How does it work?

Logitech Harmony 300i

Good question! Well firstly its really clever! But for those who want a more detailed response basically Logitech have developed a remote control that can learn what remote controls of all your devices do and then allow you to use just their remote control to control up to 4 devices (with the 300 model). All you do is click one of the four buttons on the remote control and it switches to another device its really simple to use and even simpler to setup up! Best of all unlike those other one remote for all devices remote controls that you have to manually teach this one teaches itself!

Ok so how do I teach it? I don’t have to teach it every button do I?

It’s far easier than that! The  harmony remote comes with some really great software and a mini USB port built on to the remote. All you need to do is plug it into your computer install the software (which is actually just drivers) and log onto http://myharmony.com You then set the remote up from the website. This is great because it means if you go to another PC for whatever reason all your settings are saved in the cloud meaning no need to re-setup the device! Great! The software is simple too. You just find your device from a list, click add and then sync and that’s it your ready to go.

What if it can’t find my device?

Sometimes manufacturers use the same remote control with a couple of variations and the Logitech software will need to determine which remote it is. To do this all you need to do is put the remote for the device and the harmony remote in front of each other and click a couple of buttons then, bam! It’s learn’t which remote it is and your away.

Can I adjust any buttons to do something else?

Yes you can tweak any of the buttons on the remote control. So if something isn’t quite right or you use an option more frequently you can move it’s location simply using the powerful software provided.

Does this only work for infra-red devices? I have a PS3. 

Logitech Harmony 300i

No, Logitech have thought of that so you can get a little adapter for the PS3 and it will work perfectly.

I do like the sound of it, can I see it in action?

Of course you can check out our video review below:

Overall 

Overall I was really impressed with the harmony remote control. I must say I thought it was going to be a chore to setup but it really isn’t the software works perfectly and made setting up 3 devices less than 10 minutes work. The harmony is fully configurable too and Logitech supports thousands of devices so it’s very likely to find yours. Now I can put away 3 remote controls that control my entertainment and just keep the one reducing clutter, hassle and cost of batteries! Overall we award the product with 4/5 clouds. It falls down only on browser compatibility (at time of using the device only Firefox would work) and it’s a shame you can’t change the name of the devices on the remote.

Thanks to Logitech for sending this to Cloud Bite to review (sorry it’s taken so long for the review)

Just before we begin, as always there is a Unboxing Video of this product and a Review Video towards the bottom of this Review.

Features

Red Back Light on Logitech G110

Back-lit Keys – The keyboard features back-lit keys with custom colour control. You can customise the colour selecting any colour within the blue to red spectrum. This means you can have colours including Reds, Purples, Pinks, and Blues. You can pick the colour using the Software provided and even apply different colours to each G-Key Mode (See Below). The keyboard features a button to turn the lights on and off too so no glare when watching movies.

G-Keys on the Logitech G110

G-Keys – Built into the left side of the keyboard are 12 “G keys”. This are fully programmable meaning you can use the keys to perform tasks in games. Also if you have a game that uses macros, such as WoW you can use these keys perfectly with your Macros. With the 12 Keys you would think you could assign 12 different macros/tasks. Well you would be wrong! Logitech have cleverly included 3 mode buttons above the G-Keys which switches their modes meaning you can in-fact add 36 different tasks/macros to the keys. For a game that has lots of options and buttons like RPG games including WoW and Conan, you can easily assign macros to the keys. The modes mean you can easily switch the keys roles too and even assign a different backlight colour to each mode. So if your just running around completing essential tasks in a game like WoW you could just assign general macros to mode 1, Raid specific macros to Mode 2 and Arena/PVP Macros to Mode 3! No more wasting time setting up your limited button bars in the game and tweaking them! You can record macros simply either using the direct record button on the keyboard or the software. I linked the G-Keys with a few games and they are brilliant!

Windows Lock – All gamers have experienced this during their gaming career, you are in the middle of a big fight mashing keys quicker than using a plain old faceroll when suddenly the game completely tabs out and your back at the windows desktop, loosing your killstreak, wiping the raid team or getting blown up by that chasing creeper. The reason you tabbed out? Because you hit one of the windows keys on the keyboard. Very few games actually lock these keys as it can often be the only way a gamer can get out the program if it crashes. Well Logitech has cleverly including a small switch which when flicked to the right completely turns off the Windows Keys so no more accidental tabbing!

