Unlike many USB keys these days – preloaded goodies come loaded on to it. RayD80 comes fully loaded with games, wallpaper and it is also serves as a regular thumb drive, which these days is very handy to have with you. The games that are already loaded onto this thumb drive are similar to a Tetris game where you need to line up three of the same color blocks in order to get rid of the color line and as the blocks build up, they come down faster. You are also able to rearrange the colors so they can fit to the blocks that are already lined up. This is a very classic game which makes the player think quick and ahead. It is a good game to keep the mind going as I find myself playing similar games online all the time.

Another great feature the Mimobot has is wallpapers for your computer. You can personalize your computer  with the Mimobot as it comes preloaded with different wallpapers, avatars, and desktop icons. This is something different that no other thumb drive will have. If you purchase other characters from the Mimobot line you will also get games, avatars, wallpaper, etc..associated with that character.

RayD80 is plug and play and your computer will recognize the software and begin searching through different wallpapers and other available applications. There really is no thinking involved.

Conclusion:
Overall this is a great purchase which has some nice features and also serves as a storage device. Also included in the package is a cute Mimobot felt jacket for your character and some stickers.  I highly recommend the Mimbot to any student or adult on the go looking to to get their USB Key noticed. It also makes for a cheerful desk decoration.  RayD80 retails for $24.95 for the 1gb version, 29.95 for the 2gb version, 39.95 for the 4gb version, and 59.95 for the 8gb version from Mimoco.

The Good:
Adorable  and fun design, comes preloaded with goodies like wallpaper and games

The Bad:
More expensive than ordinary USB keys, but worth it

Can’t afford a real DeLorean time machine for yourself? Here is the next best thing. The Back to the Future II DeLorean Vehicle is an exclusive from Entertainment Earth. It’s got special wheels that pop up for “flight mode”, the wheels also spin, the gull-wing doors open, and it has got electronic lights and sounds to complement all this action. The description even says that the car can fit in 3 3/4 inch scale action figures such as Hasbro’s G.I. Joes and Star Wars lines. Hey, at least your action figures will be able to time travel now. The Exclusive Back to the Future II DeLorean Vehicle is up for preorder for $34.99.

The Mr Man Computer Case from Paul Frank is the perfect compliment to your Julius iPhone case. The Neoprene/saber laptop bag with plaid printed vinyl has two front pockets, the famous embroidered Paul Frank logo, and waterproof zippers. It’s the perfect case for all those netbooks out there as it fits 12″ laptops best and retails for a not too bad $48.

Design:
Lacie’s new iamaKey promises to be shock-proof, scratch-proof and water resistant. And the iamaKey does indeed have a sturdy design – just like a real key. It’s also got a silver metallic finish like ordinary keys and thus it will easily blend in unassumingly on your key chain.

The iamaKey feels like it will withstand the riggers of everyday use much better than your average plastic USB key, and it seems like it will also have a longer shelf life than ordinary USB keys. The iamaKey is definitely a USB key for the clumsier amongst us or those that work and play too hard for their poor little flash drive’s own good. The iamaKey also come with a little see-through plastic cap to cover the part the USB connector, the cap fits snuggly, but we imagine that it can be easily forgotten or left behind because it’s so small and see-through. And by the time we actually got to writing this review, we had already misplaced the cap.

Performance:
Lacie claims read speeds of up to 30MB/s and write speeds up to 10MB/s. In real world tests we got consistent 10MB/s read and write speeds on average when transferring video files on to the iamaKey. Below are the Xbench’s results. We also noticed that the iamaKey heated up significantly during use.

Conclusion:
If you’re in the market for a USB key that is quirky, rugged, and affordable – look no further. Lacie’s iamaKey comes in 2 capacities – of 4GB or 8GB and it comes standard with a 2 year warranty. The 4GB version retails for $17.99 and the 8GB is $27.99.

