Apple v PC (iBookG4 v Sony Vaio SR36GN): Further Thoughts

Button placement: CRUCIAL!

As a quick follow up to my previous posting found here, a few more thoughts on my Vaio.

BUTTON PLACEMENT

One weekend I found myself in Langkawi, Malaysia for a few days. Took the Vaio with me and was happy to know that the entire hotel had wireless, though quite an old hotel and extensive villa encampment.

I tried to access the wireless. The Vaio could detect but I couldnt connect. I took it to the front desk, and they did the same thing as me, – right clicked to repair the internet connection. Frustrated, I gave up. After returning from holiday, it was found that the wireless switch on the front left had been accidentally switched to the off position. My fault? Perhaps. But I disavow responsibility. What I do vow is the ease that this switch can slide between settings, especially when its placed in a position that everytime I go to pick up the Vaio SR36GN,  I have to be mindful of accidentally activating the slide switch.

Sadly, enough the same thing can be ALSO be said for the placement of the CD ROM drive. Right hand corner. With button activation. Much of the time that I go to pick up the Vaio, due to the sad fact that I am right handed, I must also be mindful of accidentally popping open the CD Rom tray. This happens precisely 18% more of the times that it should. Not so smart SONY.

More to come, as I notice.

Review:MotoRokr S9-HD Wireless Stereo Headphones

Tech Specs

AUDIO

* 1-MIC

* ECHO CANCELLATION

CONNECTIVITY

* EASYPAIR™ -  True

* UNIVERSAL

BLUETOOTH

* BLUETOOTH® RANGE – Class 2

* BLUETOOTH® VERSION  2.0

* PROFILES-  HF 1.2, A2DP 1.2, AVCRP 1.0

* WIRELESS BLUETOOTH RANGE-  up to approx. 30 ft

Out of the Box

Headset – Comes in your choice of White or Black

Wall Charger

Pouch

Instruction Booklet

Optional Purchase: iPod adaptor

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Welcome to the age of mobility- where humans are able to stay “connected” while travelling the world.  In today’s wireless world, mobility and connectivity go hand in hand and that brings us to our next review on the Award Winning Motorola MotoRokr S9-HD. When you’re connected you are cool!

The Motorola MotoRokr S9-HD wireless Bluetooth stereo headphones are an upgrade from the previous S7-HD model. However, the S9-HD is a drastic improvement and provides excellent stereo sound at a very affordable price – RRP SGD$99.95. They are easy to use, lightweight, durable and have a strong battery life.

THE GRAND

Audio Quality

Motorola takes another big step forward into the wireless headphone market with the MotoRokr S9-HD. The Rokr is an in-ear ear bud stereo headset that enables you to listen to music AND answer calls on your Bluetooth enabled mobile phone. Having this connected to my BlackBerry Bold enables me to utilize the excellent multi-media functions of the Bold. Sound quality is crisp and clear with the ability to control the SRS WOW bass effect– More Bass and surround sound or Clarity and balanced Audio.

While the Rokr provides for a wonderful music experience it is not the best Phone Handsfree device – it does a pretty good job in quieter places. Music stops automatically when a call comes through – and you can pick up the call by pressing the left side phone button. The Bold provides an option for the call to be directed through to the Rokr or to be directed to the Phones Handset as normal.

Battery Life

Plug the Rokr into the wall or use a universal USB-A connector and you can fully charge the Rokr in about 60 mins. One charge can last up to 6 solid hours of talkback or audio time. The LED indicator shows the battery life during charging going from Red to Yellow to Green once fully charged.  You can’t listen to the headset while they are charging.

Connectivity

Pairing the Rokr with the Bold was a cinch – it took less than 30sec to have the device paired with the secure entry code provided and subsequently it takes about 5sec to connect the devices when you need them. The LED on the Rokr blinks Blue when connecting and then blinks Green intermittently as it receives.

I also paired the Rokr with my HP Pavilion dv5 Laptop and had stereo sound pumping into my ears in no time. Groovy!

User Experience

The Rokr is great for listening to music – They provide perfect stereo sound while the in-ear, ear buds can get a little sore at first after prolonged use you get used to it after awhile. It isn’t the best for active lifestyles – so I wouldn’t take it for a run. It sits nicely behind the head and the freedom of wires really makes life easy! The minor annoyance is that because of the way the headset wraps behind your neck you cant lay down or lay your head back against a seat on the airplane.

Tips

Pairing your MotoRokr device with your Computer

Stereo Sound - Click Connect in Bluetooth Settings

Connecting your MotoRokr to your computer requires you to change some settings in the control panel.

Here’s how:

Go To:

1. Control Panel
2. Bluetooth Devices – Add wireless device – Youll need to turn the Bluetooth on and the MotoRokr. Enter the 4 digit Pin code to pair the device
3. Once that part is complete you’ll need to go to the Bluetooth Settings (Not the properties!)> select the TAB > Audio > Select Bluetooth Stereo Audio (Stereo Headphones) > Click CONNECT.
4. Sit back and relax – Now you can watch movies and listen to music in peace and quiet!

Did You Know?

Bluetooth technology uses radio waves similar to that of FM Radio or TV–however Bluetooth sends information over a short range within your own personal space or Personal Area Network “PAN”. In a nutshell Bluetooth allows you to connect wirelessly with everyday devices ranging from your phone to your desktop to your Printer and TV.