2012)

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

Can you think of anything that can outdo Bluetooth earbuds? how about Noise Cancelling Bluetooth earbuds? Exactly, it’s now possible to find earbuds which merges the lack of restrictions of wireless listening with the acoustic isolation of ambient sound cancellation.

Noise Cancellation is a technology which actively cancels ambient sound taking place outside your headphones. This is done using a microphone embedded in the earpiece that observes the ambient noises, produces an opposite waveform signal, and plays it back through the earpiece. This cancels the ambient sound heard by the listener and leaves only the sound that is meant to be heard through the earbuds, like music from your iPod.

This technology is ideal for locations where the ambient sounds is very loud, such as on public transportation, airplanes, an office or anyplace where there are many people nearby. Ambient noise cancelling earbuds allow you to listen to music or audio books without needing to turn up the volume to levels that may be uncomfortable. This can save you from causing irreversible injury to your ear drums, which can be a problem when listening to music too loudly on earbuds.

Now that we have reviewed what this technology can do, let’s go over the highest rated noise cancelling Bluetooth earbuds available on the market now. while there are in reality only two products in this category that we would suggest, more are likely to come out in the near future as the technology becomes easier and more cost-effective to make.

The Samsung Modus HM3500 is an exceptional headset in that it merges stereo Bluetooth earbuds with a mono Bluetooth headset. the mono headset acts as a typical in-ear set of earphones would, resting over the ear and useful primarily for making phone calls. However, included with this product is a pair of headphones that you can connect to the mono headset, utilizing the Bluetooth connection to listen to audio in stereo.

This is an excellent feature for people who travel long distances who expect to be making phone calls and listening to their headphones. It can sometimes be awkward to pick up a phone call with stereo earbuds in, and this product offers the ideal functionality to bridge the gap between Bluetooth headsets for phone calls and music.

Of course this unit also employs great ambient noise cancellation in both the headset and earbuds. the package includes all you need to get started including, 2 Stereo Adapters, 2 Earhooks, and 3 Ear Gels.

The other recommended product is the Plantronics BackBeat 906headset. This headset is excellent for those of you with an active lifestyle. the solid earbud design makes sure that these earphones stay secure while you’re moving about. And because they have exceptional ambient sound cancelling technology, these headphones are excellent for use in the gym if you want to drown out the muzak playing overhead.

Using the quick button press you can answer calls on this set of earbuds utilizing it’s microphone that is embedded. the noise cancellation really shines when it comes to the embedded mic. Calls are clearer and your voice is transmitted very cleanly. A further cool technology included is called Open Mic. when this is enabled, the embedded mic plays the noises in your earshot so that you can switch to be able to hear what’s happening where you are without requiring you to remove the earphones.

Although we recommend only two different noise cancelling Bluetooth earbuds, we’ll be sure to add more to our list as more products become available.

BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 Review – SlashGear

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

At first glance, Porsche Design and BlackBerry might not make obvious bed-fellows. still, the car firm’s aesthetically-obsessed arm has taken up with Canada’s finest, and the Porsche Design P’9981 is the result: maple syrup by way of Stuttgart. the less forgiving might draw comparisons between Porsche’s legendary reluctance to diverge from its original 1963 car design, and BlackBerry’s struggle to break free of its old OS. the frugal will likely be too busy gaping at the $2,350 price tag. so, Porsche or Pinto? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.

Hardware

Porsche Design starts as it means to go on, with an oversized box first presenting the P’9981 and its desk-stand in one dense foam layer, before revealing different chargers for near-global use, USB cable and headphones, various documentation and your exclusive technical support card, complete with PIN, to access freephone assistance. It’s not quite Vertu’s Concierge, mind; the team will help you set up your P’9981 and figure out its quirks, but not book you theater tickets.

The smartphone itself is certainly distinctive. RIM basically handed over the key parts of its Bold 9900 flagship, and Porsche Design dressed them up in a Dynasty-era suit, shoulderpads and all. It’s a resolutely aggressive, blunt design, all sharp edges and squared-off corners, with plenty of metal and metal-effect plastic, and it’s heavy too, feeling twice its actual 155g weight in the hand.

Porsche Design itself gets top billing, its name engraved into the brushed stainless-steel bar above the display; RIM’s BlackBerry logo is relegated to just below the earpiece, above the 2.8-inch 640 x 480 touchscreen. the display is bright and crisp, though lacks the color saturation of an AMOLED, while the touch response is good. the metal bar continues around the edge of the P’9981 – though with a polished mirror finish, rather than brushed – though the keyboard itself is plastic.

