The past week I had the opportunity to test the Soldius1 mp3 player and cell phone solar charger from mysoldius.  This device sells for 89.95 at mysoldius.com and is available in a variety of colors.  They have an excellent frequently asked questions section that might dispel some misconceptions about charging devices with the sun's power.  With the new trends to go green, I wanted to see if this device lives up to the hype of a green-tech lifestyle.

I just installed the new update from Dell giving multi-touch to the Latitude XT Tablet PC. Checkout the quick video below on how it works. Dell and N-Trig have some work to do to make the experience more fluid. As you'll see in the video, the multi-touch operations sometimes gets confused with Vista's gestures ( going up, back, etc ), as well as links / pictures accidentally getting clicked. Zooming is not very smooth, either.

This is just the beginning, folks. Thanks to Dell and N-Trig, multi-touch on the screen is finally here - now we just gotta get developers writing apps for it and get the experience working more naturally!

I got the opportunity to play with the new HP Touchsmart IQ504 when I was in Berlin and took some videos of people interacting with the system. It was definitely the hit of the show. Everyone wanted to touch it, and once they touched, they stayed and played.

With the Touchsmart, HP has taken simplicity to a new level. When I think about why I love my iPhone, one major reason is that it does exactly what I expect it to do and does it well. The Touchsmart subscribes to that same philosophy. HP wrote a custom interface that lives on top of Windows Vista, and that interface just works flawlessly. And it's totally intuitive. It's nearly impossible to convey an "aha" moment through words, but when I was using the Touchsmart, I felt like it was a very useful system that I could see being a household staple in 10-15 years, like the microwave or the TV.

In my opinion, the Touchsmart is unlikely to be the only computer in any household. It's designed to be a central repository for family communications - from electronic "sticky notes" left for other family members to playing music and viewing photos, this is designed to be in the main hub of the home not in the den. It has much more of an "appliance" kind of mentality. This is not a system where I expect people would sit down and write the Great American Novel, although the specs are definitely beefy enough to do that and much more. It's more likely where you look up a recipe online or show photos to a visitor.

Would I buy one? Seriously considering it. At $1250 on special from HP, it's a great deal. It could replace many of the systems I have scattered around my living room and kitchen. (Yes, I do have many systems scattered around.) It has a simplified browser that is ideal for touch as well as all of the other applications that I typically use when I'm not on my "main" Tablet PC. I was far more impressed with it than I anticipated based on seeing pictures and reading specs. It's another case where you just have to touch it and find out for yourself. It uses many gestures familiar to iPhone users and it does support at least 2 finger multi-touch as you'll see with the photo editing.

Keynote Introduction

(40 sec)

Keynote Commercial

A real, honest-to-goodness TV commercial for a touch based product. (50 sec)

Showcase Demo

Warning: the video was shot in the showcase and the audio is pretty noisy. The video is about 2 minutes long.

Go back in time and look at the early versions of the Surface computer, including the very first prototype built using a table from Ikea. Nigel Keam, one of the original Surface team members from five years ago, takes us on the history tour.

Part of Steve Seow's job on the Surface team is understanding how people use and interact with the Surface computer - from dragging things around to pressing buttons and more. They gather a tremendous amount of data that helps them improve the overall experience and in the end impacts what we all see, touch, and sync.

Checkout this video from inside their usability testing lab. You'll also see how the Surface team uses Toshiba M700 Tablet PCs to assist them in the testing process.

You'll have to excuse the shakiness of this video - I didn't have my tripod with me.

This is a quick video I shot with the HTC Shift I have had for a couple of weeks.   I am looking for a device to complement a regular work issued laptop.  I need something more powerful for daily work, but I don't want to give up the Tablet PC functionality.  This video takes a quick look at some issues with the Shift for me personally and I'll some more detailed information in an InkShow later.

Thanks to Dynamism for the unit - Check out their site to find out more information

One of my "ah-ha" moments came during this presentation of an app written by Bogdan Popp, a Test Lead on the Surface team, during his "free time".

This app spreads all of your photos over a geographical map according to their gps positioning that was stored when the picture was taken, and also allows you to filter by location, date, etc and lets you use touch to set the GPS position for photo that was previously unset. 