The Good:
Adorable design, more rugged than your average USB key, affordable

The bad:
USB connector cap is easy to misplace

The Spark Nano GPS Tracker from Brickhouse Security looks more like a toy than a powerful GPS Tracker. Claiming to be one of the smallest and lightweight GPS Trackers out today, it can easily slip into a  pocketbook, jacket pocket, or any discreet place so you can track someone or something. The sensitivity of the device will allow for real time location updates on your computer or you can get alerts via text message or e-mail when your Spark Nano has left the building, so to speak. It works off both GPRS and GSM networks so it allows for a better area of coverage. Another nice feature is that it has a built-in panic button, perfect for children traveling on a school trip, so you can watch ever move they make till they come home. The only downside to what is a unique item is that you will have to pay a monthly fee to actually utilize all these great services. You’ll have to pay for a subscription and if you want to use the added features you’ll have to pay additionally for that too.  Spark Nano GPS Tracker retails for $299.95. It may just be cheaper in the end to hire a Private Eye…

Pantech C820 Matrix Pro

Hardware:
The Pantech Matrix Pro’s hardware is solid and feels sturdy. The Matrix Pro sports a metallic finish and curvy top and bottom. Unfortunately the Matrix Pro’s screen tends to attract fingerprints and smudges, so you might want to keep a wipe handy. Overall, it is not the most attractive phone in the world, but definitely pleasant looking, especially considering that many phones which manage to fit in two keypads end up being pretty fuggly.

The Pantech Matrix Pro is on the small size for a smart phone, width and height wise (4.17 x 2.0 x 0.85 inches) – so it will fit in your pocket easily. However, it will also bulge out of your pocket a bit because the inclusion of two keypads end up making it pretty thick. Though the Matrix Pro weighs 5.3 ounces, which isn’t all that much, for some reason the handset also feels a bit hefty in your hand. It’s also got a 2.4” screen with a 240×320 resolution. The screen is clear and pretty bright, and is pretty much on par with other similar Windows Mobile smartphones.

The keyboard on the Matrix Pro feels good to type on and key presses feel slightly stiff but comfortable. The keyboard surface area is smaller though then lets say the T-mobile G1, and is made up of just 3 rows, and as a result it is a bit more cramped. However I still found it comfortable to use. The numeric dial pad is made up of totally flat keys, sort of RAZR style, but they are also comfortable to dial with. The sides of the phone sport dedicated volume controls, a camera button and a record button. Its front face holds dial and end keys as well as a circular navigation key that looks like it’s ready to be a scroll wheel, but it’s unfortunately not one.

In the box you get a sync cable, software CD, charger, 3.5mm headphone adapter, a case and a manual.

Interface / Home screen:
One of the strongest aspects of Windows Mobile 6.1 over its predecessors are the slick updates to the home screen layout which includes a new slide panel layout that now lets you easily access things like recent calls, get access to your voicemail, text messages, mms, email, appointments, AT&T services (xpress mail, instant messenger, media net, media mail) and settings (profile wireless manager, ringtones, background image and task manager) without leaving the home screen. You can now also scroll through, and play music from your Windows Media playlist. The slide panel home screen can even show off the album art associated with the track you’re playing. While this new home screen option is very welcome, the rest of the Windows Mobile 6.1 interface is starting to look old.

Overall, navigating through the OS didn’t feel sluggish and overall the phone had good pep, though there were pretty minor delays, like a second or so delay when switching between landscape / QWERTY and portrait views. The handset comes ships with just 256MB of ROM and 128 megs of RAM, but it sports an SDHC slot for up to 32GB expandable memory.

For those of you looking for a touch screen, the Matrix Pro does not have one, however between both keypads you don’t feel like you’re missing one. Also, the OS is designed well for phones without touchscreens. That said, we do wish that the circular navigation button on the front face doubled as a scroll wheel.

