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Cloud Unlimted Music review – unlimited public wi-fi for the iPod Touch

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Get unlimited wi-fi for your iPod Touch at a tiny price

I recently subscribed to The Cloud’s iPod Touch service, dubbed “Cloud Unlimited Music”. It is a service designed specifically for the iPod Touch and gives unlimited browsing and downloading at The Cloud’s wi-fi hotspots for just £3.99 per month.

I decided it was worth it as it is handy to have instant internet access in many public train station. The company’s hotspots can be found in many public places – such as train stations, pubs, hotels, restaurants and as most O2 stores. Considering the small price, I can head out and just catch my emails or finish a download.

I’m really impressed at how well the system works. I signed up and added my debit card as payment, and then 2 days later (today) headed out to my local town to try it out. I walked into an O2 shop and tried to connect. Straight away I was on the net – no need to log on or anything like that.

You don’t need to log on because the system works by checking your iPod’s MAC address rather than a username or password. When you sign up, you provide your device’s MAC address and your account is locked to that code. By doing this, it means that you no longer have to log on when joining a hotspot.

In addition, I was also really impressed at the speeds. My local O2 store gave me a download speed of over 8 megabits per second (which is more than twice the speed of my home broadband).

So overall, I’m very happy with it. It’s great value and works very efficiently. If you need wi-fi access for your iPod Touch in town – this is for you.

Review: Exspect In-Ear Earphones

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I went out today and actually bought my second pair of the Exspect In-Ear earphones. I know, you’re thinking who the hell are Exspect? To be honest, I don’t really know – but I do know that their bargain earphones are fantastic.

They sell in HMV for £6 and to be honest most people – including myself – would think that they are £6 and therefore are probably god-awful. Absolutely not the case.

When I bought them the first time, I was amazed at how amazing the earphones sounded. The sound is extremely crisp, the bass is very well balanced and they are also (importantly) very comfortable. From a set of earphones this cheap, you’d expect a tinny sound with a lack of bass but I have to say I was astonished to find they are much better than you can expect at this price.

I also love the great 3D effect you get from the earphones. Listen to a song like Pink Floyd – On the Run and you’ll see what I mean. It’s as if the music is playing in your head, not your ears.

They are available in two colours – black and white – and having owned both I prefer the black – but that’s just my own preference.

In summary – a definite must if you’re on a budget. There are better earphones around – but there’s no point in buying cheap, tinny earphones when you can get these.

Review: Topcom USB Wireless Skype Phone (Butler 4012)

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I recently decided that, as I use Skype frequently for general phone calls to standard landline calls, I should get a proper Skype headset.

I found the Topcom Butler 4012 on eBay brand new for £14.99, which is a bargain considering that its RRP is about £70.

I have to say I’m very impressed with the handset. It’s really easy to use and works very well. There are a few pros and cons which I’ve outlined below:

Advantages:

  • Battery life is very good
  • Works very well with Skype using the USB interface
  • The drivers work with Windows Vista and Windows 7
  • It comes with a selection of ringtones and customizable features
  • The sound quality of the calls is very good
  • It works just as if it were a normal landline phone
  • Wireless range is very good

Disadvantages:

  • You have to dial the country code when making a call, even if it is in your local country (ie 0044 before the number in the UK)
  • Must be plugged in via USB, no ethernet port
  • Comes with EU plug (that is probably just the eBay seller, but it is probably worth mentioning)

Other than that I think it is a product that will prove very handy. I use it frequently now and I have to say it hasn’t played up at all yet.

So if you’re looking for a good value Skype phone, try the Topcom Butler 4012 Skype handset.

Office 2010 Beta – The review

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I’ve been testing Office 2010 for quite a while now, as I was part of the Technical Preview which Microsoft launched a little while ago. Now they’ve closed up the Technical Preview and replaced it with the Beta, which is now publically available for all to download and try out. I’m not entirely sure if Microsoft are limiting the amount of downloads, but if you want to be safe I suggest you download it now and give it a try.

Anyway, it goes without saying that Office 2010 is a huge improvement on Microsoft’s last attempt on an office suite – Office 2007. I’ve hated 2007 from the start. I thought the interface was clunky, confusing and time consuming. It was difficult to use, and anyone who was used to the simple menus of Office 2003 would have to learn how to use the programs all over again, from scratch. It’s like a car company saying we’ve made a new car, but to use it you’ll have to learn to drive all over again.

However, Microsoft have finally made a practical use of the futuristic design. The new menu bar is still there, but it is now usable. Here’s a little screenie…

Office 2010 Beta

Yes, it does take a little getting used to, but the basics are so much easier to access. All your common features are reachable at your fingertips.

I have to say that I like it. However, I don’t think this will be the case for everyone. I think it’s quite comparable to a car. If the car has a dashboard that looks like a small section of mission control, it becomes irritating and pointless. It’s the same for Office in that respect. If you’re typing out a document and you can’t find a feature hidden away in some submenu it is irritating and pointless – it’s exactly the same. I think Microsoft needs to think about this before launching a final version next year. I think they should maybe think about a “classic” mode, where people can use an interface which is comparable to older versions of Office.

Overall, I think it’s good and will prove successful. On the other hand, Microsoft needs to think about older users who are used to Office 2003 or even older versions. I think it’s really important that Microsoft holds on to it’s long term customers – letting them creep away now could be critical.

Windows 7 Final: The Review – What an improvement!

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OK so despite my word that I wouldn’t be upgrading to Windows 7 in the near future – I gave in. I had to have it to try to see what Microsoft had done to fix all the problems in Vista.

I have to say I am extremely impressed with what Microsoft has done. There are several handy new features that do make using the computer a lot easier and more productive. For example, the new taskbar is a massive improvement. I really love the previews of Windows and the fact they actually show up on screen. I also love the expanding Start menu that now shows your most frequent uses of applications.

In addition, there are more personal adjustments that can be made. The new “themes” idea has been made much more universal in Windows 7 and it makes it much easier to customize the look and feel of your computer.

There are also small changes that make a big difference. I find it brilliant that the wi-fi icon on the taskbar now shows the signal strength by default – really handy if you are in a public place. In addition, adding networks in general is now very simple with no fiddly menus to go through.

The updated Windows Media Center is definitely better too. The TV feature (which I most commonly use) has been brushed up and sorted out. It now also supports interactive services on DVB-T channels which is cool and something I’ve always wanted.

Boot up and shut down has also dramatically improved. It is much faster and much more efficient. Even when you have a lot of startup applications, you can get to work very quickly. I have to say I really like the new bootscreen too!

All in all, I definitely agree that Windows 7 is what Windows Vista should have been. I’m really glad Microsoft will now have a chance to redeem themselves. I personally didn’t have too much of a problem with Vista, but it is now nothing compared to Windows 7. Hopefully Microsoft will be able to remind people how good their operating systems are. Since Windows XP’s launch in 2001 they haven’t really had much to say for themselves, but now they do.

If you have XP or Vista, I strongly recommend you go ahead and upgrade. It’s totally worth the money. Do a clean install and start your computer again. If you liked the idea of Vista but hated the reality, you’ll love Windows 7.