#1: Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker

The generously long cord length of 62" means you have a little more flexibility in where you can put the charging cradle. It's also possible to bypass the charging cradle and plug the cord directly into the SoundLink Mini.

The only other port is a MicroUSB port on the bottom of the speaker, right next to the charging contacts (for when the speaker is placed in the charging cradle.) The USB port is only for firmware updates. I was very disappointed that the speaker cannot be charged via USB since that is almost the most universally accepted way to charge most bluetooth speakers that I've seen. However the charging dock is convenient to use and you don't have to fiddle with USB cables, so in that sense it's fine. The charging dock is not perfect though... I often have to fiddle with the speaker to get it positioned properly on the dock.

The battery is 7.4V, 2330 mAh Li-ion and is accessed by gently lifting up the marked corner edge of the rubber base of the speaker. It's secured by 4 Torx-T9 screws.

I was able to fully charge the speaker in just about 3 hours and the speaker will play for up to 7 hours and maybe a bit more if you keep the volume down.

The rubberized row of buttons are: Power On/Off, Mute, Volume -, Volume +, Bluetooth, and AUX. When you first turn on the speaker, a white light briefly flashes above the power button to indicate power is on but it quickly turns off again. At this point the speaker will automatically be in bluetooth pairing mode if it has not previously been paired. There is a flashing blue LED to indicate that the speaker is in pairing mode. Pairing is accomplished quite easily and in some cases you may have to enter a code to complete the pairing: "0000." Not all devices ask for the code... my iPhone4 did not ask.

Once you are paired, you can begin playing music from your connected device. Volume is controlled by both your device and the speaker. When you've reached the maximum level of loudness using the controls on the speaker, the white light above the bluetooth button (or the AUX button if you are connnected via a cable to your device) will blink.

I found the sound quality to be excellent. For best sound reproduction you should place the speaker so that there is a vertical surface behind the speaker to allow the bass to reflect from that surface. You should also be careful not to "enclose" the spekaer in a cabinet or that will play havoc with the way sound is dispersed with the Bose speaker. Please note that because of the way the Bose directs sound out of the front and the back of the speaker to achieve its signature sound this is not the best choice in speaker if you plan to use this outdoors with no abilty to place the speaker in front of a wall or other suitable surface that will reflect the sound. Additionally, since it is metal, it's not the best choice if there is the persistant chance that this will be banged around (although Bose does sell "soft skins" to help protect the speaker.)

i honestly prefer the sound of the mini to the full-sized SoundLink and SoundLink II. While it is true that the sound level is significantly greater with the SoundLink and SoundLink II, the bass is too boomy for my tastes. I much prefer the overall sound quality of the mini. It has a decent amount of bass that is balanced really nicely with great mids and highs.

Some people will no doubt be disappointed that the SoundLink Mini does not include a lot of extra features that are prevalent in even the least expensive of many other bluetooth speakers such as hands-free capability, USB charging, travel bag or even a 3.5mm AUX cable. But these omissions don't deter me from giving the SoundLink Mini a high recommendation.

This is a beautifully designed, great sounding bluetooth speaker that produces a satisfying amount of volume. It's understated elegance is easy on the eyes and if you do want a more flashy appearance, Bose has "soft skins" available in a variety of bright colors. These will protect the mini against damaging bumps and dings but at the same time make it look less "elegant" because you lose the look that beautiful and solid aluminum enclosure. Bose 360778-0010 Soft Cover for SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker, Orange.

If you plan on taking the speaker with you when traveling, you may want to take a look at the travel bag that is also available.Bose 360779-0010 SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker Travel Bag - Retail Packaging - Gray. A car charger cable is also available.

I was duly impressed with the SoundLink Mini. It's about as solid and good sounding as a mini bluetooth speaker could be.

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#7: iPhone 4 / 4S Anti-Glare, Anti-Scratch, Anti-Fingerprint - Matte Finishing Screen Protector

I like to buy the best products out there, which normally means I buy the more expensive items. But come on, this is a piece of plastic to protect my iPhone 4 screen. I have only bought a screen protector once before, for my toddler's iTouch, and had bubbles all over the screen. So I thought these screen protectors were all garbage. But after getting a big scare by accidentally putting my iphone in my pocket with my car keys, and getting a very light scratch on my screen, I thought I'd give these screen protectors another try.

