Sunday, August 19, 2012

More Gadget Reviews


I have a couple of other items I wanted to review for you...


Tego Case for iPad2 and the new iPad

The Tego case for iPad is another protective case for the device that schools should put on the consideration list. The iPad is easy to get in to the case and it has extra reinforced corners to avoid damage to the device. 

Tego site: http://www.yourtego.com



The Tego case is made of a very lightweight material but is thoughtfully designed to bothprotect the iPad and allow easy access to ports, buttons, and speakers. 

In addition, the material has an anti-bacterial property to keep the germs at bay. In schools, where the iPad gets used by multiple students, this is a great feature to have!

The retail price of the Tego case is $38.99.









Kingston Wi-Drive


This is a cool little accessory for your mobile devices. I purchased the 32GB version ($89.99) but it also comes in 16GB and 64GB. The Wi-Drive is about the same size and shape as the Apple iPod Touch but it weighs a lot less in your gadget bag!


The Wi-Drive attaches to your computer via a USB cable so you can first move files, movies, photos, and music to it. (It also charges via the computer USB port or with the included AC adapter.)


You have to dis-attach the Wi-Drive from the computer to use it. Once you turn it on, the Wi-Drive creates an ad-hoc network with the SSID of Wi-Drive. You must then install the Wi-Drive app for iOS or Android onto your mobile devices.

Wi-Drive network on iPad
On your  mobile devices, simply visit the network settings and join the Wi-Drive network. Up to three devices can view or play the files on the Wi-Drive at one time. They can all access different files and even start the videos at different times. (Imagine loading it up with 32GB of movies for a long trip!)








DRM movie playing in iPad browser



For moving DRM movies from iTunes, if you sync your iPad with your computer's iTunes account, you simply drag the movie to the Wi-Drive, and access the movies through the Web browser on the mobile device via the static IP of the Wi-Drive. Purchased items may only be played via the Wi-Drive on mobile devices that have the same Apple ID as the computer's iTunes account.






File system and file on the Wi-Drive
The Wi-Drive acts as external storage and is accessible even when you do not have WiFi available. And, for non-DRM items, any three mobile devices can connect to the Wi-Drive and view or play the files. The Wi-Drive is an interesting concept, and I will be spending more time thinking of creative ways to use it!







Side note: We have an MicroCell (cell phone service booster) in our house so, on the iPhones, we had to put them in airplane mode and then turn just the WiFi back on in order for them to see the Wi-Drive. No problem with the iPad, since it does not use the MicroCell.


Have any gadgets you would like to share? Just post about them in the comments!