• All about Google I/O 2013:
  • Brilliant strategy to update Android without a new Android version
  • Kevin got to try Google Glass
  • Synchronized notfications
  • Google music subscription
  • Google Games service
  • Maps update (it's awesome on the Pixel)
  • Google+ update and Google Voice Search improvements (it understands pronouns for contextual discussions)
  • Google Edition Galaxy S 4
  • Hangouts app
• BlackBerry Live: BBM for iOS / Android and the Q5 announced.
• Nokia Lumia 928 from Verizon being tested by both of us.
• Matt's on the way to CTIA

Running time: 65 minutes

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Retail package of the blue color speaker

I have tested a lot of portable Bluetooth speakers over the years; you can view a wrap up of many of them in this Gift Guide post. I don't travel without a portable speaker, and I think I just found my next traveling companion in the Divoom Bluetune Solo speaker.

You may think of turning the other way after seeing a speaker available for just $49.99, but stick around and check out my gallery and video walkthrough of this speaker. The sound is surprisingly good, the build quality is great, and you can use the Bluetune Solo as both a speaker and a speakerphone.

The Bluetune Solo is available in black, blue, white, red, and orange. I was sent a blue one to evaluate, but may have to pick up an orange one or two soon, since I am a fan of the color orange. Given that you can daisy chain these speakers, and they are available for a decent price, you may want to pick up a couple and improve your sound experience.

The Bluetune Solo comes in a small clear plastic box with the speaker and a USB cable that also serves to connect to non-Bluetooth devices with an audio jack. The cable is also used to charge up the speaker via the micro-USB port.

The on/off switch is found on the bottom of the speaker with rubber pads to keep the speaker from sliding around on your table. You will find a 3.5mm headset jack and micro-USB port around the base of the speaker, where there are also openings showing blue glowing lights.

On the top, you will find a single button that is used for pairing, toggling the Bluetooth connection, and accepting/hanging up telephone calls. That's right, this portable, inexpensive speaker comes with a microphone so you can use it as a speakerphone.

Specifications of the Divoom Bluetune Solo include:

• Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR

• Output power: 4 watts

• Driver size: 50mm micro speaker at 4 Ohms

• Signal to noise: 80dB

• Microphone sensitivity: -36db

• 500mAh rechargeable battery with reported life of 8 hours continuous play

• Dimensions of 60x60x68mm and 230 grams.

You will see X-Bass branding on the top, and I understand this is a technology designed to provide deep bass in a compact size. Even when I had my smartphone cranked to full volume, there was very little distortion, and the sound was still quite good.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Bluetune Solo, and couldn't believe it when I saw it was available for just $49.99. I have seen it on Newegg for as low as $29.99. I may be picking these up for gifts in the future, as they offer a solid Bluetooth speaker experience.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Package contents

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Top of the Divoom Bluetune Solo

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

3.5mm headset jack

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Micro-USB port

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Bottom on/off toggle switch

These self-created collections allow you to select the content you like, and assemble it into topical magazines. You can view publicly shared magazines or keep them for your private use. I have not yet created any on my iPhone, but since I am using the HTC One as my primary device, I plan to try it out and experience this magazine feature.

As stated on the Flipboard blog, this new version of Flipboard on Android allows you to:

• Flip photos saved on your phone or tablet into your magazine

• Add items you find on the web via your mobile browser into your magazine

• Share magazine links to other apps, such as Skype and Facebook Messenger

• Curate from the Flipboard widget into a magazine.

Flipboard also announced the release of its new web-based Flipboard Editor, which gives you more functionality for creating and managing your magazines. You can also add a Flip It button to your browser.

With this new editor and browser button, I may be moving to Flipboard for my "read later" service instead of having a separate Pocket application.

Garmin Forerunner 610 retail box

The Garmin Forerunner 610 has been one of the leading GPS fitness watches for a couple of years, but I just recently had the chance to try one out. It is really the device that sets the bar for running, but we should see new devices like the TomTom sport watches offer up some serious competition soon.

My preferred device is the Motorola Motoactv, and after using the Garmin Forerunner 610 for a couple of weeks, I have to say that the Motoactv remains my preferred fitness device. It's pretty amazing to me that a company focused on phones can make one of the best fitness devices, but I will explain why I think it is in the text below.

I am surprised that Garmin and other fitness-focused companies haven't yet released GPS watches with MP3 playing capability like the Motoactv, since I see most people out on the road with headphones in and being motivated to compete with music. I was hopeful that the new TomTom devices would include MP3 capability, but that doesn't look to be the case, so the Motoactv should remain the primary choice for those looking for a device that does it all.

If MP3 functionality is not important to you, then the Garmin Forerunner 610 is an excellent choice. I was especially pleased with the long battery life and accurate tracking. I put together a list of pros and cons summarizing my experiences at the end of this post.

Garmin 610 retail package contents

I was sent the full Garmin Forerunner 610 package, which includes the Forerunner 610, heart rate monitor strap, special USB charging cable, USB A/C adapter, ANT USB dongle, and instruction manual. The charger piece has a magnet in it, and works through two contacts that touch the bottom of the Forerunner 610. I found the reported battery life of at least a week of running (45-minute runs each day) to be accurate.

Charger attached to the 610

The Garmin Forerunner 610 is built like a tank, and definitely feels worthy of the $350 price. It has a metal back, glass front, and durable rubber wrist strap. There are three hardware buttons and two touch buttons that accompany the touchscreen panel. The touchscreen is not sensitive to finger touch, but rather fingernails. This makes it less likely that you will accidentally touch it and activate functions, but I find it sometimes takes a few taps with my nail to make things happen. After using capacitive touchscreen smartphones and tablets, along with the Motoactv, using the Forerunner 610 takes some practice.

Front of the 610 with charger in place

The top-left button activates the backlight, while also turning the device on and off. The upper-right button is used just to start and stop the timer. The bottom-right button marks new laps and resets the timer. I find it odd that you press and hold the bottom right button to reset the device, which acts to save the previous workout.

The touch-sensitive area on the bottom activates the menu options. The left touch-sensitive area is used to go back.

Heart rate monitor

The included heart rate monitor strap is adjustable, and fit me well. The sensor snaps on to the front with two detection panels in the strap.

Back of the 610

I am not a fan of having to use the Garmin ANT USB dongle to sync data from the Forerunner 610, and much prefer the wi-fi connectivity of my Motoactv. I keep finding that the Garmin takes about 5 minutes to connect and download a single run. I also don't like that I have to use a PC to sync a workout.

Side of the 610

The software on the Forerunner 610 is pretty basic, but it gets the job done. After turning on the 610, it attempts to find GPS satellites and determine your location. I found that it regularly determined my position within about 1 minute. After that, you can simply tap the start/stop upper-right button and be on your way.

Garmin 610 next to Motoactv

While on a run, you will see your distance, time, pace, heart rate, virtual partner status, and clock functionality. I like that you can go in and customize the number and type of data that appears, from one to four cells of data.