And again, I thought I'd try some of the cheapest at Amazon, because, well, it's just a piece of plastic. If I was wrong, I was only out a buck or so, and could then go and buy the expensive screen protectors. But this time, I researched around and read some blogs, and found out dust is the culprit for bubbles. Taking that advice, I followed the directions and was able to put the screen protectors on 2 iPhones bubble-free! Here's what I did:

1. I chose my desk as the place to do the application. I wiped it down with an all-purpose cleaner, then wiped it down with a damp wash-cloth. I also did this during the day, with bright sunlight coming into the room. Do not try this at night, I don't think it shows all the dust hitting the screen.
2. Turn off your iPhone. You want to make sure the screen stays black, it's much easier seeing dust.
3. I then used another damp wash-cloth (if you squeeze it and water comes out, it's too wet. It needs to be barely damp), and wiped down my iPhone, front and back.
4. Then I got the little piece of cloth that shipped with the screen protectors and wiped the screen down until it was as clean as I could get it.
5.

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#3: SanDisk Ultra 32 GB MicroSDHC C10/UHS1 Memory Card with Adapter (SDSDQU-032G-AFFP-A)

Call them (info below) and they WILL take care of it under warranty. They have a good name for a reason and they want to keep it. (sorry SanDisk about the 1 star, but I thought it was the way to get the message out to those searching for a solution)

- The customer rep told me that SanDisk tried to work with Samsung to resolve the issue but Samsung refused to acknowledge a problem exists with this card and some of their phones (especially their flagship GS4 phones).

- The customer rep told me that to their knowledge the card works fine in regular cameras (not Samsung GS4 phones with cameras, obviously) and even worked fine in some phones from HTC etc. that could accommodate the 64 GB cards. Hence the 5 star ratings from others.

- The solution SanDisk came up with was to write a patch into the ROM of the card itself to specifically address the issue on Samsung GS4 phones (and maybe other Samsung phones like the GS3). I was assured that the new card I would get would work flawlessly. will see in about 3 weeks.

- I purchased my card from Amazon June 2013, so the ones currently being manufactured and the one I should get will have the new patch. However, as SanDisk manufactures in batches (like most of the industry), old batches of "unpatched" cards obviously exist in warehouses.

- I asked about a software patch I could download and was told it's not possible... hence the "hard coded patch" in the card's ROM

So... how to take care of the problem....

After speaking with the SanDisk US customer support (link and info below), this is what I learned and did.
Go to the SanDisk site

1) http://www.sandisk.com/about-sandisk/contact-us/
2) call consumer products support (this is the US no.) 1-866-SANDISK (726-3475)
3) Tell them that the card is unmounting itself in your GS4 (I assume this is also a problem experienced by GS3 owners too)
4) They will then confirm your information, approve your return (10-15 min approval window by mine was basically instantaneously), and then send you emails with a UPS return label and instructions.
5) BTW, they also asked if I had a magnifying glass to ID the serial no. on the card, but I didn't and couldn't read it myself (those numbers are super small printed into the plastic... don't believe me? take a look yourself.) I told the rep I couldn't read them and he said no problem, they would process without the serial no. I assume this is because they send you a new replacement card only when they receive your card you send in. Makes sense.

Well, that's it. Problem (hopefully) solved. Let's see in 2-3 weeks. The rep was super nice about it and seemed like they were all too familiar with the problem. KUDOS TO SANDISK FOR TAKING CARE OF IT... however, it would be nice if there was some type of communication / notice of the issue besides Google info sources, forums etc. I spent hours, maybe a couple of days total hours worth, thinking it was an issue with my phone / my data transfer. oh well, that's how it goes.

I really hope that this review helps some of you out there with the same problem as me. GOOD LUCK!!

(btw, I'd give the card 5 stars if this problem was solved in the patched ROM of newer cards as the data transfer speeds are awesome on the card (tested transferring data via a card reader hooked to my computer)... if the data transfer / remaining mounted in the GS4 issue never existed (pre-patch of ROM, of course))

UPDATE: 08/17/2013 - All went well with the return of the SanDisk Storage card. UPS shipping took about 2 days from when I sent it, SanDisk verified the warranty claim 1 day later and 5 hours later that same day, my replacement card had been shipped. waiting on the new card now, but expect to test it out very soon (early next week). will update the post after testing out the new card. Just as a reference, I've been using a 32GB Micro SD HC SanDisk card in the GS4 since having shipped the 64GB card. Obviously it's a different card and not the Micro SD XC kind. Other than a bit slower access speeds to the card, absolutely zero problems.... well if you don't count that it's basically filled up, hence why the 64GB option is great on the GS4. So it proves the point on the problem with the early build Micro SD XC 64GB cards.

