Related
Well, I got my iPAQ a couple weeks ago, and I just came across a great addition. I don't need the functionality or hastle of dragging around a laptop, but when I travel, hence the pda. However, when I travel, there are times, of course, that I need to print. I found this:
http://www.pressdigital.com.au/mobile-accessories/mobile-spectrum-bluetooth-printer-p-5723.html
Anyone used anything like this before?
$600 to print something 2" wide seems rather steep. Check out instead the hp470 range which would allow you to print either by taking out the sd card and sticking it in the printer, or wirelessly using jetcet.
Very nice solutions, but not very portable. It gets back to carrying a laptop around. I love that I can have my PDA in my pocket and use it anytime I need.
Found another great accessory. Check out http://www.pressdigital.com.au/gifts-ideas-clearance/nexian-nexicam-ipaq-pocket-clearance-p-6147.html. Excellent camera.
I have the Canon ip90. It print great, regular paper too, and has a bluetooth adapter available, as well as a battery power option for on-the-go printing
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=184&modelid=14723
As my next smartphone will in all likelihood be the Meizu MX 4-core and will have MHL, it got me thinking that I might be able to set up a sort of portable desktop with similar form factor to a thin notebook. MHL out to a powered USB hub, an Apple MB110LL/B, bluetooth or USB mouse, and HDMI or USB out to a small monitor. Gives me better input than a tablet without having to deal with Windows 8 on the MS Surface. It also spares me from having to buy a new laptop or carry around my rather large, 7-year old Dell.
The trouble is I don't know which monitor would be useful. I figure a 11-14" screen would be best, but there aren't many options. Toshiba's mobile monitor can be powered by USB, but becomes much dimmer. Both are well over $170, which starts to get into my "is it worth it" price range. I'd really like something under $100, but if nothing exists in that price range then so be it.
So if any of you guys out there are like me, you're digging the surface pro, but not digging it's limited storage and lack of usb ports.
Well i found a case that adresses both problems, but it's not quite finished yet.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1759031369/prokase-a-professional-case-for-the-microsoft-surf
It adds 1 usb port for a total of 2 usable usb ports, and adds 2 micro-SD/SD card slots, which allows you to quite literally triple the space of your surface pro.
Check it out, I think it's a good idea, without being too big (3/8ths of an inch) but the biggest problem with the kickstarter campaign is publicity.
its certainly interesting, I will give them that.
But that USB cable is just awful, literally it took me 2 seconds to think up a viable alternative which would have been far slimmer.
It also makes what is already on the bulky end of the tablet scale even bulkier.
That just looks horribly bulky, imo. With all the thickness that that's adding you're approaching a laptop's thickness on the tablet, not to mention it looks like it takes a good 20 or 30 seconds to open up and set up.
And that USB cable, disgusting. They should just put a retractable flat cable (Like this one) with a small usb connector on one end, they could probably get it to be almost flush with the tablet.
I was thinking flat cable into a right angled usb connector, a very slim one. You don't need to have the full metal plug around the outside of a USB, a piece of PCB would do. That could be almost flush with the tablet then.
I have looked at this thing 3 times now and I keep thinking to myself that if somebody is going to expect me to add this much bulk for functionality, then it better double my battery life...but this doesn't seem to have an extended battery, so what is the purpose? Why not just make a desktop dock with similar functions?
No chance its going to make its funding requirement by the deadline.
I apologize, but I live 300 miles from any town with electronic stores to seek these answers, I also would be reluctant to trust a sales person anyway. I am a smart phone aholic and get tremendous amounts of good Intel on this site, so I came here.
I really need to update my laptop and am thinking of getting the new Surface. The way I understand it is you can buy a case with a hard keyboard, so you can use it like a laptop, and also take that off and make it a tablet. How do you install new software? Does it have a DVD, or do you connect to external? Is there any drawback to this device? Thanks
Sent from my VS980 4G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
If it's a Surface RT the only way to install software is through the Windows 8 app store. If it's a Surface Pro you can install any software you would on a PC including apps from theb Windows 8 app store. I'm pretty sure you could hook up an external DVD drive to it...
big70tom said:
I live 300 miles from any town with electronic stores
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm convinced you could only be living under a rock or a cave in the middle of nowhere. :laugh:
big70tom said:
Is there any drawback to this device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A Microsoft Surface is not a replacement for an actual laptop despite what anyone says. The answers to all of your questions is "Yes", however, you are still making a compromise. I love my Windows 8.1 Pro tablet, I use it daily, however you aren't going to be as "productive" as you would be getting an actual laptop?