Motoactv and Garmin 610 on my wrist

When you press the Menu button, you will see four icons for History, Training, Setup, and Where To. History shows your exercise history, while Training gives you options for alerts, laps, pause, and virtual partner setup. Setup lets you control the heart rate monitor connection, alarm, foot pod, user profile, and more. The Where To option helps you figure out where you are, and gets you back to where you started.

Underside of the Motoactv and Garmin 610

Typical view from Garmin Connect site

Garmin gives you free access to its Garmin Connect website, where your collected data is synced for you to view and use. Unlike the closed system of Nike products, you can export data from Garmin and import it into other services. I use Runkeeper to share my activities with friends, and sync to my Jawbone Up, so I appreciate the openness of the Garmin site.

View of history on the 610

You can set and manage goals, view and set up training plans, schedule runs, and much more on the Garmin Connect website. You can view all of the fine details of your activities to help you track improvements and progress.

Menu options

The Garmin Forerunner 610 is a fantastic GPS watch, and one that I know meets the needs of many people, including some of my friends. I plan to stick with my Motoactv, though, because I like the integrated MP3 functionality. You can find it online for $400 with the heart rate monitor, or $350 without the monitor. DC Rainmaker has some of the most details fitness reviews ever, so I recommend you check out his Garmin Forerunner 610 review when you get a chance, too.

Typical running data

Pros:

• Decent battery life for most fitness activities

• Superb quality product

• Large buttons that are easy to press

• Easy interface with core functionality

• Full function website

• Open nature of data so can be used with other services.

Stats report

Cons:

• Need special USB ANT dongle to sync Forerunner 610

• Touchscreen not very sensitive to finger press.

I have tried many activity trackers, but after the release of the new Jawbone UP and Android support, the UP is my preferred choice. Jawbone just announced their new UP Platform (PDF file) that takes the UP even further and allows 3rd party developers to integrate their service with all of the amazing data the UP captures. To continue solidfying Jawbone's place in the fitness market, they also announced the acquisition of BodyMedia.

UP Platform

The latest UP software for Android and iOS is pretty powerful in itself and I particulary like the ability to view all of my data and also share parts of it with family and friends. With the new UP Platform support, we see 10 apps/services at launch that you may already be using for your health tracking.

The current 10 supported apps and services include IFTTT, LoseIt!, Maxwell Health, MapMyFitness, MyFitnessPal, Notch, RunKeeper, Sleepio, Wello and Withings. I am a huge fan of RunKeeper and now when I track my runs using my MOTOACTV I can get that data into UP and have a single place to go for all of my health and fitness tracking needs.

Support for these apps launches on iOS, but you can always use an iOS device (like your iPad) to setup the integration and then view the data on an Android device. Native support for Android is in development.

I own a Fitbit Aria scale, but may have to sell it and move to a Withings scale since I do workout in order to manage my weight and enjoy the ease of use and collection with a WiFi scale. Some of the other things you can now do with the UP Platform, as stated in the press release, include:

• Log a run or bike ride with RunKeeper or MapMyFitness, and view your workout data in UP, including maps of your route, to see how last night’s sleep may have impacted your speed or distance.
• Step on your Withings scale and automatically import your weight into UP, to track it in the context of how you sleep, eat and move, and get support from your UP teammates as you work toward your goal.
• Create nudges using IFTTT based on your UP activity, like texting you to go for a run if the weather is sunny, or tweeting at your workout partner when you reach 15,000 steps.
• Complete a workout with a personal trainer in your home or hotel room using Wello, and log the workout directly into UP.

I am very interested in the IFTTT funtionality and plan to set up a few of these routines. Jawbone stated they will be opening up the API to more developers in the future so we will see support for the UP expand. Which of the 10 launch services interest you?

BodyMedia Acquisition

I tried out a BodyMedia Fit device in the past and while it collects an amazing amount of data, I was not a fan of the upper armband approach to data collection and stuck with wristband or clip-on devices. BodyMedia is a leader in health tracking and has one of the largest databases of human sensor data with a registration with the FDA as a Class II medical device.

BodyMedia has nearly 300 issued and pending patents so combining their technology with Jawbone's design expertise is an exciting prospect. BodyMedia employees will join Jawbone's existing team.

Related stories

• Jawbone Up: New internals and attractive mobile app provide stylish life tracking (review)

• Jawbone released Android app for Up, becomes my prime life tracker

• Fitbit adds Android direct syncing support for Galaxy S III and Note II users

• Fitbit One adds Bluetooth sync and silent alarm; the one life tracker to buy (review)

• Nike drops plans for Android Fuelband app, time for Jawbone and Fitbit to step up

• Fitbit Ultra or Jawbone Up: Which one meets your lifestyle tracking needs?

• Life-tracking tools for a better, healthier you: Fuelband, Fitbit, Up compared

Cool Pebble retail package

Last year, I joined tens of thousands of others and backed the Pebble E-Paper Watch project. I ordered an orange one, but after learning that it will still be a month or two more before it will ship, and thinking more about whether or not I would really wear an orange one daily, I went ahead and switched to a black model that was available at launch.

Jason O'Grady wrote about his experiences in March, and I wanted to offer up some of my own thoughts to my readers, along with a short image gallery of the watch and current functionality.

I paid $115 for my black Pebble that is now available to the public to pre-order for $150. One of the reasons I ordered one was to test out the Runkeeper functionality, but this is not yet available for the Pebble. The SDK was just recently released, so I imagine we will soon see a lot more functions added to the Pebble.

The Pebble folks promised updates every 2-3 weeks, and there was an update for mine as soon as I connected it to my new HTC One. There are Android and iOS apps, and the connection is made to the Pebble via Bluetooth.

Settings can be managed on your iOS or Android device, and synced to your Pebble. You can also use the buttons to change some of the settings on the Pebble without connecting to your iOS or Android device.

Some of the basic specs include:

• 144x168 pixel display, black and white "e-paper"

• Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR and 4.0 (low energy)

• Four buttons

• Vibrating motor

• Three axis accelerometer with gesture detection

• Distribute apps via Pebble watchapp store

The Pebble watch is very comfortable, thanks to the adjustable rubber wrist strap and light weight. The buttons are easy to press, and it just took me a few minutes to figure out how to use the Pebble.

I used it for quickly checking incoming email and message notifications while shopping with my wife. It was great to just look at the Pebble and note that the messages were not urgent, so I could leave my HTC One in my pocket and move on. The glanceable nature of the Pebble to smartphone connection is exactly why I find it to be useful.

I have a few older Microsoft SPOT watches that I used for this type of quick notifications, but the Pebble looks to be much more customizable and stylish. I started wearing a watch again just over a year ago, and look forward to more testing of the Pebble.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Opening up the Pebble retail package

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Included charging cable

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Pebble in hand

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Solid clasp and adjustable band

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Three right side buttons

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

One left side button and charging port

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Charging adapter with magnets

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Charger attached to the Pebble

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Kickstarter Edition on the back

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

One of the available watch faces

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Functions on the Pebble

You can control music, use your Pebble for alarms, and change watch faces.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Controlling music with the Pebble

You can control music with your Pebble using various song services. Here I am using Songza on my HTC One.