Porsche Design P’9981 hands-on:

BlackBerry devices are famed for their keyboards, in fact you could construct a reasonable argument that it’s QWERTY text-entry that has kept the company afloat the past few years. Porsche Design does away with the 9900′s ‘board – one, we decided, of the best on the market – and replaces it with a heavily-stylized version with pronounced ridges. It’s not a bad keyboard – the spacing is good, as it spreads across the entire 67mm width of the phone, and the keys are clicky and responsive – but it’s definitely a step back from what the donor BlackBerry offers.

It’s also unevenly illuminated, with the backlighting focused in two patches that leave the center column of letters dimmer than the rest. no great functional issue, and you can still see them in low-light conditions, but it’s a noticeable flaw and one – since the backlighting is often active when the P’9981 is docked in its charger-cradle – you’re presented with all the time.

Sandwiched in-between the keyboard and the touchscreen is the usual row of call, menu and navigation buttons. They’re large and plasticky, and rock somewhat unnervingly under your finger. In their midst is the optical trackpad, which doubles as a select button, and is swiftly responsive. the left edge of the phone offers the 3.5mm headphones socket and a microUSB port, while the right has volume keys flanking a mute button (that doubles as a play/pause button in the media app) and a camera shortcut (that can be reprogrammed). on the top there’s a lock button.

If the front of the P’9981 is Terminator sturdy, the back is oddly unreassuring. An ingot of metal bears the 5-megapixel camera – which supports 720p but uses EDoF fixed-focus rather than auto-focus – and single LED flash, but the rest is a plastic panel that, despite being covered with leather, feels unduly cheap in comparison to the rest of the phone. There’s a little flex around the camera section, and the panel itself doesn’t click reassuringly into place as we might’ve hoped.

Peel it off, and you can see the antenna stuck to the back – connected with two discrete pins just above the Porsche Design branded 1,230 mAh battery – as well as the microSD card slot to augment the 8GB of internal memory. You’ll need to pull out the battery to swap the SIM card. This European unit has dualband 3G/UMTS (for up to 14.4 Mbps downloads and up to 5.76 Mbps uploads, network depending), quadband GSM/EDGE, WiFI a/b/g/n (with 2.4/5GHz support), Bluetooth and NFC, along with GPS, a digital compass, accelerometer and twin microphones for noise cancellation. Like the Bold 9900, the Porsche Design P’9981 runs BlackBerry 7 on a single-core Qualcomm MSM8655 1.2GHz processor, paired with 768MB of RAM.

Software

RIM has hung its long-term hopes on BlackBerry 10, the QNX-based OS for phones and tablets expected to debut by the end of this year. unfortunately, that leaves the P’9981 running BlackBerry 7, just as on the Bold 9900, and it’s a platform that’s seriously showing its age compared to iOS and Android.

Porsche Design, as the name might predict, makes no modifications to the software itself beyond an ill-advised icon redesign. the paired down iconography is certainly in keeping with the rest of the P’9981, but it also leaves app menus confusing: you have to make a conscious effort to tell the difference between each icon. It’s something you’ll no doubt get more adroit at handling, the longer you live with the handset, or indeed you can change the skin altogether.

Beyond that, our primary frustration with BlackBerry 7 is its general sense of being a patchwork platform: some aspects feel relatively fresh, but other areas feel like they’ve been dragged over from RIM’s OS several years back. the text-based elements of the UI are generally the swiftest but also the points that feel most dated in comparison to rival software; in contrast, BlackBerry App World is sluggish and the BlackBerry Maps app is a lesson in frustration compared to Google Maps or Nokia Maps.

RIM has worked hard on the internet experience in BlackBerry 7, and it’s certainly improved from earlier iterations. You still get a throwback mouse cursor, though we came to appreciate it more after finding how much finger-navigation obscures the touchscreen. Pinch-zooming in the browser works, but that compact display also makes it feel clumsy.

As always, the email experience is the primary reason for using a BlackBerry, though it’s at its best if you’re an enterprise customer with a BlackBerry Exchange Server. if you’re on the Gmail train then you’ll have to use IMAP – Google discontinued its Gmail for BlackBerry app late last year – though there’s the Enhanced Google Mail Plug-in from RIM itself that adds spam and archive support, integrates Gmail inbox searches with BlackBerry 7′s universal search, and imports your contacts. still, the best Gmail experience continues to be on Android in our opinion, with iOS following behind that.

