Feature: Why Don't We See More Solar Stuff?

Thanks in part to guys like David Suzuki and Al Gore, environmental issues are getting a lot more attention these days than they used to get. This is a good thing, because we only have one planet and we have to learn to take better care of it. There are a number of different things that you can do to pitch in, like bringing a reusable cloth bag to the grocery store and riding your bike instead of hopping in the car. Our fascination with gadgets and technology can also go quite a bit greener. Where there are accessories like the Solio Hybrid Charger on the market, I find it surprising that similar technology is not more widely used and integrated into many of the electronics that we use on a daily basis. Solar-powered calculators have been around for a very long time, but why aren't solar-powered cell phones and other items more prevalent? I can't imagine that it would be a matter of cost. Going to my local dollar store, I find an abundance of solar-powered calculators that cost a buck. In this way, the solar panel (and the accompany technology to use the generated energy) cannot cost more than a dollar. Yes, I know that cell phones, portable game machines, and laptops use a lot more power than a simple calculator, but I'm sure a panel or two can help. It's very unlikely that a powerful smartphone like a BlackBerry or an iPhone can run exclusively on solar power, but it can certainly get a bit of a boost from the solar panel. If you're going to wear the phone on your hip, place it on the dashboard of your car, or hold it up to your ear, you're giving the handset an opportunity to soak up some of the sun's rays. There are some iPhone cases out there that have solar panels and I think this is a great idea, but wouldn't it be better if the solar panel was integrated into the handset itself. Instead of that plain black or white plastic back, Apple could place a solar panel on there. The same can be said about smartphones from Samsung, Motorola, HTC... just about anyone. And why stop there? All things portable have an opportunity to generate some "free" electricity by plopping in a solar panel. Take the Nintendo DS and DSi, for example. Instead of a plain outer flap, wouldn't it be simply brilliant if the cover had an integrated solar panel? Even if this gives you an extra hour or two of battery life, that's an extra hour or two that don't need tethering to a wall outlet. Also shown above is a solar laptop bag from Eclipse. The idea is that you can place your notebook PC into this bag, plug in the appropriate inner cable, and the outer solar panel will continually feed power to your laptop as you run between classes at school, dash through airport security, or just take your lunchtime stroll through town. You're going to have that bag dangling next to your hip anyhow, so why not take advantage of the free sunshine? We only have one Earth. It's easy to turn our attention to automakers and tell them to create more fuel-efficient vehicles. It's easy for us to turn to industry and tell them to get rid of those smokestacks. It's easy to say that someone else needs to do something about it, but building a greener planet starts right at home. I just want electronics manufacturers to consider alternative sources of power that are more efficient. People want to go green, but they want it to be an easy transition. You won't even notice the big solar panel on the back of your MacBook, but Mother Earth will. Via

BlackBerry Curve 8900 Javelin In Stock at Rogers, Ready to Go

Not a fan of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip? Not digging the BlackBerry Bold? Rogers is pushing yet another phone from the Research in Motion collection and it is now ready to satiate your appetite for email on the go. The BlackBerry Curve 8900, which was codenamed the BlackBerry Javelin for some time, has apparently arrived at Sales Central for Rogers Wireless so the Canadian GSM provider has initiated the process of filling the retail channels with this latest 'berry. The best part, perhaps, is that the Curve 8900 brings the similar good looks that you find with the Bold, but without the bold price. If you sign up for a qualifying three-year contract (voice and data) with Rogers Wireless, you'll be able to pick up the BlackBerry Curve 8900 Javelin for just $179.99. You'll also notice that this phone has been equipped with Wi-Fi and all the necessary configurations have been done to let you use the Curve 8900 for UMA service. Opting out of the three-year contract for something shorter, you can expect to pay $499.99 with a two-year agreement or $549 on a month-to-month basis. No press release has been issued just yet, but the insider ninjas say that the Curve 8900 is ready to go. Too bad it doesn't have 3G like the Bold. Via BGR