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Setting an alarm

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Watch face management

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Display settings

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Font size choices

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

About on the Pebble watch

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Pebble on my wrist

(Image: Matthew Miller/ZDNet)

Email notification

I previously took a look at the affordable Nike+ SportWatch, powered by TomTom, but couldn't live with the closed Nike ecosystem. I sometimes use my phone when I run, and need the flexibility to be able to get data into a service like RunKeeper, where everything is consolidated and shared with my running buddies.

I am extremely pleased to read that these new watches are multi-platform compatible and sync with services such as TomTom MySports website, MapMyFitness, RunKeeper, TrainingPeaks, and MyFitnessPal. I don't know yet if they will sync to a smartphone, but since they sync to these services, you will be able to still view the data when one of these apps is on your phone. This openness alone means it is likely that one of these will be my new training watch.

There are two new, large-screen GPS watches coming from TomTom. The TomTom Runner is focused on services for the jogger while the TomTom Multi-Sport is waterproof and works to monitor cycling and swimming as well. The large displays and one-button control look good to me, and I look forward to hearing about pricing and availability.

From the press release, we see the following:

The new watches feature TomTom's Graphical Training Partner. Easy-to-read full-screen graphics help users get the most out of their workouts. They can view their real-time performance at-a-glance with three graphical training modes:

• Race: Race against a personal best or most recent run. Quickly track performance with real-time graphics, to continue to improve run after run.

• Goal: Set a distance, time, or calorie goal, and see progress toward that goal with simple, full-screen graphics and alerts.

• Zone: Set a target for pace or heart rate (with optional heart-rate monitor) and track progress in a simple full-screen graph throughout a workout.

These two watches are only 11.5mm thick, have a battery that lasts up to 10 hours, are waterproof to 50 meters, use Bluetooth Smart to connect to sensors, and have a scratch- and impact-resistant glass display.

There is no pricing yet and availability is slated for midyear. It won't come in time for my June half marathon, but it may help me train for my October Tough Mudder.

Quickoffice Pro HD is still my favorite iPad app

We heard the news this week that Office for the iPad may not be coming until late 2014. If I have some heavy lifting to do with the full Office suite on the go, I use my Surface Pro. However, you can do plenty with Office documents on the iPad using one of these capable alternatives.

I would love to see some study results documenting how many people actually use an Office-compatible program on their iPad. I consider myself a power user and rarely use my iPad to create or edit Office documents and wonder if there is a real need for the full Microsoft Office suite or if these available, low-cost alternatives will meet most people's needs.

I wrote my first iPad Office app showdown in 2010 and wrote about the iWork suite, Documents To Go, Office2 HD, and Quickoffice. I then followed up a year later in my 2011 showdown that added Documents 2 and Smart Office to the lineup.

As I went back to my iPad and updated to the latest version, I found that the original four I looked at in 2010 have all been updated and are the ones I recommend you check out. There are new features, such as track changes and print support that really make these alternatives likely just fine for the majority of people.

Do you use an Office-compatible suite on your iPad and if so, which one do you prefer? What limitations do you find that require the full version of Microsoft Office for your iPad?

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Quickoffice Pro HD: Formatting is quick and easy

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Quickoffice Pro HD: Spreadsheets look great

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Quickoffice Pro HD: Presentations can be created

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Office2 HD supports many cloud services

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Office2 HD supports track changes too

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Office2 HD supports many spreadsheet functions

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Office2 HD supports many spreadsheet functions

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Documents To Go: Word document formatting

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Documents To Go: Not as visually appealing as Quickoffice

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Documents To Go: You can create presentations too

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Pages is great for interactive layouts

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Pages supports inserting objects

(Image: Screenshot by Matt Miller/ZDNet)

Numbers makes spreadsheets easy too

Status Board looks like the type of boards you might see in a New York train station or large airport where multiple data streams come in and are presented in one area. I understand that the Panic team designed this for their own office management, but then decided to create a version for iPad owners.

You could use an Android tablet and setup widgets on a home screen panel to do something similar, but this is a cleaner and more consolidated application optimized for the experience. You will notice widgets like you see on OS X for time, weather, and calendar, with other data sources supported as well. You can add a clock, weather, calendar, email, Twitter feed, news feeds, and graphs and tables.

Panic even has a slick setup experience with their virtual fold-out setup guide. You drag widgets in and out of the board, and can re-size and re-arrange them as you desire. It is not an inexpensive application, but for those looking for this type of experience, it appears to be well designed.

There are in-app purchases to extend the functionality to TV out and AirPlay displays.

Google has come a long way over the past couple of years in getting a media ecosystem set up for Android, and there is no longer a gap between iOS and Android when it comes to music, books, magazines, movies, and TV shows. To continue with a focus on entertainment, especially with larger-screen Android smartphones and tablets, Google just announced a "fresh new look" for Google Play.

As you can see in the images on the Google blog, the new design has larger images to make content easier to find. Instead of the tabs for apps, music, books, magazines, and movies & TV on the left side, you will now see these options along the top, with games broken out from apps.

Google stated that new recommendations will appear as you scroll down the page. The new Google Play store app is rolling out on Android 2.2 and above devices starting on Tuesday, and you should see it in the next few weeks. I don't yet have it on my Android devices, so I can't tell you about my experiences.

I understand that Google also made the purchase process simpler, which is nice to hear. I rent movies and TV shows quite a bit since I travel and like having the content in my hand.

Nokia stated that the Windows 8 version of Nokia Music+ features:

• A 7 day trial of NM+: With an in-app upgrade path (30 second clip mixes outside of the trial period)
• 100's of curated mixes from Nokia experts and international artists
• Listen to all the MP3's in your "My Music" library via the app
• Mix recommendations based on the music playing, for both mixes and your own collection
• Artist mix: See up to three artists, and the app will create a playlist based on your choices
• Offline mix: Save as many mixes as you can carry for offline playback
• Search for mixes containing your favorite artist
• Artist pages: Complete with high quality artist images, biographies, tweets, gig info (including Here mapping), related artists, and more
• Snap View: Minimise Nokia Music on your home screen, but still access music controls
• Play To: Stream music to DLNA devices on your wireless network.

As you can see, the only way to enjoy Nokia Music on Windows is to be a Music+ subscriber. The fee is only $3/month, which is much less than any other music subscription service. It's interesting that Nokia is making this available for non-Nokia devices since you still need a Nokia Lumia smartphone to use the service on a phone.

Nokia Music for Windows 8 is available now from the Windows 8 Store in the UK, US, Ireland, and Australia, and will be rolling out to all counties with Nokia Music+ in the coming weeks. If you are already a Music+ subscriber, then you can just sign in with your same credentials to enjoy the service on your Windows 8 or RT device.

Related stories:

• Nokia Music+ launches in the US for $3.99 per month

• Nokia offers low cost Nokia Music+ subscription service for Lumia owners

• Bye bye Spotify, hello free Nokia Music

• Surface Pro: My week as engineer and train commuter

• Microsoft Surface Pro review

• Surface Pro versus MacBook Air: Who's being dishonest with storage space?

