Edison x Goldspot = Fantastic Pen (Fountain Pen Review)

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Note: This pen was provided at no charge by Goldspot Pens for this review.

When I first got into fountain pens 10 years ago, there were a few pens on my “grail” list — pens I really wanted but couldn’t pull the trigger on. I had a Sailor and a Platinum, naturally, but Edison made a few of the pens on this list.

As time went on, I made the other purchases ahead of anything from Edison, and well, that particular grail pen has never made it into my connection…until now. I’m happy to say that a decade-long dream has been fulfilled; I now own an Edison. Specifically the Edison x Goldspot Pens Newark Fountain Pen.

So now the question is: can it possibly live up to my expectations? Let’s take a look.

A Look at the Newark

This is an exclusive collaboration design between Edison Pen Co. and Goldspot Pens, based on Edison’s Standard Edition 2020 release. It’s made from turned acrylic with a polished chrome clip and #6 Size Stainless Steel nib. The nib sizes come in EF, Fine, Medium, Broad, and there are two Stub sizes: 1.1mm and 1.5mm. You can also swap the stainless steel for an 18kt gold nib.

It comes with a converter, which I’ve chosen to fill with Robert Oster Forest Green. It also supports the international size cartridge if you don’t want ink bottles.

The colors on this collab are “battery blue,” as well as High Voltage green, which is what I opted for, and what’s featured in the photos. I really love the way the green looks in person.

Writing with the Pen

The first thing that struck me about the pen was how light it felt. I have other similar-sized, similar-looking pens that feel heavier than the Newark, and it was a pleasant surprise.

From top to bottom: Mark One Evergreen, Edison x Goldspot Pens Newark, Mark One Orange, Leonardo Momento Zero

At about 1/2 inch wide and 6.10 inches long with the cap posted (my preferred way of writing), the pen is a really great size and feels comfortable in my hand. I wrote with it almost exclusively for several days, including some long-form writing, and I never got fatigued.

The pen I’m using has an F nib, and while I generally prefer an M or MF, I really like the #6 Size F nibs1. One thing I look for in the beginning is if the nib is blotchy or think when you first ink it up, and I didn’t run into that with the Newark.

Then I look to see if I have to work hard when I write, and once again, no troubles there. In fact, this has been one of the smoother writing experiences I’ve had.

Who is the Edison x Goldspot Pens Newark For?

What I really like about this pen is that it could be for anyone, from a seasoned collector like me to a novice looking for their first $150+ pen. It’s lightweight, beautiful, and easy to fill.

The price point also makes it a great gift. And if you are looking for the first gold nib, you can pick up the 18kt version for less than $300.

After a few weeks of using it, it’s still ab absolute pleasure and has made its way into my regular rotation.

  1. Probably because I’m usually writing with Japanese nibs, which as far as I can tell, run narrower than other brand nibs. ?
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3 StoreBuilder Features That Make it the Best eCommerce Solution

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Ah, the age-old question: do you want ease of use, or the freedom to do with you want with your eCommerce store? Shopify is easy but expensive (especially since they take a transaction cut). But WooCommerce and other self-hosted platforms are hard to set up and harder to maintain…until now.

With Nexcess’ StoreBuilder, you can have the best of both worlds: the ease of use from Shopify, and the freedom and flexibility of WordPress/WooCommerce. Here are my Top 3 features of StoreBuilder:

  1. A simplified WordPress Dashboard menu. The Dashboard can get extremely messy – especially when you add in WooCommerce. With StoreBuilder, the team rebuilt the menu to make it more simplified, which in turn makes it easier to find the crucial areas you need to run your online store.
  2. A vastly improved Setup Wizard. The WooCommerce wizard is fine, but the StoreBuilder wizard is next level. You can choose from tons of great designs, make customizations, and set up your shop in a few clicks. Plus, you don’t have to worry about upsells! It even includes helpful videos from WP101 directly inline, to help you along.
  3. Access to lots of premium plugins. One of the great things about StoreBuilder is that you get access to premium plugins you’d otherwise need to pay for. From security and backups, to abandoned cart plugins, you get everything you need without any fuss.

Try StoreBuilder risk-free for 30 days. Then it’s just $19/mo.