Call Quality:
Call Quality was very good on the Matrix Pro, testing in New York City, I could hear callers clearly and vice versa. I generally had full bars as well, but then again I only have gotten a chance to test in an area which is known to have good coverage. The speakerphone worked ok, but often callers on the other end said they had some difficulty hearing me when talking to them on speakerphone. Also the speakerphone does not get quite loud enough for noisier environments. Overall, the phone’s battery can manage to last a few days with light use and even over a day with moderate use. In contrast, most smartphone I’ve worked with tank out after a day of even moderate use.

Software:
The Matrix Pro comes with plenty of software including an instant messaging app that gives you access to AIM, Yahoo and MSN messenger, a weather app, a PDF program, a Java VM app for running other Java based apps, a mobile banking app as well as AT&T’s optional specialized services like Xpress Mail and MobiTV, and AT&T’s Navigator application which takes advantage of the built-in GPS. Office Mobile is also included which contains Excel, OneNote, Powerpoint and Word Mobile. Oddly, there are some apps, like the Mobile Banking app which have icons in the menu system but aren’t actually installed on the device yet until you manually download them. The handset also comes with a great selection of games, including Guitar Hero 3 Mobile, Brain Challenge, Bubble Breaker, Jewel Quest II, Midnight Pool, Ms. Pac Man, Scrabble, Solitaire, and Tetris. Unfortunately many of these like Ms. Pac-man and Guitar Hero 3 are just demos, which is a bummer.

Internet:
The Matrix Pro does not have Wi-Fi abilities, instead you have to rely on only 3G for surfing the net speedily. The Matrix Pro comes preloaded with Internet Explorer, of course. Using DSLReports’ Mobile speed test, the Matrix Pro came up with a 120kbit/sec result. Surfing the net with AT&T’s 3G network in NYC felt pretty fast, even when using bloated Internet Explorer. However, I would highly recommend downloading the free Skyfire browser which is a lot faster than I.E. and also emulates the closest desktop surfing experience possible on a Windows Mobile smartphone. Skyfire also renders web pages better than Internet Explorer and overall takes better advantage of AT&T’s 3G network. In order to understand just how much faster Skyfire is, check out the loading time comparisons below.

Internet Explorer:
1:05 for ChipChick.com
8 Seconds for m.cnn.com

Skyfire:
23 Seconds for ChipChick.com
5 Seconds for m.cnn.com

E-mail:
Windows Mobile of course integrates with Microsoft Exchange beautifully and does a good job of playing nicely with imap and pop3 accounts. However, the Matrix Pro also comes with support for AT&T’s Xpress mail which is a $4.99 a month push email service that lets you get your mail as soon as the email server receives a new one. It’s compatible with most personal email accounts including Yahoo! Mail, AOL, Windows Live Hotmail (MSN, Hotmail and Live), Comcast, EarthLink, and others. Xpress Mail also saves the devices from running scheduled sync if there is no mail and it enables you to to sync contacts and schedules with your phone.

Multimedia:
A trial of MobiTV is included. MobiTV offers the ability to stream TV popular TV shows to your handset. I was able to watch streaming episodes of Lost without a hitch. Granted the screen isn’t big enough for watching video for serious lengths of time, but it was awesome being able to watch some TV while waiting for the train. Other notable preinstalled multimedia apps include Pandora for free music listening, a trial for XM radio Mobile and for MobiVJ which provides access to music videos, and there is also access to AT&T’s music shop.

As for audio and video playback, the device comes with the standard Windows Media Player which lets you access your music by artist, album, and genre. Album art and star ratings can also be viewed while listening to tracks. Unfortunately the Matrix Pro comes uses a proprietary headphone jack. The T-mobile G1 is guilty of the same offense. We can’t understand why companies would bother making a multimedia handset with anything but a 3.5mm jack. However, to their credit, at-least Pantech does ship the Matrix Pro with a 3.5mm adapter.

