Small wonders: Must-have tiny gadgets will keep you connected - Marine Corps Off Duty | health, fitness, gear, gadgets, sports, travel - Marine Corps Times

Small wonders: Must-have tiny gadgets will keep you connected

It wasn’t long ago when all a device needed to be called “portable” was a handle. I got my first portable computer, an Osborne 1, in 1987. It weighed nearly 24 pounds and packed up to the size of a medium suitcase — not exactly deployment material.

Flash forward 23 years: There’s no shortage of portable devices designed to keep you in touch and entertained. To prepare you for this year’s holiday shopping, we took some truly packable, portable, deployable new gadgets for a test drive.

See the gallery below for photos of the products. Photos were provided by the products’ manufacturers.

Dell Inspiron Mini 10

The smallest computer in the Dell inventory, the Insprion Mini 10 is a classic netbook, a compact and extremely portable computer. But as with most things “mini,” you trade some performance for a small, lightweight package. The basic black version comes with a 1.66-gigahertz Intel Atom Processor, 1 gigabyte of memory and a 250GB hard drive. Also standard is built-in wireless, but Bluetooth will cost you extra.

What we like most about the Mini 10 is its battery life. The standard six-cell battery lasted a little longer than six hours on a single charge — excellent for any road warrior. The 10.1-inch display is in the “widescreen” category, making it excellent for watching movies. But from a working standpoint, it’s the keyboard that makes this netbook really worthwhile. People with big hands may have trouble typing on smaller netbooks, but Dell has managed to scale this one to 93 percent of full size.

What we don’t like is the stripped-down starter version of Windows 7 that comes standard on this netbook. We’d recommend spending an extra $53 up front and getting the Home Premium upgrade, which will allow you to, among other things, connect to an external monitor and use it as an extension of the desktop. If you wait until later, that upgrade will cost $79.95 through Microsoft.

• Price: $399; $53 for the Windows Home Premium upgrade; $45 for custom colors; $20 for a USB Bluetooth add-on.

Macbook Air

With solid-state “flash” storage that improves speed and durability, these new computers are fast and lightweight. Apple says a single battery charge on the 11.6-inch version can last as long as five hours — seven hours for the larger 13.3-inch. It has two USB ports, an unusually high-resolution display packing in an extra 2 inches’ worth of pixels, and a port to connect an external display. The multitouch trackpad allows you to zoom in by pinching your fingers, just as you do on an iPhone or iPad. The 11.6-inch version weighs in at 2.3 pounds, while the 13.3 is just 2.9 pounds. We tested the smallest one — the 11.6-inch model with 128 gigabytes of storage ($1,199). It’s wafer-thin (a little more than half an inch at its thickest) and performs as well as our regular MacBook — in some cases even better.

If there’s a downside, it’s that this computer is so light, it can be tricky to stabilize. And additional internal storage costs a lot. How much you pay for a new MacBook Air depends on the level of processor and amount of built-in storage you get. All come with 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth built in.

• Price: 11.6-inch model with 64GB flash drive, $999 ($1,199 for 128GB of storage); 13.3-inch model with 128GB of flash storage, $1,299 ($1,599 for 256GB). All models come standard with 1.43GHz processors that can be upgraded at additional cost.

iPod touch

We’ve owned a few iPods, and this is our favorite. The screen is simply the sharpest we’ve seen on a portable device. It’s what Apple calls the “retina display,” the same 3.5-inch screen used on the new iPhone 4. Through some engineering magic, Apple engineers packed in four times the number of pixels — 326 per inch — making the graphics appear extremely smooth and vibrant.

Also borrowed from the latest iPhone is the A4 processor, the gadget’s speedy little heart that runs programs faster than previous iPods or iPhones. It’s also energy-efficient — the battery will last all day on a single charge, unless you’re watching video. It has a built-in speaker and microphone, both things its predecessors lacked.

The microphone is sensitive enough to use the iPod as a voice recorder, and the built-in recording app automatically transfers your voice memos into iTunes each time you sync your device.

Though the new iPod touch lacks the cellular radio of the iPhone, you can still make calls using downloadable applications. A good WiFi connection plus apps such as Truephone or iCall yield extremely cheap, crystal-clear calls worldwide. If you’re into Apple’s new Facetime video chat application or programs such as Skype, the device supports those via its WiFi connection and with help from its two cameras — one on the screen, facing the user, and the other on the back. Both cameras allow for high-definition video recording, and for $4.99 you can download the iMovie application and edit your clips right on the device.

If there’s one disappointment, it’s the still camera. At less than 1 megapixel — 0.7, to be exact — it’s good enough for Web pics and possibly a small print, but that’s all.

• Price: 8GB model, $229; 32GB, $299; 64GB, $399.

magicJack

Plug magicJack into your computer’s USB port and you can make unlimited local and long-distance calls for $19.95 a year, according to the gizmo’s TV commercials. For the most part, this product delivers on that promise, with a couple of exceptions.

Setup is nice and easy. Once you plug the device into your PC or Mac, you’re prompted to install the software. From then on, the software automatically loads when you plug in the device. You’ll get a local phone number in the state or city of your choice, and with that comes a robust voice mail setup that sends you an e-mail with the text of any voice message. This is especially helpful for people who live overseas, as they can set up phone service in the U.S. and never pay overseas phone charges again.

The device works great with a good, wired Internet connection and is as good as any other Internet calling solution out there under those conditions, though you could have some trouble with call quality if you’re trying to download a large file at the same time.