The Surface (Pro) is a really good buy for the fun factor.
The thing you're thinking of buying is the Type Cover (the second generation one has backlit keys and is a bit thinner, but the first-gen one is cheaper and works fine). It's a full-size keyboard (that is, the keys are full-sized and at the usual spacing; it obviously doesn't have room for the full 104-ish keys of a desktop keyboard) plus a trackpad. It is not a case in any traditional sense, although it does work as a screen protector when "closed". It connects magnetically; removing it and reconnecting it is literally a snap (or perhaps "clack!") The magnets are strong enough you can fold the cover behind the tablet (although with the type cover this feels weird because the keys can move beneath your fingers, but at least they turn off automatically) or even dangle the tablet from the cover (not recommended but a cool trick anyhow).
Installing software is done the same way you would on any recent PC; you download it. The tablet has WiFi built in. There's a built-in store that can install and update "modern" apps, but you can also just download programs off the web/FTP servers/whatever. If you need to install off of an actual optical disk (CD or DVD) rather than a disk image (which Win8 can mount as a virtual drive), you will need an external optical drive that connects to the tablet using USB (there's a full-size USB3 port on the side of the Surface Pro). If you really need a wired network connection for some reason, you can get a USB Ethernet adaptor (they're only a few dollars) but that will take up the tablet's USB port. You can also use (USB) external hard disks or flashdrives with the tablet, as a way to transfer files including installers. I recommend getting a USB hub (ideally, one that can handle USB3) if you're going to use a lot of USB devices.
As for drawbacks, the biggest one is arguably that it's small. It's thick for a (modern) tablet, but at only 10.8" (about 28cm) diagonally, the screen is on the small size for a laptop. The case also doesn't have room for a lot of ports. You've got the aforementioned USB3 port, a miniDisplayPort, a headset (headphones+mic, like for a smartphone) port, a microSD card slot, the magnetic power connector (which is also where the stylus rests), and the magnetic cover port (which is how the covers send keyboard and mouse input to the tablet). No VGA (you can get a converter for the miniDP port, though), no surround sound output (the built-in speakers are ok for a tablet but nothing special), no serial or parallel ports (you can use a USB adaptor), no PS/2 port (USB adaptor), no wired Ethernet ports (USB adaptor), no card-reader for anything bigger than microSD (USB adaptor), nowhere to install additional storage or an optical drive (USB...), and only one USB port (hence the recommended USB hub). The Type (or Touch) covers offer very usably-sized keyboards, but a lot of keys are missing or require you to hold the Fn key at the same time. The next-biggest drawback is probably the price-to-specs ratio; while very attractive compared to other "ultrabooks" and high-end x86_64 tablets, you can get a more powerful actual laptop for half the price. The first-gen Pro also has a pretty mediocre battery life (5-ish hours) and a kickstand which only opens to one angle (which some people find to be not the correct angle for them). None of the internal components (battery, CPU, RAM, Flash storage, etc.) are removable/replaceable/upgradable, and the max specs of the original Pro (5GB of RAM, 128GB of internal Flash storage) aren't very impressive. There's also no dedicated graphics processor; the integrated Intel graphics are OK for light-to-moderate gaming, but not for serious gamers or any task requiring much GPU acceleration.
With all that said, it's a very nice, compact, lightweight 64-bit Windows computer with an excellent display (for the size), excellent stylus and touchscreen, very durable body (even without cover, though you really should get one anyhow), and good manufacturer support. It's usable as either a tablet or a laptop, and while it can't be said to be ideal for either, it's pretty good.
To give you any more advice on whether it's suitable would require knowing a lot more about why you're thinking of buying one and what you'd be doing with it.
Which I had read and understood a review like yours before I made a compulsive purchase on Christmas night! I purchased an RT 64GB version, not realising that it is not very well supported on the available app front.....no Google chrome and very few other apps that I have become to consider standard with my Samsung Android tablet. I think note in hind sight I should have purchased the pro version but the price difference from Tesco was GBP 400 vs GBP 950 for the pro. I agree that you should definitely get the cover keyboard and the old version (mk I) is on special offer at GBP 45 vs GBP 99 for the mkII with back light keys.