Camera:
The Matrix Pro sports a 2 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom. Both the camera and video recording/camcorder function give you a nice amount of options such different choices for white balance settings including Auto, daylight, cloudy, and fluorescent. You also have options for special effects: Normal, gray, sepia, and negative, and a self timer. The video recording is nothing to write home about with just  a 176×144 resolution. But it’s a nice feature to have regardless. The camera photos also were just mediocre and like most other average camera phones, photos taken in the daylight came out much better. And unfortunately, the camera sorely lacks a flash.

Conclusion:
I have to be honest and admit that until now, I hadn’t paid all that much attention to Pantech’s handsets. But after spending time with the Pantech Matrix Pro, I have come away pleasantly surprised at what a solid phone it is overall. For those looking for the best of both worlds as far keypads, an affordable price tag, and a solid feature set for a business phone with decent multimedia capabilities, the Matrix Pro doesn’t disappoint. The Pantech Matrix Pro C820 retails for $179.99 with a 2 year contract from AT&T. Alternatively you can pick one up from Amazon for just $99 with a 2 year contract.

The Good:
Dual keypad form factor is very cool, great messaging and email abilities, good overall performance, fast internet browsing and multimedia streaming, good call quality, solid feature set.

Bad:
No Wi-Fi, lacks dedicated 3.5mm jack for audio, Windows Mobile isn’t the hot shot OS that it used to be, camera lacks flash and its photos are mediocre.

Looking to pop a pimple on the go? Well the Zeno Mini may just be the perfect companion for a quick touch up. If you remember, the original Zeno is a bigger pimple zapper and comes in different colors. The Zeno Mini is also "trendy" coming in either black or white. Utilizing Clearpoint technology with one controlled zap you won’t have any problem with a blemished face from 24 to 48 hours. The cute Zeno Mini can easily fit in a purse, backpack, or even a bra strap. The Zeno Mini retails for $89.00 at Amazon .

Meet Robot Dreamy Tina, the newest member of the Philips Active Crystals line from Swarovski. She joins her relatives Robot Happy Laura and Robot Naughty Raymond. Dreamy Tina has cute pinkish cheeks and her violet outfit is filled with Swarovski crystals. This is a perfect adornment that can be worn as a pendant or charm. Tina can store up to 500 songs or 2000 photos with her 2GB capacity and her LED ears shine as data is transferred, she retails for a whopping $180.

Last September we reported on the Aexea KeyXpress USB Key that actually looked like a ‘key’. Well who knew the firestorm that would incur, blogging about what ended up being labeled a ‘crapgadget’.  Just released today, the iamaKey and itsaKey ( unique names ) come in 4GB and 8GB capacities from LaCie and your eyes aren’t deceiving you – they look like real keys!. The third addition to the line is the the PassKey which is a microSD card reader. Designed by 5.5 Designers. The ‘keys’ are designed literally to look like metal keys you would use in a typical lock and each will fit nicely on to a key ring or in a pocket. The keys are made to be durable like its real counterparts, being able to withstand various conditions. The gold SIP connector on the iamakey is both water and scratch resistant. The LaCie iamaKey, itsaKey and PassKey can be used with both PC and Mac and are available now, starting at $9.99 at LaCie .

With its colorful urban decorations, the Women’s Audio Couture Ghetto Blaster Bag By Loop NYC looks like the funkiest boombox bag you could ever have.  The best part is that it actually does emit sound. There are two working speakers with MP3 connections for you to input an audio source.  The bag alone is pretty awesome and features a cotton twill body, interior zip pockets, all over graffiti design, and nice big handles to schlep it all around town.  This is definitely the modern day version of the boombox…now only if I could remember how to break dance without twisting my ankle…. The Audio Couture Ghetto Blaster Bag from Loop NYC retails for $49.99

Is it a TV? Or is it a picture frame? Actually, it’s both. The Hannse.Folio 10" LCD television from Hannspree features a simple (not digital) picture frame for you to slip a photo into as well as an LCD TV right behind it. The design is perfect if you feel the need to disguise your LCD for some reason. It also trendy and different and will fit in with any decor. Ready to watch TV, just flip the picture frame back and reveal the LCD right behind it. Currently though, we could fine no pricing or retailer selling it.