Seeing this experience on the Surface really brings the Surface platform alive in a whole new way. I sooo badly want this for my tablet pc.

Pete Thompson, Microsoft Surface Computing's General Manager, talks about form factors for Surface, touch wall, and about why this new surface space is a whole different paradigm in computing.

Rob and I had fun on GBM Podcast #51 testing out the Blue Snowflake portable microphone for our recording. We think the sound quality came out pretty good. The Blue Snowflake is made by Blue Microphones and is one of many microphones and audio accessories they offer. In addition to good audio quality I love the portable/mobile aspect of this microphone. Here’s a quick GBM ShortCut on the portable Blue Snowflake Microphone.

3K Computers sent me their RazorBook 400 Ultra-Portable PC to review. In this video, I give a quick hands-on look at the RazorBook, with a full InkShow coming in the next couple of weeks.

The RazorBook 400 is available for $299.

Tom Bihn sent me their Brain Bag to review, just in time for a quick trip to Redmond for some meetings with Microsoft's Surface team.

Checkout this quick look at the Brain Bag - a full InkShow will be coming in the next few weeks. In addition, we'll be running a special contest so you can win your own Brain Bag!

We’ve passed through spring and now it looks like we’re into a quite a summer on many fronts including some severe weather. By the way, before we move forward here, all of us at GBM send out our thoughts and prayers to those affected by the flooding in the Midwest and rough weather everywhere.

As we all hope for a break from the extreme weather conditions, we know the temperatures will continue to rise as summer progresses. If you find yourself sitting in some air conditioned comfort to avoid the heat looking for something to view or listen to, you might want to look back on last month's GBM InkShow, podcasts, and Shortcuts. We had quite a collection of content for you to enjoy. 

And as a special viewing treat, make sure you check out Truc Bui’s Screen Protector Shootout series featuring a number of videos on various screen protectors from Photodon, BoxWave, NuShield, WriteShield, and ProtecT. Truc has more to come this month so keep your eyes peeled for that.

So, here’s the lineup in case you missed any of May’s action, and stay tuned for more coming up soon.

All GottaBeMobile.com InkShows and Podcasts are sponsored by TechSmith: Make sure you check out the new SnagIt 9.

GBM InkShows

Hardware

• GETAC InkShow: GETAC TabletKiosk G840. Matt takes a look at TabletKiosk’s latest rugged unit.
• Kathi Takes On The Lenovo U100 Ultra-Portable. Rob’s wife gives the Lenovo U100 a once over and Rob will never see it again.
• The HP Elite Webcam. Matt takes a look at the HP Elite Webcam.
• The Celio RedFly. Sierra walks Celio’s RedFly through its paces.
• Tom Bihn Ristretto Bag. Rob checks out Tom Bihn’s latest bag for mobile warriors.

Podcasts

• GBM Podcast 51: The Happy Birthday Show. Warner’s so old Rob can’t figure it out, or is he just too excited about finally getting his hands on the Axiotron Modbook.
• GBM Podcast 50. Matt and Rob hit the mid-century mark for GBM podcasts with discussions on all sorts of mobile gear.
• GBM Podcast 49: There’s No Gloss on this Podcast. We don’t like glossy screens or glossy cases. Do you?

GBM Shortcuts

• Axiotron Modbook First Looks: Rob takes his first look at the Modbook. Boy is that thing heavy.
• Lenovo’s ThinkPad BlueTooth Laser Mouse: Rob checks out the compact laser mouse from Lenovo.
• The Biggest Notebook Bag You’ve Ever Seen. We had fun with the HD HDX Dragon Giveaway, especially when it came time to include the WaterField Designs bag along with it. You can carry a small child in this thing.
• Testing the Lenovo Ideapad U110 Webcam. Before Rob lost the U110 to his wife, he checks out the webcam.
• CarryMobile.com’s Nokia N810 Internet Tablet Case. Not as big as the WaterField case for the Dragon, but handy for Nokia N810 users.
• Lenovo Slim AC/DC Combo Adapter. Rob likes his AC adapters small. Does Lenovo’s latest fit the bill?
• TabletKiosk GETAC G840XT Overview Shortcut. Before the InkShow on the GETAC there was the ShortCut.
• Mobile Edge Cutting Sheba. OK, the title doesn’t tell you that this is a gear bag aimed at the ladies. Check it out.

