Looking for a stylish case or bag for your stylish MacBook Air? The WaterField Designs MacBook Air Wallet that I reviewed last year is a potential but if you are looking for a different style, you should check out their newest product range, the CitySlicker.

The compact CitySlicker provides 3 layer protection for your Apple MacBook Air while still maintaining the slimness factor, so your MacBook Air can still be.. a MacBook Air.

This urban-look MacBook Air Case is made with impact-resistant plastic, high-grade neoprene, and a padded liner.  According to Gary Waterfield, the company founder, they wanted to enhance the thin-look of MacBook Air rather than detracting from it. Thus, the CitySlicker is thin, yet delivers a good amount of protection to the MacBook Air inside.

It is available in 2 different sizes for both 11″ and 13″ MacBook Air, along with customisable options upon purchase. Shipping begins on the 28th of May 2012, but you can start pre-ordering now.

The 11″ CitySlicker is $129 where as the 13″ version is at $139.

Available options:

• With D-rings: +$5.
• With D-rings and Simple Strap: +$12.
• With D-rings and Suspension Shoulder Strap: +$22.
• Colors: Black, chocolate, grizzly and camel.

Official video from Waterfield Designs:

A review sample is being organised to be sent my way, so stay tuned for my review if you want to know more about the CitySlicker in great detail!

Tt eSPORTS Saphira Gaming Mouse review – Most gaming mouse are filled with too much ‘bling’ where they should go back to the basics: a gaming mouse that is comfortable to use for hours, yet powerful and accurate.

The Saphira gaming mouse from Tt eSPORTS was designed for that purpose alone and it’s one of the most comfortable gaming mouse I’ve ever used. The size, the material, and the tactile response from the buttons really hit the spot.

Tt eSPORTS Saphira Gaming Mouse review – Packaging

Tt eSPORTS Saphira Gaming Mouse review – Design

The Saphira’s fits perfectly on my hand (size wise): it is not too big that I have to grip the whole surface to use, and it is not too small either that will leave an uncomfortable feeling after a while. I also find that the weight is just nice on the default: it is not too heavy that it will require extra effort to glide and it is not too light that leaves you out of control at times.

Should you want it to be lighter, you can open the weight adjustment compartment and take out some of the pre-mounted weights off. There are 5 weight choices of 4.5 grams each.

The Saphira gaming mouse is rubber coated in Black with some Red elements, similar to Tt eSPORTS theme in general. It is designed for right handed gamers ergonomically with 2 side buttons on the left side of the mouse.

Beneath the side buttons is an extra Side-Bar Rubber Grip area for a better grip and handling. I also find that it prevents sweating and dirt that normally accumulates the area where your thumb normally is.

It also has 4 small LEDs to indicate the DPI intensity level you are on, although a nice brief info will be displayed as well on your screen, if you have installed the Saphira’s driver.

You can assign profiles, create macros, and a few other options through the easy to use control panel.

To change the DPI level and the Polling Rate, you can use the software or directly on the mouse. Turning the mouse over will reveal these extra buttons, along with a Profile change and a Function Lock button. For example, when I game, I don’t want an accidental click happening on the side buttons, so I can lock/unlock my “gaming mode” with the Function Lock button.

The cable supplied is also braided for protection, with a gold-plated USB plug.

Overall, the mouse looks and feels great. Should you need to travel to a LAN party or tournament, the Saphira can be safely carried in a nice pouch included in the packaging.

Aleksey “White-Ra” Krupnyk, champion of the IGN Pro League’s 2nd season in Starcraft 2, actually helped with the design of the mouse. As a champion, he definitely knows what to expect from a gaming mouse!

Tt eSPORTS Saphira Gaming Mouse review – Gaming Experience

Because of the DPI switcher button placement (at the bottom of the mouse), it is harder for hardcore FPS gamers who like to switch between different DPIs in-game (such as switching to a “sniping mode”). The mouse is also equipped with a 3,500 DPI engine only so if you normally game with over 4,000 DPI sensitivity, you will have to use the in-game software sensitivity calibration to adjust or get the Theron instead (which I’ll be reviewing after this).

That doesn’t mean the Saphira does not perform on FPS games, though. Though it cannot go over 3,500 DPI, the accuracy is still top notch when tested with playing Left 4 Dead 2.

