Video Review - Hand Stylus vs adonit Jot Pro

You might have read about our Hand Stylus. Now some video review on the comparison against one of the top stylus in Malaysia, the adonit Jot Pro stylus, which claimed to be the most precise tip on the market. 

Youtube Direct Video Link

Photo Shoots during our review.

 

The retail pack of both Hand Stylus and the adonit Jot Pro

Tip of the Titan - Hand Stylus equipped with a 4mm rubber tip while Jot Pro with the dampening tip

Comparison of the tip size

Kissing of the tip - Ha ha ha, the Handstylus features a smaller tip but the responsiveness is as good as the Jot Pro

The Hand Stylus comes with a retractible tip like a pen and the Jot Pro come with a cap which need to be screw to keep it intact. Both keep the tip clean and safe although Hand Stylus offers a more convenient retractible features

The part I hated most. It's only an hour of usage and the rubber holder are full of non removable dust. And the magnetic cling also causes inconvenience as it cling to any metal or magnetic materials.

Comparison of Writing (Using a regular ball pen as benchmark)

For those who wanted to know more about the 2 stylus brand, feel free to leave a comment. Or if you have any test you would like us to perform using the 2 styluses, feel free to share with us. We will see if we are able to do it. 

Thank you.

Review - Handstylus

 

A lot of people are saying that stylus are unnecessary. However, you are able to find it being sold almost everywhere and people are buying it. Isn't it weird?
Not for those who need it for their job. Some occupations requires one to write on the tablet and not all tablet comes with a stylus especially iPads. You will need to get a separate stylus on your own and getting a good and reliable clearly not an easy task.

Why?

First, you will need to determine how much you want to spend on one. A stylus price range between RM5 to RM400 or more. That's pretty huge difference for something as simple as a stylus. But problem is, a lot of people spend the amount in between the minimal and the maximum and most ended up disappointed with the quality.
Then, you might need to look at the designs, the features, the brands? Some might say a good stylus will comes with a lot of features such as pen, laser pointer, bluetooth and so on. But do you really need those? Come on, if you need to write on a paper, why get a stylus with pen? You can easily get a pen everywhere. Laser pointer? A stylus with laser pointer would means batteries inside the stylus and extra batteries means weight. No wonder you hate the weight of your stylus. Bluetooth? The only thing i find useful with bluetooth is a handsfree to be use while driving and a lot of people rather not using it. And you want it on your stylus? Please pardon me but I can't really stop laughing.
I mean, you getting a stylus means you need to write on your tablet digitally. That's all and all you need is a good one that respond to your writing.

HANDSTYLUS

The Hand Stylus received more support (7500+ backers) than any of the other three dozen stylus projects featured on kickstarted, the crowdsource funding website.

Features Rich Stylus

The Handstylus is a masterfully crafted, pen-like stylus featuring a 4mm tip - the world's smallest conductive-silicone rubber tip. The slim tip provides super precision, is retractible and rotates as it retracts so it wears more evenly. The extra tip can also be purchased and it comes with a pack of 6.

 

Just like a pen, the hand stylus tip is retractible to ensure the tip is always clean when not in use

The Handstylus comes in an array of colours. Black, however, is our all time favourite colour which fit into all occasions. It's packaging are made from recycled or recyclable materials. And yes, what you see is what you get. There is also an optional extra tips packaged in handy canisters that cost at RM17 per 6 pieces canister.

The Hand Stylus is perfect for writing, drawing, taking signatures or playing games on the tablets. It also works with smart phones for clicking tiny internet links, selecting small text, and typing on diminutive keyboards. The Hand Stylus is also great with gloves, if you have long fingernails or if you like screens free of fingerprints. 

Some of the sample photos.

written on the iPad Mini with IMOS OPC Series Screen Protector applied

written on a piece of paper using a normal ball pen

As you can see, there aren't much difference on the quality of the writing using the Hand Stylus. Due to the pen-like design and small tip, you write like a normal pen. Let's check out another writing using a regular 5mm rubber tip stylus.

written on the iPad Mini using a normal 5mm rubber tip stylus

Using the same writing speed, you notice that there are huge difference in the writing. The Hand Stylus clearly shows what it can do better than a regular 5mm rubber tip stylus. As mentioned earlier, the reason you wanted to use a stylus is to make sure the writing experience is the same as using a normal pen and the Hand Stylus are able to provides such quality.

For more reviews on the Hand Stylus, kindly click Hand Stylus Reviews. 

Note: 

Connect2U are currently the only distributor / reseller of Hand Stylus in Malaysia. For those who are interested to become our dealer, kindly drop us an email at cc@connect2u.my.

