Nike+ SportWatch GPS

Nike+ SportWatch GPS with Nike+ Sensor

Content inside the Nike+ SportWatch GPS box includes the User Manual, Nike+ SportWatch GPS, Nike+ Sensor and a USB extension wire.

Content inside the Nike+ SportWatch GPS box

Comparing the new Nike+ SportWatch GPS (left) with my existing pair of Nike+ Sportband (right).

Nike+ SportWatch GPS & Nike+ Sportband

Screen protector - Let's go

Dual pins for snapping in

Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered by TomTom

USB connector is hidden at end of the watch strap

Flip to access the hidden USB connector

Size of watch isn't too big for my wrist

Huge LCD display, you can cycle through the pace, distance, time, etc using the 2 buttons on the left

Usage/Review:

Test setup:
Nike+ SportWatch GPS
Nike+ iPod Sensor
SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter

In an open area with no buildings, syncing the SportWatch GPS with the Nike+ Sensor and the Satellite took less than 12 seconds.
In area with lots of trees and high-rise buildings, the syncing of the SportWatch GPS with the Nike+ sensor and satellite took around 35 seconds.

My running route being accurately recorded

The running route around Chinese garden, Jurong Park and Boon Lay way is clearly recorded by the Nike+ SportWatch GPS.

Overall I’m very pleased with the watch as it has the ability to plot the map of my run upon uploading it to the Nike Running website.
Being an existing Nike+ Sportband user, I have no problem using the SportWatch GPS by just following the watch’s on-screen display and instructions.

Ease of use: 9/10
Build: 9/10
Overall: 9/10

The OpenNet’s Optical Fibre termination point is in the living where most of my servers, NAS, computers being in the bed room. Hence I’ve decided to try out the new Aztech HomePlug HL280E which enable network connection through the use of powerline up to 1000Mbps.

A pair of Aztech HL280E Adapter from Bizgram

I’ll be performing a series of tests using iPerf (TCP mode only test).

Test Machines & Software
Server: MacBook Pro 2.66GHz Intel Core i7, 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM, Raid-0 (2 x 240GB OWC Mercury Extreme Pro SSD Serial ATA 2.5″ Solid State Drives)
Server IP: 192.168.2.2, Gateway 192.168.2.1, Subnet: 255.255.255.0

Client: MacBook Pro 2GHz CoreDuo, 2GB DDR2 RAM, 500GB SATA HDD
Client IP: 192.168.2.1, Gateway 192.168.2.1, Subnet: 255.255.255.0

Power Strips: 02 x Taiyo 8 Gang 3 Metres Extension Sockets

Tool version: iperf version 2.0.2 (03 May 2005) pthreads

iPerf Commands
Server: iperf -s
Client: iperf -c 192.168.2.2

Client will attempt to iperf server IP for 3 times in succession.

Test 1  (Server and client in the bedroom, on the same wall socket)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location:  Bedroom

Test 1 - iPerf results

Test 2  (Server connected to wall socket, client connected to wall socket)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location:  Living Room

Test 2 - iPerf results

Test 3  (Server connected to wall socket, client connected to power strip)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location:  Living Room

Test 3 - iPerf results

Test 4  (Server connected to wall socket, client connected to wall socket)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location:  Utility Room (Room furthest away from bedroom with wall socket extended from kitchen’s existing power circuit)

Test 4 - iPerf results

Test 5  (Server connected to power strip, client connected to power strip)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location:  Living Room

Test 5 - iPerf results

Test 6  (Server connected to power strip, client connected to wall socket)
Server location: Bedroom
Client Location:  Living Room

Test 6 - iPerf results

Test 6 will be the likely scenario of how my network will be deployed since there’s only 1 wall socket closest to where all my NAS, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro were, hence the HomePlug for the bedroom will definitely be on a power strip.

When my SingTel exStream gets activated eventually, a network speed of 50 Mbits/sec isn’t too bad.

With the modem still connected, hold down POWER + OK + DOWN button on the front of the mio TV set top box for 5 seconds, release and wait up to 15minutes or more for the entire process to complete (Patience). Seems to me this helps to reset the set top box settings and restoring the STB firmware hence taking such a long time (I guess).

Single gear with incrementing progress bar

2 Gears with looping progress bar

2 Gears with incrementing progress bar

2 sets of 3 dots

The box will self-reboot a few times. mio TV should boot up successfully now.

mio TV running again

Apple Magic Mouse with Razer Pro|Pad

The world’s first Multi-Touch mouse is here! Is it really that good?