We’ve covered BlackBerry 7 more in our Bold 9900 review, but the long and short of it is that the OS feels dated and is well overdue a replacement. BlackBerry 10 can’t come soon enough.

Camera

5-megapixels is midrange but acceptable for a smartphone, particularly one with business aspirations like the P’9981, but the fixed-focus is a disappointment. not a surprising one – the Bold 9900 used EDoF after all – but still another black mark against the Porsche phone.

It means you’re limited in how close you can get with your macro shots, and in general images lack crispness in comparison to auto-focus cameras. Color balance is solid, and there’s a nice amount of detail in shots from the P’9981, but unlike, say, the iPhone 4S or Galaxy S II, you wouldn’t want to rely on the BlackBerry for all of your photography needs.

As for video, 720p is your high-definition maximum but the ensuing clips are good. Colors are accurate, if a little muted, and the digital image stabilization is neither ineffectual nor over-aggressive and helps smooth out a shaky hand. We found the sheer heft of the P’9981 also helped on that front too. Recorded clips can be sent via Bluetooth or WhatsApp, or uploaded to YouTube, though not emailed directly from the camcorder app.

Porsche Design P’9981 720p HD Video Sample:

Phone and Battery

Just behind email performance in the big BlackBerry Book of Achievements is traditionally voice call quality and battery life: on this, the P’9981 drops one of the balls. Calling quality is great, with a loud earpiece and speaker for hands-free use, crisp – but not overly-processed – background noise reduction, and tenacious grip on a mobile signal. We also like how both your mobile network and current WiFi SSID are shown in the status bar.

Unfortunately, whereas at one time BlackBerry devices could be expected to run for days, the P’9981 follows in the Bold 9900′s metaphorical footsteps and tarnishes the family tradition. the 1,230 mAh battery may be Porsche Design branded but it’s otherwise exactly the same powerpack as the 9900 uses, and it’s simply not up to the challenge of the 1.2GHz processor.

RIM does its best to hide that fact, underclocking the chip most of the time so that you’re running on a fraction of those cycles, but step beyond simple email and you’ll find calls, web browsing, photography and third-party apps all take their toll. Left to its own devices and the P’9981 will run for a couple of days, even with email updating in the background, but actually use it as you might a rival smartphone and you’ll struggle to finish a day. the desk charger cradle does at least make topping up the juice more straightforward.

Wrap-Up

It’s hard to imagine the Porsche Design P’9981 convincing the everyman: its severe styling is too divisive, BlackBerry 7 OS questionable, and general specifications uncompetitive in places. Then again, the everyman isn’t the limited edition BlackBerry’s target audience. Like Vertu and “luxury” editions of other manufacturers’ phones, the appeal of the P’9981 is more about who hasn’t got it than who wants it.

$2,350 is a ridiculous amount of money for a smartphone. a quarter of that gets you an iPhone 4S or a Galaxy Nexus, either of which outclass the P’9981 on functionality, usability and – many would argue – style. However, just as Porsche Design borrowed the Dynasty shoulderpads, the P’9981 is the cellular equivalent of Alexis Carrington: brash and unforgivingly blunt, an unapologetic backhanded slap to the face of anybody who thinks their mainstream handset makes them special.

The rest of us will continue to buy iPhones, and Android phones, perhaps even some Windows Phones, and wait to see whether RIM can relaunch itself in Q4 with BlackBerry 10. the biggest problem with the P’9981 isn’t its love-it-or-hate-it design, or its mediocre camera, or even its insane price tag: it’s the fact that it highlights just how tired BlackBerry 7 is. In the end, even $2,350-worth of metal and leather and Porsche branding can’t hide that.

-analogue Phones - Make phone calls over the internet - (1/27/2012)

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

The days of two receivers and a lot of coiled cable are long gone

Keeping household costs down has never been so important, so why not save money by making phone calls over the internet? there are many services that let you do this for little or no cost.

Broadly termed Voice over Internet Protocol (or VoIP), there are essentially two types of internet phone call. The first uses Microsoft’s proprietary (but very popular) Skype service while the second relies on a widely supported standard called Sip (Session Initiation Protocol).