I'm happy to see that my review has helped some others out there. Good luck to you in your warranty claim. my experience with SanDisk customer support has been excellent so far.

Update: 08/21/2013 - Received the new replacement SanDisk Storage card just a few days ago (shipping back to me once they agreed it was defective was a very short time window). Have had it running in the Galaxy S4 for a few days now without any jumps, stutters or card unloading in the middle of picture or video taking. Card seems to work flawlessly as the SanDisk Rep mentioned it would. One would think it's such a short time to test after a few days of use, but if this were not fixed already it would have dismounted in the first 45 minutes... that's how often and how fast it was occurring. so it would seem the problem is solved. The new SD card makes the phone even more responsive when moving between pictures in the gallery and performing other tasks like copying files to the card. Thanks SanDisk! Unless I update this review by next week, you will know that the problem has been fixed.

Good luck to those with similar problems as we now know how to get it fixed thanks to SanDisks great responsive customer service.

Update: 08/31/2013 - This is the last update to this review just to "close the loop". The new replacement card from SanDisk has been running flawlessly for about 2 weeks now. I have not experienced any of the initial problems. SanDisk really did fix the issues in the new batch of cards.

Update: 12/09/2013 - The card has been running in my GS4 flawlessly since replacing it around Aug 21st. Pretty good track record so far (~ 3.5 months) so it appears to be fixed with the newly manufactured (replacement) cards.

For those that have left comments that I should change the rating upwards now that the issue is fixed (see my addition at the beginning of this review)... When searching for a solution to a problem with a purchased product, most people start at the 1 star reviews to see what others have experienced. This is especially true for products with a lot of reviews (this is what I did in the beginning with this product). Therefore I think leaving it at 1 star and adding the comments at the beginning should clarify the review.

Thanks to review commenter "Da Shocker" for his input. I think he sums it up very well when it comes to the value of files stored on media like this:

"One more thing.. to those not happy with the one star rating by this person go ahead buy one. Take tons of pics vids and save some music on there then when the card crashes come back and give it a five star. A card cost $50-$100 pictures from a vacation or family event are priceless.. "

View the original article here

#6: Apple Lightning to USB Cable

BUY FROM AMAZON WITH AMAZON.COM as the seller. This will significantly reduce your chance of getting a fake.

There's not much to say. It's the same cable that came with your iPhone/iPod/iPad. It's pretty sturdy, doesn't wiggle like Micro USB cables, and best of all it's reversible. Comes in a pretty small box.

If you get a fake cable, rate the seller, not the product; also list their name out so other people can avoid them.

Update 11/11/13 - One year later and the cable is still going strong.

Update 01/13/13 - If you're interest in saving a few dollars, check out Amazon's Lightning to USB cable. Reviews seem to indicate it works well. I trust Amazon enough to buy their version of the cable, but their cable is thicker and wider, so it wouldn't fit my case.
AmazonBasics USB A to Lightning Compatible Cable (3 Feet/0.9 Meter)

Update 12/2/2012: There has been news about fake Lightning cables being produced and shipped. These should be avoided at all costs even if it is cheaper. Apple has embedded a small "security" chip in Lightning cables. The manufacturers of cheap cables are attempting to replicate it, but they are now on the third generation of their cable. Would you really trust a cable from someone who has already revised it three times (to "create a working product") in less than three months time?

View the original article here

#10: SanDisk Ultra 16 GB MicroSDHC Class 10 UHS-1 Memory Card with Adapter (SDSDQU-016G-AFFP-A)

(sorry SanDisk about the 1 star, but I thought it was the way to get the message out to those searching for a solution)

- The customer rep told me that SanDisk tried to work with Samsung to resolve the issue but Samsung refused to acknowledge a problem exists with this card and some of their phones (especially their flagship GS4 phones).

- The customer rep told me that to their knowledge the card works fine in regular cameras (not Samsung GS4 phones with cameras, obviously) and even worked fine in some phones from HTC etc. that could accommodate the 64 GB cards. Hence the 5 star ratings from others.

- The solution SanDisk came up with was to write a patch into the ROM of the card itself to specifically address the issue on Samsung GS4 phones (and maybe other Samsung phones like the GS3). I was assured that the new card I would get would work flawlessly. will see in about 3 weeks.

- I purchased my card from Amazon June 2013, so the ones currently being manufactured and the one I should get will have the new patch. However, as SanDisk manufactures in batches (like most of the industry), old batches of "unpatched" cards obviously exist in warehouses.