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My Thoughts on the iPad Pro 10.5″

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So I’m a bit of a technophile and an early adopter. Always have been; I had a Palm M100 in 9th grade because it looked cool. Plus it helped me keep my busy schedule of drama club and homework straight. Since then, I’ve tried to get new tech sooner rather than later. Sometimes I write about it. When the iPad Pro was announced, it wasn’t something I was able to buy. But I’ve been looking for a good way to draw on a screen since my first “tablet” in 2005. Well, I was able to get the iPad Pro 10.5″ this year; so how does it stack up?

Read More “My Thoughts on the iPad Pro 10.5″”

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My Thoughts on the Galaxy SIV

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SamsungGalaxyS411

Since the Samsung Galaxy SIV was announced, I was pretty much waiting on baited breath for its release for Verizon customers; I was so excited I went out and picked it up the day after it was released, the soonest I could (I had actually pre-ordered it on May 18th through Amazon, but due to some issues I cancelled the order and picked it up at my local Best Buy). I really liked the form factor, features, and of-course, the amazing 13MP camera it touted. So does the phone live up to my expectations? Let’s see.

Read More “My Thoughts on the Galaxy SIV”

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April 9th: Articles Round Up

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Since I’ve been travelling and sick for the last few weeks I haven’t really done a good job of promoting some articles I’ve written across the web. In-case you missed it, here are some of my better works!

Redesigned USA Today is Better than Ever: I review USA Today’s latest release for Android, focusing on a new design and some really great features! (@droidappstorm)

Manage Your Information Securely with Dashlane: Dashlane has quickly become one of my favorite apps. In this review I take a look at the Android version. (@droidappstorm)

Do Just About Anything with Freshbooks for iPhone: I review my favorite accounting software’s new iPhone app. Spoiler: It’s pretty amazing. (@iphoneappstorm)

Keep Tabs on New Movie Releases with eTrizzle: This interest little aggregator for Android could use some finness but has a lot of potential!  (@droidappstorm)

Also, I’ve been tapped for a weekly spot over at Android.Appstorm, so be sure to check back there every Tuesday for my latest article!

Sync Your Android With Your Mac Using SyncMate

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In case you missed it, last week my Android.Appstorm article reviewed SyncMate, an app that lets you sync your Mac with with Android device (and a ton of other devices). The Mac/Android app allows you to sync calendar, contacts, bookmarks, iTunes, iPhoto, and more. Check out my review through the link below!

Sync Your Android With Your Mac Using SyncMate

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Favorites of 2010

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Happy New Years Eve! As tradition for the last couple of years, here is a list of my favorites from 2010.

  • Favorite Tech Toy: Amazon Kindle. Competition was pretty stiff this year with all of the new gadgets I got- an iPad, a new Macbook Pro, and most recently, the HTC Incredible. I also broke from choosing my cell phone as my favorite tech toy. I got the Kindle for Christmas last year and love it. I’m including it in the 2010 running because most of the use came in 2010. The reading experience is superior to the iPad, the book selection is huge, it’s lightweight and very portable, and I love that you can make notes and annotations on it. I feel like I read more in 2010 because of the Kindle.
  • App/Website: Dropbox. This is another thing I had in 2009 but didn’t start really using until 2010. Dropbox makes it amazingly easy to sync across all of my devices (Mac, PC, iPad, Android Phone). I’m considering upgrading so I can try some of the neat advanced things you can do.
  • Favorite Book: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. My friend Katie recommended it, and even though it’s a fairly long book, it’s a quick read because of the fast pace of the story. I highly recommending it. I’ll be starting the next one soon!
  • TV Show: Dexter. I was lucky enough to start a series this year that I’ve been missing out on. Dexter is an awesome show about a good guy who’s also serial killer. The show is thrilling and intellectually stimulating, and the acting is rock solid. I highly recommend it if you’ve never watched it.
  • Movie: Inception. Leo DiCaprio had a great 2010. For a while, I though Shutter Island would be the best movie of the year. Then Inception came out and blew my mind. Cause for a lot of discussion and speculation, it’s a movie that keeps on giving, and an original idea at that.
  • Music: The Gaslight Anthem. My brother Phil and friend Danny told me about them in August/September and I’ve been listening to them daily since. I love their classic alternative rock sound (non of this new-alternative Nickelback crap) and the lead singer’s vocals are awesome. I highly recommend them. As far as new in 2010, Mumford and Sons is pretty awesome. You should check them out too.