Telus BlackBerry Storm Priced at $300 by Best Buy

To my knowledge, Telus isn't quite ready to shower the people of Canada with the BlackBerry Storm just yet, but that hasn't stopped Best Buy from advertising the highly anticipated touchscreen smartphone. Further still, Best Buy has even attached some pricing to the Storm, despite having no official confirmation from Telus as to how much this thing should cost. Yes, everyone wants to get their hands on the BlackBerry Storm just to see what all the hype is about, even though some early reviews of other versions (Verizon, Vodafone, etc.) have had a couple of mixed responses. Some people love the innovative touchscreen, whereas others aren't so pleased about some of the operating system glitches and bugs. In any case, as you can see through the provided image here, Best Buy wants to sell the Telus-branded BlackBerry Storm to you for $299.99 with a qualifying three-year contract. We've also noticed an outright price for $649.99, which is actually a little lower than the going gray market price on eBay for the Vodafone or Verizon versions. Should we be buying into Best Buy's pricing of the Telus BlackBerry Storm? Maybe, maybe not, but we'll find out soon, because the touchy-feely smartphone is currently slated with an estimated release date of December 18. That's less than three weeks away and RIM fanatics simply cannot wait. Via mobilesyrup.com

New Smartphone Data Value Packs from Rogers

Just because it happens to be a holiday weekend in the United States doesn't mean tha it is a slow news day up here in Canada. In fact, Rogers has just dropped a rather major bomb on us and many iPhone owners couldn't be happier.

As you recall, Rogers (and Fido) recently issued a couple of new data plans that were largely geared toward the iPhone 3G owners in the audience, though anyone with a smartphone could jump onto them as well. If you missed out on the $30/6GB plan, you could choose between $25 for 500MB of $30 for 1GB a month. Want better value? Ted Rogers is apparently listening.

Announced earlier today were two new data value packs that not only include some data for your mobile surfing needs, but also the essentials that you would normally add using extra value packs.

$20 Value Pack
- 10,000 Text Messages
- 10,000 Multimedia Messages
- Caller ID
- Visual Voicemail
- Who Called
- Unlimited Blackberry Internet Service (BIS): Email/Instant Messaging Only

$30 Data Value Pack
- 10,000 Text Messages
- 10,000 Multimedia Messages
- Caller ID
- Visual Voicemail
- Who Called
- 500MB of data: BIS, Windows Mobile, or iPhone

That's a lot of text messaging! The first plan is being geared toward BlackBerry users who only need communication, whereas the $30 plan is appropriate for any smartphone. If you're using less than 500MB a month, the $30 pack sounds like a pretty good deal to me. In essence, you get all those text messages, caller ID, and voicemail for an extra five bucks.

These value packs are not yet advertised on the Rogers website, but you can call in to add them to your plan. Do note that they require a three-year agreement as well with an ECF of $100. Depending on who you get, you might even be able to swing an additional $10 credit.

I hope that with the rumored launch of BlackBerry on Fido next month that the pooch gets a taste of these packs as well.

Via iphoneincanada.ca

Rogers Wireless Launches Nokia E71 at $99 with Contract

I've been in the market for a new cell phone for a little while now and one of the handsets that I've been considering is the Nokia E71. I haven't lived with a Symbian phone before, but I really like some of the features found in this particular smartphone. As it turns out, I can nab this handset for a lot less money than once expected. Although it hasn't been posted to the official website just yet, it seems that the Nokia E71 smartphone is available now through Rogers Wireless for just $99. Not surprisingly, you'll need to sign a new three-year service agreement with Rogers to take advantage of this significantly reduced price and you'll need to subscribe to a voice-and-data plan of at least $45 a month. When John from MobileSyrup first called into the Rogers customer service line, he was told that the phone would be $349.99 with a three-year plan, $374.99 on a two-year plan, and $524.99 on a one-year plan, but when he asked about a "promo" price, he was informed of the much more attractive $99 price tag. How did they manage to reduce the price by $250 by just asking about a promo? If you're not into contracts and would prefer to nab this Symbian smartphone outright, Rogers will happily sell it to you for $749.99. I don't know about you, but if I was avoiding contracts, wouldn't it make more sense to find the unlocked E71-2 NAM through a number of online retailers for about $500 instead? Via mobilesyrup.com