Where we had the most problems was with a wireless connection — over WiFi through our cable modem and especially over a mobile broadband connection. In both cases, callers on the other end said we were breaking up like we had bad cellular reception. But even with those limitations, the device is an excellent alternative to wired phone service, and if you’re stationed overseas and have a good Internet connection, it’s a great value for staying in touch with those back home.

• Price: $39.95 for the device; $19.95 a year for service.

Virgin Mobile MiFi

Possibly the single greatest value in the mobile broadband game is the Virgin Mobile 2200 MiFi. Virgin Mobile is one of Sprint’s pay-as-you-go solutions, and it’s a great bang for your buck, especially if your job requires you to deploy frequently and you don’t want to pay for Internet access when you’re not around.

The initial start-up cost is a little high compared with Verizon and Sprint — both of which offer similar devices at cut-rate prices, but only if you agree to a two-year contract. With the Virgin Mobile device, once you’ve made the investment, you can get unlimited service for $40 a month, with no contract or obligation. If you aren’t going to be around for a month or more, simply don’t buy service. For equivalent unlimited service, Verizon and Sprint charge nearly $20 more, though both offer the faster 4G coverage where it’s available. The Virgin plan is 3G only.

The device itself is so small, you can take it anywhere. Its battery will allow for a little more than two hours of surfing before you need to plug it in, but if you have an outlet nearby — or a cigarette lighter/power outlet in your car — you can use the MiFi as you would any Internet router.

This little gadget is powerful. Since it used the Sprint network, service was available almost anywhere. We used it while driving up Interstate 95 and were able to stream Internet radio connections, allowing us to listen to an entire NFL game through our iPod touch.

One drawback: The MiFi takes its time downloading files. It took about half an hour with a good signal to download a 42-minute TV show through iTunes, nearly three times longer than over WiFi with a cable connection. That time could be slightly less or quite a bit more depending on signal strength. (The device we tested, which probably had been used by other reviewers, had a power button that stuck a little. All this meant was that we had to push it twice to make sure it was off.)

But all in all, this is one sweet portable device, and its size and weight make it a road warrior champion.

• Price: $149.99 for the device; $40 a month for service.

Mobile Edge ScanFast Netbook Briefcase

Regardless of what portable electronic gear you buy, you’ll need something to carry it in — along with chargers, files and anything else you routinely haul around. You want to look for protection for your devices, durability of construction and as much storage space as possible — a tall order to find at a reasonable price.

When we first saw this briefcase, we didn’t think our search was over. But we were wrong. It’s a compact case made of 600-denier ballistic nylon and 1,200-denier diamond ripstop nylon. For those who travel a lot by air, the case is part of Mobile Edge’s ScanFast line, which means that at airport security, you need only zip open the case and send it through the X-ray machine, eliminating the need to take your electronics all the way out of the case. Its spacious main compartment is large enough to handle any netbook or laptop up to 13 inches.

A zippered compartment keeps smaller items from tumbling out when the main zipper is undone. The front compartment has pockets for portable hard drives, cell phones and iPods, with a pocketlike pouch on the front.

We carried all of our work files, along with a 13-inch MacBook Pro, iPad, iPod touch, broadband Internet device and all the associated cables and adapters. If you prefer a backpack, Mobile Edge has adapted all the features of the briefcase into a stylish pack that’s available at the same price.

• Price: $49.99.

Mobile Edge Sumo iPad sleeve

These neoprene sleeves would make great stocking-stuffers. They’re perfect for providing a little extra protection for your netbook, laptop or iPad up to 13 inches. We tested the black camo iPad version. While there are no extra pocket for cables or other accessories, we find you can store them in the main compartment in a pinch. It adds a bump to the case, but the neoprene expands nicely to accommodate. Make sure you put anything extra in the case on the backside of the iPad or on the underside of the netbook so you don’t scratch the iPad’s screen or the computer’s glossy top.

• Price: $19.99.

Earbud test

You only have to listen to a favorite song, then switch earbuds and listen again, to learn that a little extra money is worth a lot in listening pleasure. Like anything, you get what you pay for, but in earbuds you can also find a balance of price, quality and features. We compared two sets.

Ultimate Ears MetroFi 220vi

These earbuds were the least likely to get tangled up of any we’ve used thanks to the heavy rubber wire coating. They have the wider tonal range of the two we tested, especially in the highs, making them better for country, folk or acoustic music. A microphone built in high up on the right ear wire allows for clear cell phone conversations. Further down is a control button that allows you to answer a call or turn your music player on or off, which worked flawlessly.

• Price: $79.99.

Skullcandy Full Metal Jacket

These earbuds are built tough. The buds are made of metal, and the cables are braided nylon (they do have a tendency to tangle). The package advertises a “bass rich” experience, and the earphones deliver. If you like rock, metal, hip hop — any style with a ton of bass — then these buds are for you. Where they didn’t perform for us was in the combination microphone/controller on the right ear cable. It turned the music player on and off and picked up calls just fine, but it never responded to the multiple clicks the instructions said would take us to the next or previous song.

• Price: $69.99.

Neat Solutions

Two brand-new devices got our attention when it came to real innovations that combine listening and portability.

iHome iHM79 Rechargeable Mini Speakers

These speakers collapse and lock together magnetically, packing up in a compact little unit. They charge while plugged into your computer’s USB port. Charge them through your laptop, then take them along to plug into your iPod the next day. Don’t expect theater-quality sound, but it’s pretty good considering the size.

• Price: $49.99.

Zipbuds

These brand-new earbuds didn’t arrive in time to test, but we really like the concept, which in theory eliminates tangle completely with cords that zip up. We did see photos of a clunky-looking prototype online and hope the real thing has the sleek look of this manufacturer image.

• Price: $39.99.