You can subscribe to our GBM Podcasts on

•  iTunes
• Zune
• or your favorite podcatcher.
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I mentioned last week that Dell was sending me a replacement Latitude XT Tablet PC due to some intermittent problems I was experiencing with the digitizer. I asked them to send me the LED version instead of the DLV that I originally ordered. I'm glad I did.

It is remarkable how much lighter and thinner the LED version is over the DLV. To be honest, I cannot tell any difference in screen brightness, clarity, viewing angles, and outdoors viewability. I know the DLV is supposed to help with outdoor viewability and fluorescent lighting, but the testing I've done does not show any significance gain with DLV, even though the DLV has 400 nits and the LED has 220 nits. All tests were done with full brightness. I also conducted some battery tests between the two units using the same power scheme ( Dell Recommended ). After an hour, each showed 75% battery remaining. So, I'm not seeing any battery improvement between the two screen types.

The Axiotron ModBook arrived today. Here is quick first look at the ModBook. This is NOT a review - it is just a quick look.

By the way, I mentioned how heavy the ModBook was. To compare, the MacBook is 4 lbs 14.5 oz. The ModBook is 5 lbs 8 oz.

I'll be covering the included apps, as well as built-in Apple support for Ink. In addition, I'll have an inkshow on how well this tablet holds up for artists, as well as how it performs as a Windows Vista-based Tablet PC running bootcamp.

Should be fun!!

The good folks at Waterfield Designs, who make some of the most awesome sleeves on the market, sent me one of their new sleeves - especially built for the HP HDX Dragon we are giving away. Give it a look - the thing is amazing! Look for a review on this sleeve in the coming week or so.

Here's the product page for the Waterfield Designs sleeve case for the HP HDX Dragon

In this GBM Shortcut, I test out the web cam on the Lenovo IdeaPad U110. You'll immediately notice that the voice and video are initially out of sync, then get better as the recording goes on, and then get out of sync again. The recording was done using Lenovo's Easy Capture application. I tried to use Vista's MovieMaker, but MovieMaker didn't recognize a valid camera. In the video, I talk about other issues with the webcam, my experience with typing on the U110, and battery life with the 4-cell battery.

This recording was conducted while running on battery using the Balanced Power Plan.

Needless to say, I don't think I'll be using the U110 to record any Shortcut videos.

In this GBM Shortcut, I take a look at Lenovo's Slim AC/DC Combo Adapter, a great solution for those Lenovo Thinkpad / IdeaPad / Notebook users out there.

The Slim AC/DC Combo adapter is regularly priced at $120, but is currently on sale for $96. Here is the information for all the peripheral tips available for phones, pda's, and mp 3 players. The combo adapter is available for $19.95.

This shortcut I am taking a quick overview of the TabletKiosk GETAC G840XT Rugged unit.  In the video, I go over the specs of the unit that was sent to me to review.  After the specs, we take a look at the outside of the unit - ports, pen, buttons and feel. 

I am currently finishing up some testing using the GPS unit that I will post up too.  So far, it's been really fun to have this unit out in the field.  Enjoy the shortcut.  Expect more video soon!!

(Hint: Mother's Day is coming...)

I love bags. All shapes, all sizes, but especially the funky bags and especially anything retro and girly. When I was at CES, I came across the new line of women's bags from Mobile Edge designed by Maddie Powers. These bags are definitely not your average black computer bags!

Mobile Edge has a complete line of Maddie Powers bags, including messenger bags and more traditional briefcases (with a twist). I was sent a CuteBug Sheba by Mobile Edge to review, and let me first say, what a adorable bag! Granted, I really like pink and not all people do, but... wow! Totally eye-catching and distinctive. This is not a bag that will blend in. And that's just what I was looking for.