For those who are interested to purchase, you can visit our e-store Connect2U.my

Product Updates - Motorola X Phone

Motorola just launched the new Moto X Phone. What so big deal about this? Well, it is the first Google inspired smartphone released by Motorola after acquisition by Google.

While it is now a ground breaking phone, it does come with features not found in other phones. Now, let's take a look at the specifications.

Looking at the specs, the Moto X Phone is just a mid-range model but if you just watch the promo videos, you will noticed that while it's just a mid-range model, it is built to IMPRESS. (at least to me)

Let's see if you will be impress by the Moto X Phone.

Moto X - Always Ready

You can now set your reminders, alarms even without touching your phone.

Moto X - Quick Capture

Unlike other phones, you need to start the camera touching on the icon. But for the Moto X Phone, you can activate the camera with a flick of your wrist and you'll never miss a shot.

The above are just some of the key features of the new Moto X. According to Motorola, the phone is fully customisable by user. You can choose your preferred colour, storage size, Welcome Message and more.

Check out the video on how you can customise your own Moto X

Moto X - Motomaker

Well, that's it. I am not sure if you will like it but for me, the design, the features are to my liking. Now I'm waiting on the announcement of the availability of the Moto X in Malaysia. Should Motorola decide not to launch it in Malaysia, then probably will need to get it from Google Play Store. 

Your Fears, Our Concern - by Connect2U Team

The data was taken from Refresh-It.net on the TOP E-COMMERCE FEARS. These are the top 7 reason why consumers are afraid to purchase online. Today we would like to explain on how are we addressing these. As we said, "Your Fears, Our Concern".

Fear of Credit Card Information Being Stolen

Here at Connect2U, we take this very seriously and that is why we offers our customer an offline payment. Customer can transfer the fund directly to our company account. Currently we have Maybank and OCBC. And for those who wanted to use credit card since it's easier and can get points / rebates, we offer them the convenience of using PayPal. This way, we will not going to obtain your credit card details and PayPal has proven that they are one of the safest for secure payment.

It's Not A Real Store

The reason why we decided to start an online store instead of a retails are, cheaper overhead cost that enable us to sell at reasonable price and enable us to reach out to more customers. And most important, we wanted YOU to be able to shop at your convenience, meaning you can shop anytime, anywhere (even when you can't sleep in the middle of the night or even when you are in the toilet). And for those who are from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, you can choose to meet up for a drink as well. 

I Can't Tell What the Product Is Really Like

Most of our product photos posted in our store are taken on the actual product. That is also the reason why its not attractive as some posted in the internet as we are not a professional photographer. On top of that, we also did some product demo and posted it on YouTube. You can view it here, Connect2U Youtube Channel. If you are interested to know more about the product, you can also contact us via whatsapp and we will be glad to take more photos and send to you. This is an extra added service from the team to give the upmost satisfaction to our customers.

Needing Help From A Salesperson

This is where we really excel. As we are really passionate on our business, we are offering the best service to all our customers. If you have any questions or in need of extra information, feel free to ask us. We offers a FREE CONSULTATIONS in terms of mobile phones and tablets selection as well as accessories too. If you have something in mind but not sure of how it works, just contact us and we will try our best to help. We might not be an expert in everything, but we promised to assists in our best efforts.

You'll Sell My Information

We currently have hundred of members and all information are kept with high confidentiality. As much as you hate your personal information are leaked, we feel the same. We also hate it when someone just call us and tell us that they are from this agency. that company and wanted to offer you good insurance / financial package. Rest assured that all information given are safe with us. 

Not Being To Track Orders

All our orders are deliver using Pos Laju and GDex. For screen protectors, we also offer postage using Pos Express since it's cheaper. Tracking reference are available for live tracking of your item. For all orders placed from our website, there will be at least 2 notifications to the customer. First notification is when the item is packed and ready for shipment, we will whatsapp our customer the tracking reference. The second notification is after we have send the item, so customer can start tracking the item later that day. 

If I Don't Like It, I'll Be Stuck With It

Currently all our items are non returnable unless its damaged. But if you think that it's important to have a Return Policy, feel free to email us at cc@connect2u.my. We will then look into how we can integrate this to our business. Again, we really appreciate feedbacks / comments from YOU so we can improve further. 

Do let us know if you have any other concerns on buying online. 

