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Review: Monteverde One Touch Engage Retractable Ink Ball – world’s first retractable, refillable, rollerball pen
Logitech Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard K810 works with iOS, Android and Windows
Control your PC from any surface with Magic Finger

Review: Monteverde One Touch Engage Retractable Ink Ball – world’s first retractable, refillable, rollerball pen

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 03:45 AM PST

Recently we were sent the Monteverde One Touch Engage Retractable Ink Ball rollerball pen, now I know what you might be thinking, why would we be interested in reviewing such a mouthful of a pen? It turns out this pen boasts a few unique, innovative features that you might not expect. Not only does it feature a retractable rollerball system, it also has a built-in ink converter which means it is refillable using any ink you please, just like a fountain pen. In addition to this, the One Touch Engage Retractable Ink Ball is so named as it doubles also as a stylus.

Whilst I may not be an expert in pens, I can do my best in describing what the Monteverde One Touch Engage Retractable Ink Ball rollerball pen is like to use from a ordinary consumer’s point of view.

Design

Its not a small pen – thats the first thing that springs to mind when we first received the pen and it does take some time to get used to. Though I have a Lamy Safari fountain pen which I frequently use, the One Touch Engage is nothing like it in comparison. The Monteverde feels very luxurious, much heavier and solidly put together. If you’re like me and often end up losing pens’ caps, this is the pen worth considering, not only is it capless, there’s plenty of carbon fibre to feast your eyes on – this adds further to its overall glamorous impression.

In keeping with its exterior design, if you unscrew the pen’s tip, you’ll find the mechanical parts of Monteverde’s infamous Ink Ball system just as impressive.

Features

After writing extensively with the Monteverde One Touch Engage Retractable Ink Ball for the last two months, I can report that I have not had any problems with its rollerball tip which has been smooth and enjoyable to write and reliable everytime. The pen’s ink converter holds about 2 mls of ink and I have been filling it with Noodler’s Blue-Black ink, on the other hand if you wish, you can buy Monteverde’s ink cartridges instead of using the converter however this would mean that you are limited to only using Monteverde’s ink. The retractable feature is fantastic, no longer have I needed to worry about where I’ve left my cap, the spring inside the pen has not given me any trouble whatsoever. Possibly once in the two months I’ve used the pen have I noticed a small spot of ink leak in my pocket though I am not certain whether it was because I hadn’t retracted the pen.

While the writing has been brilliant, I can’t say the same for the stylus tip, maybe its because I’ve never been a stylus user for my iPhone. In addition, the flat design of the stylus makes it difficult and inconvenient to use, as contact onto the screen by the sides of the tip isn’t interpreted as a ‘touch’ hence its taken some time to get use to using the stylus. Certainly its not as ‘One Touch’ as its name suggest because frequently my first touch doesn’t trigger any action of the screen whatsoever.

Conclusion

If you’re reading this review, its likely that you’ve heard of the Monteverde One Touch Engage Retractable Ink Ball and is considering buying it for yourself or as a gift, in my opinion it has been a joy to use over the last two months. Whilst the pen does carry a hefty price tag of £60 here in the UK, I feel that you do get what you paid for. Though the stylus feature has been disappointing, its not to the extent of frustration, Monteverde’s retractable, refillable Ink Ball rollerball system which has not been rivalled by any other brand to date and has not let me down, the writing experience alone is worth what you pay for and will definitely put a smile on your face.

What we liked:

Luxurious style and design

Carbon fibre!

Solid build

Retractable, refillable rollerball with built-in ink converter giving the option of using any fountain pen ink or ink cartridge

What we didn’t:

Can feel heavy to write with at first

One Touch stylus feature is just too difficult and inconvenient to use

If you’ve got any questions or comments about the Monteverde One Touch Engage Retractable Ink Ball, we’d love to hear from you, pop us a comment below or message us via Twitter and Facebook!

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Logitech Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard K810 works with iOS, Android and Windows

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 02:29 AM PST

Since iOS and Android devices come with touchscreen displays, some people have trouble adjusting to the on-screen keyboard, therefore, wireless keyboard might be the perfect for those people, and if you're looking for a wireless keyboard that can work with variety of devices, today we have the perfect model for you.

Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard K810 comes from Logitech, and it's compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows, and it even comes with dedicated Windows 8 keys.

Using Bluetooth you can pair up to three devices at the same time, and thanks to the Easy-Switch function, you can switch between those devices with a press of a button. This keyboard comes with laser-etched backlit keys, so you can use it in low-light conditions, and you can even adjust the keyboard illumination manually.

In order to save power, Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard K810 comes with motion sensors and it will turn the illumination on or off, according to your hand position.

This keyboard comes with a sleek design, brushed aluminum case with high-grade finish, and a built-in battery that is charged via USB. As for the price, you can get Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard K810 for $99.95.

[via iTechNews]

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Control your PC from any surface with Magic Finger

Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:04 AM PST

We have seen all sorts of touchscreen devices, and today we have a device that allows you to control your computer from any surface.

Magic Finger is created by Autodesk Research, the University of Alberta and the University of Toronto, and according to them, Magic Finger might change the way how we use our computers. Magic Finger attaches to your finger, and it comes with small micro camera and optical flow sensor, and it can detect different surfaces by recognizing 2D data matrix codes. In addition, Magic Finger supports pinch function that can be programmed to trigger specific computer commands. As for sensitivity, this device comes with accuracy level of 98.9%, so it might open all sorts of new input possibilities.

We're still not sure how Magic Finger works, but we'll keep a close eye for future information. So far, there's no information regarding availability or pricing, and perhaps we won’t even see Magic Finger available for sale.

[via Ubergizmo]

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