Pros

• Being an iPhone user, the use of gestures for the mouse is most welcome. The ability to do momentum scrolling like the iPhone and iPod Touch makes scrolling up and down a lengthy webpage effortlessly.
• No more irritating wheel sound doing up/down scrolling with normal mouse.
• The powerful laser tracking is higly sensitive and responsive.
• The design of the Magic Mouse makes it suitable for both left and right handed mouse users.
• Easy to clean as there’s no buttons or scroll ball found on the mighty mouse

Cons

• Tracking speed is still relatively slow even though tracking speed has been set to the maximum. My Razer Pro|Click 1.6 wired mouse with tracking speed set to 50% moves way faster.
• The mouse skates beneath the Magic Mouse do not move that smoothly on a smooth wooden surface table
• Gestures do not allow access to Expose

Overall rating: 6/10

Test setup:
iMac 24″ (Snow Leopard)
Asics Gel-Kayano 14
Nike+ Sportband
Nike+ iPod Sensor
SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter

After installing the Nike+ Utility. Connect the Nike+ SportBand Link to the USB Port on the iMac to customize settings as well as charging the battery.

Charge the Nike+ SportBand Link by connecting it to a USB port

Connect the SportBand Link back into the band

The back of the SportBand Link is also being secured to the band by a strap pin

SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter

Nike+ SportBand, iPod Sensor with SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter

Using the SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter with non Nike+ shoes

SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter tilt, lift and slide locking pin into groove

Slip the SwitchEasy RunAway adapter under the first 2 of the crossed shoelaces

Sensor secured, ready to go!

Conclusion – Pros

• The Nike+ SportBand material is very comfortable to the wrist
• Nike+ iPod Sensor works well with the SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter. Out of box calibration is very accurate with the Nike+ SportBand over a 600 meters test run
• SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter is firmly secure and does not move around if correctly installed amongst the shoelaces
• Toggle button (on the side) of the SportBand Link allows easy cycling through your distance, pace, time and calories burned
• Be part of the biggest online running community, the Nike+ website allows you to upload your runs, share and communicate with your friends who are also on the Nike+ community and lots more.
• SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter is cheap to replace

Conclusion – Cons

• Out of box calibration is slightly off for walks. Accuracy for a 600 meters walk incurs additional 5 to 10 meters. If you want spot-on accuracy, perform the calibration in a stadium (walk and run of the same distance) and adjust it against the Nike+ utility.
• Plastic locking pin of the SwitchEasy RunAway Adapter looks fragile, might break when you are running amongst packed runners
• Due to curve design of the Nike+ SportBand Link, upon inserting into the USB slots at the back of the iMac, it’s physical build took up 2 x USB slots
• Nike+ SportBand Link do not have backlight feature. Not suitable for running in limited light conditions.

Overall combined usage rating: 8.5/10

Features
° Video out resolution 720p, 1080p
° Supported photo formats: JPEG, M-JPEG, BMP，TIFF，PNG.
° Supported Audio formats: MP3,WMA, M4A(AAC)
° Supports TXT text file reader
° Supported Video formats: TS, TP, RM, RMVB, H.264, AVI (DivX, XviD), MPEG1(VCD), MPEG2(DVD), MP4, MKV, VOB, MOV and more.
° With HDMI, YPbPr, Stereo composite audio output and coaxial SPDIF output support
° Supports internal 2.5-inch (SATA) hard drive
° Supports flash memory cards SD,MMC,MS (Built-in reader)
° Supports USB external hard drive
° Support USB and card insert at the same time, and can switch to each other
° HD Movie Playing

Test Setup
Display: BenQ G2400W with HDMI in
Player: Shi Ning RM668 RMHDD HDMI player
Accessories: 01 x Monoprice HDMI 1.3 cable (the one that comes free have problem with my G2400W, at times the HDMI signal breaks for the BenQ G2400W, probably a real full HD TV is more suitable for the test)
Audio: 1 x earphones connected to audio out jack of BenQ G2400W.

Shi Ning RM668 Settings Window

The Shi Ning RM668 from Bizgram comes with firmware 06.05 which cannot be found anywhere on the official Shi Ning.
Shi ning RM668 firmware was flash to 04.23 instead since that’s the latest available from the official site. Only changes noticeable will be the bottom left logo changing from
MPEG-2 H.264 720P/1080P to the official Shi Ning’s chinese logo as well as the firmware number changing from 06.05 to 04.23.