Oh and there is no onboard GPS receiver so forget navigation!
Sent with desire from My One
Introduction
With every Android device, accessory availability is one of my biggest concerns. Having been with the Nexus and HTC lines for a long time, this was an intimate, but expected pain. That’s why when I saw Zerolemon put out an extended battery case for the 6P, I was both excited and amused. The thought of adding 8,000+mah of battery to a 5.7” device with such a large footprint due to the front facing speakers was going to be a disaster. But Zerolemon did it, and in what I believe is the most elegant way possible. Sturdy tpu, and clever cutouts for the camera, fingerprint sensor, and ports. Enough intro, let's dive into what’s happening with Version 2.0 of Zerolemon’s Nexus 6P battery case.
This review is going to be mostly a response to the famous AndroidPolice article that infamously bashed this case, and rightly so! You can view that here.
While I didn’t get to test the first version, there’s a reason (or many) they pulled it, and while correcting the fatal camera issue, they fixed a few more. It’s baffling that they released the original case so late in the 6P’s lifetime, and Version 2 just leaves me scratching my head (but admittedly grateful).
Quick Gallery Here
The good stuff:
Capacity: With 8,500mAh of juice, this case will keep your Nexus 6P ticking for almost 2.5 times as long. I don’t know why people say almost three, but let's break it down. 8500/3450= 2.463768. We’ll round that to 2.46, and then generously bump that up to 2.5. What’s the big deal? Like 7100mah, which is larger than the battery in an iPhone 6s. Yikes. Regardless, this case is going to be great for travelling, being out and about all day and night, and or a camping trip.
Protection: The multi-layer design offers ample plastic/TPU(in fairly large quantities) to protect your device. There is a front lip (insert picture), that should have the surface area and depth to save your phone from drops.
LED charge indicators: Four LEDs on the back of the case show the current battery level. A pretty standard feature, but useful nonetheless.
The Not So Good Stuff:
Weight: A naked 6P, without a screen protector or case, weighs 179 grams. The combined weight of the ZeroLemon case and the phone itself pushes that up to about 430 grams, which is more than twice as heavy! When a phone weighs nearly a pound, it makes it cumbersome and tiring to hold or use for long periods of time, and that’s definitely at play here.
Bulk: I’m going to heavily borrow some stats here, but here we go. Putting this case on your phone makes it ridiculously large. So large you’ll not want to carry it around, and it will definitely draw looks. It adds 23mm to the length of the phone, 10mm to its width and 14mm the thickness. It triples the thickness of the phone, destroying every design and engineering feat of the phone.
You’ll be using this thing with two hands at all times, and probably be wishing you had a third to help balance this thing.
Here’s where things really start to differ though. Remember those improvements I was talking about at the beginning of this article?
Charging speed: ~~Neither the input or output of the battery pack supports any sort of quick charging. Charging the case, and charging the phone with the case, is slow. It takes several hours to charge the case from empty, so you better not forget to plug it in overnight, because you aren't going to add much juice to it during your 30 minute commute to work.~~ Both the input and output of the device support quick charging over USB C! Admittedly charging both the case and phone from empty will take 7-8 hours, but you can definitely plug it in and top up in thirty minutes.
Camera issues: We've already established that the rear of the ZeroLemon case is thick.~~ In order to accommodate the camera, a deep canal cuts through the back of the case, exposing the lens, LED flash and other sensors. However, the canal is not quite wide enough, leading to an unintentional vignette on the left side of all pictures and video. The shiny plastic on the sides of the cutaway also reflects light, which adds further artifacts to images. As a photography enthusiast, this drives me absolutely insane. How did no one notice this when the product was tested!?!~~ This was the reason the case was discontinued for a bit, and I’m happy to report there are no camera issues here! Snap away on that weekend camping trip
Unfortunately the fingerprint reader problems are still very much an issue. Unless you initially trained your phone to recognize your finger tip, you will have to go into your settings and re add your fingers, or repeatedly press them to the sensor in hopes it trains them on that part of your finger (unsuccessful for me).