Audio Inputs and Controls on the Logitech G110

Audio Controls and Input/Output – All gamers or just general PC users have probably had the issue where their headset is plugged into the back of their computer and they have moved a little backward or sideways and have ripped the headset right off their heads. Or they have a headset that doesn’t include a mute volume or mute mic switch. Logitech have come up trumps again including the ability to plug the headphones cables right into the keyboard meaning you now use the keyboards on-board audio which is great but also have full control at the same time. Plus plugging them into the keyboard means you get to use the full cable rather than half of it being wasted behind the PC! I Tested the audio with the Logitech G330 Headset (click for our review) and the audio and mic quality was no different than using the USB adapter supplied.

Multimedia Controls on the Logitech G110

Multimedia Control -Lots of keyboards have multimedia controls built in but often gaming keyboards miss these out. Well not this one! Right above the Numpad are keys to Play/Pause, Stop, Forward and Back along with mute speakers and volume control. I have tested this with multiple media players including VLC, Windows Media Player and iTunes. It works perfectly in Windows Media Player and VLC however unless iTunes was the active window the controls failed to control it. This may just be a Windows issue but other keyboards have had this same problem in the past so Apple may not be implementing the correct software hooks into iTunes for Windows.

Software – The Logitech G110 Gaming Keyboard also features some great software too. Allowing you to fully customise the backlight and G-Keys it is simple but powerful and is a must use for gamers unlike most bundled software that is usually useless. To see the software in more depth take a look at the video below!

Video – Here is the Cloud Bite Video Review of the Logitech G110 Gaming Keyboard

Overall

Overall the Logitech G110 Gaming Keyboard is a great bit of kit for all gamers, from MMO players to FPS Killers! We give the keyboard 4.5 clouds loosing points only on a high UK price tag and a minor issue with the wrist rest which is shaped other than that it is a fantastic performing keyboard which is great to touch and is packed with features for gamers! If you want that “edge” over others this is they keyboard to get!

• Ability to insert photos, maps and drawings
• To-Do notes with alarms
• Calendar View for each folder
• Full Sync with Google Docs and Evernote
• Clickable links including web, email and phone numbers
• Customisable fonts, templates, themes and icons
• Bluetooth Transfer
• Backup over Wifi
• Print Notes

The best way to show you this Awesome app is by watching our video and if you can view it in 720p or 1080p to see it properly!:

Overall

Overall this is a great app, it is beautifully designed especially on the iPad, but looks gourgous on the iPhone and iPod too. We therefore give Awesome 4.5 Clouds!

App Reviewed: Awesome Note for iPad (+Todo) version 1.3.1

Video Review

As always Cloud Bite has made a video review of the Tabi Hard Case. For those of you who just want to sit back and have a watch here it is.

The Tabi Hard Case was tested using a Apple iPad 1st Gen.

Design

The Tabi has got to be one of the best iPad sleeve cases we have seen, in-fact its on of the best cases of them all. Firstly it’s design is something very different from what we are used to. It features small half sphere shaped “bubble” on either side which not only gives it s funky look but aids it’s impact protection too. The “bubbles” were soft but not too soft and actually helped us to get a firm grip on the case. Along with this is a rough cotton outer shell designed to give you the best sort of grip on the sleeve when walking around with your iPad. It also gives the case a much more expensive feel and look by touching the carbon fibre look.

The inside of the case is, well bright green and we loved it. It was a shock when opening this plain black case to find the inside bright green, but it was a pleasant shock. Too many manufacturers seem to only bother with the other look of their cases but Tabi had thought about the inside just as much as the out!

Protection

Previously we mentioned the outer “bubbles”, not just for looks these are there to take the impact of a drop. Remember how you loved popping bubble wrap as a kid? All right we still love it too, well the Tabi case is just like that! It has a outer set of bubbles to absorb impacts if you drop the case, just these bubbles pop right back up unlike the bubble wrap! The dual zips give you quick and easy access but also keep the case very secure with their strong metal design. Metal! What about scratching the iPad? Give me chance, Tabi has thought of that! They have added an inner rim that keeps the case away from the edge of the tablet when zipping and unzipping, clever eh?