- I asked about a software patch I could download and was told it's not possible... hence the "hard coded patch" in the card's ROM

So... how to take care of the problem....

After speaking with the SanDisk US customer support (link and info below), this is what I learned and did.
Go to the SanDisk site

1) http://www.sandisk.com/about-sandisk/contact-us/
2) call consumer products support (this is the US no.) 1-866-SANDISK (726-3475)
3) Tell them that the card is unmounting itself in your GS4 (I assume this is also a problem experienced by GS3 owners too)
4) They will then confirm your information, approve your return (10-15 min approval window by mine was basically instantaneously), and then send you emails with a UPS return label and instructions.
5) BTW, they also asked if I had a magnifying glass to ID the serial no. on the card, but I didn't and couldn't read it myself (those numbers are super small printed into the plastic... don't believe me? take a look yourself.) I told the rep I couldn't read them and he said no problem, they would process without the serial no. I assume this is because they send you a new replacement card only when they receive your card you send in. Makes sense.

Well, that's it. Problem (hopefully) solved. Let's see in 2-3 weeks. The rep was super nice about it and seemed like they were all too familiar with the problem. KUDOS TO SANDISK FOR TAKING CARE OF IT... however, it would be nice if there was some type of communication / notice of the issue besides Google info sources, forums etc. I spent hours, maybe a couple of days total hours worth, thinking it was an issue with my phone / my data transfer. oh well, that's how it goes.

I really hope that this review helps some of you out there with the same problem as me. GOOD LUCK!!

(btw, I'd give the card 5 stars if this problem was solved in the patched ROM of newer cards as the data transfer speeds are awesome on the card (tested transferring data via a card reader hooked to my computer)... if the data transfer / remaining mounted in the GS4 issue never existed (pre-patch of ROM, of course))

UPDATE: 08/17/2013 - All went well with the return of the SanDisk Storage card. UPS shipping took about 2 days from when I sent it, SanDisk verified the warranty claim 1 day later and 5 hours later that same day, my replacement card has been shipped. waiting on the new card now, but expect to test it out very soon (early next week). will update the post after testing the new card out. Just as a reference, I've been using a 32GB Micro SD HC SanDisk card in the GS4 since having shipped the 64GB card. Obviously it's a different card and not the Micro SD XC kind. Other than a bit slower access speeds to the card, absolutely zero problems.... well if you don't count that it's basically filled up, hence why the 64GB option is great on the GS4. So it proves the point on the problem with the early build Micro SD XC 64GB cards.

I'm happy to see that my review has helped some others out there. Good luck to you in your warranty claim. my experience with SanDisk customer support has been excellent so far.

Update: 08/21/2013 - Received the new replacement SanDisk Storage card just a few days ago (shipping back to me once they agreed it was defective was very short time window). Have had it running in the Galaxy S4 for a few days by now without as much of a jump, stutter or card unloading in the middle of picture or video taking. Card seems to work flawlessly as the SanDisk Rep mentioned it would. One would think it's such a short time to test after a few days of use, but if this were not fixed already it would have dismounted in the first 45 minutes... that's how often and how fast it was occurring. so it would seem the problem is solved. The new disc makes the phone even more responsive when moving between pictures in the gallery and performing other tasks like copying files to the card. Thanks SanDisk! Unless I update this review by next week, you will know that the problem has been fixed.

Good luck to those with similar problems as we now know how to get it fixed thanks to SanDisks great responsive customer service.

Update: 08/31/2013 - This is the last update to this review just to "close the loop". The new replacement card from SanDisk has been running flawlessly for about 2 weeks now. I have not experienced any of the initial problems. SanDisk really did fix the issues in the new batch of cards.

View the original article here

#8: LG Electronics Tone+ HBS-730 Bluetooth Headset - Retail Packaging - Black

With the 730, I have great sound with good bass, but can't go more than 5-10 feet without having annoying drops in sound.

Which one to send back?

Update 9 OCT 2012:
I really love the sound improvement over the 700. I find I am using the 730 all the time and have modified my behavior in order to prevent the dropped sound. One thing to note is that these in ear phones are comfortable, but are so because they don't jam all they way in the ear. There is a little more air that gets in. In the office or at home, no issue, sound and bass is great. While driving in the car, I lose a lot of bass and have to turn it up more and stuff them tighter in the ear. It is still a clearer, more open sound.

