AAUG Reviews

by Steve Nigl ,AAUG Member

The Kensington Slimblade Presenter Media Mouse is two useful tools in one svelte package. It’s a comfortable and capable Bluetooth laser mouse; but flip it over and find an ipod-like control pad for giving Keynote or Powerpoint presentations. The remote is also compatible with iTunes and FrontRow.

Now to the details. To use the SlimBlade, simply remove the USB transeiver from the battery compartment, plug it in and you’re ready to go. There are Mac drivers to install before the first use. It seemed to work fine with the current version of Leopard.

I really have to compliment Kensington on the comfortable, sleek lines. The SlimBlade is easy to pack and comfortable for hours of use. The mouse-side of the unit features a two-button design with a 360-degree trackball, similar to that on an Apple Mighty-mouse. Unlike the Apple mouse, this ball is not rubberized, but also didn’t seem to ‘clog’ the way my Mighty-mouse does. The mouse tracking is accurate with no noticeable latency. One warning : The SlimBlade USB bit MUST NOT BE PLUGGED IN BEFORE LOGGING INTO YOUR MAC USER ACCOUNT OR YOUR MAC WILL KERNAL PANIC. This seemed to be a consistent pattern. Log into your account FIRST, then plug-in the Kensington USB attachment. The batteries (two AAA’s) are supposed to last six months and the SlimBlade has a low-battery light when it’s time to swap them. Needless to say, with a 25-day review window, the batteries were still going strong with regular use. (more…)

by Robin Walters ,AAUG Member

This was my first time using any type of headset with my Macbook Pro. (This headset is Leopard compatible.) I wanted to try the headset because I listen to a lot of podcasts and I also use IChat extensively. I was a little apprehensive about the setup, but it couldn’t have been easier! After I charged the headset overnight, it took 5 mins to sync. They work beautifully, weather I am listening to music, podcasts, or voices. The best part is that the wireless connection range is up to 60 ft. There is a built-in microphone for phone calls with up to 19 hours of talk time and 23 hours of music time before they have to be recharged. I did run them completely down to test the actual time. I can be listening to music and have a call come in over ichat and with just a switch of a button I can answer the call, which will pause the music, then hang up with the “end call” button and my music will resume.

The headset itself is very comfortable as it fits over the ear with ear cushions. The volume control, next/previous buttons are easy to adjust with a slight touch. The other controls such as play/pause/answer and ignore calls are all conveniently located on the side of the ear set. There is also a built in microphone with adjustable volume control. The headset comes with a USB mini charging cable and instruction guide. It is compatible with other Bluetooth devices, Bluetooth enabled MP3 mobile phones and computers. (more…)

by Simone Lange ,AAUG Member

Most of us have at least a digital camera, a mouse, maybe an external keyboard, a printer and at least one or two external hard drives and we have all ran into the frustration of having to unplug a USB device to get another one to do its job. I actually have another USB hub that has 7 slots and those are all full. I still have to unplug a device because I always like to keep one on my Mac Book Pro open for the traveling thumb drive. The USB device that I usually unplug is my card reader since my Mac Book Pro no longer has that slot to slide it into.

The Kensington pocket media comes with 3 high speed USB 2.0 ports and does the job of two devices thereby leaving you with more open ports. The port is optionally powered and it is pretty compact and doesn’t leave a large foot print. Plus you don’t have an extra device taking up space. It also comes with a little carrying bag for you to put it and its power supply when you head out on the road.

I do have the port powered with its power supply and accessing my photos from the card reader has gone off without a hitch. I have noticed that sometimes my compact flash doesn’t like to slide in without some exact lining up of the edges. I do also have my drawing tablet connected to it and it functions beautifully. I can now have three extra devices connected to my computer (more…)

by Elaine Robinson ,AAUG Member

Kensington says: Turn it on. Turn it up. Take it with you! What do you do when you don’t want to listen to your iPod with earbuds and don’t have a splitter for dual earbuds? The Kensington FX300 Speaker To Go may just suit your needs. With it you can share your favorite tunes anywhere, anytime.

The FX300 is a zippered black durable case that is impact and water resistant. When open, you will find the battery compartment ringed in a turquoise color and “on” indicator light on the right. On the left is a mesh storage space to keep your iPod secure and keep it protected from everyday wear and tear. There’s also room to store keys, cash or credit cards. On the exterior front is the on/off knob that also controls the volume. The sound is good and there is no distortion even at the top volume. A turquoise loop holds an aluminum D-clip so you can securely attach to your belt or backpack etc. I also like the rubberized zipper tab for an easy grip.

