October 2010

Guitar + iPhone = CASTIV’s Guitar Sidekick

The iPhone and iPad have spawned hundreds of apps for guitar players.  It has been truly exciting seeing the genre build and develop over the past year.  I have actually reviewed several of these apps and use them regularly while I jam at my house.  PocketAmp AmpKit Amplitube Tab ToolKit Guitar ToolKit The only problem I have found with these apps is where to place my iPhone.  I usually balance it on my leg or leave it on the couch.  Either way, I end up in an awkward posture which is a terrible habit to form as a guitar player. …


iPhone 4 Case Review- XtremeMac TuffWrap

XtremeMac makes a host of accessories for Apple’s various products. They have been, and will continue to, roll out accessories for the iPhone 4. We have a few early examples to share with you over the next few days so let’s jump in with the first one… the XtremeMac TuffWrap for iPhone 4. The TuffWrap is a simple, form-fitting case for the iPhone 4 which, at an MSRP of $19.99 is an affordable way to protect the delicate device. From XtremeMac- Protect your iPhone in style. Tuffwrap is a durable silicone case available in a variety of the latest colors….


Review: Pelican 1015 Laptop Overnight Case

Some of my favorite movies over the years have been movies like Spies Like Us, WarGames, True Lies, Under Siege and the 007 Movies.  In some of those movies, you’d see the hero or the antagonist slam a case on the counter and unlock it, flip open some heavy-duty double throw latches and open up a watertight, dust proof container and get a computer or some other equipment out.  These are the images that came to mind as I opened Pelican’s 1015 Laptop Overnight Case or the 1015 LOC. Pelican is synonymous with robust and strong cases of all sorts for storing and…


iLife ’11 Includes iOS Compatible Apps? But How Would That Work? I Have One Idea…

A post over on 9to5 Mac points to a new book over on Amazon UK that suggests iLife ’11 is due in November and, surprise surprise… includes iOS compatible apps. That’s all very interesting and would be a nice turn of events, especially since there are a number of tasks I much PREFER to for using an iOS app than on an iMac, but there is one problem… iOS apps are designed for multi-touch. I have to imagine that trying to make them mouse-enabled would be, at best, inelegant. Then I got to thinking… I ALREADY HAVE a multi-touch device…


Morning WOW!- Apple On Way to Replace Exxon In Top Slot on Standard and Poor’s 500

Apple’s stock closed at just over $280 on Friday. That places it at about 12% shy of overtaking Exxon in the top slot on the Standard and Poor’s 500 market index. That means Cupertino’s market value may soon be greater than the oil behemoth. That’s particularly amazing when you consider the fact that the companies that have held that position include GE, AT&T, IBM and, of course Exxon. So think about it. The little company in Cupertino may well join the ranks of huge, diversified companies like GE. It boggles the mind, especially when you consider the fact that Apple…


T-Mobile G2 Review: Is it better than the Nexus One?

The T-Mobile G2 is the first true successor to the phone that started it all, the T-Mobile G1, over two years ago. I have been carrying two Android devices (a Google Nexus One, and a T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide) because there has not been a single Android device that met my needs. Does the T-Mobile G2, with its increased storage capacity, support for the faster HSPA+ network, with its innovative keyboard design and stock Android experience meet my needs? Read on to find out.


Delta to SCOTTEVEST- “Sorry but Carry-On Revenue > Ad Revenue in Delta Sky Magazine”

Ever wonder if those fees airlines are now charging for carry-on items actually bring in serious revenue? Well, thanks to Scott Jordan and SCOTTEVEST we now know the answer — they bring in TONS of cash. Turns out that while SCOTTEVEST clothing appears in the SkyMall Magazine in the pouch in front of each seat on each Delta flight, a recent ad the travel and gadget clothing company wanted to run that reminded people they can beat the ridiculous new carry-on baggage fees with the right garment hit a bit too close to Delta’s pocketbook. Delta rejected the full-page ad,…


iPad App Update- GoodReader For iPad Gets Even Better

Since I use my iPad for work a great deal of the time I have tried a host of productivity apps over the six months I have owned it. This includes my checking out almost every PDF reader in the App Store. Eventually I settled on GoodReader as my PDF app of choice. The reasons for this are numerous. It is easy to use, full featured, constantly improving and… most importantly for me, it renders pages quickly. This is especially important for me since I have replaced most every book- include my prayerbook- with my iPad. I NEED it to…


The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z All-In-One Desktop Computer Review

photos by Kevin Lenovo recently sent me a 23″ touchscreen ThinkCentre M90z all-in-one desktop computer to use for long-term evaluation. Because of its similar form factor to the ThinkCentre A70z (which had a 19″ non-touchscreen monitor), I already knew that I would like its space-saving design. But what I didn’t expect was how much I would come to appreciate the touchscreen; having a desktop computer with a touchscreen has never seemed that important to me before, as I am used to more traditional methods of input. As with the A70z, the M90z came packaged in a ThinkCentre bag; minimal cardboard…


Music Diary Reviews: What’s Old is New Again Edition

Welcome to another edition of Music Diary Reviews! Wait – what Music Diary Reviews, you ask? I have been doing a series of short CD reviews grouped into full-scale articles, and seem to have no intention in stopping, so it was time to give them a real name! The basic idea is the same – a short capsule review of new release music with some highlights, a track selection and some buyer advice … and a quick video if I can find one. What started as just another set of reviews took on a particular theme this time: there are…