Chick so we decided to test it on the newest generation of the Nano that I personally have named “Skittles”! Similar to the InvisibleSHIELD, in the BodyGuardz box I found a clear film for the front and for the back of the Nano, and the iPhone as well. BodyGuardz includes two protectors for your gadget. Which is great in case you mess up applying it the 1st time around or the second one can work as a replacement after your 1st one gets gunky. One difference between the BodyGuardz and the InvisibleSHIELD that I noticed right away, is that the BodyGuardz protectors looked like it would completely covered my Nano this time around - just as it promises on the box.

Application of the BodyGuardz was similar to the InvisibleSHIELD. Solution in a spray bottle is included to wet the adhesive side of the film. There is also a squeegee included to smooth out air or water bumps once the film is applied to your Nano. I soaked the adhesive side of the film and then smacked it on to the backside of the Nano first. I carefully smoothed out all the edges and made sure every part of it would stick. Then I let that dry and put the front on. [Read more]

Griffin Technology Reflect Case Review for the iPod Touch

Your iPod and your music go hand and hand because you trust this gadget with your very sacred and prized music collection. Even as important, you want to have complete confidence in the carrying case that you use to schlep around your coveted iPod! Perhaps, you want your carrying case to be an extension of your personality and to make a fashion statement too. There are a myriad of manufacturers out there, all of them with different styles and designs of carrying cases. Hence, choosing the right one can become a daunting and challenging endeavor!

I am continuously impressed with Griffin Technology, because they have garnered a well deserved reputation for producing innovative, affordable and cool products that have an edge of flair and style as well as good solid quality in craftsmanship. Griffin attempted to capture that essence with its new Reflect Mirrored Chrome Finish Case ($24.99) for the iPod touch, and the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th (30, 60, and 80 GB) generation of the iPod Nano, iPod Classic and the iPod Video.

Griffin sent us the Reflect for the iPod Touch and I was very eager to put this case to the test. The Reflect case comes in three pieces; a matte black rubberized case backing, a protective face cover that protects the touch screen, and a metallic-chrome like front casing. The easy to follow instructions are emblazoned proudly on the box, and assembling this case took less than 20 seconds (just put your iPod in the back casing, align the clear protective cover over the iPod touch screen, and then apply the front chrome casing by snapping it into place). [Read more]

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