September 2013

Supertooth Disco Twin Speakers Review

Supertooth Disco Twin Bluetooth Speakers have a rich, deep sound, great battery life, and a sleek design. Looking for a powerful and portable system? The Supertooth Disco Twin set is only $199 and worth every penny.  I owe the world of music an apology. See, for years I’ve blown off having good speakers around, because I hardly listen to music outside of my car. And my hearing isn’t the best, so I’ve always felt like I didn’t need decent speakers around. But now I’m testing the Supertooth Twin Speakers, and from the moment I fired them up to review I…


5 Things I’d Rather Do Than ‘Boston Qualify’ – The Monday Mile

Today registration for the Boston Marathon opens. Qualifying for Boston is an aspiration or goal for most long distance runners. While some debate if it’s ‘the best’, it is the most coveted and prestigious – and hardest to get into. But there are things more important to me than getting a BQ – I’ll list five. Naturally there are many people – thousands every year, in fact – who are fast enough to qualify for Boston. But as I have engaged the running community it seems nearly every running blog involves someone who has Boston as an eventual goal. I…


Spectacular Even in Death – Jeweled Skeletons of the Catacomb Saints

What do you do when you’ve got a catacomb full of purported martyrs’ skeletons, and you want to remind the faithful of the heavenly treasures awaiting them? You bedazzle those bones with jewels, and then display the results in shrines! And when skeptics question the skeletons’ provenance and the gaudy display, you hide them away until someone comes along and writes a book … This all goes back to 1578, when thousands of skeletons were found in the Roman catacombs; the remains were assumed to be early Christian martyrs, and so they were packed up and sent to “many Catholic churches…


Think Tank Photo Releases MY 2ND BRAIN Laptop Bag and Accessory Line

Think Tank Photo had taken its expertise in creating fantastic camera bags and applied it to a new line of bags and accessories for people using Apple Devices. MY 2ND BRAIN is a series of bags for tablets and laptops. Powerhouse is a line of accessory pouches. The MY 2ND BRAIN bags start at $74.75 for the tablet version and goes up to $99.75 for the MacBook Pro bag. Each bag comes in Black, Harbor Blue, and Mist Green and features: Easily accessible iPhone mobile digital device pocket with plush lining and earbud pouch Front pocket with plush pouch for…


PUC Bringings MIDI-Over-WiFi Project to Indiegogo

You want to make music with your iPad but being tethered to your keyboard is dragging you down, despair no longer – PUC has arrived! PUC connects to MIDI gear with a cable, then to your iOS device wirelessly. Once connected, apps don’t know the difference! Head to Indiegogo to support this project with a special $69 level ending 9/11!


Apple’s September Event – Here’s the Latest

Apple’s September Event will arrive shortly. As it unfolds we will share as much of the news and as many images as possible. We’ll add some commentary along the way, but we invite and encourage you to comment on this post once the news starts to roll in. To get the latest news starting at 1pm EST, just refresh your browser. Photo Credit via The Verge The Event began with a welcome and a focus on the iTunes Festival. (I’ve watched a few concerts and they are pretty great!) Apple Retail Update: Big moves outside the US. More stores. Enlarged…


For ‘909 Day’, Rebirth on Sale for $9 for 9 Days!

Roland’s TR-909 is a synthesizer classic, and one of the driving sounds in the current electronic and techno genres. Propellerhead’s 1996 Rebirth software models two Roland TB-303 synthesizers, a TR-808, and a TR-909 all at once, and was released on iPad in 2010. For the next 9 days it is on sale for $9 to celebrate 909 day! Here is Mumbance showing off some of the amazing power of the TR-909


All-New 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is Just Plain Good

‘New from hood to hitch.’ What a way to begin a marketing campaign but that is how Chevrolet leads in for the 2014 Silverado 1500 pickup, a truck they claim to be stronger, smarter and more capable than any before it thanks to new engines, new styling, new interiors and revised steering, suspension and brakes. These 55 words pretty much sum up all one needs to know about the 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup, but what fun would it be if I did not wane on for another 600 or so words going into a bit more detail on all…


JBL OnBeat Rumble Review- Huge Sound That Will Impress

If you are in the market for a speaker dock that offers a Lightening connector and wireless connectivity and you want big… no… huge sound you’ll want to check out the JBL OnBeat Rumble. The OnBear Rumble is a large speaker dock that serves up even bigger sound. At $399 it is a pricey, but impressive, offering. Check it out. The JBL OnBeat Rumble loudspeaker dock is a Lightning connector dock that also allows you to wirelessly stream audio over Bluetooth with HARMAN TrueStream connection technology. The speakers built-in subwoofer delivers huge sound and, thanks to the, free JBL MusicFlow…


Check Out the Trailer for Godfire: Rise of Prometheus? from Vivid Games!

Games like Infinity Blade offer gorgeous graphics, but the lack of control over movement limits possibilities and immersion. Godfire: Rise of Prometheus takes gorgeous graphics and advanced gameplay and a story set in Greek Mythology and look to set mobile gaming with an iOS and Android release in early 2014! Today they released a great-looking pre-Alpha video. Check out the trailer and follow the game on Facebook or Twitter!


