i-Stay Backpack Review

Looking for a laptop backpack is always a daunting task.  i-Stay is a UK brand that launched in 2012, part of their brand is a non-slip bag strap that has received commendation from The Royal College of Chiropractors.  The non-slip straps have the potential to help users avoid any aches and pains that come with carrying a heavy load.

i-Stay is0402

I have been using the i-Stay laptop/tablet backpack (is0402) for several weeks to travel to and from work.  The bag was easily able to accommodate my laptop, charging cables, mouse, mobile phone, pens, notepads, water bottles and wallet with ease.  The non-slip straps did their job in helping to secure the backpack on my back/shoulders and it felt quite comfortable with everything loaded in it.

There are various pockets at the front of the backpack to help you store your smaller items in easy to reach compartments. There is also a strap at the back that can be used to hook over your roll on luggage if you were travelling.

As the i-Stay brand is relevantly new it isn't instantly recognisable as a laptop bag, which is a good selling point for a commuter.   I did try to fit all my work gear and a change of clothes into the bag and wasn't able to, it's not as large as my Swissgear Synergy.

i-Stay is0402

The i-Stay is0402 is a good bag if you are travelling too and from a regular place of work and the bag feels like a quality product. I would definitely recommend this bag to someone.

The i-Stay bags are available for £39.99 from http://i-stayput.com/

Avision AD230 Document Scanner

The Avision AD230 Document Scanner is a compact desktop scanner that can scan up to 40 pages a minute in 200dpi colour.

This scanner comes with a host of features and software to help meet nearly every office's scanning functions.  It can hold up to 80 pages of paper at a time and can support up to US legal paper size.

The scanner can send your scans to your computer in JPEG or PDF format, both in colour or black and white.  While also having the ability to scan to email or scan directly to a printer.

I used this scanner in order to send some documents over to my work and the quality and ease of doing so was very good.  The quality of the scans were very acceptable as well.

Using the scanner in my small office at home was very good as it didn't seem to over heat my room, cause any additional noise when in standby or was overly loud when in use.  It also folded up neatly when not in use so wasn't a burden to have on my desk.

With the scanner you get some software to use, PaperPort SE14 and Avision Button Manager V2 that helped to give you the functionality described above.  The software is easy to install, friendly to use without having to read a manual and does with it says on the tin.

If your looking for a robust desktop scanner then this could easily do the job for you.   It is currently available from Amazon UK priced at £299

Avision MiWand 2 Wi-Fi Scanner Review

The Avision MiWand 2 Wi-Fi scanner is a hand held scanner that can help you experience the power of a scanner while on the move.  The scanner weights around 250g so is lightweight enough to carry around while on the move without it becoming cumbersome.

This portable scanner can provide scanning at a 1200dpi resolution in 24-bit true colour, whilst saving the images as either a JPEG or PDF to the micro SD card (the scanner ships with a complimentary card).

Coming with a rechargable battery, is cost effective in that department.  It also has a small 1.8 inch LCD display built in which can provide a small preview of what you've scanned.   Given the screen size it can help you determine if your scan has been lined up correctly but cannot help you determine any further detail.

The scanning process is fairly straight forward, after pressing the scan button you just need to start rolling the scan over your document.  I did notice that even though the auto-crop function was enabled the device didn't crop off any of the excess edges so I had to edit the JPEG afterwards on my laptop.

Transferring your scans from the MiWand to your laptop or similar device can be done via the inbuilt Wi-Fi.  Turning the Wi-Fi on the device turns it into a hotspot that you can connect to via the wireless on from your tablet/laptop/etc.  Once you connect your default browser will automatically launch providing you with a website of the scans where you can download a copy.     In order to do this you do need to disconnect from your home/office Wi-Fi connection and then reconnect once you have a copy of the scan so it can be slightly cumbersome, however it a good feature to have if you do not have a micro SD reader available.

As someone that travels quite a bit for work to various office the MiWand will come in handy when I have to scan a copy of my receipts to claim on the work expenses or need to scan documents to send/keep a copy of quickly and easily. So for mobile workers this device would definitely come in handy.

You can purchase a Avision MiWand2L A4 Avision Mobile Hand Scanner - Silver from Amazon UK at the moment for £70.29.