• Goodbye Surface RT, hello Surface Pro: I won't miss getting work done again

• Microsoft Surface RT gesture and keyboard shortcut guide

The new bags from STM Bags, an Australian bag and case manufacturer, come in a variety of colors, configurations, and designs that are durable and lightweight. They come with a lifetime warranty and are attractive options.

STM Bags sent along a blue Velo 2 medium laptop shoulder bag, a grey Impulse medium laptop backpack, and a berry Linear small laptop shoulder bag. These bags are shown in the image gallery with more detailed thoughts and experiences below.

Linear

The first bag I was most interested in was the Linear because it looked to be perfect for the daily commute with minimal weight and size. It's a vertical messenger style bag constructed of water resistant polyester. I was sent a small size, designed for laptops with displays up to 13 inches. You will also find iPad and medium size options available if you need less or more capacity.

The Linear has a large pocket for laptops up to 8.9 x 12.7 x 0.9 inches. The bag weighs in at 0.9 pounds with 610.2 cubic inches of volume.

The front flap of the bag has a zippered pocket that works well for pens, a thin wallet, a small pad, and other items. The flap is secured with two plastic clips.

Under the flap you will find a large padded pocket for your laptop or tablet. There are then two more large pockets in front of the main compartment for cables, phones, and other gear.

The top pocket, directly under the flap, is zippered and includes slots for pens and business cards. This small compartment is divided so you can organize your items. A clip is also provided to secure your keys.

On the bag you will find a compartment that is great for magazines and papers. Note that a handle and a luggage pass-through strap are present around this compartment. A long adjustable shoulder strap with swivel connections is provided to comfortably carry the bag across your shoulders.

I enjoyed carrying this Linear bag and found it to be a near perfect mix of reduced size and carrying capacity. It is available now in four colors, berry, blue, black, and grey, for $65.

Impulse

I carry a backpack style bag at times, generally just placing one strap over my shoulder unless I have a heavy load. The Impulse bag arrived in grey color, also available in black, as a size medium bag. The medium size is designed for laptops with displays up to 15 inches.

The Impulse bag feels quite light at 2.2 pounds, but also has some serious protection and comfort features. It has a volume of 1220.5 cubic inches and laptop space measuring 9.8 x 14.3 x 0.9 inches.

I am a fan of the color orange so it was great to see the grey bag has orange highlights on the durable zippers and some stitching.

On the back, side that rests against your back, you will find four thick padded areas to protect your gear and make the bag comfortable. There is a luggage pass-through strap and two shoulder straps with a sternum strap and clip to help you carry a heavier load. The should straps are adjustable and have padding as well.

I like the cool lower pocket on the front that lets you carry charging bricks and cables with a drop down zippered flap for access. Above that you will find a large front zippered compartment with slots for pens, a clip for keys, and a zippered back compartment inside. It is quite deep and great for things you need access to quickly.

A large zippered pocket is next with a divider inside. This compartment is handy for magazines, books, and other miscellaneous gear.

The main technology compartment holds your laptop and tablet inside an orange highlighted soft fabric pocket with thick padding. You can also place another device in the main compartment area with a small divider on the back too.

There is a zippered pocket on one side and an open one with elastic on the other. I secured my keys in the zippered side pocket.

The Impulse back is attractive, very functional, and very durable. The stitching and zipper work is top notch and I can see using such a bag for years. It is available now for $100.

Velo 2

Sometimes I am reviewing lots of gear or take trips where I have to carry a ton of gear. I don't like to carry too much on my daily commute, but at times there is a need for something to carry it all. The Velo 2 has a ton of pockets and space available for even the most loaded commuter.

The Velo 2 is made of that same 300D polyester material and comes in blue, grey, and black. I was sent the blue one that has yellow highlights. The blue is fairly bold and stands out, which is good if you don't want to lose your bag in the crowd of black ones.

This messenger style bag has an always attached adjustable shoulder strap with a nice large pad for comfort. A comfortable long handle is on the top of the bag so you can carry it like a briefcase if you don't want to use the shoulder strap too. There is an adjustable strap along the back that can be positioned near the bottom or top of the back to help stabilize your load. A pocket is also along the back, perfect for magazines or papers.

A small, quick access zippered pocket is on the top near the carrying handle and that is great for your wallet or keys. There are also two long zippered pockets at the base of each end of the shoulder strap for more gear, including water bottles or a small umbrella.

The front is secured by two plastic clips and after pressing them in I was surprised when the entire front did not lift up. You see, the top flap goes up about half way and then is kept closed with a unique side-entry zipper that then lets you fully open the main compartment. I personally am not much of a fan of this entry method and found I kept having to move the flap out of the way to access the zipper.

Inside the main compartment you will find a huge open area with a couple dividers on the back and a split pockets near the front. One of the back pockets is perfect for a small tablet and has soft material lining it in yellow. I actually found the other two bags to be better designed for carrying a laptop securely as this large compartment was really too big for the laptops and tablets I carry to keep them from moving around inside.

In front of the main compartment you will find two other zippered compartments. The middle one has slots for pens, business cards, and other gear with a clip for keys. The front compartment is small and good for gum and other items.

The Velo 2 bag carries a lot, but I personally found it too big for my needs. If you have a lot to carry and don't mind the unique main pocket securing method then you might want to consider the Velo 2. It is available now for $100.

Vdio is a new streaming video service available currently through your computer web browser and an iPad application. It's really in preview mode at the moment, and only available to Rdio Unlimited subscribers ($9.99/month service) in the US and the UK.

A great benefit for Unlimited subscribers is the $25 free Vdio credit it is giving away. If you are an existing Rdio Unlimited subscriber or sign up for an Unlimited account in the next 60 days, then you will see a $25 VIP credit to use towards Vdio content.

Within Vdio, you can buy or rent movies and TV shows, and as I looked around in the catalog, it seemed like the prices were comparable to what I see on iTunes and the Google Play Store. I rented Lincoln for $4.99, since my wife hasn't seen it yet, and plan to watch it soon on my iPad connected to my TV. The folks at Rdio stated that they are working on more mobile apps, so I imagine we will soon see iOS and Android support.

You get 30 days to begin watching rented content, and then 24 hours to finish viewing it (48 hours in the UK). If you purchase something, you can obviously watch it as many times as you like. Season passes for TV shows are also available.

Vdio is trying to differentiate itself from other video services by focusing on the discoverability of content. It has Sets, playlists for TV shows and movies, so you can share these with others and discover content via social interactions. The website is well designed, with many features you may be familiar with in Rdio.

The Big Jambox is one of the best portable speakers I have ever tested, and today it announced that it is making it even better with a software update. The Big Jambox dropped down $50 to $249.99 until April 6, and with this update you will get more battery life, improved audio performance, and more control.

To update your Big Jambox, visit the mytalk.jawbone.com site and follow the directions to connect your Big Jambox to your computer and perform the update. According to Jawbone, this 2.0 software update is free and includes the following:

• Better audio experience: New AAC support for iOS 6.1 delivers improved audio streaming with fewer dropouts and interruptions at greater distances.

• Longer battery life: Gain two additional hours of battery life (that’s 17 total hours of playback) when streaming from your iOS 6.1 device. It's also less taxing on your connected device, meaning you’ll have more battery life on your paired iOS device too.

