Just like diamonds and babies, sometimes the smallest of items can be the most precious to us. Protect your precious digital gems with Marware Sportsuit Sleeves.
Whereas the larger size Marware Sportsuit is perfect for iPod classic, Creative Zen and all similar sized MP3s/MP4s – as well as mobiles and PDAs.
Customer Review: Sportsuit Sleeve
“I have had a few runs with the Marware iPod shuffle holder and it is pretty good!
I live in Cairns and this holder protects the Shuffle – which I’ve replaced twice already due to sweat destroying it.
It does make the player a bit bulkier when clipped to my running shorts, and it isn’t as easy to track up and track down and adjust the volume anymore, but if it helps save the Shuffle from the elements and my sweat (I train hard) then that’s a good thing.”
This is not a personal review or a hands on (don’t make me enter an overcrowded Optus store) – it’s merely a sneak peek at the tech specs, if you will.
With of course, plenty of suggestions on where to find hands on reviews.
Google Smartphone -> Optus HTC Dream
Intro
Just launched in Australia by Optus is Google’s Android Smartphone, made by HTC. This aspect alone excited me a little, as I luurrvvee the HTC touch phone series.
It appears essentially a tool to bundle all of Google’s technology together in the one spot (search, maps, YouTube, GMail, IM etc), but appears to fall short on some of the come-to-be-expected essentials of today’s smartphones.
Pros:
QWERTY keyboard
GPS
Access to the Android Market – like a smaller yet FREE app store
Pros over the iPhone? Perhaps expandable memory, removable battery – and starting off with a 3Mp camera (though unsure of quality).
Cons:
No MS Exchange email support – which is a big shame, given that’s the first thing I loved about the previous HTC handsets…
No Stereo bluetooth and no 3.5mm jack (ok, interesting…) – WT?
Poor battery life – though we see this with all similar beasts so HTC aren’t alone
For those who like Windows Mobiles (&/or Samsung’s TouchWIZ)
For those who like anything non-Apple
… the Samsung Omnia might be a strong contender for your next smartphone.
With it’s large touchscreen, on-screen QWERTY, full internet browser, 5Mp camera with LED flash, 24Gb with expandable memory – amongst loads of other features.
Samsung Omnia Review
Now, whilst we haven’t had the chance to play with this baby, it’s already creating a stir. In June of this year, CNET dubbed it (perhaps pre-emptively) “the iPhone killer”, but of course, many make that statement – and all manufacturers are vying for that position.
If you want to see the menu’s and a litte about how it works, check out CNET’s video review:
Con’s?
Bad battery life (just like the iPhone and many other smartphones)
The N96 has all the same features of the N95 and N95 8Gb like the outstanding camera, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS (A-GPS).
The N96’s major technical advancement is mobile TV. Not able to be used in Australia is a bit of a sore point, considering the catchphrase is “designed for video and TV entertainment”.
However, Nokia Nseries fans, if it’s almost time for you to upgrade, you probably couldn’t go wrong with the N96. But maybe wait a while for the price to come down – or it’s included in a good deal from your service provider.
Features:
16Gb internal, now MicroSD expanadable which many found lacking on the N95 8Gb
5Mp camera with dual LED flash and video light
Accelerometer with dual slide for multi-media access
MP3 player supports album art and playlist sharing
DVB-H TV (mobile TV) [see pros and cons]
Discreet rear kick stand for watching TV or videos
Pros:
Bright, sharp display
Still a kick @rse camera (arguably the best on a mobile phone?)
The kick stand to benefit from mobile TV and the partnership Nokia struck with BBC*
The expandable memory – for those who want to carry hours of videos and music and take many many photos
*Buy the Nokia N96 and you get to chose one of four full BBC television series to download; Little Britain, Yes Minister, Walking with Dinosaurs or The Catherine Tate Show.
When asked to comment, Catherine Tate said: “Am I bo’vered, does this face look bo’vered?”
Cons:
Totally flat keyboard (I struggled already with the N95 for texting, this will be harder)
Although a little slimmer, still quite a “chunky monkey”
DVB-H TV compatibility – in Australia we can’t yet take advantage of “free to air” mobile TV
Accelerometer, menus and processing lags a little still
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*Buy the Nokia N96 and you get to chose one of four full BBC television series to download; Little Britain, Yes Minister, Walking with Dinosaurs or The Catherine Tate Show. 