Skype is great for calls made from computers to other computers or telephones, while Sip-based services tend to be better equipped for direct calls – cutting out the computer.

What you will need to make internet phone callsThe most important requirement is a good internet connection. this doesn’t have to mean a fixed broadband line, as some VoIP services will work over mobile phone networks.

Whether choosing Skype or a Sip-based service, you’ll need a way to make and receive calls. On a computer this means headphones and a microphone, or a dedicated headset (such as this £20 headset from Creative).

However, phone-style handsets that can connect via USB are also available (Maplin has a USB headset for £10).

When it comes to Sip services, the same applies. It’s also possible to buy adapters into which domestic telephones can be plugged (such as Cisco’s £37 Internet Phone Adapter). some services (including Skype) can also make use of a webcam, if you have one, for video calls.

What you can expect from VoIPVoIP services can be basic or as well-appointed as you please. in many cases, for example, VoIP services will include a dial-in number that people can use to call you. to the caller, it looks and operates like any other UK telephone number and they will be charged accordingly.

Other services offer a selection of special numbers, such as those beginning with 08 or with a particular local dialling code – and you can expect to pay extra for these kinds of option.

Also, depending on the specific provider, hardware and software used, it is possible to emulate services associated with traditional landline services, from voicemail to caller ID. indeed, still more may be possible (such as the aforementioned video calls).

Choosing a service providerMany different companies offer internet calls and they all have different pricing plans. We’ll look at some specific examples in just a moment but, as with traditional phone services, the most significant factor can be whether any friends or family already have an account.

If so, joining the same service is generally best. two Skype users, for example, can natter forever, for free, no matter where they’re located.

If you can manage the numbers and passwords, there is no reason you couldn’t set up accounts with several providers – so you can ensure your costs are kept as low as possible, no matter what service your contacts use.

Preparing direct comparisons of call costs is all but impossible because the permutations are effectively infinite. However, for the sake of example, we’ve considered some particular undiscounted BT call costs alongside what’s on offer from internet-telephony providers.

The daytime BT rates for calling landlines in the UK, Spain, Japan, the USA, and Australia are respectively 7.6p, 25p, 11p, 17.5p and 27.5p per minute. Note that call set-up costs may also apply. BT’s full pricing information can be found by clicking here.

-cases & Pouches For Sharp - Liquor, dope thrown into jail - (1/25/2012)

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

A bottle of rum packed in thermocol, two pouches of cannabis, headphones and a cellphone charger were flung over the Dum Dum Central jail boundary wall on Thursday.

The packages landed at the feet of a senior jail officer on patrol in ward 6.

Vigil has been strengthened in the jail after rumours that undertrials and convicts were procuring goods from outside.

?There has been apprehension that cellphones, liquor and drugs were being smuggled into the jail by throwing them over the boundary wall. this led to an increase in vigil in the past seven days,? said a jail officer.

?We have seized the items. we are trying to find out for whom the package was meant,? said inspector general (prisons) Ranveer Kumar.

The inner periphery of the jail boundary is usually guarded by convicts between 7am and 4pm while the outer periphery is left unguarded.

?Each convict is assigned to guard one segment of the boundary wall. It is possible that they develop a nexus with undertrials and collect consignments for them against payment,? a jail source said. ?It is almost impossible to catch them red-handed.?

?Apart from stepping up vigil within the boundaries of the jail, it is also important to deploy guards on the outer periphery of the jail,? said the source.

A loaded single-shot tucked inside a box of biryani was smuggled into Alipore Central jail, where extortionist Gudda is lodged, a few days ago.

Earlier, mobile phones, blades and other sharp weapons have been found inside prison cells.

Yuhnke Commentary: It’s never too late to find a great gift for the geek in your life

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

PHOENIX – As you read this, it’s Saturday (or later). you clicked on the headline looking for help which means that you probably waited until the last minute to figure out a gift for someone. Yikes! Have no fear. Tech heads are easy to shop for even if you only have a few hours left.