Samsung Launches Smartphones for BizBees in Europe

Well, aren't you a busy bee, running in between meetings and firing innumerable emails to your clients? Samsung knows that you work hard for your money and that's why they've got a brand that acknowledges your very existence. If you live and work in Europe, that is. To better cater to business and enterprise customers, Samsung is set to create a new business smartphone brand in Europe called BizBee. As you can imagine, this name is derived from the age-old "busy bee" term, as well as "biz" meaning business. Pretty clever? That's debatable. The BizBee brand is targeted toward the busy executive, "who requires a business mobile that offers optimum performance, 24/7, from any location." The branding is meant to drive more attention toward the business-end of Samsung's business, because I guess most people associate the cell phone brand with slim music phones and fashionable handsets. All phones that will fall under the BizBee umbrella will need to satisfy certain business-oriented criteria, like all-in-one connectivity, heavy email integration, and a full QWERTY keyboard. The Samsung i780 (also known as the Epix) will be the first advertised BizBee phone. Samsung plans on using the slogan "This is my office" in 10 European countries. I'm not so sure that the BizBee name is such a bright idea, seeing how there is already another heavily business-oriented brand that is known as BB (BlackBerry). Via intomobile.com

The Unofficial Apple iPhone Flip Phone

Pfft. Research in Motion isn't the only one who knows how to translate an existing brand (BlackBerry) into the realm of flip phones. It seems that Apple and Cupertino could be heading that way as well.

Well, obviously we haven't received any sort of official confirmation from Steve Jobs and there aren't any rumors that are pointing toward the possible release of a flip-style Apple iPhone, but what we have here is a phone that could represent what a flip iPhone would look like if it were real.

The handset depicted here is not from California. Instead, the iPhone Flip is a fake courtesy of the clone-makers in China. The unofficial Chinese version of the iPhone Flip may not be the most amazing handset in world by itself, but it does represent what Cupertino could consider if it were to head down that path.

Speaking to this specific version, the Chinese iPhone Flip features rounded edges, a basic VGA camera, 2.6-inch QVGA (non-touch) display, media player, and some basic games. They even ripped their version of the operating system and lit up the fake Apple logo with a series of weak LED lights. Whereas the real Apple logo glows evenly, you can make out the five distinct lights in this lid.

Yes, the iPhone clamshell can be yours for just $100, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the quality is nowhere near what you'd get from the real thing.

Via intomobile.com

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic "Tube" Now Shipping

I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the highly anticipated Nokia 5800 XpressMusic "Tube" is now hitting retailers. The bad news is that Nokia's first touchscreen-only mobile phone is only shipping to select markets. It's not that the rest of the world is going to get snubbed, per se, but Nokia has hand-picked a few select markets to receive the first few shipments of the S60 Touch-equipped cell phone. Seeing how the touchscreen market is quickly heating up with devices like the BlackBerry Bold, it would be in Nokia's best interest to get cracking on that production. Unfortunately, none of the first few batches of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic are being earmarked for anywhere near North America. Instead, some of the "selected markets" include such places as Russia, Spain, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Nokia's homeland of Finland. Seeing how the phone will be available in Taiwan and Hong Kong, it won't be long before these get offered up on the gray market. To add insult to injury, one way for sellers to handle the limited production and distribution of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is to jack up the price. I wouldn't be at all surprised if some retailers started pushing this handset around for at least a couple hundred dollars more than the MSRP. The price-gouging is expected to hold up until at least the end of the year. With the elevated pricing, the "Tube" will be more exclusive than ever, so if you're one of the lucky ones with the cash and means to get your hands on a 5800 XpressMusic, there's a good chance you won't be duplicated by your neighbor. Via BGR