Dicota Active Backpack Review

The choice available when buying a laptop bag is bewildering, but the Dicota Active stands out from the crowd. Both for its looks and ability to carry all your stuff safely. 

Dicota are a company that were formed in 1992, they have their headquarters in Switzerland. They have established themselves as a customer focused company that has a passion for making quality notebook cases.  

Unpacking the Active

The Dicota Active is a premium laptop backpack with a sporty look.  It has an attractive look and quality feel about it.  It boasts several compartments, a main one at the back to help store your laptop, a second one that can help to organize your cables, accessories, etc and two smaller compartments at the front to store additional items. 

I've been using the Dicota Active for the last week to carry around the kit that I need for my work.  I've quite comfortably been able to carry about my laptop, charging cables, mouse, mobile phone, pens, notepads, water bottles, wallet, and snacks without the bag becoming cumbersome, awkward or stretched. 

Carrying the Active, even it’s been full, is surprisingly comfortable thanks to the design of the shoulder straps and the ergonomic back cushioning.  There is also a useful handle at the top of the backpack. There is a sternum strap on this backpack but I've found that I haven’t had to use it as the backpack fits comfortably without it. This meant there were hanging straps and clips that could get caught or trodden on.

Packed with my work kit

It doesn't look like the traditional backpack you see commuters using to carry their laptops around so that fact adds an extra level of security when commuting.  I was impressed by the quality and feel of the backpack, I've only used it for a short time but you can tell that it a quality product and with a lifetime warranty you are definitely making a safe investment.

One small detail that I really like about the bag is the zipper toggles, their design make it really easy to find the zip and open/close the pockets.  The laptop compartment also has an extra wee hook on it so that you can padlock that compartment should you feel the need.  

Zip Detail

As a backpack to commute to and from work this bag definitely ticks all the boxes and has impressed me.  I’m not sure it could easily carry my work kit and an overnight set of clothes/toiletries etc unfortunately and doesn’t boast being TSA compliant either.

The backpack does struggle to stand up on its own when empty or full but due to the design and layout of the pockets and compartments this is not an issue as everything is easily accessible.

The Active has a lot of pockets for keeping things organised, a lot of protection for your gadgets and is an attractive backpack.  It can be found for around £50 in the UK, making it great value.  I would definitely recommend.

The backpack can currently be found on sale at Amazon UK - DICOTA Active Laptop Backpack 14-15,6Zoll black / Magenta

Official Dicota Active Marketing Photos

Swissgear GA-7305-14F00 Synergy Laptop Bag Review

As an IT Consultant I often have to carry my office with me to client sites and having a comfortable, secure backpack to do this is a must.

A few years ago I purchased the Swissgear GA-7305-14F00 Synergy Bag and have thoroughly enjoyed my purchase.

Having ten pockets, all of varying sizes is extremely handy. It allows me to organise all my items into a neat organised structure for easy access.

The laptop pocket at the back easily carries and protects my Lenovo E540.  While the wee pocket at the top is handy for storing my passport, pens, headphones, phones, powerbars, keys and much more for quick access.

The four pockets on the sides (two each side) allows me to easy carry umbrellas and bottles of water on the outside avoiding any water damage to the items on the inside of my bag.

The main storage pocket is massive and I've managed to fit a change of clothes for an overnight stay, books, notepads and charging cables etc without any hesitation.  I've also still been able to fit the bag easy into cabin luggage on airplanes.

The bag has a stiffened floor that gives the bag its stand-up behaviour which is useful when packing or emptying the bag.  This stiffened floor can also be easy raised so that the bag can be collapsed flat.

Even fully packed with items the backpack is comfortable to carry and helped to easy the weight being carried.  There is no waist strap on this model but it's not a problem for me as I don't want to many straps and clips hanging off the bag that could get caught.

The zips on the bag are also built so that you can easily slip a padlock between them to secure your items if you need to leave it somewhere.

I'd highly recommend this backpack for any IT professional.

If you are interested in purchasing this bag you can find it on sale at Amazon UK here - http://amzn.to/1GSuLdy.  Please note this is an affiliate link and purchasing via this link will help support this blog.