Moshi Stanza Duo Stylus Pen Review: a little more than meets the Eye

It’s usually quite difficult to choose exactly what it is you want from a stylus; do you just want it so that you do some simple drawing or do you need it to be a little more precise? Once you’ve decided that, you usually have to figure out how to transport the stylus as from my brief experience, I’ve found that many of them do not come with a clip or string to keep your stylus with your device. And on top of that, styluses are inherently simple accessories: styluses are usually just a stylus. Moshi‘s taken in all of these considerations and come up with the Stanza Duo Stylus Pen, a stylus with a little bit more to offer than the standard stylus.

The concept of the Stanza Duo isn’t rocket science: first and foremost, it’s a stylus with a replaceable capacitive tip. Rather than wasting the rest of the internal space of the Duo, moshi has opted to put a retractable pen in the other end of the stylus. As you can see, it’s not terribly complicated, but the Duo achieves its multi-functionality with typical moshi understated flair, adopting a brushed aluminium barrel with a silver clip.

Probably the coolest feature of the Duo is that the clip actually slides into the body when you twist the barrel to get the pen tip out. This way the clip doesn’t impede your ability to write yet also acts as a way for you to ensure that the pen is retracted when you’re done with the pen and storing the Duo in your pocket or otherwise.

As an added convenience, one additional capacitive rubber tip is included in the package to compliment the one that is already installed on the Duo. As it turns out, this appears to be necessary as I managed to tear one of the tips trying to test replacing the tip. I’m unsure if this is common for stylus tips, but it’s possible the nob that keeps the tip on might be just a tiny bit too wide causing the tip to fit too snugly, requiring the amount of force that tore the tip. Regardless of what caused it, a little care should be employed when replacing the capacitive tip particularly as it’s quite difficult to get enough leverage to pull the tip off.

The ink cartridge for the pen is also replaceable, though an extra cartridge is not included in the box. I did also have trouble getting the cartridge out from the pen, as I didn’t want to pull at anything too hard lest I break something else. My experience with the Duo has definitely been a little fiddly, but once it is set up properly, there are no issues to speak of.

The Duo is easy to hold and use, the brushed aluminium making for a really nice feel. Again, once in use, there’s nothing complicated about the Duo; it performs as a stylus and pen as you’d expect, though as expected with a rubber tip, it’s not quite as precise as an artist’s stylus.

Rating: 3.5/5

The moshi Stanza Duo marries a simple stylus with a pen and a handy clip to make itself into a convenient, multi-function accessory, one which should find itself quite busy in the current mobile-centric world. I definitely found it a little fiddly, but once you’ve got everything in the right place, the Stanza Duo does exactly what you need it to. The asking price for the Stanza Duo is $40 on moshi’s own store, which is probably a little dear, even considering that it has multiple functions. It’s certainly made from top-grade materials, but it may be hard to reconcile the purchase if you’re thinking about just using a stylus. If however you want a stylus that looks stylish in a business, or work, setting and you want a 2-in-1 solution, then the moshi Stanza Duo has you sorted.

Check out the moshi Stanza Duo Stylus Pen on its product page here, or for more information about moshi’s other products, you can visit their website here.

 Gallery of photos

This liquid can make any glove touchscreen-friendly

It hasn’t been all that easy to make your own touchscreen-friendly gloves short of grabbing a needle and some conductive thread. With Tony Yu’s upcoming Nanotips, however, it could be as simple as applying touch-up paint. The conductive liquid gives any pair of gloves (and many other surfaces) the same capacitive effect as your own fingers, letting you use your phone no matter what style of handwear you prefer — you can check email while you’re still dressed for a motorcycle ride. If you’re intrigued by the idea, you can pledge $22 Canadian ($20 US) to get a bottle of Nanotips Black, which is intended for rubber and other thicker materials. Outside of early bird specials, it costs $30 CAD ($27 US) to get the fabric-oriented Nanotips Blue. Both formulas should reach backers between February and March.