Playing SWTOR (Star Wars: The Old Republic, an MMORPG game) with the Saphira is also a pleasing experience because of the accuracy and comfort of the mouse. In Player-vs-Player combat, accuracy of the mouse is very important especially if you are a healer or a tank. When tanking, I could accurately point and switch to a fellow teammate in the middle of a hectic battle , guarding him from damage.

Desktop experience is also phenomenal on my 27” DELL IPS monitor. On 900 DPI setting, the accuracy and degree of control is top notch.

In case you are wondering, the mouse pad in the pictures is the Tt eSPORTS Pyrrhus and the Saphira glides smoothly on its surface.

Tt eSPORTS Saphira Gaming Mouse review – Conclusion

Tt eSPORTS Saphira gaming mouse delivers a smooth, comfortable, and accurate gaming experience. Thanks to the ergonomic shape, size, and material, I could game for hours without any wrist complaints. The weights are also adjustable, along with DPI and profile settings on the mouse itself.

If you don’t normally game in 5,600 DPI, then the Saphira should be sufficient for you with its 3,500 DPI sensor. The accuracy, the comfort, the smoothness, and the sleek look are golden.

Now if you excuse me, I’m going to stop writing and continue playing my Demon Hunter in Diablo III with the Saphira.

Note: Tt eSPORTS Saphira Gaming Mouse review sample was provided for the review

Thank you to everyone who participated in 10 x Handy Backup Home Standard Giveaway licenses. Also thank you for those who have helped in answering the survey questions!

Without further ado, the 10 winners are…….

1. Naser Baig
2. Panayot Panayotov
3. Tracy Boulter
4. Venkateshmurthy Ayachit
5. Mohammad Wasiullah
6. Erik Soeryadji
7. Shakil Bd
8. Muhammad Sumon Selim
9. Akshat Mittal
10. Vic Limbo

Congratulations, all! Licenses will be sent to you tomorrow morning. Now, many of you are using your Facebook account to enter so I haven’t got your email addresses yet. Some commented often in this blog so I could do a search but if you’ve never left any comment before (and drop your email address), it would be great if you can leave your comment + email address below.

This way, I can send the licenses all in one go to all of your inboxes. As of now, I have to contact some of you via Facebook or other means to get your email addresses to send the keys over.

Thank you! At this stage, there is no more giveaway running but do not worry, I’m sure we’ll have one in no time!

I was asked earlier by a friend who wanted to get an iPhone. She wanted to know what plans are available from all the Telco in Australia and how much she has to pay monthly. I forwarded her to all of the Telco websites so she could search and pick herself. The problem with this approach is that it would take her a while to visit the sites one by one. Not to mention that she also needs to compare for pricing and plans manually.

The same issue also happened to me when I was wondering whether I should get a wireless broadband on the go (as I got frustrated with my current 3G speed). I went to a few websites and compared them manually.

Wouldn’t it be great if there is a site that can search and compare all broadband + mobile plans at once?

Thanks to iSelect Media Pty Ltd, you can! At iselect.com.au, you can actually compare more than just broadband and mobile plans. Their service includes searching and comparing car insurances, home loans, and many others. But for the purpose of the problem I mentioned at the beginning of this post, let’s just focus on the wireless broadband and mobile plans alone.

They work pretty similar in a way – with a step-by-step selection process and concluded with a comparison page.

To compare mobile phone plans, you’ll first have to select whether you are looking to get a handset that comes with a mobile plan. On the next screen, you select what mobile phone you like to have, filtered by the brand, styles, and features. So if you love having a QWERTY keyboard on a phone, tick the QWERTY option to filter. You can also pick more than one option and the page will update instantaneously with the results of your selections. If you want to compare all “Apple” and “Samsung” phones, for example, simply tick on them under the Brands selections.

Select the phones you’d like to compare and then go to the next screen. To make it easier for the application to filter the plans, you are then required to identify your needs (to determine the suitable mobile plans for you).

You will then be taken to the result page, where all the plans from different Telco are being displayed. You can quickly see in a glance about the plans (which Telco, how much you have to pay per month, how much data you’ll get, and so on). Click on a plan and you will see more detailed information about the plan (such as the standard call rate, etc).

You can also select a couple of plans from the results page and add them into a “shortlist”, which will help you to compare the plans more easily.

Similarly, finding the right wireless broadband plans involve identifying what your needs are (reliability? speed? cost effective?), connection speed, the quota you’d like to have, and also how long you want the contract to be.

