Bill Loguidice's Blog, page 101

Editorial: Is the Nintendo NX already doomed?

In an already infamous “it’s not about the specs” type of manifesto, Nintendo of America President and COO, Reggie Fils-Aimé, showed that the more things change with Nintendo, the more they stay the same.

 

While it’s true that almost every Nintendo system post Super NES has not featured the most technologically competitive overall hardware on the market, it was really only with the release of the Wii that Nintendo got downright aggressive with bucking competitive technological trends. While the Wii was fortunate to tap into an unprecedented response from casual buyers to go on to sell more than 100 million units, the Wii’s follow-up, the Wii U, will go down in history (for now) as Nintendo’s second worst-selling platform after the Virtual Boy, whose lifespan was counted in months, rather than years.

We all of course know the myriad reasons why the Wii U failed to sell, so I won’t repeat them here. It’s nevertheless important for Nintendo not to repeat many of those same mistakes with the NX, and there were certainly signs that the company was in fact on the right path. The “specs” comment certainly doesn’t instill confidence, however. While it’s 100% true that specs aren’t the end-all, be-all, they do matter, particularly after your competition announced their own updates to their existing strong selling platforms and you’re starting over from scratch (and rightly so; and I still say the NX is going to replace the 3DS as well, which is aging out of its natural commercial lifespan).

In any case, one of the factors in the Wii U’s demise was timing, which was related to Nintendo gambling on the Xbox 360 and PS3 being well supported for longer than it turned out they were. This was because the Wii U was, if programmed properly, slightly more powerful than the Xbox 360 and PS3. However, with the release of the PS4 and Xbox One, its power was definitively eclipsed. With the quick success/traction of both the PS4 and Xbox One, the software markets for the Xbox 360 and PS3 slowed sooner than expected, and with sluggish sales of the Wii U it suddenly became unappealing for third parties to develop new properties for anything other than PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Now, Nintendo is in a similar situation with the NX, which is set to release in March 2017, as they were with the Wii U, with both Sony and Microsoft announcing a new PC-like console upgrade cycle for their present platforms, where all games will run on all models, but some models will perform better than others, e.g., higher resolution, higher frame rate, VR support, etc. [see Xbox One S and Scorpio, and PS4 Neo]

Nintendo’s timing certainly may hurt them again with the NX, although if they create a platform that’s at least a little more powerful than the present PS4 (which is this generation’s best-seller, by far), then they should have no issues receiving third party support with all other things being equal (market reason to do so, etc.). After all, more or less in Microsoft’s and Sony’s own words, the present Xbox One and PS4 will be the minimum spec for all new platform games going forward to target. While there will be one or two more powerful models on each platform to worry about within the next few years, if they indeed follow the PC model, those games will still be playable, albeit with a reduced experience (lower resolution and maybe 30fps versus 60fps, as just two key examples) compared to their mid- or upper-tier options. Even if the NX falls somewhere between a low- and mid-tier option on the competing platforms in terms of power, that will still make it a viable base for third party support targeted to the various (technological) models of PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

With its incremental improvements, Microsoft’s Xbox One S is the first release in a new way of doing console business.

Again, though, that’s obviously with all other factors being equal. If the NX fails to gain sufficient market traction like the Wii U, then the third party support won’t really be there anyway. It goes without saying that the NX needs to gain as much traction as possible prior to the release of the PS4 Neo and Xbox One Scorpio (both almost certainly being code names). The Wii U failed to do that in the year prior to the release of the PS4 and Xbox One, and we know how that turned out.

Regardless, with the NX, Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox One Scorpio, PS4, and PS4 Neo (and likely even another PS4 model since the PS4 Neo may hit as early as this year) all in play by the end of 2017 (and of course the ever present PC and mobile), it’s going to be a heck of a year. Hopefully Nintendo does indeed offer a new (and compelling) way to play via the NX and we have a healthy three-horse console race.

The post Editorial: Is the Nintendo NX already doomed? appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

News: Introducing Editor’s Choice awards and an update to our review format

In an effort to further increase the value of Armchair Arcade‘s reviews, we’re implementing two changes to our standard review format. The first change is an Editor’s Choice award, which will recognize the very best products in their category.

Editor’s Choice recipients won’t simply be typical five star or 10 out of 10 products, but will represent the very height of their product category for the calendar year. While it will be possible for similar products to receive an Editor’s Choice award in the same category in the same year, that would only happen if both offered a similarly outstanding combination of features and value. With all of that in mind, we anticipate relatively few Editor’s Choice awards being handed out in any calendar year.

