Review: Typo Keyboard

Today I received the Typo Keyboard, made famous by way of Ryan Seacrest's investment in the company and the lawsuit they face from Blackberry over the layout of their keyboard.

Right off the bat, the fact that the keyboard needs to be plugged in separately from the phone is a killer. The second thing you notice is that typing here isn't nearly as easy as it should be. At least for my thumbs, typing is cramped and difficult to get up to speed even after 20 minutes of practice.

The good news is it adds very little bulk or size to the unit. It feels good in the hand, and is responsive to touch.

If you really need a full time keyboard on your iphone it might be a good try, but for me the short comings make the $100 price tag far too high.

Update on 2014-03-29 18:29 by Drew Fleisher

A Judge ruled late yesterday that there was sufficient cause to believe Typo would lose their lawsuit brought by Blackberry, and therefore ordered an injunction against marketing and sales of the product.  More details can be found on Engadget here.

Product review: Kevo Bluetooth Deadbolt for iPhone from Kwikset

Today I recieved the Kevo Bluetooth Enabled Deadbolt for iPhone, and I have to say, this is pretty slick.  Installation took about 10 minutes to remove the old deadbolt and install the new one.  From there it was as simple as installing the app from the app store and registering.  Once I was registered it paired quickly with my phone and was operational in minutes.  Now I simply touch the lock with my phone still in my pocket and the door unlocks!

The Kevo system runs on four AA batteries, and it says they should last a year or more.  The system also includes a keyless entry fob that when calibrated can stay in your pocket and identify itself just as the phone does for those folks you have that need access but do not have an iPhone.  It also includes two standard keys in case batterries die or something goes wrong with the programing.

I was able to send electronic keys to my whole family in about 5 minutes so that they have them on their iPhones, and programming the two extra keyless entry fobs they sent took seconds each.

In all this is a very simple to use system that brings my door lock into the 21st century quite simply and easily.  Highly recomended.

Review: iPhone 5

OK, now that I've had a little over a week with the iPhone 5, I can tell you that it is the best iPhone yet without reservation.  While many have criticised Apple for not really innovating, I think there are really a few innovations here that have been over looked.  

A new connector - Lightning

The Lightning connector may not seem like a big deal, or to others has been seen as an inconvenience, but is a game changer in my book.  Yes, it will mean new accessories will need to be purchased.  It means I need to have 2 different adapters in my car, one for the iPhones Carrie and I have, one for our iPads and older iPhones the kids carry.  However, the advantage of being able to just plug a cable in without fumbling to make sure the correct side is up while driving is a HUGE improvement not just to use but to safety in a world where many of us plug our phones into our cars for everything from entertainment while driving to GPS navigation.

Maps

While the maps are not perfect (or even ready to be used for navigation in most areas), they are a sign that Apple is once again trying to branch out into existing areas without reliance on partners.  While this could backfire like the ill-fated Ping service or the iPod Hi-Fi, it could end up making Apple a player in a market they have left to others in the past.  Apple has always been a company that tries to do thing themselves when unhappy with the way partners or other companies are doing things.  Google would not give them the turn-by-turn directions that were needed to really integrate maps properly, preferring to reserve that aspect to it's own Android platform.  This left Apple with a choice:  either continue to let media and users see them as sub-par to Google, or make a change.  While they may not be firing on all cylinders to start with in iOS 6 with maps, you can expect that to change quickly.  Now that they can see the places improvement is needed, Apple can get people and processes on board to address the issues and get things right.

Specs/Performance

The iPhone 5 is by far the fastest iPhone, and according to tests from the major hardware sites, the fastest Smartphone on the market.  Combined with a true HD screen and a smaller form factor the iPhone 5 sets the standard once again for performance and features.  It is still the phone everyone envys, and is the only phone in the category that creates the kind of frenzy we saw at launch.  No other smartphone has ever sold-out presale availability in less than an hour.  No other phone in the category has EVER sold more than 4 million units in the first weekend.  In every way that matters to Wall Street and consumers, the iPhone 5 is a winner.

There are a lot of sites that can give you performance breakdowns and benchmarks.  What I want you to know is that you will not be disappointed in this purchase, now or in 6 months.  Lets see any other device give you that.

First look: iPhone 5!

Ok, I'm 3 hours in, and 2 since I stopped driving and could play a bit. I'm loving the bigger screen, and it feels even lighter than I expected.
The screen's contrast really is better, and so is color saturation. The white balance on the 4s always seemed a little off to me, and pictures from the 5 so far seem to have a more accurate image. I'll have to play with it more and do some side by sides to see if that is real or imagined.
I'm out of LTE coverage area right now, but I'll update when I can compare speed test results vs. Verizon here in the Portland area.
Definitely not a disappointment in any sense (except for crappy service from AT&T this morning after 8 hours in line.