This case and speaker would be great for kids who tend not to protect iPods, hikers walking through brush, or for any outdoor activity. The price is right and it protects your iPod. Great! (more…)

by Mike Baranowski ,AAUG Member

This small unit is a rechargeable battery pack. It looks like an iPod Touch or iPhone, and can offer up to an additional 55 hours of audio and 14 hour of additional video! It is easily charged and is perfect for travel. Safe to use on airplanes so you can enjoy additional play time, talk time, charge time, browse or email time anywhere - no hassles, no outlets. You can use it to power other devices (all USB devices, PDAs, cell phones, or PSPs) because it works with Kensington’s USB Power Tip pack with retractable USB cable. You can buy these additional connections at their website (all around $14.99). Since I was focused on using it to power my iPod I could use the standard iPod cable (USB/30 pin) from Apple at no additional charge. The battery pack sports a great charge gauge indicator. It shows how full the battery charge is at the press of a button on a five light system (all five being lit designating full). The button should be recessed to prevent it accidentally being depressed while in storage. Nice AC plug adaptor with flip down prongs for easy travel and USB receiver. It is compact and you can use any USB charger for iPods. This allows you to have them in multiple locations. Finally it comes with a USB cable (standard USB to 5 pin Mini USB) so you can charge it off your laptop or a wall outlet. When the unit is charging (off the wall out or any powered USB port) the battery gauge flashes one light to five lights. When the unit is fully charged all five lights stay lit.

Living in Alaska I always look for a lithium battery because a normal battery cell will be dead if left in the car during the winter. I ran a fast test by leaving the pack fully charged in the car for 8 hours at an average temperature of 12 degrees Fahrenheit. (more…)

by Randy Brandon, AAUG Member

I can hear it now…”Oh no, not another laptop stand??

Well, to that I would say..YES, another laptop stand, and a fairly unique one at that.

The Kensingston Notebook stand with USB Hub is a great stand.

This stand takes a little different tilt on the standard laptop stands that are so prevalent in today’s marketplace.

This stand incorporates several features that puts it above several of its competitors.

One of the great features with this model is the built in(yet removable) is a four port self powered(A/C) USB 2 hub. The hub is located on the back of the stand, and can be removed and placed on the desk in a different location if the user prefers. And since this is a powered hub(A/C power block included), it can serve to charge USB powered devices like phones, and Ipods even when your laptop is turned off.

The stand accommodates all laptops from 12 to 17 inches, and has a “Smartfit” adjustment system which allows for an easy, fast, and secure way to adjust computer angles to suit anyone’s needs. The user basically takes the stand out of the box, sets it on a desktop, and slips their open laptop into it, connects up a keyboard, and mouse, and they are working. (more…)

by Dave Enders, AAUG Member

The Kensington Contour™ Active Notebook Vertical Messenger is a top loading notebook bag that clams to fit up to a 15.4″ notebook. I evaluated this bag from Kensington using a 13.3″ MacBook.

All of the Contour series bags are endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association. This may well pay dividends when you have tho lug your notebook through the airport to catch your connecting flight. It also has been designed to hug your body and shift its weight to keep the bag close to your center of gravity and reduce shoulder strain. I can well attest that reducing shoulder strain is important after carrying my Dell notebook last week over the holidays.

The bag is a top load design and the bag is held shut by magnetic closures. This is a deviation from most bags that use clips, zippers or snaps to keep the bag closed. This method works but I guess we may be used to bags that zip or clip shut and feel secure. When I travel, I always tote something else along like my iPod(s), Nintendo DS and Bose Headphones. I could get the iPods and Nintendo DS in the case but the case bulged when I tried to get the Bose headphones in the carrying case inside the bag. The bag is a sleek design and as such there is not a lot of room for a lot of accessories. The sides of the bag felt fairly rigid so I checked to see if they would keep the sides of the bag sturdy. (more…)

by Zachary Zaletel, AAUG Member

Kensington’s largest trackball is the result of almost 20 years of evolution, starting as the Kensington Turbo Mouse for the original Macintosh, Mac Plus, Apple IIe & IIc, to the Kensington Expert Mouse 7.0 optical trackball of today. If you’ve had problems with carpal tunnel or similar pain in your hand and arm after too many hours using a mouse, are tired of clearing crap off of your desk in order to mouse around, or simply want a precision input device with customization options out the wazoo, this is be the trackball for you.

The Kensington Expert Mouse is big, but big is good. The trackball is almost 2″ large, which allows for precision movements when coupled with their DiamondEye optical tracking system. The large size also makes it easy to find a comfortable position for you hand to use the trackball. Surrounding the trackball is a scroll ring and four large buttons, at the corners. The cradle itself is composed of black and grey plastic. It feels somewhat lightweight and isn’t the prettiest thing, but if it’s functional (and it is), I won’t complain. Also included in the box is a small, ergonomic wrist rest which clips to the front of the trackball. Simply plug the trackball into a USB port and you’re ready to go, but don’t overlook the included software.

The Mouseworks 3.0 software that comes bundled with the Expert Mouse is the other part of the package that makes this trackball great. (more…)