Firmware 06.05 (Bizgram default)

Firmware 04.23 (Using Shi Ning's firmware update)

Playing back a movie trailer from apple.com (No re-encoding done)

Filename	Format	Resolution	FPS	Codec	Screen Grab	Playable with sound?
01.mp4	MPEG-4	1920x1080	25	8949Kbps AVC video, 128Kbps AAC LC audio		Y
02.ts	MPEG-TS	1920x1080	25	7Mbps AVC video, 384Kbps AC3 audio		Y
03.avi	XviD	624x352	29.97	1013Kbps MPEG-4 Visual XviD, 160Kbps VBR MP3 audio		Y
04.mkv	Matroska	1920x1080	25	3924Kbps MPEG-4 Visual, 128Kbps CBR MP3		Y
05.mkv	Matroska	1280x720	25	3627Kbps MPEG-4 Visual, 128Kbps CBR MP3		Y
06.mpg	MPEG-PS	720x576	25	7Mbps MPEG-2 video, 224Kbps CBR MPEG-1 Audio layer 2 audio		Y
07.mp4	MPEG-4	1280x720	50	5466Kbps VBR AVC video, 128Kbps AAC LC audio		Y
08.mov	MPEG-4	1920x800	23.976	9368Kbps VBR AVC video, 96Kbps AAC LC audio		Y
09.mpg	MPEG-TS	1920x1080	29.97	38.8Mbps VBR MPEG-2 video, 384Kbps CBR AC3 audio		Y
10.rm	RealMedia	1280x532	23	1372Kbps RV40 video, 128Kbps AAC-LC audio		Y
11.rmvb	RealMedia	704x396	23	612Kbps RV40 video, 32Kbps Cooker audio		Y
12.rm	RealMedia	1728x720	23	1372Kbps RV40 video, 128Kbps AAC-LC audio		Not supported
13.rm	RealMedia	1920x800	23	1372Kbps RV40 video, 128Kbps AAC-LC audio		Not supported
14.rm	RealMedia	1024x576	24	1372Kbps RV40 video, 128Kbps AAC-LC audio		Y
15.rm	RealMedia	1280x720	24	1372Kbps RV40 video, 128Kbps AAC-LC audio		Y

Conclusion – Pros

• Shi Ning RM668 plays almost any files it is marketed to play
• Video playback quality is excellent even for a 1920×1080 50FPS progressive video file
• Easy switching between video output of 720P and 1080P using the remote control provided
• Reads NTFS formatted external hard drive
• Picture tuning mode allow calibrating of colors on-screen to suit your requirement
• Subtitle merged into MKV can be turn on/off using the “SUB” button on the remote
• External subtitle file can also be turn on/off
• Plays MP3 with support of basic ID3 tags but audio interface looks horrible
• Build-in SD/MMC/MS reader is handy

Subtitle support

Conclusion – Cons

• Player lack networking and Bittorrent functionality
• Does not support older televisions as there are no composite video connector available
• RMVB support only up to 1280x720P
• Text reader is crappy. It doesn’t recognized carriage return in a plain text file.
• Even without an internal 2.5″ SATA attached, player heats up very quickly
• Lack video resume/bookmarking capablities
• No function to allow seeking to the time code you wanted
• Unable to change subtitle font size
• Audio equalizer between profiles (Standard, Music, Movie and Sports) lack major difference. Except for Music which sounded louder with slightly more bass.
• Subtitle feature does not support styling (Italic tags)
• Not all video formats in MKV container are supported, hence it’s best you bring the video files to try before you buy
• DTS audio decoding not supported

Italic tags not interpreted in subtitles

Over rating: 6.5 / 10

However, the disk capacity clearly benefited with an improved filesystem.
Users will have close to the disk capacity they paid for.

Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 (10A432)

64-bit Kernel & extensions not enabled

Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 (10A432) disk capacity before & after upgrade

The new filesystem on Snow Leopard is clearly evident. After the upgrade, the capacity of the 500GB shows 499.76GB instead of 465.44GB

QuickTme X

QuickTime Player X

QuickTime Player X - Share your media

QuickTime Player X - Quick Trimming

QuickTime Player X - Save for web

Opening an existing photo, choose the required filters.

Adjusting the Curves to improve the highlights & exposure.