Overall, I like the service that iSelect Media Pty Ltd offers. They definitely make it much simpler to find the right broadband or mobile plans. At this state though, not all Australia’s ISP (Internet Service Provider) and Telco are listed on the search results unfortunately. However, the results do cover a variety of different providers and you should at least get some basic ideas about the plans from their website.

With the help of their service, you can save some money and make the right decisions. Not many people know what they actually want or have time to do a thorough research. Using a mobile plan and broadband comparison site like this will definitely help them out a lot.

Air-Fi AF9 Bluetooth Headset Review – The Air-Fi AF9 from MEElectronics is like a hybrid of the traditional in-ear earphones and a compact wireless Stereo Bluetooth headset.

A Bluetooth headset normally sits on one ear, wireless, and has a good quality audio for calls. On the other hand, traditional wired in-ear earphones have wonderful sound quality when listening to music at the expense of being glued to your portable device.

The MEElectronics Air-Fi AF9 has the best of both worlds – producing high quality sound for both calls and music, in both ears, wireless. Or simply switch to wired when you are out of charge (which shouldn’t happen often).

The Air-Fi AF9 Bluetooth Headset Packaging:

The Air-Fi AF9 Bluetooth Headset consists of three detachable parts:

• The in-ear earphones
• A 3.5mm extension cable (optional)
• The Air-Fi Stereo Bluetooth wireless headset

Few Different ear buds are included in the packaging with different sizes. The smallest fit the best in my case and I’ve been enjoying my music thanks to the passive noise insulation. It doesn’t completely shut you off from the noise surrounds you (which is good) but it helps a lot when you travel with a public transport to work or to uni.

The Bluetooth wireless receiver is a tiny box-shaped unit with a shirt clip, so you can clip it while you are using the Air-Fi AF9. The way you use the Air-Fi AF9 via Bluetooth is by connecting the earphones into the Air-Fi receiver unit.

Though in a way, this set-up looks funny at first – because it seems like it doesn’t really make much difference; as if you are wearing a regular wired earphone headset. This is probably because I find that the non-detachable cable is a bit too long but then again, it’s better to have it longer. Besides, you are free to clip it to anywhere you like, or even put it inside your shirt’s pocket.

On the receiver, you can control the volume level, playback, and also to manage calls. This way, I can keep my iPhone inside my pants’ pocket and simply use the receiver controls to control my music or to pick up an incoming call.

Connecting to Bluetooth is pretty much instantaneous. If you have connected it to a Bluetooth device before, turning the receiver on will auto connect your device. You will then hear a loud beep (which is a little bit too loud for my taste) indicating a solid connection.

I also like how the receiver shuts itself off when it loses the Bluetooth connection after some time. I normally switched my phone’s Bluetooth on and off but often forgot to switch the Bluetooth headset off. Since the MEElectronics Air-Fi AF9 can auto turn itself off, I can further prolong the need to charge its battery (which is rechargeable). Besides, according to the technical specifications, the recharging process only takes about 2 hours to fully recharge the battery with about 100 hours of standby time. The light on the receiver will blink in red should you need to recharge it.

The packaging includes the standard carrying case on the other MEElectronics products and also 2 (that’s right, two) USB charging cables. One for home and the other for the office – as if they can read my (our) mind! Since I normally wear my headset while I walk to/from work, I do love it when I can have a spare cable either at home or at work so I can recharge it whenever I need to!

I’m truly in love with MEElectronics Air-Fi AF9 sound quality, its deep bass level, and especially the in-ear earphones design that can be switched to wireless (Bluetooth) or wired, should your device does not support Bluetooth connection. This is definitely my Bluetooth headset of choice at this stage! What I wanted was an in-ear earphones headset model with Bluetooth capability on it. I’ve definitely found what I’m looking for and so might you.

Note: MEElectronics Air-Fi AF9 Bluetooth Headset review sample was provided for the review

PADACS Rubata 3 iPad 3 Bluetooth keyboard case review – The new iPad (iPad 3) is a great mobile device to do practically everything, including writing notes or documents on the go. There is just one little drawback – no matter how good the virtual keyboard is, typing on the iPad will never be as quick as a real keyboard with hard keys.

Thanks to the Bluetooth option, you can carry a portable Bluetooth keyboard along with your iPad 3. However, it’s cumbersome and you may have to carry it in a bigger bag. Or alternatively, get PADACS Rubata 3, a Bluetooth keyboard case made to fit for the new iPad (iPad 3)!