Filed under: Peripherals, Wearables

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Source: Kickstarter

[Hands-On] NOMAD ChargeKey, The Keychain Charge & Sync Accessory for Your Keychain

NOMAD is a name some of you might remember. They are the makers of the ChargeCard that made headlines about a year ago. At the time, it was one of the first pocketable credit card sized charging and sync cable accessory items. It was small and easily fit in your wallet, purse or pocket. While they were thin, they still added some bulk to a wallet. The next easily transportable charge and sync cable idea has now been released. Meet the ChargeKey.

Just as the name would suggest, it is pretty close to the same size as your average car key and has a keyring loop built right in. It stays true to the ChargeCard thickness at just 2.5mm. Each end is made from hardened plastic while the center is a soft, bendable, flexible, but durable rubber.

The ChargeKey is made from the same material as the ChargeCard, so if you have one of those in your pocket, then you already know how it feels.NOMAD has both a lightning tipped variety for the iOS users and a microUSB tipped version for us Android users, or anything else you have that uses a microUSB to charge or sync. So, does it charge and sync my Xperia Z? Of course it did. (Yes, my glass screen protector is having issues.) To no fault of NOMAD, I did have to twist the ChargeKey to insert it into the charge port though.

The lightning and the micro USB versions will set you back $25 per ChargeKey and are both already backordered through February 28th and if you order 2 or more, you get free worldwide shipping. $25 is a little steep in my opinion for the micro USB version. I would expect that for the lightning tipped version and the micro USB being between $10 and $15.  It is really cool and does work, but is the convenience of a cable on your keychain worth the money. There are options though, the company’s name is NOMAD and sticking to the tradition of what NOMAD’s are, they are up for some bartering action to help you get one. Simply hit the barter button and make an offer.

Say you have something pretty cool sitting around that you don’t use anymore, offer it up for a couple ChargeKeys and see what they comeback with. Not a bad way to get your hands one, or ten, really. Feel free to look through the gallery of images below to get a closer look at the ChargeKey and then head over to HelloNomad to place and order or start your barter.

ChargeAll’s Thinnest Battery Pack is Live on IndieGoGo

You should all know by now that I am a battery pack nut. I enough portable power sitting in a drawer to keep my phone, my wifes phone and both Lenovo tablets going for at least a week without needing any other power source. While I have lots of power, available, I don’t always have the pocket space to carry a bunch of it around. ChargeAll is looking to bring their take on the portable power battery packs to the world with your help in a recently launched IndieGoGo campaign.

ChargeAll has been featured on various news outlets and TV shows, so they aren’t just starting out with the thinnest battery pack. They actually have a number of charging stations, kiosks, universal chargers and accessories already out in the wild. They even have an app available (to the backers) that gives the locations where ChargeAll has things set up to give you a much needed boost of power for free across the nation.

The new product is looking like it could be a real winner for those that need some power, but don’t want the bulk that some battery banks have. There are actually going to be three different versions available, each with its own slim design and internal battery supply.

First is the Thinnest Battery Pack 2X

• 3.3 x 2.1 x 0.15 inches
• Battery button
• LED status indicator
• Micro USB charging port
• 1200 mAh battery
• USB out

Second is the Thinnest Battery Pack 3X

• 5 x 3.15 x 0.27 inches
• Battery Button
• LED status indicator
• Micro USB charging port
• USB out port
• Built in USB to Micro USB cable
• 5000 mAh battery

Last we have the Thinnest Battery Pack 7X

• 6.7 x 3.9 x 0.27 inches
• Battery Button
• LED status indicator
• Micro USB charging port
• USB out
• Built-in USB to Micro USB cable
• 10000mAh battery

Each one has a smudge -resistant matte finish, which is cool, but not a huge worry to many. Where ChargeAll is adding a little more value to the Thinnest Battery Pack is the customization ability. Being able to choose a colored, metallic or a patterned skin to add to the battery pack to make it a little more unique to match your style and your device.

As with all IndieGoGo campaigns, there are a number of levels to choose from if you want to back the project. So go take a look at see if it is up your alley or not.

