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Scott Paul Technologies E – Systems Review

Benny Sabghir — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:51:34 +0000

There are many, many accessories for Smartphones and Tablets. From silicone based covers to docks. If it can be used in conjunction with your portable handheld device, odds are there are anywhere from 1 – 5 different versions of the product from most major OEM’s. Scott Paul Technologies (SPT)) has entered the field of mobile gadget accessories. However, instead of trying to compete with case manufacturers and such, they have introduced their own, original product to the market. Meet the Cell Handle, e-Handle and EZ Cell Holder systems. SPT says they are made from “soft, hypo-allergenic materials, including latex free nylon and non-toxic adhesives”. These systems all use advanced types of Velcro on a patch with an adhesive back to ensure they remain attached to your gadget of choice. Each system contains a black colored patch with an adhesive on the back. The patch is placed on the back cover of your mobile device and should be given 24 hours to properly bond with the back of your device. The other part of the system is placed on your hand and attaches to the adhesive patch via Velcro.

In use, the Cell Handle, placed on my index finger, felt quite comfortable to use for extended periods of times with my iPhone 4. It’s rotating base, which offers a full 360 degree rotatable head (patent pending), came in handy when using my iPhone to watch movies and play games. It also worked well as a makeshift kickstand when placing the iPhone on a flat surface to watch movies. When I needed to make use of my hand I would remove the ring-like holder and simply slip it into my pocket. The piece of Velcro that I had attached to the back of the iPhone was unobtrusive so when I had the phone covered via a generic silicone based covering it was barely noticeable, producing a small but comfortable bump. Unfortunately do to the nature of the adhesive it will not work properly if you attempt to stick it on any type of rubber/silicone based Smartphone cover. However it can be easily attached to any hard case without issue.

The e-holder system was also a breeze to use. While it’s suggested for use with an e-reader, I only had an iPad at my disposal to use the system in conjunction with. SPT claims that the systems advanced Velcro can hold up to 9 pounds (or 4.5 Kg for those of you on the metric system). Seeing as the heaviest of consumer tablets max out at 2lbs or a bit less than 1Kg, it is strong enough to hold your system without worrying about it detaching from your hand. During my testing of the system I found it to provide a comfortable holding experience. Unlike the traditional way of holding most tablets by gripping it from the side, I was able to keep it resting on my hand without fearing it might slip off. Its patent pending 360 degree rotatable head was easy to use when I decided to take a break from reading and watch a video. The part that you wrap around your hand can also be wrapped around the wrist if desired. I found the system provided optimal use while reading. After my experience using it with the iPad, I understand exactly why it is primarily meant to be used with e-readers which are often smaller and lighter than the iPad.

The EZ Cell Holder worked wonders on the dashboard of my Citroen. I found it to be incredibly solid unlike suction based holder systems. All you need to do is find a convenient location to place it on and viola! Do to the nature of the adhesive used it might be a bit tricky getting it to stick to smooth plastic surfaces. Always remember to set your phone to hands free mode while driving and never take your eye off the road. Just because you are not holding the phone does not mean you cannot get distracted by it. Taking your eyes off the road for even a split second can be potentially fatal. The system is not just meant for in car use. I placed one of the Velcro adhesive backed patches on the wall next to my computer monitor so as to have easy access to my iPhone while at my workspace and not be too concerned about the possibility of accidentally having it knocked off my desk.

Final Thoughts

The systems have their convenient uses. I was entirely confident my iPhone/iPad would never detach from the Velcro. I feel 100% satisfied that the products worked exactly as advertised.

The Cell Handle has an MSRP of $19.95

The e-Handle has an MSRP $24.95

The EZ Cell Holder has an MSRP of $9.95

All SPT products are designed and manufactured in the United States. They can all be purchased here directly from Scott Paul Technologies.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Editors note: Images to be adjusted soon.

Memo Touch is the tablet for elders, senior citizens gather around

Jakk — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:31:01 +0000

Being that our average reader age is 25 – 35, we are relying on you guys to give your grandparent or parent a heads up on a new tablet called the Memo Touch, specifically designed for senior citizens with short-term memory loss. As you can see from the image above, the tablet is a reminder and schedule orientated device, allowing you to plan tasks quickly and simply rolling up to-do lists and reminders to help you get through the day. Sound interesting? Well it’ll set US customers back $299 along with a 6 to 12 month contract, however there is 3 month return warranty on the device if you’re unhappy. PR below.

Revolutionary Memo Keeps Memory-Challenged Seniors Informed and Independent

New Memory Assistant Reduces Senior Confusion and Frustration, Helps Relieve Family Caregivers of Worry and Stress

EAST LANSING, Mich., Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Memo (www.memotouch.com) is a revolutionary new memory assistant that helps seniors with short-term memory loss maintain their independence and age in their own home. Introduced today, the custom software which operates on an Android tablet allows family members to provide their aging parent or loved one with reminders to manage everyday activities even when they are miles away.