GoG.com Kicks Off 5th Birthday Celebration With ‘Pick 5 for 80% Off” Sale!

GoG.com is kicking off their 5th birthday celebration, and as always we get great deals on games! The first sale is ‘Pick 5 Games & Save 80%’. It is pretty simple – choose five games from a great list of 25 games, and you will have then all for around $10. What are you waiting for?!? Head to GoG.com now! Also, they have added System Shock 2 as their one-day ‘Gem Promo’ – so it is $2.49, which is a complete steal for one of the best games in the history of gaming!


Orbino Padova mini for iPad mini Review Redux

  When it became clear Judie was going all-in with the iPad mini she dropped over $200 on an Orbino Padova mini leather case. I thought she was nuts to spend that much… until I saw it. The case is gorgeous and I absolutely love the review sample Orbino was kind enough to send over for a second-look review.   Let’s first take a look at the images Judie shot of her Padova mini and then take a look at it on camera. So that’s the Orbino Padova mini leather case Judie has been using for almost a year. I…


The Knork Lets You Set the Table With Just One Utensil

Knives beware! Thanks to the Knork you can now set the table with just one utensil. The Knork is a special fork whose curved side isn’t sharp like a knife but, thanks to a specific curve built into its design, will cut straight through most foods. Will a Knork let you retire the rest of your cutlery? Check it out. via theKitchn


Sony Introduces New Playstation Vita Models in Color

Coming just a couple of weeks after the $199 price drop, Sony introduced a new PCH-2000 Playstation Vita model. The new version comes in a variety of colors, 15% lighter and 20% thinner, adds an hour to battery life, has USB charging, 1GB internal storage, and switches to a LCD screen. US Pricing & availability not announced, but $199 likely. The colors include pink, black, blue, grey, lime green, and yellow; Sony is also introducing special edition Gundam Breaker, God Eater and Otomate models. The current model will be getting a special ‘Play!’ Game Pack as Sony has done with…


JUICIES+ Lightning and Micro USB Power Cables Looking for Funding on Kickstarter Now

The folks at Juicies may have come up with a way to improve upon Apple’s lightening cables as well as the typical Micro USB cable. The JUICIES+ cable is made of anodized aluminum, wrapped in a tangle-free woven cable, and is a foot longer than the typical power cables. A $20 Kickstarter pledge lands you one power cable of the future. Project Title:  JUICIES+ for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phones Status:  Currently Funding Closing Date for Funding:  11/1/13 URL of the Project:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/laudowicz/juicies-for-iphone-android-blackberry-and-windows Product Overview: JUICIES+ incorporate a few great cable designs that I’ve been looking for in a…


Chemical Attacks in Syria Continue a Tragic 1700 Year Tradition

The apparent use of chemical weapons by Syrian President Assad is not the first such occurrence in the region. In 256 C.E. the Roman fort known as Dura-Europas fell to a Sasanian Persian siege. Traces of yellow sulfur crystals and pitch near the bodies of 19 Roman soldiers now suggest they were deliberate gassed. A sad history is now being replayed.


GearTag Helps Ensure You Never Lose Track of Your Gear Again

GearTag, now funding on Kickstarter, is a neat way to keep track of your gear.  These small wireless tags can be clipped to a purse, tucked into a wallet, or attached to your keyring.  From your smartphone or computer, you can ‘page’ your tag or view it’s last known location.  Reserve yours for a $30 pledge. GearTags use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to communicate with your smartphone.  This uses little battery life while also giving you a range of 100 yards.  Each GearTag has it’s own unique QR code printed on one side, like a fingerprint.  If the tag…


Technogel Offers Better Sleep at a Steep Cost

Are you having a hard time finding the right pillow? Technogel thinks they have the right answer with their high-tech pillows, designed to keep you cool and support your body for a more restful sleep. The catch? They’re $169…each. Ouch, but if they work, it’s worth it, right? What sets Technogel apart is their technology. The pillows stay cooler than memory foam, and their density means they spread support better than foam as well. The idea is that the ergonomics and design make for a better night’s sleep than on ordinary pillows and memory foam, and a better night’s sleep is…


Short Film from NPR Highlights the Impact of Smartphones on Cultural Norms

When was the last time you were together with a group of adults (or teens) and not a single moment was interrupted by checking a smartphone, taking a picture, uploading to Vine or something else? As you think about that, check out this video and watch it from the perspective of Charlene deGuzman, the creator of the film. What do you think – has this become a problem? Source: NPR


Hidden Linux of the Week is Android

In the Linux community, the term “Year of the Linux Desktop” has been bandied about for over 12 years. See, I use Linux every day and I bet you do too. This is especially true if you carry an Android device. Yes Android uses the Linux and is in the hands of millions. The year of the Linux desktop is here. History Android was started in 2003 by Andy Rubin as Android Inc. Originally Android was being developed to run on cameras but they quickly realized that would be a limited market. So they started developing it for Smartphones. Money…


The Ikea Ottoman Standing Desk- DIY For $39

Neccessity truly is the mother of invention. I threw out my back. Still, I have tons of writing I need to do. I do have an Ergotron Standing Desk but I wanted to be in my kitchen with the doors and windows open. Enter my “mobile standing desk”… an Ikea Poang ottoman set atop our island. Works like a charm.