• Synced volume control: Now you can control the volume from your Big Jambox or from your mobile device without having to adjust the volume on both (requires AVRCP 1.4).

• New Silent Mode: Stream music on Big Jambox without the interruption of voice prompts and tones. Just hold down the "Talk" & "Minus" buttons while powering Big Jambox on to disable all sounds aside from your tunes and calls; Big Jambox will stay in Silent Mode until disabled by holding down the "Talk" & "Plus" buttons while powering on.

• Performance improvements: This update also improves the LED response on Big Jambox and brings connectivity for PS Vita for killer mobile gaming audio.

The Big Jambox is a great audio product, and I love it when free software updates bring major features, like two additional hours of battery life.

I bought a Microsoft Surface RT, and found it to be a decent device, primarily for the student who needs Office on the go. However, I think it serves a limited audience and I sold mine to buy the Surface Pro, which is much more useful for my needs. Given the outstanding Microsoft Surface RT quality and design with limited platform appeal, I don't know why any other manufacturer would waste resources competing with an RT product.

HTC previously made a couple of Android tablets, the HTC Flyer and HTC Jetstream, neither of which reportedly sold very well. There are many reasons for their failure, including a lack of upgrade to current versions of Android, extremely high pricing, and limited tablet functionality in Android.

There is no doubt that HTC can make fantastic hardware, but design is not its problem. Upgradeability, both in terms of hardware (microSD card expansion and removable battery) and software (limited support for updating devices with HTC Sense to the next version of Android) are issues that it has with its smartphones. It also lacks any real marketing, and if people are not talking about its products, then they are not buying them. HTC should spend any available money they have on marketing the heck out of the HTC One and forgetting about secondary devices like a Windows RT or Android tablet.

An HTC Windows RT tablet would probably have hardware that rivaled Microsoft's Surface, but few would likely care. It would also likely be priced out of most consumer's budget and sell maybe a few thousand. HTC needs to focus and double down on marketing the One, so hopefully this rumored tablet ends up being just a rumor or I honestly doubt the long-term viability of HTC as we know it.

If you are looking at using the Samsung Galaxy Camera as a point and shoot alternative, then I recommend you stick with a point and shoot for higher quality pics. The Galaxy Camera's strength is not superb optics, but connectivity and Android applications.

I never print photos and don't think it's that common anymore. However, like most people, I do upload photos to social networking sites, upload to online backup services, and send them to people via email. Thus, many of us are not as concerned about photo quality as we were in the past and as long as they look good online then that satisfies many folks. Like a smartphone, you can use the Samsung Galaxy Camera to upload your photos to various places right after you take them.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is available now from Verizon Wireless for $549.99 with month to month service. You can add it to your shared data plan or pay for LTE service like you can with an iPad.

Specifications

Specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Camera include:

• 16 megapixel camera with 21x optical zoom
• Optical image stabilization and Xenon flash
• 4.8 inch 1280 x 720 pixel LCD display
• Quad-core, 1.4 GHz processor
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI
• 1GB RAM
• 8 GB internal memory with microSD card slot
• Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA support
• 1,650 mAh removable Lithium Ion battery
• Dimensions of 2.79 x 5.07 x 0.75 inches and 10.76 inches

As you can see, there are a couple differentiators over the Galaxy smartphones, including support for 21x optical zoom and Xenon flash. The Galaxy Camera is essentially a Samsung Android smartphone slapped on the back of a point and shoot camera.

Hardware

Like many others, I find most Samsung smartphones to use rather cheap plastics for the back cover. However, Samsung did a much better job with the Galaxy Camera and I would love to see this type of plastic construction used in their smartphones. I tested the white model. The back is completely black and mostly taken up by the display. There are no buttons to control the Android experience — there are instead touchscreen controls that rotate when you turn the camera. There are three buttons: menu, home, and back.

The microUSB port is on the right side, along with the 3.5mm headset jack. These are both located in a textured area that serves as a great handle for holding the camera with one hand. A nice leather lanyard is included and attaches near the bottom of the right side.

To the left of these ports and on top of the camera you will find the capture button and dial to zoom the lens in and out. The power button is near the center on the top.

On the left side you will find a button that raises the Xenon flash on top of the left side. Below this is the speaker opening. Around the front you will find the very large lens that pops out in three stages. To the left of the lens you will find a sensor.

There is a tripod attachment port centered in the bottom of the Galaxy Camera. A door on one side opens up to reveal the microHDMI port, SIM card slot, microSD slot, and removable battery.

Software

The Galaxy Camera is powered by Android and when you press the Home button you will see that it is a fairly typical Samsung device with the TouchWiz user interface. Let's take a closer look at the advanced camera software that sets the Galaxy Camera apart. I understand that the upcoming Galaxy S4 will have this same cool camera interface and I hope it comes to my Note II as well.

When you first launch the camera, you will see three main buttons on the screen on the right. These include camera capture (you can also use the top button), mode, and video capture. Along the upper left is an arrow, and when you tap it you will see controls for voice controls, flash, timer, and more.

If you want to switch out of auto mode, then you tap the mode button to reveal the other two modes: smart and expert. Smart mode opens up a page of thumbnails that include the following:

• Beauty face: Corrects facial imperfections automatically when taking portrait photos.
• Best photo: Selects the best picture when you take a series.
• Continuous shot: Takes photos continuously at a rate of four per second.
• Best face: Selects the best picture of each person from five consecutive pictures to get the best-merged photo.
• Landscape: Best for landscapes where it makes blues and greens more intense.
• Macro: Takes pictures of close objects or text.
• Action freeze: Takes pictures of fast movement.
• Rich tone: Takes and merges photos in various exposures to create soft and rich color.
• Panorama: Takes panorama pictures made up of a maximum of eight photos.
• Waterfall: Takes pictures of waterfalls and flowing water using long exposure. A tripod is recommended for this mode.
• Silhouette: Takes pictures of silhouettes with backlighting.
• Sunset: Takes pictures that emphasize the sunset by making the colors more intense.
• Night: Takes pictures by combining pics to get brighter, clearer pics in low light without flash.
• Fireworks: Takes pictures of fireworks using long exposure. Again, a tripod is recommended.
• Light trace: Takes pictures of light trails using long exposure at night. A tripod is recommended here too.

The expert mode features are beyond my limited camera knowledge, but mimic what you might see on a DSLR. You will find manual settings for aperture, EV (brightness), and shutter speed. I need to study more before using these manual settings, but I find the smart and automatic modes to be more than adequate for my usage.

The Galaxy Camera has integrated LTE and WiFi for connectivity that functions just like it does on Android smartphones. There is no ability to make calls and the LTE connection is strictly for data usage.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is a rather expensive device, but if you take lots of photos and want to upload them to social networking sites on the go, then it may be worth it. It's a pretty large and heavy device and the reason I use my smartphones to take photos is that they are always in my pocket, and the Galaxy Camera is just too big for that. It takes great photos and shoots like a regular camera, but you will still find that standard point and shoots take better photos.