You can reach us at :

e: cc@connect2u.my

t: 016 - 5522 666 (Yeoh) - Whatsapp Preferred

f: Connect2U FB Page

Y: Connect2U YouTube Channel

Post-WWDC 2013 - iOS 7 New Features

iOS 7 updates

1. Animated Home Screen
2. Gorgeous Display
3. Clean Display - Calendar, Weather, Messages, Mail,
4. Folders - Multiple Pages
5. Gesture Control
6. Notifications Centre - New Design with Quick Look, also available from the lock screen
7. New Features
- Control Centre - Quick Control for Settings, Brightness, Airplay, etc
- Multitasking - For all Apps with GREAT BATTERY LIFE - Double click to view Apps
- Safari - Full Screen, Smart Search Field, 1 tab access, iCloud Keychain, Favourites, Parental Control
- Air Drop - Share your photos with those near to you. Just select and tap to share. System Wide, Peer to peer, fast, securely encrypted
- Camera - 4 in 1 Camera, Live Photo filters
- Photo Apps - Organised into Moments, Collections, Years, Video Sharing Supported
8. Siri - New Interface, Smarter,
9. iOS in the Car - 95% Car Integration with iOS Screen controlled by Siri in 2014
10. App Store - New Categories, filter by age, popular near me, updates on app automatically
11. Music - Musics, Movies, TV Shows from iCloud
12. iTunes Radio - Build in Music App, Create New Stations, Modification of stations, Free wih Ad Supported
-13. Facetime Audio
14. Notification Sync
15. Phone, FaceTime and Message Blocking
16. Activation Lock - Unable to reactivate iPhone without Apple ID
17. 1500 new APIs
18. BETA Today on the 10 June 2013 - Pacific Time and end user by fall

That's ended this year WWDC 2013.

Event : Apple's Annual Event - Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2013

Event: Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC)

Organizer: Apple

Date: 10 June 2013 10:00 am Pacific Time

(Malaysia Time: 02:00 am 11 June 2013)

Expected Announcement during the event.

iOS 7 

As usual, Apple will most certainly announce the new iOS 7 alongside updated iPhone 5S or 6 (whatever they will name it) later this year (Past announcement made normally in September Apple Event). During the WWDC, Apple will showcase the updates of the upcoming software. Based on history, there will be more than 200 new features and it should took most of the time for Apple to go through the changes. For App Developers, this will be the time they get the apk from Apple and so they will have time to test the new software and to build and update their own apps.

(will the rumoured "FLAT DESIGN" driven by Jony Ive, going to materialised and captured the heart of the loyal Apple's supporters and Attracting Android's Users to Switch to iOS?, We'll see)

OS X 10.9 

Nothing much of the news surrounding OS X 10.9. What we have gathered so far includes the enhancement go Finder, Safari, Multiple Monitor Support and Multitasking. We also heard that there are possibility Mac OS X 10.9 will include Siri, Apple Voce Assistance software and Maps Integration.

(with Siri and Maps Integration, does that means we no longer need to type, instead use voice recognition to tell our Mac to search for a place? E.g. "Siri, where is the nearest McDonalds?" Cool huh?)

"iRadio" 

We have heard a lot of news on Apple working with Record Labels to offer a Pandora-like streaming radio service for the iOS 7. And the latest news was Apple managed to secure deals with Warner Music. 

(it will be a great news if iOS7 includes a FREE streaming radio service. And hopefully it will be available in Malaysia too.)

These are some of the announcement expected during the WWDC. For Malaysian, it would means staying up for the night as it starting at 2 am and probably will end at around 4 am. If the agenda stays as usual, Apple will start the session with the Announcement on the updates of new software, particularly on iOS 7 and Mac OS X 10.9 then followed by New Hardware. it would be unlikely to have announcement on new iPhone or iPad as Apple is having another event in September. So most likely those who are waiting to change their phones and tablets might have to wait for at least 3 months before the announcement.

Product Review - Asus Versa Sleeve 7 for Asus Fonepad 7"

Asus VersaSleeve 7 for Asus Fonepad

The VersaSleeve 7 comes in 4 choices of colour. Black, Blue, Pink and White. It is made from High Quality Polyurethane (PU) on the exterior and Microfiber in the inside. It provides dual position and multi angle coverage for the Fonepad. The folding form factor enables handheld video watching and ergonomic typing.

How true is this? Is it really as good as it claims? Today we will be unboxing it and you decide whether this will be a value buy.

Asus VersaSleeve 7 Black

I decided to buy the black colour as blue was unavailable. Pink are too feminine to me while white are prone to dirts. The VersaSleeve 7 comes in a fitting box . No fancy design on the box, just a plain box with the brand and model printed.