ChargeAll’s Thinnest Battery pack IngieGoGo Campaign Page. 

Press Play Products Review: 9.8ft Flat Micro-USB Cable and Micro-USB Flex Cable

You might not have heard of Press Play Products before, but we were able to meet with them at CES 2014 and they provided us with some pretty interesting gear which we’re going to take a look at today, namely their 9.8ft flat micro-USB cable and their microUSB Flex Cable.

The 9.8ft flat micro-USB cable

The standard micro-USB cable is about 1 metre long, which for many people who love to plug in to charge and take their Android device with them to their bed or sit on the couch, is simple not long enough. In comes Press Play Products’ 9.8 foot, or 3 metre, cable which should eliminate quite a few frustrating moments when you’ve run out of cable.

The fact that the cable is also a flat cable means that, among other things, it’s quite compact to store and when it’s fully unfurled, it has less of a footprint in the area you’re using it in. Many suppliers of micro-USB cables are moving towards using flat cables due to the minor, though important, advantages over conventional round cables it has such as cable interference and flexibility.

There’s not much else to be said about the cable: it looks to be well made, and it works as intended. If you’re in need of a longer cable, this is definitely one option you should look into. This 9.8ft flat micro-USB cable is available from the Press Play Products website now for $14.99 and is available in the pictured red, but also black, white, blue and pink; check out the product page here. As a side note, the Press Play Store also offers free shipping within the US and international shipping is $19.

The micro-USB Flex Cable

The easiest way to describe the Flex Cable would be to tell you to imagine Doc Oct of Spiderman fame crossed with a micro-USB cable. Still sound a bit weird? Well, it’s probably easier just to show you exactly what the Flex Cable can do:

Yes, the Flex Cable is able to support the full weight of a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 by itself. The Flex Cable is made from a very solid metal structure which allows it to be bent into quite a few different positions while maintaining the ability to stay firmly in that position during operation. That makes it quite useful if you’re plugging into a laptop or a wall plug and you want to prop up your device in the portrait position so you can still use and see what’s happening on the screen, and even if you’re not charging your device, you can simply use the cable as a flexible stand. Check out Press Play Products’ video to see a bit more of what it can do:

The cable is very high quality and even if you manage to scratch through the plastic outer layer, you’re unlikely to damage the cable or the structure of the Flex Cable at all. It’s also quite heavy, as you might expect from being made almost purely of metal, which might discourage some from using it as a travel accessory. Furthermore, the inherent nature of the cable means that you won’t be able to make the cable terribly small, at least, not small enough to store in your pocket.

While the Flex Cable itself is going to be more durable than any cable you’ve ever seen, as with all micro-USB cables, the weakest point of the cable is always going to be the micro-USB connection itself, and while the Flex Cable will instil you with the confidence to attempt things like this:

You should probably be even more careful seeing as you can put your Android devices into more unusual positions than usual; and yes, that is a Nexus 7 balancing on the Flex Cable. Just as a disclaimer, Press Play Products does put a note in the box that says the Flex Cable does not support devices with screen sizes over 5-inches, but you definitely get a sense of just how strong it is when you can still attach a Nexus 7 to it.

The micro-USB Flex Cable is available on the Press Play Products website now for $29.99, and is available in the black that we demoed here as well as white and chrome finish. For more details, check out the product page here. You might be thinking that it might be a bit expensive for a cable, but if you think of it both as a cable and a stand, you begin to see that the Flex Cable is actually quite good value for how useful it is.

Conclusion

So there you have it: two very different cables with very different purposes, but both with significant advantages for the Android users that are currently having frustrations with their very ordinary micro-USB cables.

If you are interested in picking up either (or both) cables, Press Play Products is very generously giving AndroidSPIN readers a coupon code to get 25% off the price of the cables as well as making international shipping a flat rate of $10. Simply enter the code “Spin25″ when purchasing to redeem the deal. Note that the coupon is only applicable to the two cables featured in this review and will only be available for a limited time, so get in quick!

For more information about Press Play Products and their products, you can check them out at www. pressplayproducts.com.