Posts Tagged sony
Unique and Artsy Kindle Cases
When you buy a Kindle from Amazon, all that comes in the box is the unit and a charger. If you feel more than a little trepidation over putting this $279 investment into a bag where it can get jostled and scratched, you will find yourself scrambling to get some kind of case or pouch right away.
Most of the Kindle covers sold at Amazon are meant to look professional, business-like, or unobtrusive. They’re fine, but if you want something with more pizazz, check out the collection from FernFiddlehead at the Etsy.com store. Etsy is a place where individual craftspeople show off their work and sell directly to people like you and me. This way they get the word out and have a nice display space without building hundreds of individual stores. There’s a lot of cool stuff on there for people who want products with personality.
I’ve been trying out the two FernFiddlehead Kindle cases pictured here. I’m using the version at the top as I move around with my Kindle, but this summer I’ll be moving to Mexico and my daughter will become the Kindle holder since we can’t lug 20 kids’ books down with us. So we’ll switch to the second cover pictured here when it’s in her hands.
Technically these are called “e-reader pouches” since you could also use them for a Nook, the Sony Reader John reviewed before, or some of the other e-book readers he checked out at the CES show this year. There’s basically just padded pouches (using polyfill) with a zipper, so they can hold any device that will fit the dimensions of 6 inches X 9 inches.
The only problem I’ve run into with these cases is that the length ends up being a shade less than 9 inches where the zipper closes, so you can’t just slide the Kindle in and out. You have to put it in at a slight angle and adjust, and pull it out at an angle when removing it from the case. No biggie, but a zipper that extends further than the case would make extraction easier.
These e-book reader pouches come in a variety of rotating designs according to what fabric the artist is currently working with, so what you see at the shop now will probably be different a few months from now. If you see a style you really like, in other words, snag it. These are not mass-produced cases that you’ll see other people using in the airport. These cases can show your own personal style.
Most can be washed in cold water and put in a dryer on low. They sell for $12 to $15 and shipping is a bargain: $2 in the U.S., $3.50 for Europe, $4 elsewhere, or free if you buy two or more items. See the whole line here.
My colleague Kara reviewed a line of padded laptop covers from FernFiddlehead a while back and liked the uniqueness of those as well. The shop also sells iPad covers, netbook covers, and iPod pouches. See it all at the Etsy FernFiddlehead store.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Kids and Family on May 9th, 2010
Holiday Tunes to Go: Sony Ericsson MS410 Portable Speaker a Sound Investment
If someone on your gift list carries a Sony Ericsson Walkman or other compatible cell phone, better sound is a snap with the MS410 snap-on speaker stand.
The small stereo speaker—just a little over four inches wide—works with more than 50 phones in the Sony Ericsson line. And for something so small, the sound is surprisingly good.
Music never sounds good on a cell phone’s built-in speaker. Phone speakers always sound tinny, with no discernable bass.
The MS410 speaker made Gwen Stefani sound much better on the W518a Walkman phone I tested it with. Realistically, you’ll never get concert-hall quality out of a four-inch speaker set. Nor will it match the sound of a good set of earbuds such as the Shure SE530PTH or the V-MODA Vibe II earbud-microphone combo we reviewed earlier.
But the MS410 does give decent stereo separation and greatly-improved frequency response compared to the phone’s built-in speaker. Set in on a table and there’s plenty of volume to be heard throughout a room.
The speaker stand plugs in to the charging port on the phone and doesn’t require any batteries of its own. As another benefit, it will hold the phone upright for watching videos.
The MS410 also includes a built-in FM antenna for phones equipped with radios. The antenna sensitivity leaves a bit to be desired. I was able to pick up local stations fine. But any station more than a few miles away couldn’t be heard. Reception will vary, depending on where the phone is used.
The list price is $39.99.
If you’re looking for a gift that’s simple to use, easy to carry on the road and not too hard on the budget, check out the Sony Ericsson MS410 portable speaker. You’ll hear the difference.
Get the Sony Ericsson MS410 Multimedia Speaker System at Buy.com
Related reviews: X-mini speaker and iHome mini speaker
Posted by JohnG in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on December 13th, 2009