Telmap for BlackBerry Wins EMEA Innovation Award

Since we're all about convergence these days, it's not surprising that some mapping software for a smartphone has received an award for doing what it does best. Getting lost and can't seem to find your way out of downtown? Whip out your BlackBerry, boot up Telmap, and you'll be heading home in no time. Assuming you can get past the holiday shopper gridiron. Telmap has been recognized as the most valuable consumer application by the EMEA Alliance Program Innovation Awards in Monaco. Getting the award in the Life on BlackBerry category, Telmap offers some of the best mapping software available on Research in Motion's line of business (and consumer) oriented smartphones. An "advanced mobile navigation experience and its technology in mobile" has been offered by Telmap to a number of different service providers from around the world. Some network operators that embed Telmap-based technology into their BlackBerry offerings include Vodafone, Orange, AT&T, Sprint, O2, Carphone Warehouse, and AOL MapQuest. More specifically, the recently launched BlackBerry Storm comes equipped with a new Find & Go mapping and navigation software package that comes courtesy of Telmap. The application was designed specifically for the unique touchscreen interface on the BlackBerry Storm, so it's got large icons and it takes full advantage of that big display. Via slashphone.com

Samsung Goes Classy with F480 Hugo Boss Phone

Despite the economic crunch and everyone tightening their grasps on their wallets, Samsung is still attending to the higher-end of the market with some rather exclusive handsets. In the past, we've seen phones like the LG Prada and the Samsung Armani. Now, we're turning to yet another design house to find the Samsung F480 Hugo Boss Phone. The actual features and specifications on this designer handset are much the same as its non-designer counterpart. It's still a Samsung F480 under the hood, but it comes along with some Hugo Boss fashion laid over top of it. An extreme makeover goes a long way in taking something from hamburger steak to filet mignon. The core features found in the Hugo Boss Samsung phone include a large 2.8-inch touchscreen display, an incredible 5 megapixel camera, full HSDPA support for high-speed wireless data, Bluetooth, and an integrated media player. The TouchWiz user interface has been included as well, but Hugo Boss probably added its own dash of style as well. Surprisingly, the Hugo Boss Samsung F480 doesn't carry that much of a premium over the non Hugo Boss phone. It'll retail for 479 Euro, which isn't exactly cheap, but you can probably find some Hugo Boss clothing that costs a lot more than that. Via intomobile.com

BlackBerry Updates for Rogers and Fido... Yes, Fido

It was reported a short while ago that Fido was expressing interest in bringing true BlackBerry support into its portfolio and now it seems that the dog will be getting its 'berry sooner than expected. I thought it was wishful thinking for Fido to get its paws on BlackBerry support in time for the holidays, but now it's being said that Research in Motion's popular smartphone line will be hitting the dog house as soon as the second week of December. That's the target launch date and it seems that the initial offering will be the BlackBerry Pearl 8120. Not surprisingly, this Pearl is pretty similar to the entry-level Pearl that you'd find through someone like Virgin Mobile. The whole point is that this phone, along with its stellar service, can offer customers a BlackBerry experience without a hefty enterprise price tag. It will be available, they say, in Oyster Pink and in Grey. An exact price has not been mentioned, but it should be pretty cheap. Looking forward to Q1 fo next year, the BlackBerry 8220 Pearl Flip could be joining its non-flipping Pearl brethren in the dog house for about $50 with a two-year contract. Personally, I think the Pearl Flip is a great fit for the new budget- and consumer-minded pooch. In related news, Rogers Wireless will be picking up a few new handsets from RIM as well. They say that the BlackBerry Curve 8900 (Javelin) will hit shelves in January for $150 (with three-year contract) and a pink BlackBerry Bold will be forthcoming as well. A pink Bold? I wonder if they mean the front face or the leather back... or both. Via mobilesyrup.com