The inside, covered in very soft cloth. Unless you put a brick inside the case with your iPad it won’t get scratched due to the ultimate softness of the inside. Also there is extra cushioning from the small padded squares that sits directly on your screen in order to take more impact from a drop and give your screen the best chance of survival! Finally the corners in which the tablet sits are made from a rubber style foam to give the corners that bit extra protection from shocks plus they are moveable so can take a tablet from 10? or lower and this includes an iPad with a case on already (see photos or video).

Overall

Overall the Tabi Hard Case for the iPad and <10″ tablets is the best sleeve case we have come across. Not only does it give fantastic protection from dust, dirt and grime but it also gives you the best possible protection from shocks and drops, short of a bullet proof briefcase!

Pros:

Great Impact Protection with shock absorbing corners and 24 bumpers (bubbles) .
Unique styling.
Very soft interior and cushioned screen protection.

Cons:

Adds some extra width over some sleeves (but worth it for protection gained)

For its protection and fantastic design Cloud Bite Rates the Tabi Hard Case at 4.5 clouds only loosing points due to the impact bubbles add a little extra width than some sleeves, but you need to decide if your prefer space or protection, we prefer protection! The case is available from Tabi.uk.com, Amazon and Tabi Ebay Store on 20th October for £24.99!

Thanks to Tabi for sending us the case to review you have earned a Cloud Badge…

AFT (Anti-Fingerprint Technology), Blue, £12.99

The AFT Case is a stunning shiney case with a grainy feel to it designed to repel your fingerprints. This is a really good feature as the iPhone itself is a fingerprint magnet and many of the hard style cases also attract fingerprints which makes the iPhone look dirty and really dull not as shiny as it should be! You can get this case in many colours the one in the Picture below is the Blue but there is also Green, Red, light Blue and Silver to choose from. The case feels pretty sturdy too. The top and bottom are uncovered so this case will not give you the best protection, but that isn’t what it was designed for, this is more of a style case designed to get you noticed and brighten up your iPhone!

Overall I am impressed with the case, it is my least favourite, but I think thats because the blue isn’t to my personal taste but if you are after something that is a bright and doesn’t attract fingerprints!

Of the three cases this was my least favourite but it is still a beautiful case. You can get this case from CaseFun.co.uk for £12.99

Explorer Case (Yellow), £9.99

The Explorer case is designed to give you the ultimate protection. Whether you are out and about exploring the world or just drop your phone alot! This case will give you the best possible protection short of dragging your phone around in a padded briefcase. The case gives all round protection even for all the the ports and buttons. There are small flaps that cover the the silence switch, the headphone jack and the dock connector. The inside of the case is form fitting but the case also extrudes a lot in order to keep the phone as far away from the impact point as possible should you drop the phone.

The hard inside part of the case gives strong protection and the rubber coating absorbs shocks. You also get a plastic screen shield that fits securely in the case along with a plastic disk that protects the Apple logo on the back. Why the back? Well the case has been cleverly designed with a small hole that shows the Apple logo so everyone will still know you have a iPhone!

Overall this case really opened my eyes. It showed me what sort of protection you can get for your iPhone. I was confident to bang the iPhone around and even drop it knowing the case was safe. (Check out the Review Video). The fact the case comes in lots of colours too like Bright Red, Hot Pink, Lime Green, Blue, Purple and of course Yellow ads to this great range.

You can pick this case along with all the colours mentioned from Case Fun for a Brilliant Price of £9.99

Jeans Series Case (Purple), £8.99

Finally we have the Jeans Series case. It is the cheapest of the bunch and my favourite of the bunch too. The Jeans Series Case is for those of us who want that unique look. I have never seen a case like this before and the name really doesn’t do it justice. Yes the pattern on the back is just of Jeans but when actually seeing the case in the palm of your hand the design jumps out and looks almost 3D. The texture of the case matches the jeans look and not only aids the look of the case but feels great too. So often I have nearly dropped my phone due to shiny cases that slip out of my hand. This case allows you to get a good grip on the case without having to be made of a rubber material!

The pictures really don’t do the case justice and for £8.99 you really can’t go wrong. No the case doesn’t give you the ultimate protection unlike the Explorer but if you want something different something that will get people talking it is this case. I really recommend you take a look at the video Review below to get a close up look on this case.