Headphones

Everyone has a set of ear buds. we use them at the gym, around the house and while out for a jog. the problem is, most of them are worth about $.50. Seriously, those white iPod ear buds are pretty awful. a good $20-$50 gift for almost any slightly techie person is a decent set of ear buds. Take a quick walk down the headphone aisle at Target or best Buy and you’ll see a ton of options. Almost anything over $10 will be better (and often more colorful) than the headphones that come with your smartphone or iPod. It’s an easy gift that most techies would love.

iStuff

If you haven’t noticed, Apple accessories have taken over the world (insert evil laughter here). Ok, so maybe they haven’t done that but they have taken over at least one aisle at most major retail stores. the point is, there are a lot of options for anyone you know who owns an iPhone, iPod or iPad. Speakers, stands, cases and more. the best part is, they range in price from $5 all the way up to $300. I really like some of the sleek phone cases out there , some of the bluetooth speaker sets and the iPhone radio alarm clock docking stations. Regardless, you’ll find plenty of options at most stores these days.

Smartphone Accessories

Even if you don’t know what type of smartphone your favorite geek carries, you can still grab them a cool accessory for the holiday. On the inexpensive side, try a Toddy Smart Cloth . for $9.99 you get a 5″ x 7″ microfiber cloth designed to clean those precious smartphone and tablet screens. it may seem a bit excessive but you really shouldn’t be using just ANY towel to wipe off your iPhone. Toddy Cloths have an AEGIS Microbe shield that the company claims will prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. the soft side cleans, the slick side buffs. Silly, right? Maybe – but any geek who treats their smartphone like a precious stone will love it. They’re available online and at Target stores.

Think power. Almost all major smartphones (except the iPhone) use a micro-USB charging port. With so many of us using our smartphones for much more these days, power can be an issue. Charging docks and mobile battery packs are always a great idea. Verizon sells the iGo Micro-USB Portable Battery Pack which is a great option to keep some extra juice in your pocket. you can fine other brands of these portable charges at most stores. Charge the device up and while you’re out and about you can plug it into your smartphone for an extra boost of battery. for about $40 it’s a great idea for anyone who relies on their smartphone and can’t afford to have a dead battery in the middle of the day.

Gift Cards

They’re thoughtless and impersonal, right? sure, that may be true but they’re also simple and useful! Most of us geeks are pretty picky when it comes to our technology and we would much rather pick out our own gadgets. That may seem rude but it’s true. a gift card to an electronics store will go a long way in the heart of a geek. Don’t feel bad, they’ll love it. If they don’t, you can always send it my way.

Those are just a few of the simple ideas for that special geek in your life. If you have any other ideas, comment below or let me know on Facebook and Twitter . Happy shopping!

Bluetooth Accessories - Blue blood, now in Bluetooth - (12/9/2011)

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

In the last 47 years, Bose Corp. has created high-end home theatre systems, stereo speakers, headphones and headsets to cater to a variety of needs and settings. The company has striven to deliver the quintessential Bose ‘sound’ with every product it launches. It comes as a surprise then that Bose breaks away from the usual and takes on the likes of Plantronics, Jabra and Nokia in launching the Bose Series 2 Bluetooth headset, its first ever. The only other Bluetooth earpieces in its portfolio were those designed for aviation. The Bose Series 2 Bluetooth headset comes to India within weeks of its international debut. here are my first impressions.

Getting started

Pairing the headset with my Nokia handset wasn’t much of a task. after the first search, the headset connects instantly. For subsequent use, I had to keep the Call/End button on the handset pressed for about five seconds for it connect to the phone again. The signal was strong even if I left my handset on the desk and I was at a distance. The Bose web site says that the Series 2 headset is not designed to actively reduce noise reaching the ear. However, it uses adaptive audio adjustment to automatically adjust the volume in response to the changes in noise level around you, so any conversation sounds about the same in a quiet or loud environment.

I could press the ‘Call’ button for about five seconds to quickly switch back to using the handset instead of the earpiece. To reject an unwanted call, I held the same button for about three seconds.

Voice quality on the headset was natural, with impressive clarity even in noisy environments. I caught up with a couple of friends while commuting to work and my voice was relayed loud and clear to the other end despite there being a lot of traffic around.

Design

The power button and, the call and Volume rocker are on opposing sides of the body. They are placed in a way that I had easy access to either when I needed to use those functions. Next to the earpiece are two LED indicators that keep you updated on the battery status and whether your Bluetooth is connected or not. although the headset doesn’t exactly look as sleek as some of the Jabra Bluetooth headsets Smartbuy has reviewed, it’s one of the snuggest, most comfortable fits we’ve found in the market. It’s also ultra-light, weighing in at just 12 grams. The unit is sized at 1.9cm x 4.6cm x 3.2cm. Bose has thrown in separate ear tips for the right and the left ear, in three different sizes. The soft, flexible silicone gel tips – StayHear Tips – were comfortable enough to be worn for about 2-3 hours on end. The headset is charged by a non-replaceable lithium-ion polymer battery and offers talktime up to about 4 hours.