Armchair Arcade Editor’s Choice Award Template – 2016

One nice side effect of implementing an Editor’s Choice system is that we can do an end-of-year retrospective where we revisit these top products to help with holiday or other shopping needs, and of course provide an additional point of reference for the future.

The second change is a review postscript that will neatly summarize a product’s pluses and minuses. While we believe review scores and star systems are too often misunderstood and undermine the subtleties found in a full written review, having a simple reference for a product’s positives and negatives can in turn help enhance understanding.

We hope these two changes will further enhance your Armchair Arcade experience. As always, any questions, comments, or concerns, contact us through this Website, social media, email, or other portal of your choice.

The post News: Introducing Editor’s Choice awards and an update to our review format appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

Quick Recap: Our First Comic Con – Wizard World Philadelphia

Since Wizard World Philadelphia was our first experience at a Comic Con, I thought I would briefly share how it went for our family in case anyone else in a similar situation wanted to look into going. Our two oldest daughters wanted to go to one for some time, and it just so happened that the Saturday, June 4, 2016, hours lined up with our schedule, although obviously the event ran from June 2 through June 5.

The will call.

As stated, our two oldest daughters, 11 and 9, were quite interested in going. The nice thing is that with each paid adult admission you can bring up to two children, 10 and under, for free. We figured our 11-year-old was close enough for this year, although obviously not for next year when we’ll have to get her an adult admission. We were initially going to bring our youngest daughter as well, who’s only 20 months old, but we decided we’d rather pay for the babysitting, which, it turned out, was a good move. She would have never tolerated the lines or not being able to touch anything and everything. Interestingly, there were a handful of babies there, including some that were probably only three months old or so, so I guess your mileage may vary. In any case, we’ll re-evaluate whether she’ll be able to go to next year’s event, when she’ll be roughly two and a half, but I’m thinking she’ll miss out on that one too.

We’re ready… to go wait in a big line.

Being our first event, I wanted us to travel light and comfortable, so that meant no costumes. We did buy nifty t-shirts in advance, though, and my 9-year-old also had Wonder Woman socks and a Superman hat. Unfortunately, the t-shirts my wife bought at a Disney store got lost somehow in the days leading up to the event so she wore one of our old Captain America shirts.

What my daughters wore.

The show hours were from 10am – 7pm, but from all that I read it looked like it was best to get there at least an hour early. We got to the Parking Panda Parking Garage recommended on the Website around 9am (we prepaid for that as well, right after I ordered the tickets online). It was supposed to be right next to the event, but the Pennsylvania Convention Center is a massive series of connected buildings, so we did have quite a bit of walking to do still. Nevertheless, even getting to the parking garage at that time we still had to park on the second to last upper level. Still, it could have been far worse.

What my wife wore.

What I wore. Comfort was key for our first such event.

Once we found the exact location and exchanged our self-printed tickets for wristbands (our kids didn’t need them), we queued up in one of a series of long lines. A little before 10am they let us all in and the lines were moving well. That was an early sign that this was a professionally run show and our opinion didn’t change as the day wore on.

Olivia getting a morph done at the Avatar Cirque du Soleil booth.

Checking out the HP trailer.

As expected, the main show floor was filled with booths. Most booths (and spaces) were selling stuff, but others were demonstrating things, both artist-related and various products. For the latter, for instance, there was a nice HP trailer set up that demoed their fascinating Sprout all-in-one computer system, along with 3D capture stage, and Dremel 3D printer. I have to say, I was skeptical having just read about this stuff, but in using it it really is a fascinating way of both playing and working, particularly with the 20″ touch mat that doubles as a second screen projection surface (the main unit has a built-in DLP projector). I do have to note though that, at least in the demonstration, the 3D scanning that required multiple long scans of a particular object needs some improvement.

The girls fighting over one of the workstations.

The overall tech was impressive.

There were lots of different apps and experiences to try out at the HP trailer.

Besides shopping and seeing, an event like this is also about celebrity meet-and-greets and autograph signings. That’s not our thing, although the list of celebrities was quite impressive, including the major cast members from Back to the Future and the Marvel Universe movies. There was definitely a nice type of general excitement (“electricity”) in the air, and again, everything was extremely well organized.

The main show floor was impressive.

The main show floor was impressive.

The main show floor was impressive.

Videogames were also present, with nice playable displays and tournaments from the likes of Namco and Capcom. There was also a good showing for board games, with similar tournaments and a nice area to try out different games.