I enjoy using my Samsung Galaxy Note II and the more I test the camera and compare it to other smartphones, the more impressed I am by the solid performance. Samsung took their camera experience to the next level with the Samsung Galaxy Camera, but the advanced features come at a rather steep price when compared to point and shoot cameras.

If you are looking at using the Samsung Galaxy Camera as a point and shoot alternative, then I recommend you stick with a point and shoot for higher quality pics. The Galaxy Camera's strength is not superb optics, but connectivity and Android applications.

I never print photos and don't think it's that common anymore. However, like most people, I do upload photos to social networking sites, upload to online backup services, and send them to people via email. Thus, many of us are not as concerned about photo quality as we were in the past and as long as they look good online then that satisfies many folks. Like a smartphone, you can use the Samsung Galaxy Camera to upload your photos to various places right after you take them.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is available now from Verizon Wireless for $549.99 with month to month service. You can add it to your shared data plan or pay for LTE service like you can with an iPad.

Specifications

Specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Camera include:

• 16 megapixel camera with 21x optical zoom
• Optical image stabilization and Xenon flash
• 4.8 inch 1280 x 720 pixel LCD display
• Quad-core, 1.4 GHz processor
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI
• 1GB RAM
• 8 GB internal memory with microSD card slot
• Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA support
• 1,650 mAh removable Lithium Ion battery
• Dimensions of 2.79 x 5.07 x 0.75 inches and 10.76 inches

As you can see, there are a couple differentiators over the Galaxy smartphones, including support for 21x optical zoom and Xenon flash. The Galaxy Camera is essentially a Samsung Android smartphone slapped on the back of a point and shoot camera.

Hardware

Like many others, I find most Samsung smartphones to use rather cheap plastics for the back cover. However, Samsung did a much better job with the Galaxy Camera and I would love to see this type of plastic construction used in their smartphones. I tested the white model. The back is completely black and mostly taken up by the display. There are no buttons to control the Android experience — there are instead touchscreen controls that rotate when you turn the camera. There are three buttons: menu, home, and back.

The microUSB port is on the right side, along with the 3.5mm headset jack. These are both located in a textured area that serves as a great handle for holding the camera with one hand. A nice leather lanyard is included and attaches near the bottom of the right side.

To the left of these ports and on top of the camera you will find the capture button and dial to zoom the lens in and out. The power button is near the center on the top.

On the left side you will find a button that raises the Xenon flash on top of the left side. Below this is the speaker opening. Around the front you will find the very large lens that pops out in three stages. To the left of the lens you will find a sensor.

There is a tripod attachment port centered in the bottom of the Galaxy Camera. A door on one side opens up to reveal the microHDMI port, SIM card slot, microSD slot, and removable battery.

Software

The Galaxy Camera is powered by Android and when you press the Home button you will see that it is a fairly typical Samsung device with the TouchWiz user interface. Let's take a closer look at the advanced camera software that sets the Galaxy Camera apart. I understand that the upcoming Galaxy S4 will have this same cool camera interface and I hope it comes to my Note II as well.

When you first launch the camera, you will see three main buttons on the screen on the right. These include camera capture (you can also use the top button), mode, and video capture. Along the upper left is an arrow, and when you tap it you will see controls for voice controls, flash, timer, and more.

If you want to switch out of auto mode, then you tap the mode button to reveal the other two modes: smart and expert. Smart mode opens up a page of thumbnails that include the following:

• Beauty face: Corrects facial imperfections automatically when taking portrait photos.
• Best photo: Selects the best picture when you take a series.
• Continuous shot: Takes photos continuously at a rate of four per second.
• Best face: Selects the best picture of each person from five consecutive pictures to get the best-merged photo.
• Landscape: Best for landscapes where it makes blues and greens more intense.
• Macro: Takes pictures of close objects or text.
• Action freeze: Takes pictures of fast movement.
• Rich tone: Takes and merges photos in various exposures to create soft and rich color.
• Panorama: Takes panorama pictures made up of a maximum of eight photos.
• Waterfall: Takes pictures of waterfalls and flowing water using long exposure. A tripod is recommended for this mode.
• Silhouette: Takes pictures of silhouettes with backlighting.
• Sunset: Takes pictures that emphasize the sunset by making the colors more intense.
• Night: Takes pictures by combining pics to get brighter, clearer pics in low light without flash.
• Fireworks: Takes pictures of fireworks using long exposure. Again, a tripod is recommended.
• Light trace: Takes pictures of light trails using long exposure at night. A tripod is recommended here too.

The expert mode features are beyond my limited camera knowledge, but mimic what you might see on a DSLR. You will find manual settings for aperture, EV (brightness), and shutter speed. I need to study more before using these manual settings, but I find the smart and automatic modes to be more than adequate for my usage.

The Galaxy Camera has integrated LTE and WiFi for connectivity that functions just like it does on Android smartphones. There is no ability to make calls and the LTE connection is strictly for data usage.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is a rather expensive device, but if you take lots of photos and want to upload them to social networking sites on the go, then it may be worth it. It's a pretty large and heavy device and the reason I use my smartphones to take photos is that they are always in my pocket, and the Galaxy Camera is just too big for that. It takes great photos and shoots like a regular camera, but you will still find that standard point and shoots take better photos.

I enjoy using my Samsung Galaxy Note II and the more I test the camera and compare it to other smartphones, the more impressed I am by the solid performance. Samsung took their camera experience to the next level with the Samsung Galaxy Camera, but the advanced features come at a rather steep price when compared to point and shoot cameras.

If you are looking at using the Samsung Galaxy Camera as a point and shoot alternative, then I recommend you stick with a point and shoot for higher quality pics. The Galaxy Camera's strength is not superb optics, but connectivity and Android applications.

I never print photos and don't think it's that common anymore. However, like most people, I do upload photos to social networking sites, upload to online backup services, and send them to people via email. Thus, many of us are not as concerned about photo quality as we were in the past and as long as they look good online then that satisfies many folks. Like a smartphone, you can use the Samsung Galaxy Camera to upload your photos to various places right after you take them.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is available now from Verizon Wireless for $549.99 with month to month service. You can add it to your shared data plan or pay for LTE service like you can with an iPad.

Specifications

Specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Camera include:

• 16 megapixel camera with 21x optical zoom
• Optical image stabilization and Xenon flash
• 4.8 inch 1280 x 720 pixel LCD display
• Quad-core, 1.4 GHz processor
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI
• 1GB RAM
• 8 GB internal memory with microSD card slot
• Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA support
• 1,650 mAh removable Lithium Ion battery
• Dimensions of 2.79 x 5.07 x 0.75 inches and 10.76 inches

As you can see, there are a couple differentiators over the Galaxy smartphones, including support for 21x optical zoom and Xenon flash. The Galaxy Camera is essentially a Samsung Android smartphone slapped on the back of a point and shoot camera.

Hardware

Like many others, I find most Samsung smartphones to use rather cheap plastics for the back cover. However, Samsung did a much better job with the Galaxy Camera and I would love to see this type of plastic construction used in their smartphones. I tested the white model. The back is completely black and mostly taken up by the display. There are no buttons to control the Android experience — there are instead touchscreen controls that rotate when you turn the camera. There are three buttons: menu, home, and back.