The Bose Bluetooth Headset Series 2 uses A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), a technology standard that lets you stream audio content. you can hook it up to your GPS system or smartphone to listen to turn-by-turn directions, music, podcasts and other media content.

The headset however, doesn’t support voice commands, a feature that a lot of other comparatively low-end headsets include.

Tech insight

A proprietary dual microphone system in the headset works to deliver clearer speech than conventional Bluetooth headsets. To keep incoming voices clear, Bose TriPort acoustic structure and Bose Adaptive Audio Adjustment technology react automatically as noise levels change; there’s no need to adjust volume settings or strain to hear a conversation. The new internal antenna in the Bose Bluetooth headset Series 2 helps reduce reception difficulty.

The Bose Bluetooth headset Series 2 is compatible with any device using the Bluetooth 2.1 (or previous gen) specifications that support the Bluetooth hands-free or A2DP profiles. in the box come a portable zipper case, a one-foot USB cable, a power adapter and three StayHear tips (small, medium, large).

Final word

The Bose Bluetooth headset Series 2 delivers excellent sound and A2DP functionality. It’s simple to hook up with and is comfortable enough to be used for a couple of hours. However, it comes with a premium price tag, leaving behind the likes of Plantronics Voyager Pro and Jabra STONE2, both hardcore audio communication players in the market.

Love -Excellent clarity, pairs easily

Hate -Pricey, no voice commands

Bluetooth Accessories - outfitYOURS.com Online Shopping Experience Review - (11/13/2011)

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

hello

Apple products are gaining in popularity each passing day, and there are a lot of accessories manufacturers who want to capitalize on that popularity. there are hundreds – if not thousands – of cases, cables, headphones, styluses, skins, and more designed for Apple laptops, iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Finding quality accessories for your gadgets often means looking through the few offerings in your local retailers or digging through countless online sites looking for what you want. Two brothers named Taylor and Thayne Davis, both Apple product owners themselves, realized there was a need for a single place where you can shop to outfit your Apple products with quality gear. They created outfitYOURS.com, an online shopping site that’s stocked with almost any product you could need for your Apple devices. They are so sure of your shopping experience at outfitYOURS, Thayne asked The Gadgeteer to do some “secret shopping” at their site and report on our experience. I was selected to go shopping.

There’s a video on the outfitYOURS website in which Taylor describes the concept behind the store. The brothers know there are a lot of cheap accessories on the market, because they too are Apple users and have searched for gear themselves. They wanted to provide a shopping experience where every product you see is a quality product worthy of the purchase price.

They know the frustration of placing an order and then being notified that the product is back-ordered and you’ll be receiving your order sometime after the 12th of never. They never drop-ship products. They warehouse their own inventory, and as Taylor says in the video, you know the product is in stock if you can put it in your cart and checkout. and because every product is in stock and you can reach an actual person at the customer service number, outfitYOURS employees can inspect the actual product to answer any questions you might have about it.

I went to the outfitYOURS website and started looking around. Finding what you want is simple. You can choose to shop all accessories for a given Apple product, for example the iPhone. Hover over iPhone in the category list to then select which model of phone you have. or you can choose to shop by brand. and, I had heard of all the brands they offer, except for two case manufacturers. Once you’ve chosen your category, you can further filter results by price range so you don’t have to waste time looking at products outside your budget.

Stocking all these products themselves represents a large investment, so I thought they’d probably stock a limited number of styles from each manufacturer and a limited number of colors/variations for each product. Searching through the Sena section showed me that they do offer a variety of styles, and a variety of colors for each style. in addition to the more neutral browns and black, I saw lime green, orange, pink, sky blue, and even striped cases. Each case I clicked on was available to put in my shopping cart, which means it was in stock and ready to ship. outfitYOURS may not stock every single item by every single manufacturer they offer, but they have a varied selection that should let you find what you like. They offer a variety of styles of cases, too. You can get everything from a sedate black leather wallet case for your iPhone to a back cover with a colorful, blinged-out design.

In addition to cases, outfitYOURS offers cables, gear bags and backpacks, Bluetooth headsets, speakers, screen cleaning kits and microfiber cloths, backup batteries, styluses, even credit card readers for your iPhone. These were the sorts of accessories I expected to find.

