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JAVOScreen for Tapwave Zodiac and JAVOeBuds Retractable Headphones
June 3, 2004
JAVOScreen for Tapwave Zodiac
One of the most important things you can do to protect your handheld investment is to use a screen protector. I wasn’t a big fan of them at first, because they do tend to cut down in the clarity and smoothness of the screen, but once I got the first scratch on a handheld device, I became a firm believer in using protection! The JAVOScreen protector is a good choice, for several reasons. It is made of a non-reflective material that works very well in reducing screen glare. This is especially important for people like me who work in an office—florescent lights cast a lot of glare, making my Zodiac screen rather hard to read at times. It also is made of a fairly thick piece of plastic, making it a little easier to install than some others, though it’s still something of a challenge.
The JAVOScreen has a bit of adhesive on the underside, to keep it attached to the screen, but it is the “low tack” variety that doesn’t leave any goo on the screen. That’s a good thing, since it will probably require a couple of tries to get it aligned exactly right. I didn’t have any trouble with air bubbles underneath, but if you do, you can squeegee them out with the included installation card.
The JAVOScreen screen protector for the Tapwave Zodiac is available now for $10.95 from the JAVOedge web site. Each one comes with a screen cleaning cloth and an installation card. It’s a good value at the price, and an absolute necessity if you want to protect your valuable handheld device. If you don’t have a Tapwave Zodiac, that’s fine— they’re available for a wide variety of Palm OS and Pocket PC devices.
PocketGoddess Rating for the JAVOScreen Screen Protector: 
JAVOeBuds Retractable Headphones
The JAVOeBuds fall into the “why didn’t I think of that” category— it’s absolutely wonderful not having to worry about all those silly wires and cords getting tangled up in my bag. Why? They’re retractable! You may have seen handheld sync cables, phone lines, even ethernet cable designed with the same idea in mind— the cord wraps around a central core, and when you need to use it, you just pull on both ends to unwind it. The headphone cord extends 34 1/2 inches, which means that there’s plenty of room to put your Tapwave Zodiac, Sony Walkman, iPod, or whatever you’re listening to in your pocket, backpack, or briefcase. If you’re on a plane, you can put your music player on the tray table and not have to worry about not moving your head so it doesn’t go crashing to the floor. When you’re done, just pull on both ends again to retract the cord and the JAVOeBuds are ready for travel.
The convenience factor alone means that I might have been willing to put up with slightly lower sound quality, but I was very surprised at just how good the eBuds sound. Certainly better than the earbuds that came with my Tapwave Zodiac, but also better than the Sony headphones that I got a while back. About the only negative with the JAVOeBuds is the price— they’re normally $22.50, but are currently on sale for $18.95 and the JAVOedge web site. A little steep for earbuds, but if you’re tired of all the cords and the clutter and the tangles, they just might be worth it for you. There’s also another version with a 2.5mm plug perfect for the Treo 600, O2 XDAII, etc.
PocketGoddess Rating for the JAVOeBuds retractable headphones:
To purchase either the JAVOScreen screen protector or the JAVOeBuds retractable headphones, be sure to check out the JAVOedge web site. While you’re there, be sure to take a good look around, as they also have retractable sync/charge cables for a variety of devices, cases (clear, leather, and rubber “skin”
, styli, and chargers.
Category: Mobile Gear, Palm OS: Accessories, Windows Mobile: Accessories
Published: June 3, 2004 9:30 AM