I had a look around the web and saw the case selling for £16.99 so Case Fun really are selling it at a bargain price. This is the case I have decided to keep and im tempted to get the other colours, Black, Green and Brown too just to see what they are like. Finally just like the AFT case above this case isn’t affected by fingerprints either so it constantly looks great!

Overall this case is fantastic, it gets 4.5 clouds and is definitely my pick of all the cases here. You can pick this up from CaseFun for just £8.99

Unboxing

Here is the unboxing of the Cases, if you want to see the review that is the next video down

Video Review

Here is the Video Review of all the cases:

Finally I want to say thank you to CaseFun.co.uk for letting me review these iPhone cases. If you have any questions feel free to comment below!

The Connector which retails around £25 (attow) gives you the ability to transfer images straight from your digital camera (via USB) or via an SD Card, onto the iPad skipping the hassle of syncing with a computer! If your a photography enthusiast or a wanna-be enthusiast (like me) and you got an iPad why not marry the two together by getting this piece of kit?

Why not just save £25 and sync it? I don’t get the point?

Right ok no problem let me give you some suggestions and see what you think. Firstly lets say your out and about and you taken your 3 favourite gadgets, usually your phone, your iPad and your camera! Your busy, snapping away taking some fantastic pictures, be it of your kids, of friends an exhibition you have always wanted to see or just one of them once in a lifetime moments. Oh no! you have only gone and completely filled up your SD card. Now you have a couple of options get another SD card out, quickly scroll through on that mini screen on the back of your camera and try and delete some pics, or connect the camera to the iPad back up your photos straight onto it and hey presto your ready to start taking photos again! During my test I transferred 8GB of Raw and JPEG files mixed onto the iPad within 20-25min.

Ok so that was scenario one! What about if your on a longer trip, like my recent trip to London. I took about 32GB worth of SD cards so was covered there but when I got back to the hotel I decided to have a look at my pics and had to use the back of the camera as I hadn’t brought this kit then. I had a look as best I could and they looked ok, some a bit dodgy but some ok. I got home transferred the pics to the PC and noticed some really nice images were ruined as I had whacked the ISO too high which made them all grainy. If I had been able to see the photos earlier i.e. on my iPad I would of noticed this Newbie mistake on day 1 and adjusted what I was doing!

Finally have you ever been out taken some pictures and would love to be able to show, family and friends when you took them home but they haven’t got a TV that can read a memory card, or a PC to view them on? Well the iPad is great for this! you can pass it round showing each other the pics or even get the TV connector and link it straight with there red and yellow av plugs!

Arh yeh never really thought of them, so how does it work?

Glad you asked check out this unboxing/review video I did, should give you a good idea!

Yeh, well I hope you get the idea at least now why this is a good accessory to get. Would you get it if you weren’t much of a photographer you just take pics on your phone or now and again? No, don’t bother but if you like taking a lot of pics and want to make life a little easier then why not? After all, you have spent at least, what, £420 on the pad what’s another £25 eh?

Overall I’m pretty impressed with it, is it worth £25, no not for what you get really but it’s Apple so nothing is cheap but your paying really for what it does!
Pros:

• Can use iPad as Storage for images on the go.
• Quick and simple to use, just plug and play.
• Supports RAW and JPEG formats.
• Small convenient.
• Faster transfers than the old iPod Camera Connector

Cons:

• Limited to SD or USB from camera which uses cameras power.
• Can’t preview images at full size without importing the photo first (pain if you need to be quick)
• Old iPod version not compatible.
• Connectors don’t work with anything other than the iPad (very silly Apple come on!)

iPad / Laptop Desktop Stand

If your a iPad owner, or you have had a go of one in the store, I bet your first impression was “ooo it looks nice” and secondly “ooo its pretty weighty”. That was what I thought anyway. The iPad was a lot heavier than I first thought it would be. With that gorgeous aluminium back, massive screen and packing all that power it will be a rather heavy device. When using the iPad I found myself resting it flat down on the table when typing or trying to prop it up when watching video over a extensive amount of time. Well until Mobile Fun sent me the Portable Desktop Stand!

