October 2010

Fun around every corner in Honda Civic Si

Bold would be an adequate way to describe some of Honda’s design choices in recent years. Ridgeline? Bold. Element? Bold. Civic? You guessed it – bold. Honda took a giant leap of faith when redesigning their popular small vehicle lineup a short while back, but that is what the automaker has been doing well over the past couple of decades – taking giant leaps of faith followed by success of nearly all of those choices. As energy prices soared ever higher, droves of consumers headed down the model lines to units they probably once sought to intimidate from behind the…


Wired Magazine iPad App–an Ironic Fail

I didn’t begin today thinking, “Boy, I better review the Wired Magazine iPad app, or Judie will really get on me”.  Nope; I have lots of other stuff on my plate, including news items and reviews of other apps (e.g., Mushroom Age!).  But as I sat there waiting–and waiting and waiting and waiting–for the one issue I bought to download, I ended up writing a review in my head, so I figure hey, better get it down. Here’s the history:  I loved Wired magazine.  Loved it.  I used to wait for and immediately read every issue, almost cover-to-cover.  Yes, it…


Beware the Ice Pack, a Post-Run Safety PSA

Yesterday Carly shared one of what I consider to be the more important posts in recent memory (a close second to Michael’s post the other day). Carly related the story of a woman running with headphones on who “turned left abruptly, and went directly into the path of an oncoming bicycle.” The post highlights the potential danger of running or biking with headphones on. Increasingly we are (finally) talking about the issue of distracted driving. The fact is, distracted exercise is also an issue, and it is one that Larry has warned me about numerous times. Well, along similar lines…


TravelTeq’s TRIP Will Pack You, Seat You, Carry You and Rock You

… and it will cost you. 😉 Nothing is more tiring than the journey anymore; getting to airports hours early, waiting in long lines, being herded like cattle through security only to find that there are no seats left for your oversold flight at the already over-packed gate … ugh! But the ends justify the means, right? And whether it is for vacation or business, we continue to endure the pitfalls of modern day travel. With that in mind, I found this product interesting when it landed in my email this morning; the TRIP is a carry-on suitcase that carries…


New Study: Body Image Stereotypes Cost Women Money at Work … But Benefit Men

There seems to have been quite a bit of talk and writing about how we should be reinforcing positive body images to young kids, girls in particular. So much talk and focus on how unhealthy it is for girls under 21, who are still changing physically, to be looking for plastic surgery … and also so much focus on the unhealthy sizes of fashion models. There has even been quite a bit of recent focus on the impact of Photoshopping advertisements by companies like Ann Taylor and others. That is all good, so what is the problem? Apparently the workplace…


The Lunacy of eBook Pricing – Example from the Forgotten Realms

Considering I am a huge fan of classic role-playing games, greatly enjoy the whole Dungeons and Dragons universe, have read and enjoyed some of the popular book series from author R. A. Salvatore including the Icewind Dale Trilogy and the Cleric Quintet, and have been intrigued by the recent announcement of the upcoming online-but-not-MMO computer game Neverwinter … you might say I was a ready-made target for the new book Gauntlgrym: Neverwinter Book I. Naturally I wanted to read it on my iPad, because as many others here have noted – it is just a great way to read things….


eHolster Front Pocket Wallet iPhone Case Review

Since winning a recent bout with back pain, I’ve begun, at the recommendation of my chiropractor, carrying my wallet in my front pants pocket. It lives on the right side of my trousers, while my iPhone lives on the left. That presents a problem when it comes time to place my keys somewhere. I don’t want to put my keys in the same pocket as my iPhone for fear that they will scratch it, and there isn’t much room left in the pocket where my wallet is stored. The result? I often times carry my keys on my belt or…


Kobo Reader Review

In the ebook world, the Kindle and nook are the 100 lbs. gorillas. Everyone uses them as the yardstick; does an eReader offer the same features, does it have a store affiliation, is the screen as sharp, etc. At the same time, there’s still something to be said for simple ebook readers. No bells and whistles, just a thin device and your books. The Kobo Reader aims to fill that gap, with sleek looks, a low price, and basic features. Does it fit the bill, or should you pass in favor of its flashier competitors? Read on for my full…


iPhone 4 + Aluminum = ?

The ElementCase Vapor 4 is a beautiful case for the iPhone 4. It looks great. It feels great. And it is, as Judie explained last month, totally unusable. As she explained in that post Larry, Dan & I recently reviewed the Element Case Vapor 4. All of us agreed that it was easily one of the most beautiful cases we had ever used, but we all experienced a significant signal drop when our iPhones were in them. One of the things that ETS Lindgren is able to do is scientifically measure the antenna strength of a mobile phone inside one…


Is THIS The Droid App You Are Looking For? Verizon Brings Empire Strikes Back to Android!

Of course, not the whole movie … nor the classic arcade game … but some ‘other stuff’ for a questionable value of $2.99. But for the Star Wars fan with an Android device from Verizon, this might just fit your needs for more cool TESB stuff during the 30th anniversary year. Here are some details from TheForce.net: Looks like the rumor was correct, but with a slight delay. Originally slated to launch on October 4th, the Verizon Empire Strikes Back Android app ended up launching a day late on the 5th. While the app itself is free, the full range…


Looking for a Job AND Trying to Save the Planet? Here is Where You Should Live!