Sitting in on an artist demonstration.

We were mostly there to take in the sights, but we did sit in on one artist drawing something in Photoshop on the spot, and also participated in what was an all-day miniatures painting activity. For only $5, you got a small plastic figure and were able to sit at a table with a brush and paint and get to coloring. It was actually a blast, and I must say that even though the metal figures of my youth were nicer, the paint they have these days is a million times better. The flesh and metallic colored paints are especially impressive.

The videogame area.

The videogame area.

The videogame area.

The videogame area.

As a side note, we didn’t want to eat at the event. Fortunately, since this is in a city, there were plenty of options for food. We initially tried a pizza place, but it was too hot inside, so we tried the Reading Terminal Market. Unfortunately, even on a good day it’s overcrowded, so we gave up on that as well. We ended up at a place called BurgerFi, which ended up not being too crowded – although it did fill up as we were finishing up – and was quite delicious. After we left the show around 5pm, for dinner, we kept it simple, walked a few blocks, and ate at the Hard Rock Cafe, which has a kid friendly menu (which is mostly why we didn’t have something more interesting for dinner). That too ended up being pretty good.

We appreciated the branded bun at BurgerFi.

The videogame area.

The videogame area.

The videogame area.

The cosplay at the event was fascinating. I’d say maybe 10% of the visitors dressed up, with some obviously in more elaborate get-ups than others. The most popular female costumes seemed to be Harley Quinn and Scarlet Witch (Avengers movie version), while there seemed to be lots of Captain America‘s on the male side. Of course, there were some nifty gender-swapped costumes as well, and some gender swaps in general. In any case, dressed up or not, there was a wonderful sense of camaraderie throughout the event. As contrasted to when I was growing up in the 1980s, now is truly a golden age for geeks, i.e., we’re among more friends than ever and can be proud and vocal about what we love.

Painting our miniatures.

Painting our miniatures.

Painting our miniatures.

Painting our miniatures.

Leaving was just as easy as arriving, with minimal traffic. I think it helped immensely that the whole event took place over so many days and over so many hours. It helps spread out the tens of thousands of people that would otherwise be in conflict with each other. It’s a great family event. Just expect lots of walking and of course have extra cash on hand for goodies (although most places do take credit cards).

My 9-year-old’s finished product.

My 11-year-old’s finished product.

My wife’s finished product.

My finished product.

Now that we know better what to expect, next year we may dress up in costumes. I’m sure that will further change the experience for us, as will participating in more of the seminars/events. Overall, I highly recommend the experience.

The post Quick Recap: Our First Comic Con – Wizard World Philadelphia appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

News: Atari Flashback Classics Volume 1 and Volume 2 for PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Xbox One

As often happens, two new upcoming products from AtGames and Atari for the Sony PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Microsoft Xbox One, Atari Flashback Classics Volume 1 and Atari Flashback Classics Volume 2, have been “leaked” ahead of the pending official Press Release thanks to early retailer listings (Amazon for Volume 1 (PS4 / Xbox One) and Volume 2 (PS4 / Xbox One); note that Amazon is offering this for just $15.99 each for Prime members at the moment). While I’m unable to reveal additional details or specifics at this time ahead of the official Press Release, I did want to take this opportunity to clarify some of the misinformation or major questions that are appearing on various other sites.

Preliminary box art for Flashback Classics Volume 1 (Xbox One)

Here’s the official 50 game list for Volume 1:

1. 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe (2600)

2. Air-Sea Battle (2600)

3. Backgammon (2600)

4. Basketball (2600)

5. Black Widow (Arcade)

6. Blackjack (2600)

7. Bowling (2600)

8. Canyon Bomber (2600)

9. Centipede (2600)

10. Centipede (Arcade)

11. Circus Atari (2600)

12. Combat (2600)

13. Combat 2 (2600)

14. Desert Falcon (2600)

15. Dodge ‘Em (2600)

16. Fatal Run (2600)

17. Football (2600)

18. Home Run (2600)

19. Human Cannonball (2600)

20. Liberator (Arcade)

21. Lunar Lander (Arcade)

22. Millipede (2600)

23. Millipede (Arcade)

24. Miniature Golf (2600)

25. Pong (Arcade)

26. Quadrun (2600)

27. Radar Lock (2600)

28. Realsports Boxing (2600)

29. Realsports Football (2600)

30. Realsports Soccer (2600)

31. Realsports Volleyball (2600)

32. Save Mary (2600)

33. Slot Machine (2600)

34. Slot Racers (2600)

35. Space Duel (Arcade)

36. Sprint Master (2600)

37. Star Raiders (2600)

38. Steeplechase (2600)

39. Stunt Cycle (2600)

40. Super Baseball (2600)

41. Super Football (2600)

42. Swordquest: Earthworld (2600)

43. Swordquest: Fireworld (2600)

44. Swordquest: Waterworld (2600)

45. Tempest (2600)

46. Tempest (Arcade)

47. Video Olympics (2600)

48. Warlords (2600)

49. Warlords (Arcade)

50. Yars’ Revenge (2600)

Preliminary box art for Flashback Classics Volume 2 (PS4)

