BOOKBOOK FOR iPHONE

Two Books don't make a right

I've been looking for a functional wallet/iPhone case hybrid for years. The allure of carrying—and keeping track of—one fewer item would simplify my life, and putting some decent protection on my phone wouldn't suck. At first glance, the BookBook by Twelve South seemed like the answer to my prayers. However, after using it for a month straight, I really wish I'd prayed just a little bit harder.

TABLET OR NOTEBOOK?

Turn your iPad 2 into a mini-notebook with a Bluetooth keyboard case

The iPad 2 is great for simple daily tasks like checking email, web browsing, and casual gaming. But iOS's onscreen keyboard can be frustrating when you need to do some serious typing. Even with loads of practice, virtual keys will never replace the flow of a real keyboard. Fortunately, the latest trend in iPad acessories is Bluetooth-enabled keyboard cases that do double duty, transforming your iPad 2 into a tiny laptop computer and protecting your tablet while they're at it.

SHADOW CITIES/virtual turf war

Part RPG, part location-based team strategy game, and all-addictive time sink. Shadow Cities throws you into sorcerous showdowns that put your surroundings in a different light—the light of magic! You'll join one of two academies fighting to control your city, neighborhood by neighborhood. Brief missions gradually teach you the game; most involve snaring computer-controlled earth, fire, and water spirits (the game's wandering monsters) to gain experience you can use to improve your abilities.

NOTESY FOR DROPBOX

It syncs to Dropbox so you don't have to

You can customize the screen colors, but the flies all wind up as plain text.

FLIPBOARD VS. AOL EDITIONS

Newspapers and magazines aren't dying; they're just changing venues. As news shifts online and goes mobile, we still love those gorgeous magazine spreads. Two free iPad apps, Flipboard and Editions by AOL, aim to give us exactly what we want, but which one does it best?

Flipboard. This app came out last year, and already it feels like an institution. Originally focused mainly on your Facebook and Twitter feeds, Flipboard has added much more content. It's now a personalized magazine of news and articles you like, mixed with Facebook, Twitter, Linkedln, Google Reader, Instagram, and Flickr.

Acer H7531D

Acer's H7531D delivers crisp, clear images from a Mac without hassles. As a standard-throw projector, I placed the H7531D about 1.5m from my screen. This delivered an image that was about 1.2m (47in) from corner to corner.

ViewSonic PJD7383i

On the spec sheet, the ViewSonic PJD7383i looks to lick most of the required boxes. It's a shorl-throw projector that delivers a clear, bright image that's over 1m (39in) from corner to corner from a distance of just 60cm from the screen.

BenQ W1100

The biggest challenge facing the BenQ W1100 is that it's playing in a very crowded market. However, with a great complement of connectivity options including two HDMI inputs, VGA, S-Video and component, plus a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080, it's a great value option for the home theatre - a market that BenQ is specifically targeting with this model.