The Portable Desktop Stand is an ideal solution to the problems I have previously mentioned. With the ability to hold the iPad or a Laptop at so many different angles its perfect for assisting when typing, watching a movie, sketching, gaming the list goes on! Holding the iPad can be cumbersome for some games, and espically when writing out that email or trying to watch the, what is it 7 hour trilogy of Lord of the Rings! Why bother when you can get a stand to do the hard work for you! And don’t think you need one for the office and one at home, because the stand folds up really small and even comes with it’s own little pouch to put it in! The stand can accommodate pretty much any iPad Case as-well so you don’t have to use a bare iPad with it! I didn’t have a laptop on hand to try with it but the stand is very strong so anything up to 15″ possibly 17″ should be fine!

Not sure how it folds up, or how it really looks? Check out my Video Review below then!

Overall I am really impressed with this stand. When I asked to review it I thought it would probably be a cheap plastic stand but it really isn’t. It is really well built and holds the iPad perfectly. Why bother with the Apple dock when you can get this which you can use on multiple devices and take it anywhere?

Pros:

• Really Well Built. This thing is strong!
• Really Portable.
• Comes with nice little pouch.
• Great look and feel
• Not expensive.
• Accommodates portrait and landscape iPad plus laptops.

Cons:

• I really did try, but couldn’t find any.

Price: £14.95, From: MobileFun.co.uk

Thanks to Mobile Fun for sending Cloud Bite this to review. Mobile Fun have a great range of mobile accessories and for all those of you who are lucky enough to get a iPhone 4 you need to protect it with a iPhone 4 Case and they have hundreds, so check them out!

iPad Flip Case Review

The iPad is one of those products that looks so good you are torn between covering it up and leaving it as is. However with that aluminium back and large glass screen it will be prone to getting scratched or even broken. So the best option is to get a useful case that doesn’t interfere with the use of the device but fully protects it. The iPad Leather Flip Case from GearZap not only fully protects your iPad, has small useful extras without adding extra bulk but also doesn’t interfere with the use of iPad at all.

Unboxing

A few days ago I uploaded the Unboxing of the device to YouTube and this Blog and you can see that below:

Review

The iPad Flip Case comes in a range of colours including, Black, White, Red, Purple, Pink and Blue and GearZap were kind enough to let me select a nice bright red one! My first impressions of the case were positive the case feels very padded but firm enough to protect your iPad from any drops and scratches it may gain from all your colleagues who are desperate to try out your new device!

iPad Vertical Position

The iPad Case has a magnetic strap for easy access but also helps to keep it secure. The inside of the case has a soft velvet feel to it which fully protects your iPad from any scratches. Along with this the inside flap contains a 3 small holders for business cards or credit cards, I will probably put my student ID in here for Uni! This holder section is on elastic which means you can tuck some papers and documents behind here or even put your hand through it and hold your iPad that way!

iPad Horizontal Position

One little extra with the case is it will allow the iPad to stand portrait or landscape on a table or desk which is ideal for viewing emails, watching a video or using as a digital photoframe!

You can have a look at the iPad Case if you check out the full iPad Flip Case Video Review I filmed below:

Overall I am really pleased with the case, I am completely happy to keep my iPad inside it and feel that it will remain safe and secure inside it.

Pros:

• Secure Magnetic Fasten
• Stylish leather feel.
• Soft interior to prevent scratches
• Full access to the iPad, there is not interference with the control of the iPad
• Verticle and Horizontal Position
• Card and document holder

Cons:

• Corners are exposed but the case extrudes further than the iPad.

Where to get it:

GearZap.com £14.95 – There are also lots of other iPad cases and accessories so make sure you check them out!

Apple iPad Unboxing

Yesterday was a big day for Apple, several Countries of the world and millions on anxious iPad wannabe owners around the world. Well personally I would say I didn’t really fit any of those categories. For months and months I was ignoring the iPad hype mainly because I didn’t see how it would be very useful and that really all it was, was a big iPod touch. And that’s exactly what it seems to be!