Here’s the official 50 game list for Volume 2:

1. A Game of Concentration (2600)

2. Adventure (2600)

3. Asteroids (2600)

4. Asteroids (Arcade)

5. Asteroids Deluxe (Arcade)

6. Atari Video Cube (2600)

7. Basic Math (2600)

8. Brain Games (2600)

9. Breakout (2600)

10. Casino (2600)

11. Championship Soccer (2600)

12. Checkers (2600)

13. Chess (2600)

14. Code Breaker (2600)

15. Crystal Castles (2600)

16. Crystal Castles (Arcade)

17. Demons to Diamonds (2600)

18. Double Dunk (2600)

19. Flag Cature (2600)

20. Golf (2600)

21. Gravitar (2600)

22. Gravitar (Arcade)

23. Hangman (2600)

24. Haunted House (2600)

25. Major Havoc (Arcade)

26. Maze Craze (2600)

27. Missile Command (2600)

28. Missile Command (Arcade)

29. Night Driver (2600)

30. Off the Wall (2600)

31. Outlaw (2600)

32. Race (2600)

33. Realsports Baseball (2600)

34. Realsports Basketball (2600)

35. Realsports Tennis (2600)

36. Red Baron (Arcade)

37. Return to Haunted House (2600)

38. Secret Quest (2600)

39. Sentinel (2600)

40. Sky Diver (2600)

41. Spacewar (2600)

42. Sprint (Arcade)

43. Starship (2600)

44. Stellar Track (2600)

45. Street Racer (2600)

46. Sub Commander (2600)

47. Super Breakout (2600)

48. Super Breakout (Arcade)

49. Surround (2600)

50. Video Pinball (2600)

Each volume is considered a stand-alone release, available both as retail discs (at most major retailers) and digitally (via the respective console stores) for a suggested retail price of $19.99 each. Since each release stands alone, even though basic functionality and feature-sets are the same between these and future volumes, you’ll still need to start each respective volume to play its specific selection of games or associated DLC. Further speaking to their stand-alone natures, each disc or digital download will feature the full complement of Trophies and Achievements. As you can see from the preliminary box art, additional features like leaderboards and online multiplayer are also present.

Once the official Press Release is available, I’ll post that as well, as well as any future press releases leading up to their holiday releases. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I am an Independent Contractor for AtGames. Opinions expressed in this posting are solely my own and are not meant to reflect the opinion of AtGames or any of its partners.

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Review: Morningsun XG Genuine Leather Loop with Magnet Lock for Apple Watch

After having previously reviewed the Morningsun XG Milanese Loop Magnetic Wrist Band and Chetoo Ceramic Apple Watch Band with Butterfly Buckle, I was excited to try Morningsun XG’s black leather loop model. Unlike the bracelet and link style of many other third party bands, this band uses a strong magnetic lock for easy, perfect sizing, similar to the popular milanese loop watch bands. However, unlike the milanese loop watch bands, this is made from soft leather, making it more comfortable to wear.

The packaging.

The box.

The band.

As you can see from the photos, it looks fantastic. Real world fit and finish are also excellent. And unlike Apple’s own watch bands, Morningsun XG’s band is incredibly inexpensive. While I’m reviewing the 42mm band with my Apple Watch Sport, it’s also available in a 38mm size and other colors. This is definitely a quality product and well worth the asking price.

As per the usual with the Apple Watch, sliding a band off and on is super easy.

It looks great.

The magnet makes for an easily customizable fit.

Thanks to Morningsun XG for the review unit.

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Review: Kopack Slim Laptop Backpack

I’ve reviewed some cool backpacks over the years. Most were built great and had interesting features. Many, however, had styles that were rather “bold,” to put it mildly. Not everyone likes extreme designs or particularly wants a backpack that stands out in an arguably obnoxious manner. That’s where the Kopack Slim Laptop Backpack comes in.

The packaging.