Looking to spice up your ever growing USB Flash Drive collection? Then this cute little retro robot might fit the bill. The USB Robot comes in a 1GB capacity and in the colors green, black, and blue. Just yank his head apart from the body and plug the little guy into your computer. When you transfer files to him, his little eyes will light up! Retailing for only $15, its a great gift for those that love robots, terminators or cylons, and you won’t have to worry about it turning on you… fo rnow anyway

Looking to kick start spring with a snazzy new laptop or iPhone case, then you may take a liking to the Steven Harrington 15″ laptop sleeve or iPhone 3G Slider Case. Commissioned by Arkitip for Incase, both designs are not only super hip but they offer up a psychedellic look as well. “That is, each piece is created as a tangible object symbiotically defined of a larger context.” Whatever that means… all I know is that these will do extremely well accenting my outfit and they’ll protect my stuff like all typical Incase accessories. The Steve Harrington 15″ Sleeve retails for $59.95 and the iPhone Slider retails for $49.95.

Finally a creative use for wasted energy. Scientists are figuring out a way to utilize the bio mechanical energy emitted as people exercise or perform daily tasks. To research this ability, hamsters are being monitored for what they do best – running in a wheel. Devices are strapped to the animals as they run in their wheel and the bio mechanical energy is captured as they exercise. “Dr Zhong Lin Wang of Georgia University’s Nano Research Group developed the flexible jackets, which are fitted with wires plugged into a nanogenerator that produces energy when they are bent and stretched.” One test result from a hamster produced a small amount of AC power. Dr. Zhong believes in 5 years that this technology could be outfitted in clothes for people and then used to charge cell phones or other devices. Or maybe your pet hamster will be powering your iPod? Read more here.

Available in white, black, pink, blue, green or orange, Uniea’s Haptique for the new MacBook Aluminum, is a hardshell case made of ABS plastic with soft touch coating that has a textured feel. The case also sports an soft interior to protect the surface of your MacBook from scratches while also providing opening for access to all the ports and ventilation holes to keep your laptop running cool. The Haptique’s surface is also described as having a leather-like pattern.

Set-up:
Right out of the box, all you have to do is snap the top piece of the Haptique to the top of your MacBook and the bottom piece to the bottom of your MacBook. The bottom piece of Haptique sort of snaps on to the back of the MacBook where the Hinge is.

Design:
The Haptique fits snugly around the MacBook, so it’s a secure fit. Its port openings also align correctly with the ports on the MacBook. On contrast, we have seen some hardshell cases that don’t do such a good job of that. Additionally, The ventilation holes at the bottom of the Haptique help keep the laptop running cool. The MacBook overall doesn’t get too hot in general, but even when using it with the Haptique on, it’s been running cool. The case naturally ads a bit of thickness to the top and bottom of the case which should also works to protect the laptop from some minor drops.

Conclusion:
The Haptique claims to have a leather-like finish. Unfortunately I wasn’t very impressed with this aspect of the case. The surface is pretty soft, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it’s quite leather like.
Overall as a hard-shell case, the quality of the Haptique is solid and choosing one of the available colors will certainly add some punch to your MacBook while also adding an extra layer of protection for it. The Uniea Haptique retails for $49.95.

The Good:
Great color choices, nice sleek fit, provides good protection

The Bad:
Not all that leather-like

Transcend has a released a selection of chic looking USB Flash Drives with the JetFlash 168 series – each comes with a different floral design that they are describing as a “taste of the orient”. The capacities consist of 1GB, 2GB, and 16GB. They certainly will mix and match nicely with any outfit, however the price for the 16GB version is a bit ridiculous at $188. I mean we are all a slave to fashionable things but who would pay that much for 16GB? I think I’ll pass.