With this bag so focused on being stylish, my immediate concern was that it wouldn't be functional. Luckily, the Sheba is as functional as it is attractive. This is a small bag, so don't expect to carry everything you own in it, but it can hold more than you may think. Check out my video to see more about the carrying capacity of this fun bag. It's also possible to overstuff the bag given the way the Velcro is used. You can close the Velcro in a wide range of positions to accommodate large loads. Given that the neoprene computer sleeve is removable, this bag actually can fill a variety of needs, not just lugging around the computer. It seemed to be relatively durable and has no visible marks after daily use for over a month.

This bag would be a great gift for a woman of any age who likes to stand out a bit in the crowd. (Hint: Mother's Day is this Sunday) If you need a larger bag, check out the Sheba's big sister, the CuteBug Laptop Messenger bag. It has similar styling, but it accommodates up to a 15.4" screen system. With a large green graphic and purple velvet trim, this is also a very distinctive bag.

Bottom line: I'm not generally a messenger bag person; I don't do shoulder straps that much. But this bag converted me. I wanted to carry it so much that I got used to the shoulder strap. It fit my functional needs very well while still filling my cutesy, girly needs as well. Loved it!

CuteBug Sheba Specs:

• Laptop Compartment Dimensions:   12.8" L x 10.3" H x 3" W (up to 14.1" screen)
• Exterior Dimensions:   15.5'' x 11.5'' x 5.5''
• Available at Amazon.com (affiliate link) for $61.50

CuteBug Laptop Messenger Bag

• Laptop Compartment Dimensions:   15.5" L x 12" H x 3.8" W (up to 15.4" screen)
• Exterior Dimensions:   16.75'' x 13.5'' x 5.5''
• Available at Amazon.com (affiliate link) for $39.99 (currently on special)

April is now behind us, but at least where I live we still seem to be getting quite a few April showers still. No matter, April whether wet or dry was a high water mark for GBM InkShow and Shortcut action.

April was also the month in which we welcomed the continued sponsorhsip of our InkShows and podcasts by TechSmith, makers of Snag-It and Camtasia Studio. We’re thrilled that they recognize the value we try to offer and have continued their sponsorship.

We covered some interesting hardware and software in April including the HP 2133 Mini-Note, The Dell Latitude XT Tablet PC, the HP tx2051, as well as Inking on various Tablet PCs, including the Fujitsu P1620 and the Motion F5. We also featured a great chat with the InkSeine Team at Microsoft Labs.

So, here’s the lineup in case you missed any of April’s action, and stay tuned for more coming up soon.

All GottaBeMobile.com InkShows and Podcasts are sponsored by TechSmith:

GBM InkShows

Hardware

• Dell Latitude XT vs HP tx2051z Head to Head Rob and Warner compare these two multi-touch Tablet PCs.
• Inking Challenge: P1620, tx2051, F5, and X61 Tablet PCs Warner compares Inking on three different Tablet PCs.
• Dell Latitude XT Touch and Ink Video Review Rob gives the Dell XT Tablet PC a more than once over.
• Thomasin Takes on the HP 2133 MiniNote Warner’s wife Thomasin checks out the HP 2133 Mini-Note and compares it to the Asus Eee PC.
• HP 2133 MiniNote Warner shows off the HP 2133 Mini-Note.
• Dell Latitude XT Tablet PC Unboxing Rob unboxes the Dell Latitude XT Tablet PC.
• An Insane Conversation About InkSeine Rob, Warner and Craig Pringle talk with InkSeine’s Ken Hinckley and Raman Sarin.

Podcasts

• GBM Podcast #48: The Ultra Low-Cost PodCast Show

GBM Shortcuts

• EverNote on the iPod Touch Warner checks out the EverNote Beta on the iPod Touch.
• Inking Surprisingly Good on the HP tx2051 Warner takes a quick look at Inking on the HP tx2051.
• Unboxing Those Boxes Warner unboxes a few Tablet PCs that just happened to show up.
• First Problem with the Dell XT - The Power Cord Rob discovers a problem with the Dell XT’s power cord.

You can subscribe to our GBM Podcasts on

•  iTunes
• Zune
• or your favorite podcatcher.
• Spread the word by voting for us at Podcast Alley