On the outside, it looks like leather, it feels like leather and it even smell like leather. But it's not leather. It is made from PU material. The high quality material give it a very classy leather look.

Zooming in, you will see the word "ASUS" printed on the flap. And if you are observant, you will noticed that the stitches are very neat. Nice workmanship.

Side View 

The Overall weight of the VersaSleeve 7 is 116gm. I do not consider it heavy as those 3rd party flip case weighs more than that. 

Exterior Rating : 5/5

On the inside, you will see the microfiber materials that gives protection to your Fonepad. Again, you can see the nicely done stitches.

Interior View

As you can see, the VersaSleeve 7 just slightly bigger than the Fonepad itself. This gives a perfect fitting to the Fonepad. 

Easy to slip in and out. I have no problem to keep it. And the smoothness of the microfiber gives me assurance that it won't scratch the Screen and the aluminium body of the Fonepad.

On the side, you will able to see the 3.5mm port and also the charging port. This means the Fonpad can be use for music even it's inside the sleeve and you can charge it at the same time as well.

Interior Rating: 5/5

In Asus website, it shows how the VersaSleeve 7 can be use. It have the dual positioning multi angle coverage for the Fonepad. Let see how this position looks like in real life.

Video Config

Under the Video Config, the Fonepad was leaning about 80 degrees. This will enable users to have a direct view on the screen. It's a great position for those who want to watch movies via their Fonepad.

Typing Config

Under this config, user will have a 45 degrees view and it's the perfect angle for those want to email, blogging or even updating their facebook. If you have a bluetooth keyboard, then it will be the perfect setup to use under this config. 

In conclusion, the Asus VersaSleeve 7 is truly a great sleeve but only if you fancy to use a sleeve instead of a flip case. I bought this out of desperation since I needed something to protect my Fonepad. There are other options such as the compatible china made leather case, but I don't really like how it looks and feels. I would rather pay more for the Asus Turn Case but it's unavailable in Malaysia. Some users asked Asus and they replied that Asus do not have plan to sell it in Malaysia. 

For those who are looking for a sleeve instead of a case, I would highly recommend the Asus VersaSleeve 7. I bought mine at RM90 (RSP RM129) from a computer shop in KK, Sabah. 

Final Rating:

Exterior: 5/5

Interior: 5/5

Functionality: 4/5

Price: 3/5 

Value for money: 4/5

New Product - Starbucks Back Case for iPhone 5

Today's Special

Starbucks Back Case for iPhone 5 (Also available for iPhone 4 / 4S)

"Everybody loves Starbucks" - This is probably the most spoken words from a true Starbucks Coffee Lover. They will like everything that have Starbucks logo on it. You name it and they will tell you that they owned it. Notebook, Pens, Pencils, Badge, Mug, Glass and many more. But what about phone case? 

On today's menu, I would like to recommend the Starbucks Back Case for Apple iPhone 5 users. Made from a high quality TPU materials, it features a highly glossy design and the TPU material also able to protect your beloved iPhone 5 from any mild to moderate impact. We tried to drop the phone from a height of 2 feet and no damage was done to it. 

Precise Cut on the camera lens hole. No interference on the flash too.

360 degrees coverage on the phone. On the bottom part, you can see the 3.5mm port and the lightning charging port. The gap was wide enough even for the slightly bigger size OEM lightning cable. But for those who are using a lightning adapter, you will have to remove the case every time you want to charge your phone.

The Lock Switch. The gap is big enough for anyone to easily turn on/off the switch.

For those who are interested to get one of these, click HERE . If you wanted something else, feel free to browse our Store at www.connect2u.my . Currently we have more than 400 items in store. 

Thank you and Have a Nice Time.

Sharing - Power Banks

                                       

How often you come across the photo above? Well, I guess if you are a typical smartphone user, you will see this almost everyday. The next Question is, what will you do? Of course if you are near a power point, all you need is to charge your phone/tablet. Am I right? But what if you are not? What if there is no electricity? Nowadays in Malaysia, you wouldn't know when it's going to be blackout again, right?

What are your options? We have a lot of options, the most simple and cheap is, let it be. No battery? Off phone Lor.. As simple as that. But to those who need to be reachable, this is not the best solution. What else? 

Today we will go into another option, which is the power bank. The gadget most smartphones and tablets user will probably own or intend to own.

What is a "Power Bank" ?