Memo is a breakthrough product designed specifically for persons with memory loss and the people who care for them. Elders need no computer experience to use it. “If they can watch TV, they can use a Memo,” says Memo co-founder Carrie Beia. Family members manage the information displayed on the Memo remotely from a companion caregiver website. They can add and update reminders from home, work, or wherever they have internet access.

Memo meets the needs of the two million Americans age 75+ with short-term memory loss, which can have devastating effects on their ability to manage everyday activities. Missed appointments, forgotten medications, and chronic confusion often create difficulties for the elder as well as for their caregiver. Family members carry the burden of constant repetition, frequent interruptions, and disruption of work and family life coming to the assistance of their parent or loved one. For caregivers, Memo is a timesaver, alleviating the time-consuming calls and visits necessary to help their loved one stay on top of everyday activities. It helps relieve caregiver worry, guilt and stress.

“Memo establishes an entirely new product category of memory assistants designed to reduce the confusion and loss of independence caused by memory impairment,” says Merilee Griffin, Ph.D., president of Memo Touch, LLC. Memo can be easily customized to meet the needs of people with a wide range of abilities. Memo’s display can be as simple as the day, date and time and a single reminder, or it can include optional features such as a calendar, to-do list, the weather, phone numbers, a list of medications, and photo albums. A Help button is available to automatically send a text, email or both to the caregiver if needed.

Because access to the caregiver website can be shared among siblings, aides, assisted living staff, and other helpers, Memo facilitates communication and coordination of care. Everyone with access can see the messages, calendar items, to-do lists, and medications. It eliminates the additional responsibility typically placed on the primary caregiver to keep all interested parties informed.

By inputting information on a companion website, family members can post:

- A “crawl line” with personalized messages
- A calendar in daily or weekly view, with audio alerts
- Weather forecast
- A “To-Do” list
- A list of frequently-called phone numbers
- A list of medications by day of week and time of day
- Albums of family photos

The family can also make the Memo familiar and appealing by posting family photos and updates, plus reassuring messages that help to overcome distance from their loved ones. “Memo is your assistant that can be there when you can’t, to remind your loved one of important tasks,” said Griffin, who conceived of the idea while caring for her own aging mother.

Developed with the assistance of both clinical gerontologists and researchers, Memo is a solid solution for the problem of memory loss among the growing population of elders. Memo has been in test since January by real families experiencing the stress of caring for an elder with memory loss, and was enhanced with feedback from both elders and caregivers.

Memo operates on an Archos 101 ten-inch screen tablet, with the Android operating system and 1024 x 600 resolution. It requires an Internet connection in the users’ home, with a wireless router strongly recommended. The Memo program overrides existing software on the tablet so the elder cannot accidentally get lost in a maze of applications, menus, or out in cyberspace.

Memo is priced at $299 for the tablet plus $174 for a six-month subscription to the companion caregiver website ($300 for a 12-month subscription). It can be ordered by visiting memotouch.com. Memo comes ready to go with a few clicks, along with recommendations for how to successfully introduce it into the home. The company offers a generous return policy if the elder has not embraced the product within three months. The tablet can be returned if not damaged, or converted to the original Android tablet, and the website subscription will be refunded for the remaining months.

Memo is offered by MemoTouch LLC of East Lansing, Michigan, formed in 2010 with the vision of producing a single, simple device to help ease the stress and daily disruption caused by short-term memory loss of elders and their caregivers alike. Dr. Griffin and Ms. Beia were motivated by the long-term and deeply emotional personal experience in caring for those with diminished memory.

HP TouchPad back from the dead, to employees at least

Jakk — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:07:40 +0000

If you are an employee of a technology giant then missing out on one of their firesale’s calls for drastic action, and HP knows this. In a bid possibly to keep loyalty amongst its integral operations, HP has brought the TouchPad back from the dead for employees who missed out on the initial fire sale, and it will be available from the 28th of September for the usual price of $99 for the 16GB model and $149 for the 32GB one. To keep numbers consistent for employees across the board there will be a maximum number of one TouchPad per HP employee.

There are no hints yet as to a similar deal with the Pre 3, however something tells us it’s more than likely to go down sometime soon. Now, HP’s TouchPad may be a discontinued product officially, but we think WebOS will be on devices sometime next year. If interested, read how HP failed with WebOS.

Via: Techcrunch

Why your iPad (or tablet) sucks for reading

Alec — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:17:47 +0000

So you finally pulled the trigger on that tablet purchase. It’d been looking at you through the window of your favourite technology emporium, wondering when you were going to take it home for a good old fashioned poking. Firstly, congrats, you’ve got yourself a mighty fine internet device right there. You probably justified it by deciding you were going to do all your business on it from now on, we all did. Most probable of all though, you decided it was going to be your reading device of choice from now on. Well, we’ve got a handful of reasons why that’s not such a good idea. Read on.