I have been lucky in my current job that in addition to making cell phone screens more durable and presentation projectors that can fit in your pocket, I have also been able to work on things with specific objectives of cleaning up the environment. It is satisfying when work you love also benefits the planet. At the same time I have friends who have still been unable to find work that is at the level they had before the recession, some still burning through savings and others working at whatever they can find. So it was interesting to read “Top…


Headset Review: FREETALK Handsfree Headset

I have a number of headsets that I use on a regular basis. Some are relatively inexpensive deals such as the buds Apple includes with each iPhone, and others are far more expensive units such as the Etymotic HF2s I have been using for about two years. When FREETALK reached out and offered a review unit of their new FREETALK Handsfree headset, I was intrigued. Their site describes the unit as “The only headset you’ll ever need“. That is a pretty bold statement to make, and I just had to see for myself if it was anywhere near the truth….


Speck Fitted iPhone 4 Case Review

Speck has been making quality accessories for the Apple iPhone since the first generation device was released. Admittedly I was not a huge fan of the 3G version of the Fitted case. However, that all changed when Speck retooled the Fitted for their 3GS release. Speck was kind enough to send me the iPhone 4 version of the Fitted and I’ve had some time over the last few weeks to put the case through its paces. Does the new Fitted retain the same fit and quality that the 3GS version did? Read on to find out. The Fitted case comes…


Urbanears New Headphone Colors Revealed as Colorful Music Lovers Cheer

Out with the old and in with the new; say hello to the colorful new Urbanears 2010 Fall / Winter collection. Urbanears headphones have a 3.5mm jack and remote compatible with most devices including Nokia, Blackberry, HTC and iPhone giving them the additional functionality of a headset. In conjunction with the turn of the season, Urbanears has revamped its color offerings. Seven colors have been dropped from the line and are being replaced with seven brand new sleek colors. As seasons and fashions change, Urbanears will continue to introduce and drop colors every six months. … Currently, these colors are…


AAFES Still Says No to M.O.H. on US Bases, Even After EA Removes “Taliban” Label

Image courtesy of HDWallpapers Video game developers and production studios and publishers are no strangers to controversy over video game titles and content. In the past few weeks Electronic Arts and Danger Close have been under fire from the military organization AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Service) about their new Medal of Honor (MoH) title. The new game has a multiplayer mode, where you can choose to be on either the American Force or the Opposing Force — which in the game was formerly called the “Taliban”. When the game was initially announced, AAFES made the call to ban MoH…


Be Safe When Running with Headphones On!

Do you run with headphones on? Personally, I don’t, and I haven’t since I lived in a town that believed sidewalks were optional, and that SUVs have the right of way over the entire road, especially the shoulder where I was running. But I know many friends who do, and I hope they’re careful out there, especially after some recent tragic news out of Dallas, Texas. Over on the Runner’s World forums, someone shared the news about a young woman out running on a multi-use path, who was wearing headphones and turned left abruptly and went directly into the path…


iPad App Update of Note- Amazon Kindle for iPad Gets My Favorite iBook Feature

A number of months ago I realized that I needed to choose an e-book platform and stick with it. It made no sense for me to buy some books through Amazon’s Kindle portal and other books through Apple’s iBooks. I needed to choose one or the other and stick with it so that I was consistent in where my books were and how I could access them. Ultimately I decided to go with the Kindle application. My reasons for this were quite simple and clear. First, I already owned a huge number of books that were sitting in my Amazon…


2011 Suzuki Kizashi SLS Sport: Something great is coming?

Something great is coming, that is what Suzuki is telling me with the arrival of its all-new sport sedan Kizashi (pronounced Kee-Zah-Shee) model. So let me get this straight, this new vehicle is the something great or this car is the messenger telling us something great is coming? Either way, in my opinion something great is already here – the 2011 Suzuki Kizashi SLS Sport. Many hold strong to the “first impressions are usually right” theory and my first impressions of this car are very positive. I remember Kizashi arriving in concept form a couple of years ago and looked…


iGo Charge Anywhere Review

No matter how long you think your mobile devices can maintain a full day’s charge, you’re going to be put to the test.   It’s always  going to be a race to find an outlet or to boot up your computer  as your phone’s battery starts to fade out completely.   It’s happened to me plenty of times.   When I’m at a conference.   When I’m at a meeting.   When I’m rushing to catch a flight.   No time is a good time, either.   When that battery does go, you’re in a lonely world.   No email, no calls, no texts, no twitter or Facebook…


Ace Flashcards for iPhone/Touch Review

As an educator and parent of a kindergarten student, flashcards are always a part of my life.  Many of my students make them for each test for a variety of subjects.  Coincidentally, the students who put the time in to make the cards seem to always make above average grades.  My son is learning to read and has a couple of sight words added each week.  We have two sets of flashcards at home and constantly quiz him on his words.  In Texas, students must pass a standardized test called the TAKS test which includes social studies in the 10th…


Because Being a Nag Isn’t Always a Bad Thing…

Poor “Nag.” The word almost always has a negative connotation. Think about it: can you recall a recent conversation in which you’ve heard “nag” used as a verb and not had it mean something unpleasant? Well, Electric Pocket’s new iOS app might just cast “nag” in an entirely new light. Just the other day, our friends over at Electric Pocket, makers of BugMe! and BookLover, sent us a note announcing their latest iPhone app, appropriately titled “Nag.” It’s a simple app that nags you at a time of your choosing. Seems simple enough, and it is. I downloaded the app,…