Category Archives: iPhone

Exploring the Interwebs on Columbus Day

Exploring the Interwebs on Columbus Day from heathaplexVISION on Vimeo.

Are you enjoying Columbus Day? In the words of Bruce Dickinson, “Explore the Space!” Check out what’s happening in the world of tech and gadgets. Thanks for following and thanks for all your support!

Cleaning Your Electronic Surfaces One Billionth of a Meter At a Time

You’ve spent a lot of hard, earned cash on those electronics you own, but have you ever thought about how you were going to take care of them? There’s cases for your smartphone, neoprene bags for your laptops, micro-fiber cloths for your television…the list goes on and on. But, what are you really doing to take care of all those delicate surfaces on your electronic toys? Please don’t tell me you just use water or even worse, Pledge. I may have to come take your gadgets away. Maybe it’s time to look into some professional products that are designed to keep those expensive surfaces clean.

Recently, I was contacted by a representative at Nanofilm and was asked if I would give a few of their cleaning products a try. According to their website, during the early 1980s, Nanofilm began developing ultra-thin surfaces and engineered special formulas to protect and condition a variety of optical surfaces and coatings. Since then they’ve improved upon their formula by incorporating Nanotechnology into their products to not only clean, but enhance the surfaces of a variety of devices and electronic gadgets. I received two products: Nanofilm’s Clarity Clean it™ Towelettes and a bottle of Clarity Clean it™ spray.

My first test involved using the spray on my iPhone 4. I sprayed a small amount on a clean cotton rag and gently wiped off the surface of the phone. With very little effort, the Clarity Clean it™ removed all the fingerprints, dust, and dirt from the surface. When I was finished, I ran my finger across the phone and felt a remarkable difference to the touch. It felt like a freshly waxed car and did not leave any streaks or residue. Impressed with the spray, I decided to move to the towelette and a larger surface. Next I used the Clarity Clean it™ Towelette on my iPad. Now, for any of you that have a new iPhone 4 and an iPad, you already know these two surfaces are far different. The iPad seems to pick up a ton of fingerprint marks and oil, while the iPhone 4′s Gorilla Glass is somewhat more resilient, but gets dirty over time. Again, using very little effort, I rubbed the towelette across the iPad’s surface. In an instant I noticed a difference. After about 30 seconds of use, the towelette began to dry out, as if the all the product was used up (probably due to the alcohol in the wipe), but the results were astounding! A perfectly clean surface, free of streaks and fingerprints. The pictures below show a before and after shot of the surface. Notice how clear the reflections are on the glass.

After the cleaning, I began to use the iPad and noticed none of my fingerprints were adhering to the surface as easily as  before. It did not feel greasy, but in fact,  exceptionally smooth; much like my earlier car wax analogy. Now, if you just finished a bucket of chicken wings, you’ll probably wind up with some grease on your newly cleaned device, but there is definitely a change in the surfaces texture after cleaning. This is probably due to the nanotechnology incorporated into the cleaner. Looking at the properties of the cleaning solution, depending on the product, it is about 70-90% water and the rest is comprised of isopropyl alcohol and proprietary ingredients. What does this mean for you? Well, it means that most of the properties are safe to use. I wouldn’t go rubbing in your eyes or use it around open flame, but it is a safe product to handle and to use on your precious electronics. Far better than straight water or Windex.

If you are interested in a quality cleaning product for your electronic toys and gadgets, you should check out Nanofilm’s line of Clarity Clean it™ online. Just Google them and you’ll find a variety of websites that sell their product. I give it 2 thumbs up and the heathaplexVISION seal of approval as a wonderful product and a fantastic way to protect a variety of surfaces, not only in your home, but in your car, boat, or airplane.

Moving Day Made Easy With An iPhone

Expand Your Wireless Capabilities With Apple’s AirPort Express

Expand Your Wireless Capabilities With Apple’s AirPort Express from Heathaplex Vision on Vimeo.

Part Wi-Fi access point. Part wireless router. AirPort Express just works, seamlessly and wirelessly, with all your Wi-Fi devices. In fact, it’s the easiest way for everyone in your family to share a single broadband Internet connection and USB printer without messy cables.

• AirPort Utility for Mac and Windows guides you through the process, and you’ll have your network up and running in minutes.
• Take the music from the iTunes library on your computer and sends it wirelessly to any stereo or speakers in your home
• Print wirelessly through AirPort Express–it’s almost like having a printer in every room of the house
• Wirelessly share photos, movies, and other files without having to worry about slow data transmissions
• The AirPort Express Base Station now features 802.11n, the next-generation high-speed wireless technology included with most shipping Mac computers and some newer PCs with compatible cards
• Industry-standard encryption technologies built into AirPort Express, including WPA/WPA2 and 128-bit WEP, plus a built-in firewall that creates a barrier between your network and the Internet

What Does the Droid Have to Offer?

I’ve been asked several questions about the Droid so I think its time to post what I know about the device. I have yet to get my hands on the Droid and plan on visiting Verizon this week, so I’ll add more detail if I find something significant to post.

Like many of you, I am on the Verison network and do not have a cool smartphone yet. I’ve been very patiently watching how the iPhone has slowly been taking over the market. Being a big Mac fan, it may be a surprise to some of you that I do not have an iPhone. Well….until Verizon starts carrying the iPone, I will go on being patient, but my contract is due in May 2010, so I am shopping around right now.

There are many rumors about the iPhone coming to Verizon next year, but nothing is concrete as of yet. Regardless, it would be on a different network (hardware speaking) than AT&T and would require some changes internally, so why not look at an Android, which claims to be better. Well….let’s look at some of the features.

First, the Good Stuff: Andorid Operating System – Key to the device. This open source software is very fast and efficient. In tests against the iPhone it handles pretty much the same and developers are making applications for the Droid daily, but one report I read said this fad will wear out due to the overwhelming market share the iPhone currently has. Developers go where the money is and the Droid is just not there yet. It has a 5 Megapixel camera….very cool and better than the iPhone’s 3 MP camera. It has Google Navigation, which is free! This is one of the coolest features on the phone. Real time mapping, traffic, and SATELLITE IMAGERY…just like Google Maps on your computer. The Street view could come in very handy down the road. It has a slide-out keyboard and a touch keyboard (landscape and portrait), larger display, removable battery, and SD card slot.  These are all pluses in my book.

Now for the down side: No iTunes compatibility!!! If you have most of your worldly possessions wrapped up in iTunes, this may not be the phone for you! Applications are few compared to the thousands that can be found on the iPhone. It is a bit faster and internet seems to run smoother on the iPhone, but it really depends on the network and wi-fi you happen to be using. The biggest downside to the Droid….it’ll never catch up to the popularity and proliferation of the iPone. It seems many smartphone developers are just going to be playing catch-up. The Droid will cost you more in the end: First….you pay for a minutes plan, then you shell out $30 for data, if you want Microsoft Exchange support it will cost you another $15 a month, tethering will cost you an additional $60 a month and has a 5Gb limit. It seems you keep paying and paying to have a Droid. Why can’t there just be one fee for having a smartphone like Blackberry!

So, if you can live without iTune syncing (you can always add your music through the Droid’s native syncing) and don’t mind shelling out a bit more over the life of the phone, you may want to check out the Droid. It is a beautiful device and I do like the open source Operating System, but I’m willing to be patient and see how if Verizon starts carrying the iPhone. I have the time to wait, so why not let the newness of the Droid wear out a bit and see how this battle unfolds.

Heathaplex Vision

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