PADACS Rubata 3 iPad 3 Bluetooth keyboard case review – Packaging

PADACS Rubata 3 iPad 3 Bluetooth keyboard case review- Design

The design is pretty much similar to the Rubata 2 keyboard case for iPad 2 (check Craving Tech’s PADACS Rubata 2 review). It is made of synthetic leather with a hard shell keyboard built-in.

The Case

Slide the iPad 3 from the side and secure it with the flap. The Rubata 3 redesign will ensure that your iPad 3 stays in place.

While the iPad 3 is in the case, you can still charge it without having to take it out. All ports, buttons, and jacks are also accessible directly.

Should you want to take any photos with the iPad 3′s back camera, the Rubata 3 also has the right opening so you can take that quick snapshot.

For typing (and also watching movies), you can adjust the iPad 3 into 2 different angles so you can find the position that is most comfortable for you.

When closed, the case looks classy and professional, although it will add a degree of bulkiness because of the keyboard. As such, if you don’t type very often, you would probably be better off with getting the other PADACS’ slimmer cases. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot fold the Rubata 3 case all the way back should you need to use your iPad while doing number 2. You can.

The Keyboard

The keyboard is made compact to adhere to the iPad 3′s dimension but PADACS can still manage to fit in more control keys such as adjusting brightness, volume, copy-cut-paste, and even to lock the screen out.

They feel a bit squeezed at first but your fingers will get used to them in no time.

PADACS Rubata 3 iPad 3 Bluetooth keyboard case review – typing experience

Alright, so the main interest of this keyboard case is the typing experience, right? In short, typing in the Rubata 3 delivers a much better experience compared to the Rubata 2, thanks to the longer sleep time (15 minutes). Previously on Rubata 2, the keyboard just went to sleep too quickly. I then had to press a random button and waited for a couple of seconds before I could start typing again. In a lecture or presentation scenarios, this could get annoying after a while. Looks like the team has listened to the community feedback!

Thanks to the tactile feedback on the keyboard keys, the typing experience on the Rubata 3 is seamless and enjoyable. Typing on real keys is definitely different compared to typing on the screen. I actually found that I typed more often (and willing to type more) after using the Rubata 3.

When typing too quickly, I often found that I couldn’t trigger a letter (or a letter comes up doubled). This doesn’t happen often though and you should be able to adjust your typing speed while on Rubata 3.

For journalists and students with the new iPad, the PADACS Rubata 3 is a must buy – writing articles while you are on a product launch event or typing your lecturer’s explanations while flicking through your lecture notes on the iPad will even be more productive!

Note: PADACS Rubata 3 iPad 3 Bluetooth keyboard case review sample was provided for the review

Did you get that HTTP error when uploading images frequently on your WordPress blog? Try using the classic uploader first to see if it fixes the problem. If not, then you might be having the same issue like I did. When I switched to the classic WordPress image uploader, I got an operation time out error so it’s clearly a different issue.

The problem is not because of a server configuration, or WordPress 3.2.2, or HostGator’s fault (where this blog is hosted at), but it is because of the Smush It service from Yahoo!

I’ve been using the WP Smush.It plug-in that auto connects to Yahoo server and auto compresses the uploaded image files to this WordPress blog. Now, I know I’ve been promoting the Smush It service to keep your blog post images smaller and increase the performance of your blog. Unfortunately, it seems that the service is overcrowded or for whatever reason, giving the WordPress HTTP error when uploading images now.

Deactivating the WP Smush.It plug-in helps and the problem goes away completely. Note that you shouldn’t blame it on the plug-in developer, but more to the Yahoo service (or API).

Discussion about the HTTP error caused by the Smush.It service can be read over at WordPress.org forum.

I’m glad I’ve finally found the solution to this problem, thanks for the help of a HostGator live chat support person earlier today. No more frustrations that I got every day for the past week!

Mother’s day is just around the corner, at least here in Australia. What? You haven’t got anything yet for your mom? Well, you still have a couple of days left to do some last minute shopping!

It’s “better-late-than-never” Mother’s Day 2012 gift ideas post that I’m writing here and hopefully you can find something that catches the eye for your lovely mom.

Mother’s Day 2012 Gift Ideas

Breville Mixer, the BHM600

This Breville’s Handy Stand Mixer can be operated as a manoeuverable hand mixer or a fixed stand mixer, making it easier for your mom to make those lovely cakes or desserts.

