The MacBook Pro with retina display really improved on the built-in microphones Apple had been previously using. By including dual-array mics, Apple was able to create a system that allows users to use voice and video chat without a headset. The dual-array setup is also quite useful with the built-in voice recognition that comes with [...]
JetPens.com’s Kaweco AC Sport Carbon Fountain Pen Review
In a world obsessed with texting and emails, it’s so very refreshing for me to be able to put away my electronic devices and use something that doesn’t require electricity to convey thought. Oh there are No. 2 pencils, mass-produced and disposable pens galore that I’ve used over the course of my lifetime, but for [...]
Twelve South’s BackPack Shelf for iMac and Apple Displays Gets Refresh and Redesign
Twelve South’s very first Apple-only accessory was the BackPack Shelf for the iMac and pole Display. It is one of those small, unassuming accessories that you might not necessarily NEED, but you can’t do without once you start using it. Now they have gone and made three different enhancements to it. As they note, Three [...]
Satechi 12 Port USB Hub with Power Adapter and 2 Controls Review
When I was using a desktop, I was able to set things up just the way I liked… and leave them that way. I used one of the USB ports on my iMac for an iOS 30-pin cable, one for a printer, one for a high quality microphone and one for a USB hub. That [...]
Rokform Rokstand v1 Desktop Stand Review
There are iPhone and iPad stands, and then THERE ARE iPad and iPhone stands! ApexCarbon was kind enough to send us a RockForm RockStand for review and giveaway and it is, in a word, impressive. Yes, this desktop stand is more than a stand for your iOS device. It is an attention-grabbing sculpture, a conversation [...]
Desktop USB Fundue Set from ThinkGeek.com – You Can Fondue It
I occasionally wonder why they even bother to manufacture new fondue sets. Considering the number of folks who bought one of these contraptions in the late 1970′s to melt cheese or chocolate so that they could dip bread or cheesecake chunks in them, I imagine that there are thousands of these things tucked away in [...]
Jabra Supreme UC Bluetooth Headset and USB Adapter Review
We took a look at the Jabra Supreme headset back in October. (Read the review.) It was an impressive Bluetooth headset; it offered active noise cancellation, and the headset was designed for noisy environments. The active noise cancellation cut through much of the ambient noise and allowed for clear conversations on both sides. Sure, the [...]
EPSON Announces the Expression Home XP-40 Wireless Printer, Small but Packs a Punch
“Small, simple, inexpensive and everything you need in a printer.” That’s how I would describe the new EPSON Expression Home XP-400. It is just $99 but can still print, copy, scan and more. Add in the fact that it is sleek, quiet and user-friendly and you have a great printer that won’t cost you an [...]
Element Case Vapor Dock review
Does your iPhone NEED a dock? The short answer is, “No. No, you don’t need a dock for your iPhone.” After all, you can simply attach the sync/charge cable to it and you will be good to go. From there, your iPhone will charge or sync and be ready to go when you are. It [...]
StarTech’s New USB 3.0 HDD Docking Station
If you build computers or do any maintenance on computers or just want a quick way to offload the data off of an old hard drive, then StarTech.com has a new solution for you. Their new HDD docking station supports 2.5 inch or 3.5 inch SATA or IDE hard disks and connects to your computer [...]
GoFlex Satellite Drive Firmware Update Arriving March 19th
At CES this past January, Judie and I had a chance to meet with Seagate and see their new and updated offerings. We saw, and later reviewed, their GoFlex Thunderbolt Adapter. It is now a key part of my iMac setup. We also learned about a coming update to the GoFlex Satellite drive we had [...]
The Startech USB 3.0/eSATA Quad Bay Docking Station Review
Image courtesy of StarTech Those of us in the IT business know that you simply can’t have enough tools to get the job done. Anything to make life easier, and give you more time to for other things is usually worth it’s weight in gold. StarTech makes some of the coolest and hard to [...]
ioSafe Shocks Us Again at CES 2012
ioSafe is known for keeping your data SAFE. How safe? Well, first we took the initiative to burn and water-soak a drive, and the data was still recoverable. Then, starting with CES 2010, ioSafe decided to show everyone that their drives are capable of withstanding burning, soaking, dropping, and crushing. In 2011, we upped the [...]
Seagate Thunderbolt Adapter Speed Comparison with USB 2.0
We told you about Seagate’s new Thunderbolt adapters last week. Yes, we are finally seeing products come to market that take advantage of the speed increases offered by Thunderbolt. But how fast IS Thunderbolt? Sure you can see lab testing but that doesn’t necessarily tell you about using it at home or work. We shot [...]
Seagate Showcases Speed, Updates and Innovation
We had a chance to sit down with Seagate earlier this week, and we liked what we saw. We were glad to see an update to the GoFlex Satellite we had reviewed some months ago, we saw a product that is not yet shipping (but we WANT NOW), and we took some time to see [...]






















