Chromecast

Xiaomi Impresses with Their Latest Launch

Xiaomi may not be the first brand that people in the US think of for smartphones, but they are ranked at #4 worldwide behind Samsung, Huawei, and Apple. Their smartphones have garnered praise from stateside reviewers for having excellent cameras, best-in-class features, and, most importantly, affordability. But Xiaomi makes more than just smartphones; they also sell home, health, and lifestyle products that include routers, fitness bands, LED desk lamps, air purifiers, and electric scooters, to name just a few.


SOLIS Debuts Impressive, Gorgeous Speakers

2017 was a big year for SOLIS, who debuted a number of attractive, connected, and stellar-sounding speakers.   From portable, smart Bluetooth speakers to gorgeous vacuum tube amplifiers, SOLIS has every audiophile covered. I had the pleasure of testing two of their offerings in my home and came away impressed. Read on to hear about the SO-3000 and the SO-8000.



Apple Reportedly Gearing Up for Online Television Service

In a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple seems to be in the talks to launch an slimmed-down online television service which would have around 25 channels with some major names like ABC, CBS, and Fox, and heavy hitter cable channels like E!, and Syfy.


Specs are Everything, According to SayGus’s V2 Smartphone

The is a lesser-known Android smartphone that’s features look so good on paper, it’s surprising that the specs aren’t in all devices. Available for pre-order since February ($549), the phone packs everything you’d probably expect out of a laptop, not a mobile device.


10 Reasons I Found the Apple Watch Event a Snooze-Fest

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Greg’s take on Why I’m Considering Getting an Apple Watch, more than I enjoyed yet another over-long, under-delivering Apple ‘event’. Part I can understand, as I was listening to the audio stream through my car for a half-hour, but I found this the biggest Apple snoozer I can recall. Let me give you 10 reasons why!



How Up to Date Is “Goodnight iPad”?

My son loves (LOVES) the book “Goodnight iPad“. I’ve read it so many times I have it memorized, so I usually “read” it to him once it is lights-out. Half the time he’s asleep before I finish. Last night I realized some of the book’s technology references are already outdated, and it’s only four years old!



Toshiba Canvio Aerocast WiFi Hard Drive Review: Back It Up and Stream It!

I use my Chromecast nearly every day to watch YouTube videos and more. The one thing that has not been as easy as I would like has been watching my own videos. That has now changed with Toshiba’s new Canvio Aerocast wireless hard drive, which has very good Chromecast support. Now you can watch almost any video on your Chromecast.


Motorola FOCUS 66 Wi-Fi HD Home Monitoring Camera Review

I’ve been looking at WiFi cameras on and off for years.  Just within the last few, there have been cameras that have the home monitoring aspect which includes alerting you when something is being picked up on the camera. That’s where the Motorola FOCUS 66 WiFi HD Home Monitoring camera comes in.


The Negative Aspect of Software in Smartphones and Other Devices

There are some negative aspects to using embedded software in hardware.  A few sites have written that about how phones or tablets still on Android versions below 4.4 are at risk for a vulnerability in the default browser. Don’t blame Google for this; blame the OEMs and carriers, as Google fixed the issue. However, there’s much more to this story.


A MacBook/iPad User’s Take on the Toshiba Chromebook 2

This post about the Toshiba Chromebook 2 has been a long time coming. It isn’t because I don’t like the machine. I do. Rather, it has taken time because I tried to see how it might fit into my workflow. I’ve come away from the experience impressed by what Google and Toshiba have done. Still, I need to come clean…


BiggiFi is an Impressive Android HDMI Stick with a Ton of Functionality

BiggiFi is a powerful Android device for your television, with a somewhat silly name. It’s a tiny Android-powered computer within an HDMI stick that’s hooked up directly to your television. You have access to the entire Google Play app library and can run most of its apps using your iPhone or Android phone for control. It retails for $89.


“Theater To Go”, Thanks to the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2030 – Part One

I’ve heard of churches using projectors to beam words to songs, images, and page numbers onto a screen during services, and we’ve been considering it for our sanctuary; we wanted to test it out during the summer. Fortunately, I had a review sample of the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2030 2D/3D 1080p 3LCD Projector in hand.   It turns out that the projector is phenomenal for home use, and it held its own during services as well.


Traveling with the Chromecast or Any Other Set-Top Box

Two weeks ago, I went on another business trip.  Since I had just bought the Chromecast, I thought I would take it with me to have something to watch in my down time. While I was able to get it to work, it wasn’t the easiest thing to do, so that might be enough to make you rethink taking that tiny Chromecast. It’s not impossible, though!


I Bought a Chromecast and Completely Changed My View

It’s hard to believe it’s been just a little over a year since Google released the cheapest set-top “box” there is, the Chromecast.  Initially, I wasn’t too enthused.  After hearing how my friends liked it, I figured why not make the jump?  It would give me some entertainment when I was on the road as well. Since picking it up, I’ve completely fallen in love.


IOGEAR Wireless Mobile and PC to HDTV With WiDi and Miracast Review

Apple TV lets you access iTunes or view content from a Mac or iOS device on the big screen. The same holds true for Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV. Unfortunately, each only works with devices in that company’s ecosystem. Looking for something more platform agnostic? Check out the IOGEAR Wireless Mobile and PC to HDTV With WiDi and Miracast.



Going ‘All-In’ With the Samsung Chromebook

Just like I did with several tablets last year, I am going to try to use the Chromebook as my ‘90% computer’. This means using it for all of my normal daily tasks except those I know it cannot do, such as PC or iPad gaming. With great portability, battery life, and ease of use, I anticipate great success! I already have a couple of challenges – the USB port is incompatible with my Garmin GPS watch, and I am still figuring out the WiFi configuration for my work network … but I am persevering, as I have most other…


Thoughts on the ChromeCast

A few days ago Google let the ChromeCast out of the bag.  For those who don’t know, the ChromeCast allows you to send Netflix, YouTube and other content to your TV from your laptop, phone or tablet. More applications are sure to come, but people are already snapping up this tiny dongle so fast that Google has had to discontinue including 3 months of Netflix.  At $35 dollars it is a steal of a deal for what people can do with it. Some are saying that it’s a big game changing device.  I am not totally convinced that it is….