The microUSB port is on the right side, along with the 3.5mm headset jack. These are both located in a textured area that serves as a great handle for holding the camera with one hand. A nice leather lanyard is included and attaches near the bottom of the right side.

To the left of these ports and on top of the camera you will find the capture button and dial to zoom the lens in and out. The power button is near the center on the top.

On the left side you will find a button that raises the Xenon flash on top of the left side. Below this is the speaker opening. Around the front you will find the very large lens that pops out in three stages. To the left of the lens you will find a sensor.

There is a tripod attachment port centered in the bottom of the Galaxy Camera. A door on one side opens up to reveal the microHDMI port, SIM card slot, microSD slot, and removable battery.

Software

The Galaxy Camera is powered by Android and when you press the Home button you will see that it is a fairly typical Samsung device with the TouchWiz user interface. Let's take a closer look at the advanced camera software that sets the Galaxy Camera apart. I understand that the upcoming Galaxy S4 will have this same cool camera interface and I hope it comes to my Note II as well.

When you first launch the camera, you will see three main buttons on the screen on the right. These include camera capture (you can also use the top button), mode, and video capture. Along the upper left is an arrow, and when you tap it you will see controls for voice controls, flash, timer, and more.

If you want to switch out of auto mode, then you tap the mode button to reveal the other two modes: smart and expert. Smart mode opens up a page of thumbnails that include the following:

• Beauty face: Corrects facial imperfections automatically when taking portrait photos.
• Best photo: Selects the best picture when you take a series.
• Continuous shot: Takes photos continuously at a rate of four per second.
• Best face: Selects the best picture of each person from five consecutive pictures to get the best-merged photo.
• Landscape: Best for landscapes where it makes blues and greens more intense.
• Macro: Takes pictures of close objects or text.
• Action freeze: Takes pictures of fast movement.
• Rich tone: Takes and merges photos in various exposures to create soft and rich color.
• Panorama: Takes panorama pictures made up of a maximum of eight photos.
• Waterfall: Takes pictures of waterfalls and flowing water using long exposure. A tripod is recommended for this mode.
• Silhouette: Takes pictures of silhouettes with backlighting.
• Sunset: Takes pictures that emphasize the sunset by making the colors more intense.
• Night: Takes pictures by combining pics to get brighter, clearer pics in low light without flash.
• Fireworks: Takes pictures of fireworks using long exposure. Again, a tripod is recommended.
• Light trace: Takes pictures of light trails using long exposure at night. A tripod is recommended here too.

The expert mode features are beyond my limited camera knowledge, but mimic what you might see on a DSLR. You will find manual settings for aperture, EV (brightness), and shutter speed. I need to study more before using these manual settings, but I find the smart and automatic modes to be more than adequate for my usage.

The Galaxy Camera has integrated LTE and WiFi for connectivity that functions just like it does on Android smartphones. There is no ability to make calls and the LTE connection is strictly for data usage.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is a rather expensive device, but if you take lots of photos and want to upload them to social networking sites on the go, then it may be worth it. It's a pretty large and heavy device and the reason I use my smartphones to take photos is that they are always in my pocket, and the Galaxy Camera is just too big for that. It takes great photos and shoots like a regular camera, but you will still find that standard point and shoots take better photos.

Readers know I am a big fan of life activity trackers, and thanks to being the first to support Android and iOS, I have been using the Fitbit One for a couple months. Nike killed plans for Android, so now my Fuelband sits idle. I am extremely pleased to pass along the news that Jawbone added Android support and will be put back on my wrist again.

I wrote about the new Jawbone Up and purchased the light blue one as soon as it became available. I see they now have more colors available, including black, mint green, blue, light grey, and navy blue. I was going to hold out for navy blue, but the light blue one was available first. The Jawbone Up is available for $129.99.

The new Android app (Google Play Store link) functions just like the iOS app. I had planned on testing it on the HTC One, but unfortunately, the Up doesn't appear to work with the HTC One. It runs just fine on the Samsung Galaxy Note II. You can view the Up device compatibility list to see if your device is supported. I will do more testing as I use my Up with Android moving forward. I do have an iPhone 5, but it isn't always with me, and my Galaxy Note II is my primary device on T-Mobile.

Jawbone shared the following data results from the Up community:

• People get the most sleep on the weekends

• User are most engaged in logging meals on Mondays

• Data has shown that activity doesn't necessarily mean working out: Users get the most steps on Fridays, but workout most on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays

• Users take the least steps on Saturdays and Sundays.

I actually take more steps on the weekends since I tend to take long runs on Saturday and Sunday. I completely agree with the sleep on the weekends statistic.

Travis Bogard, Jawbone vice president of product management and strategy, stated:

We are excited to expand the Up community by introducing support for Android, 11 new languages for iOS, and product availability in more than 25 additional countries around the world. Everyone wants to improve upon themselves; we've found this to be a fundamental human desire, no matter where a person is starting from or what they want to achieve. Today marks a big step toward our commitment to help people establish a basis for behavior change by bringing Up to everyone who wants to live better lives.

I am a big fan of these types of devices, and find when they are with me that I do take the stairs more often and tend to get up and move more frequently. I look forward to using my Up again with the HTC One (when it is supported) and Samsung Galaxy Note II.

Jawbone also announced that the Up is available internationally in Europe, with Asia, Australia, and the Middle East coming next month.

Related stories

• Jawbone Up: New internals and attractive mobile app provide stylish life tracking (review)

• Fitbit adds Android direct syncing support for Galaxy S III and Note II users

• Fitbit One adds Bluetooth sync and silent alarm; the one life tracker to buy (review)

• Nike drops plans for Android Fuelband app, time for Jawbone and Fitbit to step up

• Fitbit Ultra or Jawbone Up: Which one meets your lifestyle tracking needs?

• Life-tracking tools for a better, healthier you: Fuelband, Fitbit, Up compared

In addition to the Muzetto Outback, the folks at WaterField Designs saw that I was using the Microsoft Surface Pro and offered up one of their SleeveCases.

Muzetto Outback

WaterField Designs has had their Muzetto Leather bag for a while and I have heard great things about it from users. I liked the idea of the Muzetto Outback because it is constructed of waxed canvas and seemed to be a better solution than the leather bag for rainy weather. I walk a couple miles a day to and from the train, and in Washington State that often means walking in the rain.

I have a WaterField Designs cargo bag that is several years old and it still looks nearly brand new. The Muzetto Outback bag continues the tradition of extremely high quality construction. I pulled it from the plastic bag and was immediately impressed by the materials, construction, attachments, and colors.

The highlight color is found under the top flap, on the outside of the main pocket, and above the inner opening. The  outer pocket and main bag storage compartment are lined with the durable gold material found in many other WaterField Designs bags. I understand they use gold so that you can easily find the contents in the compartments and it has become a signature feature of their gear. The smaller pocket has soft, padded black material to protect the pocket's contents.

You can remove and relocate the shoulder pad so that the strap fits you perfectly.