Make a Bold Statement with Colorware-Customized T-Mobile G1

As excited as they may have been about Google Android, some people just weren't too thrilled with the T-Mobile G1's color options. That is no longer an issue. Even if you're digging the new white T-Mobile G1, you can get the smartphone in whatever color combination you'd like thanks to the guys at Colorware. Yes, the same people who have dash some crazy bold colors onto devices like the MacBook and iPhone 3G have taken the paint bucket to the T-Mobile G1. Colorware, as expected, charges quite a premium for their premium paint jobs, but that's the price you pay if you want a Google Android phone that looks nothing like your neighbor's. The base price for the Colorware customization is $175, though certain colors and designs will run you a heavier premium than that. Naturally, you'll need to provide the actual cell phone itself, so you can send in the one you already have or you can go and buy a new one to be customized. The $175 price point seems to only paint the front face of the device, because Colorware is charging an extra $15 if you want new colors for the keyboard, bottom, or back. Get the mega deal with basic colors and you're looking at $220. Personally, I'm not a fan of making such a bold statement with my cell phone, but I can see how some more eccentric fashionistas may be so inclined. The blue and orange theme shown here, I must admit, is pretty hot. Via intomobile.com

Microsoft "Pink" is the Zune Phone for Real

Rumors about a potential Zune Phone from Microsoft have been swirling around for what seems like an eternity, but these rumors have now returned to the forefront thanks to some substantiation from CNBC. According to Jim Goldman of CNBC, Microsoft is indeed working on its own branded mobile phone and will indeed be what we would consider a Zune Phone.

It's not like Microsoft is a stranger to the cell phone market, seeing how it is already heavily ensconced in the realm of smartphones with Windows Mobile, but this would be the first mobile phone that actually carried explicit Microsoft branding. Further still, this first ZunePhone takes advantage of Microsoft's recent acquisition of Danger.

Remember Danger? Those were the guys that brought us the hugely popular SideKick line of messaging phones, so you already know that Microsoft has a pretty hefty head start on their development. Going back to Jim Goldman, he says that a "good source" says Microsoft is "ready to give a major facelift to the company's Zune music player that could mean its evolution into a new smart phone from the company."

It sounds like Microsoft is taking a similar approach as what Apple did when it transitioned from the iPod to the iPhone, I guess. The new handset would be some amalgamation of the Zune paradigm with Danger's Sidekick-inspired design. Microsoft should make a ZunePhone. The market is ready and it'll be a great way to expand the Zune branding.

On a related sidenote, the codename being bandied around in Redmond for the ZunePhone is actually the Microsoft "Pink" with no relation to the singer of the same name. Presumably.

Via gizmodo.com

Tech News Roundup: White G1, Nokia 6260, No More iPhone...

Even though the economy is taking a bit of a downturn and everyone is starting to wind things down for the holidays, the tech industry is keeping busier than ever with all sorts of interesting doo-dash to dive into your wallet. Let's see what's going on.

For the more fashion-conscious among us, there is the new white version of the T-Mobile G1, which will launch this Monday. This is in addition to the existing black and bronze models and the white G1 will retail for the same $180 asking price. Google Android just got hit with a splash of snow.

Set to wow the multimedia-inclined is the Nokia 6260 Slide. It may not be quite as sexy as a N-Series smartphone, but the 6260 Slide gets loaded with an impressive HVGA display and a 5 megapixel camera. Look for it in Q1 2009 for 299 Euro.

If you've been looking to stay connected everywhere you go, you'll be glad to hear that the Dell Mini 9 is now available with 3G. No longer do you need to feel bound to Wi-Fi hotspots. The HSDPA upgrade costs $125, but you can recover $120 of that with a w-year AT&T data contract.

Turning our attention to security, Lenovo is instituting a feature that allows users to lock ThinkPad laptops with SMS. Dubbed Lenovo Constant Secure Remote Disable, this feature allows a user to send an SMS message from a designated phone using a designated key code and it will remotely lock down the laptop.

