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pewterbot9 · 12-30-2010, 05:36 AM

While I find my Pocket Edge to be a most elegant and exquisite piece of technology, well worth it's price, I have to say I am way less pleased at the poor quality and/or pricey accessories offered at their online shop. Here's my rundown:

- Neoprene Case/Touring Sleeve: Unless your budget is better than threadbare, why spend $23 for a PE case/sleeve (and $40 for the EE version). Not to mention additional shipping/tax fees. You can find excellent cases, and a wider variety of them, at your local thrift shop. For what...5, 10 dollars?

- USB to Fast Ethernet Adapter: $30 (plus shipping/tax)...but the same can be purchased at an electronics/computer parts shop for around $15 (including shipping)...or at Amazon.com for the same amount (plus shipping/tax...still a good deal).

- iRizer Stand + mini Rizer: Forty figgin' dollahs for a simple stand? Just go to your nearest office supply store and pick one up for cheap. (Or once again, yard sale or thrift shop.)

- USB Flex Neck (Soft Touch Black) Light: Eighteen dollars is just too much for something you can get at Walgreens for a few bucks. I opted for a $6 5-led head lamp that fits comfortably around my head with cloth stretch bands.

- Stylus, Replacement (3 Pack): Well, I haven't looked into this yet, but I'm sure I can find a similar stylus for considerably less than 3-for-30. (Considering Entourage's price gouging on all other accessories, it's a no-brainer.)

- Klear Screen Deluxe Cleaning Kit: Twenty-five G. Washingtons? You can get the same LCD screen cleaner in handy spray-pump bottles at your local office supply stores for one-third the price. Or buy lens cleaner at Walgreens, it's the same stuff, safe to use on binocular, eyeglass, telescope, and camera lenses...it is equally safe for LCD screens. I've used it for years. A bottle that'll last months, will set you back oh, around 5 whopping dollahs. And for another 3-4 bucks, buy the specially made microfiber lens-cleaning cloth.

- StuffBak - Rugged Pack/Warrior Pack: 12 and 17 dollars, respectively. For a false sense of security. Three or five aluminum tags that "make it easy (and Compelling!!) for good Samaritans, lost and found personnel, and police departments to return lost or stolen items". That's quite an optimistic long shot there, lil fella! You can purchase the same level of security (which is almost zilch) at any hardware store...for, I dunno...8 or 9 dollahs?

Well, that about wraps it up; I hope I've helped spared some of us from wasting our hard-earned moolah. This is a disappointment, this cheapening of the spirit of a great product: totally needless and somewhat alarming. Like the chintzy built-in camcorder.

As for the power supply and battery...oh well, maybe we're stuck with Entourage's price for the nonce...until equivalent knockoffs start showing themselves on eBay!

Cheerz 4 better yearz. Thanks for reading.

12-30-2010, 05:36 AM	#1
pewterbot9 Edge User	Don't buy that junk! While I find my Pocket Edge to be a most elegant and exquisite piece of technology, well worth it's price, I have to say I am way less pleased at the poor quality and/or pricey accessories offered at their online shop. Here's my rundown: - Neoprene Case/Touring Sleeve: Unless your budget is better than threadbare, why spend $23 for a PE case/sleeve (and $40 for the EE version). Not to mention additional shipping/tax fees. You can find excellent cases, and a wider variety of them, at your local thrift shop. For what...5, 10 dollars? - USB to Fast Ethernet Adapter: $30 (plus shipping/tax)...but the same can be purchased at an electronics/computer parts shop for around $15 (including shipping)...or at Amazon.com for the same amount (plus shipping/tax...still a good deal). - iRizer Stand + mini Rizer: Forty figgin' dollahs for a simple stand? Just go to your nearest office supply store and pick one up for cheap. (Or once again, yard sale or thrift shop.) - USB Flex Neck (Soft Touch Black) Light: Eighteen dollars is just too much for something you can get at Walgreens for a few bucks. I opted for a $6 5-led head lamp that fits comfortably around my head with cloth stretch bands. - Stylus, Replacement (3 Pack): Well, I haven't looked into this yet, but I'm sure I can find a similar stylus for considerably less than 3-for-30. (Considering Entourage's price gouging on all other accessories, it's a no-brainer.) - Klear Screen Deluxe Cleaning Kit: Twenty-five G. Washingtons? You can get the same LCD screen cleaner in handy spray-pump bottles at your local office supply stores for one-third the price. Or buy lens cleaner at Walgreens, it's the same stuff, safe to use on binocular, eyeglass, telescope, and camera lenses...it is equally safe for LCD screens. I've used it for years. A bottle that'll last months, will set you back oh, around 5 whopping dollahs. And for another 3-4 bucks, buy the specially made microfiber lens-cleaning cloth. - StuffBak - Rugged Pack/Warrior Pack: 12 and 17 dollars, respectively. For a false sense of security. Three or five aluminum tags that "make it easy (and Compelling!!) for good Samaritans, lost and found personnel, and police departments to return lost or stolen items". That's quite an optimistic long shot there, lil fella! You can purchase the same level of security (which is almost zilch) at any hardware store...for, I dunno...8 or 9 dollahs? Well, that about wraps it up; I hope I've helped spared some of us from wasting our hard-earned moolah. This is a disappointment, this cheapening of the spirit of a great product: totally needless and somewhat alarming. Like the chintzy built-in camcorder. As for the power supply and battery...oh well, maybe we're stuck with Entourage's price for the nonce...until equivalent knockoffs start showing themselves on eBay! Cheerz 4 better yearz. Thanks for reading. Last edited by pewterbot9; 12-30-2010 at 02:37 PM.