Based on the few comments left, I will be calling LG to see if my unit is defective.

I also want to note that the color difference where the buds attach is much better. The silver color is less obnoxious. I tend to be more conservative in dress and don't like loud colors that scream, "look at me."

I do wish the wires were a more flexible as the stiffness causes them to stick out. Thankfully, the wires are very thin and most people won't notice them from a distance.

I also wish the magnets were a little stronger. It's easy to knock them out of the holder area.

In spite of these other little points, I still think this is the best BT headset I've ever had. The biggest advantage is that they are "there." With my past headsets, once they are out of the ear, I kept losing them all the time. Not so with these. It's also way better for listening to music, way better. I also like that when it's loud, I can put both buds in and actually hear the conversation I am having.

Update NOV 27 2012:
I ended up keeping both. I'm using the 730 less and just starting going back to the 700 because of the better range. The big reason for this is because the 730 began dropping out in the middle of a longer phone conversation. This was getting very annoying, especially with my 35 minute each way drive to and from work. I'd have to scramble to turn on the speakerphone. All it took was a shut off and turn back on to make it connect, but this is not good. It does this even being fully charged. I wanted to send back the 730, but with my busy schedule, I unfortunately missed the deadline.

With the latest problem, I can't recommend these. Short range for music is one thing - it won't matter in certain situations. Drops during calls is a deal killer for me.

I am also finding the magnets to be more of an issue, though more a minor annoyance. I tuck everything in under my collar and fish out the ear buds by pulling on the wire. I'd rather just go to where it is supposed to be seated. This is true of both 700 and 730.

UPDATE 19 FEB 2013:
After several more months of use, I almost exclusively use the 700s while the 730 sits collecting dust. Why? The only major advantage the 730s has, with its range issue, is the sound quality. So, if it's just going to be headphones, I'd rather use good headphones. That's what I've done - first with the V-Moda M-100 (which include a mic, a great portable headphone with really good sound) and now the HiFiman HE-500, which gives me awesome premium sound, though no mic and not really portable.

I still use the 700's paired to my phone because it is more reliable. Still, it does drop on me, an issue I'm going to blame on my phone, as it has other quirks that lead me to believe that.

After reading some comments below, those who were in the same boat as me, until LG offers a fix, or a better model, go with the 700s. If sound is really important to you and you are just going to sit in an office, buy yourself a nice in ear buds or headphones with great sound quality and a built in mic. There are a lot of choices that way.

UPDATE 6 NOV 2013:
For those of you who are having issues with the tips, I have found a happy solution. I got the Comply T-400 foam tips and they greatly increase the noise isolation as well as staying in the ear better with activity. The set comes with three sizes and I use all of them with various earphones. They are pretty tight going on, but can be wiggled on with a little muscle.

Comply T-400 Isolation Earphone Tips (Black, 3 Pairs, S/M/L)

Comply offers white and sets with one size.

Thank you all for the great discussion down below!

View the original article here

#5: iPhone 4 / 4S Anti-Glare, Anti-Scratch, Anti-Fingerprint - Matte Finishing Screen Protector

I like to buy the best products out there, which normally means I buy the more expensive items. But come on, this is a piece of plastic to protect my iPhone 4 screen. I have only bought a screen protector once before, for my toddler's iTouch, and had bubbles all over the screen. So I thought these screen protectors were all garbage. But after getting a big scare by accidentally putting my iphone in my pocket with my car keys, and getting a very light scratch on my screen, I thought I'd give these screen protectors another try.

And again, I thought I'd try some of the cheapest at Amazon, because, well, it's just a piece of plastic. If I was wrong, I was only out a buck or so, and could then go and buy the expensive screen protectors. But this time, I researched around and read some blogs, and found out dust is the culprit for bubbles. Taking that advice, I followed the directions and was able to put the screen protectors on 2 iPhones bubble-free! Here's what I did:

1. I chose my desk as the place to do the application. I wiped it down with an all-purpose cleaner, then wiped it down with a damp wash-cloth. I also did this during the day, with bright sunlight coming into the room. Do not try this at night, I don't think it shows all the dust hitting the screen.
2. Turn off your iPhone. You want to make sure the screen stays black, it's much easier seeing dust.
3. I then used another damp wash-cloth (if you squeeze it and water comes out, it's too wet. It needs to be barely damp), and wiped down my iPhone, front and back.
4. Then I got the little piece of cloth that shipped with the screen protectors and wiped the screen down until it was as clean as I could get it.
5.

View the original article here