I’m drifting off the topic here as this is an unboxing not reasons I have purchased an iPad. I’ll save that for the main review. So sit back and check out my unboxing below:

Bluetooth headsets come in all shapes and sizes. A problem that seemed to face manufacturers was; how could they make a microphone and earpiece that not only worked well by providing clear quality sound and clarity but also didn’t look like you had just walked out of a call centre and left the headset on? There has been many designs from long thin plastics to the earpiece and microphone separate but connected via a wire (a lot like the old telephones), and some even put a screen that showed who was calling which of course isn’t that useful unless your eyes are on the same side of your head as your ear! All the user really needs is something that is stylish or very small, which allows you to hear the person on the other end of the phone and for them to hear you. If only there was such a thing…

Ta da… I am now pleased to present the Blüe NEXT Bluetooth Headset BN888, that is not only stylish, (in a bluetooth headset kinda way) but it is so incredibly small no-one would even notice you’re wearing it! It also has some pretty cool features too! But, before I go into them, I know how much some of you like “unboxings” so here it is below….

Unboxing

What’s in the box?

If you decided to skip the unboxing here’s what comes with:

• The Blüe NEXT Bluetooth Headset
• USB Charging Cable
• Car Charger

Features

The Headset comes with the following features:

• Operation up to 10 Meters,
• Multi pairing, connect 2 phones at once! (I never even knew that was possible with a Bluetooth device!)
• 100 hours Standby Time
• 3 Hours Talk Time
• Voice Dialing

Video Review…

So come on what’s it like?

AMAZING! The headset is great quality, I could not fault the clarity when listening to someone at all. I tested the headset in a noisy environment and also when driving in the car. I could hear every word spoken – no problems at all. For a device that is ridiculously small I was very impressed. During my test I asked the person on the other end whether I sounded clear and understandable and overall the answer was yes, I was told I broke up a little now and again however this could be down to the signal of the phone rather than the headset itself. I also rang my voice mail via the headset and recorded a short sound sample. Please do note though the recording on a iphone voicemail message is highly compressed as this can effect the sound quality. Sound File Here

The device is also very simple to use and worked fantastically with my iPhone 3GS including with the voice activation built into the phone. One quick tap of the main button activates the voice control on the phone and it clearly picked up everything that I requested, such as call Dad, Mobile. The other two smaller buttons control the volume, these were a little more fiddly as I found in order to press the button down I had to hold the headset quite tight which meant I ended up clicking both volume up and down at the same time. But these buttons are likely to slacken of with further use.

The multi-pairing feature worked surprisingly well after a read of the manual in how to actually set it up. I doubt the majority would actually use this feature but for professionals who perhaps have 2 phones then this feature would really come in handy and works very well.

Along with multi-pairing the headset supports call-waiting which is great if you have a phone that also supports this feature. What this allows you to do is put a call on hold if another is incoming and even join all 3 calls together. You may think how often is this likely to happen though, well trust me quite a bit especially if you get through to someone’s voicemail, try their home number and they ring you when trying from the mobile. Yeh, like that sentence, it can all get a little hectic. So call waiting is great and the fact that the headset supports it is a huge bonus!

The Battery has been a positive too, I haven’t used the product talking for hours at a time, who really does? However, when I received the product on Friday I charged it for a couple of hours and it lasted fine, I did give it a boost charge on Sunday as Monday, today I was going out in the car and wanted to give it a good test but with the charge time only being 2 hours it is easy enough to keep constantly topped up!

Finally whats it like to wear? One of the problems I have had in the past is the fact that I wear glasses and other bluetooth headsets I have tried have caused me problems as the bit that goes around the ear, for the want of a better phrase; doesn’t fit. Even though on the Blüe NEXT it is just a thin piece of plastic; it fits perfectly. Also as the device is so small and weighs a mere 6.5g you can’t really feel it is there!

Overall
Overall I am really impressed with this device, it’s so small and compact yet it packs a great punch in terms of clarity. I therefore, award the product (using Cloud Bite’s New Rating system 4.5 Clouds out of 5.

Pros:

• Ultra Small and Lightweight
• Very Comfy (Can’t tell it is there)
• Speaker has really good clarity
• Voice Activation worked a treat
• Price (£15.47 at MobileFun.co.uk)

Cons:

• Volume Buttons can be a little difficult to use.
• Small amount of break up (reported by person on other end of the line)

I wish to thank MobileFun.co.uk for supplying me this product to review. Mobile Fun have a great selection of Products from Bluetooth Headsets and Bluetooth HeadPhones, to Phone Cases, to Desktop Chargers check them out Here.