The unlocked and unbranded GSM verson of the HTC Touch Pro is still too rich for my blood, but you can go to Verizon to find its version on sale now as the Verizon XV6850. This HTC Touch Pro Windows Mobile smartphone appears to be the same as the one being sold through Telus and Bell. Look for it on Monday for $350 with a two-year agreement.

With the new Fido branding as a budget cellular provider, there's word going around that the dog will lose the iPhone next year. In this way, the only legitimate way for Canadians to get the iPhone will be through big brother Rogers Wireless. A sad day for Fido and Apple fanboys alike.

Turning to the automotive world, we are offered a good glimpse at the 2010 Mazda3 Hatchback. This redesign appears more streamlined that the current model and it'll be powered by the same 2.5L engine as the Mazda6i, giving you access to 167hp and 168 lbs-ft of torque.

Via

First Look: Nokia E75 QWERTY Slider Smartphone

Nokia is still sitting on top of the mobile phone game, despite being a little late to the party when it comes to certain innovations. For example, the Nokia "Tube" 5800 XpressMusic was only released recently, finally joining the big touchscreen game populated by devices like the iPhone, HTC Diamond, and Samsung Instinct.

Nokia is no stranger to QWERTY smartphones, but I believe the upcoming Nokia E75 is the first from the company to feature a sliding QWERTY keyboard. Much like the HTC S730, the Nokia E75 appears to make use of the most versatile mobile phone form factor.

While in its closed position, it looks like any other candybar with a color display and a standard numeric keypad. Slide the sucker open and turn it on its side, however, and you'll discover a landscape-oriented display and a full QWERTY keyboard. This really is the best of both worlds, wouldn't you say?

Well, the numeric keypad is a bit on the cramped side, but that's a small price to pay for the relatively large 2.4-inch display. Not surprisingly, this reasonably slender smartphone comes powered by Symbian S60, just like most of the Nokia E-series smartphones. If you're not digging the E71, you may prefer the styling of the E75.

The rest of the features are a little murky at this point, but we can quite plainly see a camera with flash on the back. The megapixel count and video capabilities remain to be seen.

Via BGR

Get Ready for a 10-Inch Acer Aspire One Netbook

As netbooks continue to gain popularity, as does the demand for netbooks that are a little bigger than the wee 7-inch Eee PC that started this whole trend. The existing Acer Aspire One features an 8.9-inch widescreen display, but some people want something a little bigger. And Acer plans to deliver. That's the good news. The bad news is that Acer won't have its new Aspire One ready in time for this holiday shopping season. Instead, the first 10-inch entry into the Aspire One netbook line won't be hitting retailers until some time next year. An exact date has not been specified yet nor has a formal announcement been made by the people at Acer, but the rumblings on the web are pointing toward "early next year" with a likely launch somewhere in the February to March window. The current Aspire One is one of the more affordable netbooks, so I'd imagine that its 10-inch variant will be more of the same. Personally, I've found that the build quality on the Aspire One just isn't up to snuff when you compare it to other netbooks like the Eee PC and the MSI Wind. I guess that would explain, in part, why Acer's offering is a little less expensive than its Taiwanese brethren. On a related note, Acer is continuing to expand its presence in the netbook and notebook market beyond just the Aspire One. It has been noted that Acer will start manufacturing some 13.3-inch notebooks under the Gateway brand next year. As you know, Gateway is a budget-minded brand as well. Via crunchgear.com