NFC is no longer blocked! I can confirm it does in fact work now. Android Pay your way to the future!
Assembly: It is a tad confusing, but basically you slide your phone down onto the brick part, place the plastic ring on top of your device and the battery pack, and then slip that into the TPU part. Not super easy, but you should get the hang of it without too much trouble.
Build Quality: The plastic ring looks and feels cheap; I’d definitely handle it with care. The TPU part does very much have those injection molding nibs, but their placement makes them unnoticeable unless you're searching for them. The TPU feels sturdy, and I haven’t noticed any flexing or creaking. The cutout around the headphone jack can hinder the use of certain cables though, due to its shape.
Conclusion:
One day I was going about my business. Using my phone from 7am 6pm. Then I spontaneously agreed to go to a concert. I was tired, but I made it through! My Nexus 6P did not. That night I started looking for a battery case for my 6P, and saw the Android Police review of it. I was willing to even accept the camera issues! I followed the Amazon link, and saw it was discontinued. I then found out why, and heard they would be releasing a newer, tweaked version. So I held out.
My patience rewarded me with a gigantic, but significantly less flawed case than I had anticipated. I can slap this case on and not have to be near a charger for 3-4 days, but make no mistake- I swap to my TechArmor bumper otherwise.
No more NFC blockage, camera artifacts, and the addition of quick charging make this case a buy for anyone who might find themselves in a situation where they’re using their phone excessively, or in a remote area (me). Or people who dislike external battery packs (also me). The only showstopper: the $60 price tag. You be the judge, but I don’t think it’ll disappoint!
Thank you to Lemonzero for providing me with a review unit, and readers can use the coupon code RGSQJDX8 to get a USB C charging station with four UBS ports for just $19.99!
Please feel free to ask questions if you have any!
Does this have a built in screen protector?
Pandawg said:
Does this have a built in screen protector?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No
MyNarwhalBacon said:
No
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I hated the screen protector that came with my Note 3 Zerolemon case.
Got mine two days ago. It is very big, but that is expected. I was wondering if you could use the USB C port for data on the case. I wanted to buy a USB C flash drive and load it with songs, movies, and TV shows for an upcoming airplane trip, and was wondering if it was possible to use the USB C port on the device for the flash drive, and still have it charge the device too. I would test it myself, but I don't have a USB C flash drive, and don't want to buy one unless this works.
Pandawg said:
Got mine two days ago. It is very big, but that is expected. I was wondering if you could use the USB C port for data on the case. I wanted to buy a USB C flash drive and load it with songs, movies, and TV shows for an upcoming airplane trip, and was wondering if it was possible to use the USB C port on the device for the flash drive, and still have it charge the device too. I would test it myself, but I don't have a USB C flash drive, and don't want to buy one unless this works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Using the USB to USB C adapter that came with my note 7, and using a sandisk flash drive with it, it does NOT work. I put the drive in the adapter and adapter directly to the 6p, it recognized, formated it, and transferred a file to the drive. Then I put the case on, then, inserted the drive, and nothing. Turned the case on to charge, reinsert the drive, nothing. So in my testing, no, it doesn't work. I have no reason to believe a specific usb C flash drive would be any different
mrjkwik said:
Using the USB to USB C adapter that came with my note 7, and using a sandisk flash drive with it, it does NOT work. I put the drive in the adapter and adapter directly to the 6p, it recognized, formated it, and transferred a file to the drive. Then I put the case on, then, inserted the drive, and nothing. Turned the case on to charge, reinsert the drive, nothing. So in my testing, no, it doesn't work. I have no reason to believe a specific usb C flash drive would be any different
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chances are the connector only has the power pins connected, with no data pins actually connected.
asylumxl said:
Chances are the connector only has the power pins connected, with no data pins actually connected.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm as much with different drives and also using different usb settings in dev. options no luck with data transfer.
1 Now my case unicorn beetle , love big phones
2 I use my phone with two hands, no problem
Want use this case as daily case. Possible ? Worth ?
Any one in Canada or Toronto selling their zerolemon battery please let me know. Thanks
Me too, but im from europe (Lithuania) want buy it, pm me.
doombox414 said:
Any one in Canada or Toronto selling their zerolemon battery please let me know. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can order right from there web site