It also has a unique sensing control that intuitively control the power required for each mixing task, which can be different according to the thickness of the dough.

Featuring 12 different speed selections and also a count-up timer displayed on the LCD screen.

Breville Handy Stand Mixer

iPad 3

I’m sure your mom will love it if you get her an iPad, especially the new iPad. She can read her favorite magazines on it with extreme sharpness, search for recipes online, or even to play some quick fun games whenever she needs a break from all the daily chores at home.

Or she can also bring her documents along with her and update them on the go.

Craving Tech’s iPad 3 Review

Logitech Mini Boombox

Longing for some good music sound quality with style? Then you might want to reward your mom with the Logitech Mini Boombox.

It’s quite compact to carry so she can bring it with her inside her bag and she can also connect her favorite music to it via Bluetooth while she is ironing your shirt

Logitech Mini Boombox

Dyson Hot Heater

Winter is coming in Australia (if not already!) and the best to make your mom smile is a warm cozy temperature at home, right? If you truly love your mom, then there is no reason not to bombard her with love this year with the Dyson Hot!

It warms your room quickly and evenly, meaning your mom does not have to shiver for too long before the hot air kicks in. It’s also very stylish as a decoration which is going to make her even happier!

Craving Tech’s Dyson Hot Review

Breville’s Automatic Tea Maker

I have recommended this product to countless number of people, even if it was released back in 2010. I am actually still constantly brewing tea in the office thanks to this nice tea maker from Breville.

It’s fully automated – what you need to do is to fill it with water (and the tea leaves obviously), and off you go! Press a couple of buttons and what you’ll get is the optimal tea flavour and aroma. No more burnt tea smell or taste. No more guessing when you should stop the infusion process. Simple and satisfying.

Craving Tech’s Breville Automatic Tea Maker Review

Do you have another in mind that you want to be on the list? Let us know!

Note: This is a sponsored post on behalf of British Gas

British Gas is committed to install Smart Meters in all UK homes by 2019 (around 160,000 homes in the UK have already had this installed).

You are probably wondering what a Smart Meter is and how does it affect you? To be honest, before I was exposed to this campaign, I haven’t hard about a Smart Meter before either.

A Smart Meter replaces the current traditional gas and electricity meter that normally sits on the basement (or inside the garage of my overseas home). I’m sure you must have seen them before though they are not meant to be tampered with.

Normally, you’d use gas and electricity in your daily activities at home (cooking, heater, hot shower, and so on) and by the end of the month (or 3 month period), you were sent a bill by your gas and electricity company. At times, you’d probably get a heart attack looking at the big figures you have to pay and regretted that you have been using that air conditioner for a whole month during Summer.

With the help of a Smart Meter, you can actually view and monitor your usage on a day to day basis! Smart meter readings will actually be sent back to British Gas automatically once a day so you can use a smartphone app or place a Smart Energy Monitor anywhere at home to view your usage. The readings are accurate and this way, you can control the consumption of your electricity when the bill is going to soar. No more surprises!

Again, the British Gas Smart Meter will be installed in all UK homes by 2019 though it is already being rolled out as we speak. You will be contacted when it is your turn to be upgraded. Smart Energy Experts will install and also explain to you how the new Smart Meter works.

Being able to monitor your gas and electricity usage on a day to day basis is really cool. I just wish that Australia will have the same luxury some day.

Feel free to check out British Gas Social Media for more details: www.facebook.com/BritishGas or @BritishGas on Twitter.

Sponsored Post

Lots of entries and interests on the TuneUp Utilities 2012 giveaway, glad you all like it! Entries were in and the winners have been selected based on the number of entries (by referring the giveaway to friends and sharing it on social media).

The 5 winners are……

TuneUp Utilities 2012 Giveaway Winners

1. Mohammad Wasiullah (78 entries)
2. Zack Cardona (67 entries)
3. Rust Hawk (44 entries)
4. Den Den (29 entries)
5. Akshat Mittal (23 entries)

Congratulations once again, guys!

I kept on looking the same winner names every time (not that it’s wrong) but you all need to catch up and do more if you want to beat these guys How? Keep on sharing about the giveaway and invite your friends to check it out. The more friends you invite, the more points you’d have. To those who win again, congrats, your effort is deserved to be rewarded.

If you didn’t win, don’t get discouraged. We still have another giveaway running for a few more days, so give it your best this time!

I’ll be sending emails with the license keys soon to you.