A power bank means a bank which have a lot of power? Haha. Hell no. It's a portable battery bank  that provides energy to keep your gadgets "alive" whenever you need to. The standard capacity of power bank range from 500mAh up to 30000mAh (which I highly doubt. Why? Read on)

                                   

                                           Samples of power banks in the market

If you Google "power bank" , you will see thousands or millions of hit. Reason being, almost all the manufacturer in China are producing power bank! Reason? It's currently the highest demand accessories for smartphones and tablets. And to win the Rat Race, they even sell fake power banks or over claims the capacity of the power bank!

Today, I will share on how to choose a power bank.

Battery

Like I mentioned, power bank is a device that contained batteries. Currently in the market, there are few types of commonly use batteries in power.

Korean batteries (Samsung)

Japanese batteries (Sanyo, Panasonic)

Chinese batteries (china OEM)

The quality of Li-Ion battery differs.

Branded made-in-Japan (eg. Sanyo, Panasonic) one normally has capacity of at least 3100mAh, and comes with 1 year warranty. They have higher price too and won't be chosen to make the cheap power bank selling in the Internet stores. Normally sold in brand such as Sanyo Eneloop power bank in premium store.

Branded made-in-Korea (eg. Samsung) one is quite reliable too. Part number could be ICR18650-30A, ICR18650-28A, ICR18650-26F, ICR18650-26D, ICR18650-24E, ICR18650-24F, ICE18650-22F, etc. 30F means capacity is 3000mAh, 22F means capacity is 2200mAh, and so on. Normally used by Samsung in their own power bank which are sold in Authorized Samsung Store / we store. Find it in www.connect2u.my

Samsung OEM made-in-China Li-Ion battery has 4 grades. The highest A01 grade normally reserved for Samsung own use, while A02, A03 and A04 are made available for customers. Part number could be ICR18650-20, ICR18650-22, ICR18650-24, ICR18650-26, etc. If a power bank claimed to use Samsung batteries, the batteries inside are probably the A02~A04 type. Normally used by Manufacturer to increase the quality of the power banks as its more reliable than the china OEM batteries.

Certain unbranded made-in-china battery were found to have only 1600-1800mAh but also put in the 18650 code and claimed to have 3000mAh. The cheap power banks probably are using this kind of Li-Ion battery. You can find most of these selling in most discounted website such as dealmates, groupons, ebays, Lelong, mudah and various forums.

                                           

                                  Feelook Power Bank using Samsung battery

So the next time you planning to get a power bank, you can ask about the type of battery. Next, the battery capacity.

This is the part that confuses a lot of people. In the market, you can find up to 30,000mAh. Problem is, if a battery can only store up to 3,000mAh, how many do you think they will need to put in a 30,000mAh Battery Pack? 10 batteries? Now, show me a power bank that can store 10 batteries and you will still buy. 

So, what comes to your mind? The over claimed the capacity. Ya. And most people fell for it. It's so nice to have a 30,000mAh with to only RM99 to RM129. "Mana mau cari?"

You have doubt on what I said? You think I am just sour grape cos I do not own a big capacity power bank, right? Read on...

Calculation of the Capacity. 

For your information, although you have a 30,000mAh batteries, due to the leakage and voltage conversion, you can only use about 80% of the maximum capacity. Which means, for a 30,000mAh, you only have around 24,000mAh to charge your devices. But again, 24,000mAh is already a very high capacity and allowed you to fully charge more than 2 times for your iPad or 10 times your galaxy S3. But how many times your power bank can charge? You try and let me know? Full charge means from 0 to 100%.

Battery capacity:

Galaxy S3 - 2100mAh

Galaxy S4 - 2600mAh

Galaxy Note - 2500mAh

IPhone 5 - 1450mAh

iPad 4 - 10,000 mAh

For an iPhone 5, with a 30,000mAh capacity power bank, you should able to fully charge at least up to 15 times! But most of us only able to charge let say 3-4 times? 

Your next Question. Then how come my power bank weight as heavy?

My answer? Nah, I can't give you a definite answer unless you open up the power bank but you will end up voiding the warranty, if any. 

                         6 pcs of batteries which looks like a damaged recycle batteries.

                                     

                                        Worse, you might even find 2 packs of sand!

You think it's a prank? Yes it is. From the manufacturer it is. This is taken by one if the unlucky owner from Taiwan who bought his power bank in china. The source of articles will be posted at the end of this topic. 

So, ladies and gentlemen, hope this will help you on making decision on your next power bank. As much as we wanted to get the most value for our money, this are some of the areas I would like you to  consider.

For purchasing of power banks, kindly visit www.connect2u.my

Sources: 

http://voyager8.blogspot.com/2013/03/beware-of-dishonest-cheap-power-bank.html

http://www.gizmochina.com/2013/04/12/beware-of-fake-2400-mah-powerbank/