The display

There’s a reason why people don’t sit with their laptops in bed, reading the latest moronic thriller from a gentleman with a name harder than Ross Kemp’s domed head, and that’s because of the technology behind it. Nearly every laptop and tablet uses a backlit screen technology which leads to eye strain, the very same strain you get from hunched over a screen all day lone. The key difference between dedicated reading devices like the Kindle and its tablet competition is that those dedicated reading machines use a completely different screen technology, called E-ink. E-ink replicates almost exactly the experience of reading from a book by printing the words onto the screen (that’s the tiny flash you see when you turn the page) which means no eye strain no matter how long you decide to read for.

The Ergonomics

The current lightest tablet on the market weighs up at 565g (Samsung Galaxy 10.1) while the Kindle (which we’re using as a benchmark for the average E-reader) comes in at 247g. No matter how you cut it, the decreased size, inclusion of physical buttons and massively reduced weight makes it much easier to hold both in public and in private.

The Battery

Battery life is one of the single main selling points to e-readers, with Barnes & Noble’s Nook currently holding the mantle at a steady 2 months on one charge, closely followed by Amazon’s Kindle at ‘around’ two months. Now, between the two of these there really wouldn’t be much in it, however when you factor in that the iPad 2 has a battery life of up to ten hours (that’s around 734 hours less this July than the Kindle and Nook) you can see what the clear choice should be for reading a full novel, or, y’know 14.

Conclusion

While tablets may present you with words which you can read, and while they might advertise themselves as reading devices, its hard to recommend them as a replacement for a dedicated device such as an e-reader, let alone a book. Now, that’s not to say tablets suck at everything because the overall functionality they have is huge, but tonight when you climb into bed, do your eyes a favour and put the tablet down, it sucks at reading.

Also: Be sure to check out our iPad 3 features article.

Sony S1 tablet leaked and snapped, looks sexy

Jakk — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:58:58 +0000

Sony’s answer to the ever booming tablet pc market hasn’t exactly been quick and it in all honesty doesn’t exist just yet. Now, however, the Sony S1 tablet has been spotted and covered in the wild by Germany’s Golem website and it looks pretty nifty indeed, with what looks like a sloping angled design and a screen fairly crisp to the eye. For the time being you’ll have to make do with just the image above, however we have a feeling it won’t be long before this coming soon tablet makes the headlines again on Technology Blogged.

Asus may release Transformer 2 by October

Jakk — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 08:32:05 +0000

With news that Asus is the second largest tablet PC brand in the world it comes as no surprise to us that the latest Asus orientated news is surrounding a future product of theirs, the Eee Pad Transformer 2. Emerging from Italy, rumors surrounding the as of yet unannounced tablet have been thick, including claims that it’ll run Android Ice Cream Sandwich and run on a Tegra 3 chip from Nvidia. Asus’s current tablet, the Transformer, shipped a staggering 400,000 units since it’s launch with thanks to an incredibly tempting price tag for a whole lotta’ hardware, so it is safe to say that for the Tranformer 2 to ship as high amount again they’ll have to ship it at a similar price tag to its predecessor.

[Source]

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 UK launch date, August 4th

Jakk — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:22:04 +0000

If you are in the market for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the UK then we finally have an official launch date for you, August the 4th. Announcing that both WiFi and 3G variants will be hitting a range of British stores (mainstream ones) almost exactly six weeks from now, Samsung’s flagship tablet features a 10.1″ display, a dual-core 1GHz processor and a display resolution of 1280 x 800, as well as having a design just 8.3mm thick. We have already covered the old iPad 2 vs Galaxy Tab 10.1 lark however currently, the Samsung Galaxy tab is the most hardware packed tablet on the market.

There has been no official pricing for the tablet just yet, however it is on pre-order for £600.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 on pre-order, bag one for £600

Jakk — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:08:53 +0000

I think the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the 10-inch best tablet ever made. This isn’t because the ones before it have been bad, or that Apple’s iPad 2 and the EEE Pad Transformer aren’t great, it is just simply because the design of the product is amazingly thin and it ships with mammoth specifications. In case you’ve been in the dark, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 ships with Android 3.0 Honeycomb, which is Google’s latest addition to the Android OS family and it itself has been designed specifically for tablets, meaning for no longer will you have to endure the feeling that you are using a giant smartphone like some users felt on the original Galaxy Tab.

So how much are you going to have to fork out for the privilege of Samsung’s latest (and greatest) tablet? Well they have just gone on pre-order for £600 for the 32GB model, making it more expensive than the iPad 2 and also more expensive than the Motorola Xoom. Hoping to justify the price of the 10.1, it comes with a 10.1-inch (hence the 10.1 name) 1280×800 pixels display, a dual core Nvidia Tegra 2 SoC clocked at 1GHz, dual surround sound speakers, support for 4G, an eight-megapixel AF rear camera and a two megapixel front facing one, Wi-Fi, 32GB onboard storage and a huge 6800mAh battery. What all of these specifications add up to is an incredibly tempting – nay pricey – package, however despite my own opinions on this tablet being the best out there, has Samsung really done enough to justify a premium higher than Apple’s?