The outside waxed canvas feels rugged and I understand it softens up and gains character over the years. You can choose from one of six accent colors, including green, flame, copper, pine, pearl, and black. I am a fan of the color orange so I chose to check out the flame-colored bag.

There is an outside pocket behind the flap, a main opening under the flap that also includes a zippered closure pocket, and a smaller outer pocket that has a smaller compartment at the top. Thus, you have one pocket accessible with the top flap closed. This flap piece does not secure, it just rests against the other highlighted material on the outside of the pocket.

There are five available sizes with five different prices. As stated by the WaterField Designs folks, these are the sizes and possible usage scenarios:

The Personal ($149) for your basics — wallet, phone, camera, and iPad in a minimalist case like the Suede Jacket or Slip Case. The 10" Portable ($159) for larger devices — tablets, e-readers and netbooks, including the iPad inside a WaterField iPad Smart Case or Ultimate SleeveCase. The 11" Laptop Muzetto ($169) is your 11" MacBook Air's best friend. The 13" ($179) and 15" ($189) Laptop sizes fit your Mac laptop inside a Vertical WaterField Designs SleeveCase (not included) plus accessories.

I was sent the 11 inch model to check out with the intent to carry my Surface Pro and some other gear. I spent the last couple of weeks carrying the Surface Pro (or Chromebook Pixel), three phones, my wallet, USB cable, small Moleskine, pen, aspirin, and some papers.

This one compartment is padded with soft black fabric.

I have the carrying strap fit to go across my body with the main bag resting against my back. It was refreshing just carrying the essentials and I am liking this approach. I can't say enough about the quality of construction, feel of the bag, and functionality of this solution.

This is a MUCH lighter load than the heavy backpack I have been carrying around.

I have used various SleeveCases in the past with ebook readers and laptops. Those all had the lead indium bottom trim, and this time Waterfield Designs sent along a MS Surface SleeveCase with brown leather trim.

There are a number of different sizes available to best fit your device and if you are not sure which one is best, just email them and they will work to make sure you order the proper case. To fit my Microsoft Surface Pro with Type Cover, they recommended the 44-28 and it fits perfectly.

There are options for trim and shoulder straps. Indium is included with the leather choice priced $6 more. The Surface Pro SleeveCase is priced at $59. Shoulder straps vary from $5 to $22 and are completely optional. Since I intended to carry my Surface Pro in the SleeveCase in another bag I didn't need the shoulder strap.

The current generation SleeveCase has a lot more front and back padding than I remember from the past. There is soft black material inside the compartment with that same soft material under the flap. The flap is secured with velcro and a heavy nylon strap backs up the center of the flap.

There is a loop around the center of the trim piece that is helpful for pulling the SleeveCase off your Surface while you hold on to the Surface from within the compartment.

I like that there is a large pocket on the backside of the SleeveCase, under where the flap is secured on the back. I have been using this pocket to carry my Surface stylus and USB cable.

WaterField Designs has a huge assortment of cases, bags, and accessories to choose from and I am sure you can find something to fit your gear. Their solutions are made with the highest quality materials and amazing construction.

One of the best aspects is that they are all made in San Francisco and some even have a bit of a waiting period because they make them as you order so you know you are getting a freshly baked product. I can show you my original Mambo Combo, reviewed on Geek.com in 2006, and you will swear they are new bags and accessories.

You can't go wrong with their products and while the prices may appear high, they are actually pretty reasonable for high end bags. They will last you for years and likely be one of the most dependable bags you ever own. They are also very attractive and fashionable.

A couple years ago, if someone asked me what the best portable computer hardware was, I had no hesitation in sending them to the Apple Store. That is now changing though, as we see companies like Microsoft and Google challenging Apple with amazing hardware.

A few writers here at ZDNet have been using the Chromebook Pixel (see links to related coverage below) and I really wanted to see one for myself and see if I could get by with using one. Google sent one for me to try out for a couple weeks and I am indeed incredibly impressed with the top-notch hardware and Chrome experience. However, the Microsoft Surface Pro better meets my needs since Windows is still needed to run some of my engineering apps.

I tested out the $249 Samsung Chromebook a few months ago and ended up giving it to my youngest daughter for a Christmas present. She absolutely loves it and uses it as her laptop for school research, writing papers, chatting with her sister in college via Google Talk, and watching streaming video content.

I was EXTREMELY productive with the Chromebook and if writing here on ZDNet was my only job then I would buy the Chromebook Pixel in a heartbeat, even at the $1,449 price. The display will blow you away, the touchpad is elegant, the keyboard is functional, and I love the look and feel of the retro-looking hardware. It is quite heavy and that actually resulted in a slip off my lap one night last week. The Pixel is still fully usable and functional, but there is a small dent on the back of the display where it struck my MacBook Pro.

Related ZDNet coverage

• Chromebook Pixel: Run Ubuntu alongside Chrome OS
• In defense of the Chromebook Pixel
• Chromebook Pixel from Google: Pushing the cloud to the limit
• Chromebook Pixel hands on (photos)
• Chromebook Pixel: Does this device herald Android and Chrome OS's wedding?

I'm still not sold on the need for a touchscreen and don't like experiences where you jump between a display and keyboard. I am hoping Google has more in store for this, perhaps at Google I/O in May. Jumping between a touchscreen and a keyboard is one reason that iPad keyboards frustrate me a bit. Apple has a lock on how far external keyboard manufacturers can go with functionality and they are really just good for text entry.

My wife and I were streaming Vikings on Hulu and she kept looking behind us since the speakers on the Pixel are the most amazing laptop speakers I have ever heard and we swore action was behind us. I can't even find the speakers on the Pixel. James told me they are under the keyboard, and the sound just seems to come at you from the device. If you watch a lot of streaming content without headphones, you may want the Pixel just for that experience.

Browsing in Chrome, writing posts in an offline text editor, watching media with streaming services, and more were all great experiences. However, I need to still use the full version of Excel, Word, and Project while running ship stability software, so the Pixel just won't fit into my life at this time.

One thing I miss on the Surface Pro and other laptops I have tried is integrated LTE. You get 100MB of free Verizon LTE per month on the more expensive Pixel, and it also comes with double the integrated flash memory, and I find having integrated wireless to be extremely convenient. I have it in my iPad and prefer integrated wireless over tethering in most situations. It was great to use the Pixel on the Sounder train and it's actually where I am working on this article right now.

The Pixel is expensive, but if you spend most of your time in the cloud, you won't regret the purchase. The hardware is simply fantastic, so if Chrome meets your needs then it is a great purchase. I understand you can also dual boot into a Linux distribution so you can do even more with the Chromebook if you spend a bit of time setting it up.

My MoTR podcast co-host, Kevin Tofel, told us he ordered his own during the last show, so keep listening to the podcast for more of his long-term experiences. If Google doesn't have me purchase this scratch-and-dent model, then it will be going back at the end of the week and I am sure I will miss it dearly soon after.

• HTC One in hand

• Thoughts on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S IV launch event

• Matt has a Chromebook Pixel to test out now too

Running time: 71:30 minutes

Listen here (MP3, 44MB)

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