They even have videos they created showing you features of some of the products.

They also had something unexpected – the Griffin Universal Remote Control Beacon system. I’ve reviewed more than my fair share of cases lately, so I decided I’d try something different and ordered the Beacon. I added it to my cart and began the checkout process.

You can create an account with outfitYOURS to make checking out easier for future purchases, or you can check out as a guest. I was pleased to see that you can also use Paypal; I like using Paypal so I don’t have my credit card information on dozens of online shopping sites. I’m a little more likely to shop at a new place if they take Paypal.

outfitYOURS says they use faster shipping methods so that you’ll have your items quickly. Standard shipping is free, and you’ll notice it says 4-5 business days shipping, unlike some websites that use 7-10 business days methods. Taylor said in his video that they ship the item the same day they receive the order, too. I chose the standard shipping option. I was also struck by how reasonable their express shipping rates are. Some sites I’ve seen will charge $75 or $100 for overnight shipping, even for small items. (Need I say that I do not shop with those vendors if I need something immediately?)

Within minutes of checking out, I received an email with my order confirmation. I received another email a couple of hours later telling me my package had shipped.

Right after I checked out, I went back to the Griffin Beacon page. You can see that it has changed to “sold out”, so the next shopper after me wouldn’t order this only to be then told that it was back-ordered. I checked this page a couple of times in the next couple of days, and the status of this product did quickly return to in stock and ready to ship.

I waited for my package, but I didn’t have long to wait. The package was delivered via USPS Priority Mail two days after I placed my order. That’s pretty fast shipping from Utah to North Carolina. The cardboard package was sturdy, and it was taped securely. It had a green outfitYOURS sticker on the side. The package arrived in great shape.

I opened it up from the bottom and started unloading the box. Paperwork was on the very bottom. In addition to the invoice, I found a $1 bill stapled to a “bribe”.

Turns out it wasn’t a special bribe for reviewers – it’s for any outfitYOURS customer. It’s an effective attention-grabber to ensure you notice the customer service contacts in case you have any problem with the ordering experience, shipment, or the products. They ask you to buy yourself a cold drink and then contact them if you have any problems or questions.

Next up was a sample pack of disposable screen cleaning cloths – something any Apple owner could use.

Last was my actual product followed by some crumpled brown paper. But remember, I opened from the bottom. The first thing you’d see opening from the top would be the cushioning paper, then your product. The product package was all sealed up. There was a little tear at the hanger on the top of the package, but that didn’t look like it could have occurred in shipment.

All in all, a very easy and fast shopping experience from opening the website to opening my package!

While I working on this review, I realized I hadn’t tried out their claim that I could call with questions and someone at outfitYOURS could grab the product to answer them. A reader had left a comment on another Gadgeteer post today asking if an 11″ MacBook Air would fit into a particular Speck bag. Luckily, outfitYOURS sells that exact Speck bag, so I decided to call and test their claims. I first called a couple of minutes before 11:00 EST, and I got a recording asking me to leave a message or call back during business hours – only they didn’t tell me what hours are business hours. I waited a few minutes and called back after 11:00. Taylor answered my call. I didn’t tell him who I was or my ulterior motive for calling – I simply asked if an 11″ MacBook Air would fit in the Speck iPad A-line bag. Sure enough, he said “let me just grab one and do some measuring”! In just a few seconds, he was back on the phone with the bag in hand. While he was measuring, he mentioned that they also offered that exact Speck bag sized for the 13″ MacBook Pro. He quickly determined that the Air would be a little too long for the iPad version and again mentioned the 13″ Speck bag that would certainly fit the MacBook Air. Taylor did exactly what outfitYOURS promised to do – grab something out of inventory and use it to answer my questions.

I liked shopping at outfitYOURS.com. They have a varied selection of products for Apple laptops and mobile devices. They offer quality products from vendors you’ve heard of before, and they have a selection that lets you find the style, color, and price-point you’re looking for. You can quickly see if a product is available, and I’m sure that outfitYOURS could let you know when they expect it back in if it happens to be out of stock at the moment. My product was carefully packaged, and it arrived even sooner than promised. And they are knowledgeable about the products they sell and can answer your questions to help you decide if a product is right for you. The only thing I can suggest is to add their business hours to their phone message.

Oh, and be on the lookout for my review of the Griffin Universal Remote Beacon system soon.

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