It has all of the build quality, ergonomics, pockets, and other features you’d expect, but the design is sleek and sophisticated. It does stand out, but in a classy, professional way.

The rear.

The front and top.

The backpack comes in Grey or Red colors, and with laptop compartments that can hold up to 14.1 inch or 17 inch laptops (the latter is only in Grey). I’m reviewing the Grey in the 14.1 inch size, which translates to physical dimensions of approximately 16 x 11 x 7.1 inches, or 41 x 28 x 18 centimeters.

Examining the features.

More features.

You can get a sense of the features from the photos, but the key elements are:

Water and Scratch Resistant Textured Fabric
TSA-compliant Laptop Compartment with Foam Protection
Hidden Laptop Compartment
Private Waist Pocket
Dual Layer Anti-theft Zipper Design that Closes Tight and Resists Penetration or Separation
Zippers Have Hooks for Locks
Five Layer Foam Fabric Top Handle

 

Even the smaller bag is a great size.

More pockets.

Of course, there are additional slots and side pockets to hold lots of other goodies. The bottom line is, you can pack a lot of stuff into this backpack and it still remains comfortable to wear. It also looks classy doing it. The best part, though, is that the price for either size or color is extremely competitive for this type of quality.

The design is quite tasteful.

Thanks to Kopack for the review unit.

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Review: SMALLElectric Universal Bluetooth Keyboard

Apple’s tiny Bluetooth-based Wireless Keyboard was something of a revelation when it was released back in 2007 (with multiple revisions since). Despite the compact form factor, it was still highly usable, making it great for either desktop or travel use. Unfortunately, as with most Apple products, the price was quite a bit higher than it could have been. Fortunately, that’s where companies like SMALLElectric have filled in the market gap, offering similar performance for a small fraction of the price.

The box.

The SMALLElectric Universal Bluetooth Keyboard, which is available in black (which I’m reviewing) and silver, uses Bluetooth 3.0 technology to work with most modern devices, be it PC, Android, Apple, or anything in-between. Because of the newer Bluetooth technology, however, there are a few older devices this is not compatible with:

Asus Tablets
HP TouchPad
IDEAtab A2107A
Mac Mini
Moto RAZR
Nook HD
Samsung Galaxy Tab 4
Windows Mobile 8/8.1

 

Although the keys are labeled to the Apple/Macintosh standard, it still reflects a layout that’s easily usable with any other format. SMALLElectric does note, however, that there is no Escape key for the MacBook and the auto-correct feature on iPads is disabled when this keyboard is in use.

What you get.

Despite the keyboard’s overall thickness of less than a quarter of an inch, the scissor-switch key technology is suitably responsive, with good travel and satisfying audible clicking (I prefer this, although some may want a silent key response, which this doesn’t have). The required two AAA batteries are not included, but a typical pair is rated to last around 700 hours of continuous use, which works out to about a half year between battery changes. Naturally, there’s an automatic sleep mode when the keyboard is not in use for 10 minutes.

A closer look.

This is a really great portable keyboard with excellent build quality for a killer price. There’s a lot to like about this product.

Thanks to SMALLElectric for the review unit.

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News: 17 New ColecoVision Games for a Good Cause

Team Pixelboy has announced that they’ll be releasing 17 new ColecoVision games in the coming months in support of a ColecoVision homebrew author whose wife and new child are undergoing serious medical issues. You can get all of the details, including how to order, in the official AtariAge thread.

The 17 games are a mix of game ports and new creations, with most being conversions from the popular MSX computer standard, as well as a few from the Atari 2600. Even though these are considered budget releases at only $29.95 each plus shipping (when homebrews like these are usually $50+), the game cartridges come in a sturdy two-piece box with manuals. The game titles are as follows:

Caverns of Titan
Cold Blood
Danger Tower
Deep Dungeon Adventure
Frostbite
Heroes Arena
J.E.T.P.A.C.
Kaboom!
Kralizec Tetris
Remember the Flag
SHMUP!
Shouganai
Stray Cat
Sudoku
Traffic Jam
Txupinazo!
Yar’s Revenge

 

Here’s a sample video of what you would expect from just one of the games once it’s finished:

 

If you are a ColecoVision fan, you owe it yourself to buy one or more of these great games in support of a very worthy cause. (NOTE: Most of these games are expected to require the SGM, aka, Super Game Module, which among other things, adds much needed RAM to the ColecoVision. If you don’t already have one, you can get more details at AtariAge.)

