Review: Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone

I have a tendency to be a bit long-winded in my reviews, so I am rather excited to be reviewing the Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone, an accessory so simple, even I can’t go on too long (I think). The Juice Pack is essentially an extra battery pack for your iPhone which promises to drastically [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Review: Mophie Juice Pack for iPhone", url: "http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1314" });

Review: Griffin’s SmartTalk HeadPhone Adapter for iPhone

Replacing the headset on an iPhone is a little trickier than on an iPod. While an iPod will accept any headset you may be partial to, the iPhone’s recessed jack and microphone/remote limit replacement choices. While more and more companies are beginning to offer replacement iPhone headsets, in general these are high-quality (and high [...]

Battery calibration recommended by Apple, why no utility?

Like virtually all mobile computer manufacturers, Apple recommends that users calibrate their laptop batteries every few months, as Scott pointed out a couple of years ago. Unlike many manufacturers, however, Apple does not include a utility to automatically perform a calibration. Given Apple's uncanny ability to make things user-friendly, this seems like a bit of a glaring oversight. What are the benefits of calibration? Primarily the goal is to ensure that the microprocessor in your battery provides an accurate estimate of how much time you have left on the battery. Over time it can lose track of just how much juice your battery has in it, and calibration gives it a very accurate reading on the battery's health. Older battery technologies also benefited from a process called conditioning, which was typically performed the same way as a current battery's calibration process. In a nutshell, you fully charge the battery, fully discharge it, then fully charge it again. It's unclear whether modern lithium batteries gain anything in an actual capacity perspective from this process, or if it is simply a calibration of the microprocessor for the purpose of providing accurate time estimates.Continue reading Battery calibration recommended by Apple, why no utility?Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Exploring Time Capsule: feature and suitability review

Time Capsule expands the wireless base station into a file and printer sharing solution and Time Machine target. This segment, the last of six exploring Time Capsule in depth, provides a review of its features and limitations as a wireless file shari...

Exploring Time Capsule: Time Machine over the Network vs USB

Time Capsule is billed as an ideal backup target for Time Machine. At the same time, networked drives (and particularly wireless shares) are often slower than a directly connected USB backup drive. This segment, the fifth of six exploring Time Capsul...

Exploring Time Capsule: 10/100/1000 Ethernet vs. 802.11g/n Wireless Networking

Time Capsule, like most of Apple's earlier AirPort base stations, can handle both wired and wireless networked devices, but is optimized for serving wireless clients. This segment, the fourth of six exploring Time Capsule in depth, highlights the dif...