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My-iButton
Testing:
Unfortunately, our test model has a defective battery, and we were unable to do any extensive testing on the product. The battery lasted just long enough for us to get the TechwareLabs logo on it for a picture. While we're noting the build of the product, I'd like to point out the old style chrome plastic switches. There is even a fingerprint imprinted on the side of it waiting for the black paint to dry. Once the on-button is pressed, the loading screen sits for approximately 15 seconds, and we are greeted with our menu, then immediately a dead battery picture, and finally a cheaply made death sequence that involves a dog spinning and turning into cross bones. The USB plug and play interface seemed to work well, as no bogus drivers or CDs were needed. There is a directory for each multimedia type just like in USB MP3 players.
Conclusion:
While the iButton is a fantastic idea, the company seemed to miss their target completely. Priced at $59.99 from their website, this is way more expensive than I would ever pay for a product like this. I may have just received an iButton with a glitch (since the battery life is claimed to last hours), but from my perspective, this doesn't look anywhere over $20. There is an entire set of "soon to come" items that include multimedia plaques, tabletop displays, and iButtons for pagers, which I can honestly see being used in a local restaurant chain. In order for this to happen, though, some serious engineering skills must be taken into account to product a more stable product for the price. I do not recommend this product, at least until v2.0 is released. They also might want to check out the iButton name before they get iSued.
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