ColecoVision with SGM

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Review: NeuTab N7s Pro W 7″ Quad Core Android 5.1 Lollipop Tablet

I recently reviewed a budget friendly 7″ tablet that cost just under $40. I really liked that tablet despite a few minor shortcomings. Now, I’m reviewing a tablet that costs $10 more in the NeuTab N7s Pro W 7″ Quad Core Android 5.1 Lollipop Tablet. It’s still an amazing deal, but do you really get anything more for that extra $10? Amazingly, a lot more.

The box.

I’m reviewing the NeuTab N7s Pro W, where the W is for the white color. I assume it’s also available in a B for black model, but I was unable to find a link. In any case, in the package you get the tablet itself, a user’s manual, a screen protector (I can never put these on!), a USB AC charger, DC-5V charging cable (for faster charging over the microUSB cable), and a microUSB cable for sync or charging.

Opening the box.

Taking the items out of the box.

So what do you get for the slight price bump over that less expensive tablet? Surprisingly, you get a newer operating system, more RAM, rear camera, Bluetooth, and, most importantly, a nicer, higher resolution screen with excellent viewing angles. Here are the key specs:

Google Android 5.1 Lollipop Operating System
7″ In Plane Switching (IPS) Five Point Capacitive Touchscreen (1024×600 resolution)
Allwinner A33 Quad Core 1.2GHz CPU (to be fair, the less expensive tablet did have a 1.3GHz CPU)
1GB DDR3 RAM
8GB of Onboard Storage
microSD Card Slot (supports cards up to 32GB)
Front and Rear Facing Cameras (2 MP)
Wifi (802.11 b/g/n)
Bluetooth
Headphone Jack
Dedicated Volume Buttons
microUSB Port (OTG)

 

As you can see, the feature-set is incredibly impressive for what this is being sold for.

The contents and rear of the tablet.

Of course, for a tablet at this price point, there are some downsides. The back does feel a bit plasticky (although it does have a slight texture to it for added grip), so the “feel” will take some getting used to. In those same terms, the devices corners aren’t as smooth as I would like. The rear speaker is also in a poor spot and is easy to accidentally muffle. I would have also liked a bit more power and fidelity from the speaker, although obviously the inclusion of a headphone/speaker jack and Bluetooth support help to mitigate that issue.

Remember to take the plastic covering off the front of the screen. Mine didn’t look like it had a protective film on it, but it definitely did! (as shown in the photo)

For just under $50, there’s a lot to like about this tablet. Although it costs about $10 more than that other tablet, it’s definitely well worth the investment for the additional features.

Thanks to NeuTab for the review unit.

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Review: LB1 High Performance Commercial Grade 26 Piece Electronics Tool Set

Most of today’s devices and gadgets are expressly designed to keep you out. Whether it’s tight case seams, special screws, or simply the inability to get a good grip to pull something apart, maintaining or repairing your device can be quite the obstacle-laden challenge. That’s where something like the LB1 High Performance Commercial Grade 26 Piece Electronics Tool Set comes in. If you want to get into your smartphone, tablet, game controller, laptop, or other device, then you’ll need something like this toolkit.

The case does a good job of securing the components.

In the package, you get the following:

Nylon Zipper Case
Double-sided Metal Spudger (aka, spludger; a prying tool)
Triangle Metal Spudger
Three (3) Plastic Spudgers
X-Acto Razor Blade
Three (3) ESD-safe Tweezers: Flat (ESD-13), Pointed (ESD-10), and Curved (ESD-15)
Suction Cup (to get a grip on a screen or other surface)
Sim Card Ejector Tool
Four (4) Phillips (Plus) Screwdrivers: PH000, PH00, PH0, and PH1
Flathead (Slotted) Screwdriver: 2.5mm
Three (3) Pentalobe (Star) Screwdrivers: P2 (0.8 mm), P5 (1.2 mm), and P6 (1.5 mm)
Six (6) Torx Screwdrivers: T5, T6, T7, TR8, TR9, and TR10
Tri-Wing Screwdriver: Y1

 

It’s an impressive selection of tools for today’s electronic devices.

The screwdrivers not only have really comfortable rubber grips and colored rotation toppers (free spinning end caps), but their tips are also magnetic. Most of the other tools also have thoughtful design features as well, like, for example, knurling for extra grip on the X-Acto Razor Blade.

Even if you’re not a repair technician or electronics professional, having a toolkit like this should still come in handy. Whether it’s precision work or just something that regular tools wouldn’t be able to help with, the value that this quality toolkit provides is high.

Thanks to Laptop Battery One for the review unit.

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