Special Mario Edition Nintendo DS Lite

While this wouldn't be quite as nice as getting a brand new Nintendo DSi this holiday season, it could be the next best thing for the Nintendo fanboy in your life. There is no shortage of special edition Nintendo DS Lites on the market, but very few have the same kind of retro appeal as this New Super Mario Bros. Limited Edition model. This special Nintendo DS Lite is fully dressed up in Mario Red throughout, so whoever is playing games on this thing will certainly stand out from the crowd. You'll also notice Mario's "M" insignia on the cover, though it will appear as a W (where's the Wario edition?) when the DS Lite is opened. In addition to the special edition Mario Red DS Lite, this bundle also comes with a copy of New Super Mario Bros. The game isn't exactly new anymore, but anyone buying a new DS Lite will want to have this game. It's got great 2.5D graphics and retro-inspired gameplay that will satisfy both hardcore and casual players. The special New Super Mario Bros. Limited Edition Nintendo DS Lite (what a mouthful!) goes on sale this Friday (yes, Black Friday) for $150. If Nintendo's famous plumber isn't your kind of thing, Nintendo is also offering another bundle for the same price. The alternative bundle includes an ice blue DS Lite and a copy of Brain Age. I don't know about you, but I'd rather get Mario than Dr. Kawashima. Via gizmodo.com

REVIEW - Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale

Mobilemag Score

86% 90% 80% 90% 85% 100% Rate this product!

You may be getting ready to visit your relatives this holiday season and this could involve all the fun associated with flying through the airport. As you know, airlines have all kinds of restrictions as to what you can and cannot bring with you onto the plane, so it's good to be aware of these restrictions before you hop in that cab to the airport.

Arriving at the check-in counter, you don't want to be told by the airline representative that your luggage is overweight and you have to pay some rather nasty fees for that extra bulk. Cash is tight enough already. Forking out an extra hundred bucks because your luggage is too heavy just exacerbates the situation.

That's why it's a worthy investment to consider something like the New Balanzza Ergo. This is a digital luggage scale that will easily fit in any bag, giving you a a near-instant reading of just how heavy your bag happens to be.

First Impressions

The New Balanzza Ergo comes from the same people that brought you the first Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale, except this one has been redesigned to be more ergonomic (hence its name). The grooves in the handle make it a lot easier for you to pick up heavier weights.

The bold green paintjob is a little off-putting and I would have preferred some different color options, but you are buying something like the Balanzza Ergo for its functionality and not its aesthetics. The included strap is a little shorter than I expected, but you should have no trouble wrapping it around the handle on your luggage or day bag.

Unfortunately, the strap (at least I think it's the strap) comes with a weird new product smell. It's that weird blend of new plastic and new rubber, but I imagine that this odor will dissipate over time.

How to Use the Balanzza

After installing the included pair of AAA batteries, using the Balanzza Ergo is a remarkably straightforward process. You have a simple monochromatic display and a trio of buttons that'll do everything you need it to do.

First, you'll want to turn the thing on by hitting the power button on the far left. The middle button lets you swap between pounds and kilograms, and the right button resets the scale back to zero in case you happened to be pulling on the strap when you turned it on.

Next, you'll want to unbuckle the strap and wrap it around whatever it is you want weighed. While the Balanzza Ergo is designed as a digital luggage scale, there is no reason why you can't also use it for other purposes, like shipping boxes across the country. You'll need to come up with some clever way to use the strap to pick up a large box, but the possibility is there.

After securing the strap, you simply lift the luggage (or whatever) using only the Balanzza and your luggage will tug on the strap accordingly. After determining an accurate weight reading, the Balanzza will beep and you can set your item down. Read the display and you know how much it weighs. Simple.

Pros, Cons, and Final Thoughts

There's not much that I can find at fault with the Balanzza Ergo. I like how the battery is replaceable and not a built-in thing, because it makes this a lot easier to swap when you run out of juice. The display is simple, but effective, as are the three buttons used as the interface.

It would have been nice to see this in a color other than bright green, especially if you're a corporate type that needs a more conservative appearance for everything that you carry while traveling. The relatively short strap could be a pro or a con, depending on your perspective. The shorter strap makes this product more portable and less dangly, but it also means that it won't wrap around larger items.

The Balanzza Ergo Digital Luggage Scale is not the sexiest product on the market, but it is a very useful gadget for travelers who tend to pack on a few more pounds (I'm talking luggage, not your waistline) during the holidays. It's priced at an affordable $24.99 and is available now.

Via