July 2012

Oscar Pistorius to Compete at the Olympics!

(image courtesy Oscarpistorius.com) Does the name Oscar Pistorius mean anything to you? If you don’t follow track and field or Olympics drama, probably not. He is a gifted sprinter who will be running for South Africa in this summer’s games. He is fast, though probably not fast enough to be a serious threat. Oh, and he’s a double amputee. Because of his “blades” that he uses when running for legs, track and field officials have argued back and forth for several years as to whether it is an unfair advantage for him to compete with able-bodied athletes. Supposedly his legs…


Bookstore(s) Live!

(for those who don’t get the image, here is the Wikipedia entry) The subject of the future of bookstores is one that always hovers at the edge of the ebook conversation. The demise of Borders bookstore may have cast a long, ominous shadow on physical retailers, but not all bookstores are struggling. While I have discussed the future- and challenges- of independent bookstores here on the site, Forbes has actually profiled a successful indie bookstore. Better still, it is right in the heart of Silicon Valley! From Forbes: You gotta believe. Leigh and two co-investors — husband Khader Abdel-Hafez and Jerry…


iLuv FitActive Sports Headphones

If you read the site you might recall that I’m married to a woman who doesn’t like headphones and earbuds. Yes, Elana finds earbuds to be quite uncomfortable and, if used for too long, downright painful. There is one exception – well until now just one exception – that is YurBuds. I learned about YurBuds at CES 2011 and while the headphones look kind of funny they are incredibly comfortable – even for Elana. In fact, she tried them on when I got home and then just kept using them. You see, not only are they comfortable but they stay…


WINGStand for Apple iPad and Bluetooth Keyboard Review

I have tried, reviewed, and stopped using so many keyboards and keyboard cases designed to work with the iPad that, quite frankly, I’ve lost count. Each time however I have returned to using the on-screen keyboard or dictating- as I am right now. It’s not that the different keyboards didn’t work – quite the contrary – in fact, some of them were rather good. It is simply the fact that I’ve been spoiled and none of those keyboards were as good as the keyboard on my MacBook Pro or iMac. In other words, in my experience even the best external iPad…


Writing, Self-Publishing, and Self-Editing

Self-publishing has been the great equalizer in writing. Suddenly authors who weren’t getting the time of day from traditional publishing could package their books and other collected works without a middleman, and sell right to the masses. However, as anyone who has shopped around for ebooks has noticed, self published titles are a mixed bag. Some are great, and some are…not so great. Forbes has noticed that too. They shared a pretty funny Twitter conversation with author Lou Morgan after he found an old manuscript of his from his teenage years. Morgan talks about how embarrassed he is by his…


GoFurther with Ford Trend Conference 2012, My Experience

Last week I had the opportunity to be among 250 guests brought to Dearborn, Michigan by Ford; we spent 2 1/2 days seeing what they’re up to, learning a bit about their philosophy and, of course, checking out some of their latest vehicles. Usually, when attending such a junket, you’d expect to find one or two really good nuggets, a few sessions that were quite good, and a few duds. You’d also expect to have a few logistical glitches along the way. Having now had a bit of time to digest everything that we saw and did over those days,…


North Carolina Legislator Accidentally Hits The Wrong Button, Fracking Ensues.

My day job is very time-sensitive. We have to be very careful if we are filling out forms online to be quick, but also make sure we select the right options. It isn’t hard, though mistakes do happen, and luckily for me, when they do we can fix it. However, if you are a legislator in North Carolina, don’t press the wrong button! One minute you think you’re voting against a bill, the next minute fracking is suddenly legal. Apparently, in North Carolina they use electronic voting for the legislature. If you hit the wrong option, you can explain you…


Secret Agent Splat’s Mission Review for iOS

Suppose you were an anthropomorphized Felis catus whose father specialized in making toy ducks. Suppose as a cat you had a pet mouse named Seymour. Suppose you discovered one day that someone has absconded with your ducks. Why then you’d transform into Secret Agent Splat and proceed to investigate with help from your pet! Based on the popular children’s book Splat the Cat, Secret Agent Splat’s Mission is a set of mini-games where children can help the eponymous feline (and his rodent sidekick Seymour) hunt down and retrieve Splat’s missing toy ducks and receive a special agent rating. All 48…


A Few Thoughts on Traveling with the MacBook Pro Retina

As Judie and I posted last week, the MacBook Pro Retina may be pricey but it is also an amazing computer. Honestly, after using it for almost two weeks I can, without hesitation, call it the best computer I have ever owned. It is fast, quiet, runs cool and it has a screen that must be seen to be appreciated. Yes, it is the best computer I have ever used. It is also the heaviest notebook I have owned in the last 5+ years and, since it came to Dearborn Michigan with me last week for the GoFurther with Ford…



Relax, The Government Says Mermaids Are Not Real

(image courtesy fanpop) There are moments that make you stop and wonder exactly how crazy and/or stupid people can be. Just when you think you have all the conspiracy theories organized in your head, from the “Elvis lives!” crew to the Area 51 believers to the people who believe the moon landing was faked, there’s another crazy theory du jour. But I grew up spending every summer swimming in the ocean, and never once gave a thought to mermaids! See, the National Oceanic and Atmostpheric Administration had a very busy weekend. The mid-Atlantic region had nasty storms roll in, and…


tablift Holds Your iPad So You Don’t Have To….

Project Title: tablift – The Missing Companion to The iPad Status: Seeking funding with 9 days to go as of this post (July 2, 2012) Closing Date for Funding: July 12 at 8:-4 p, est) URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: tablift is a simple yet elegant solution for using your iPad hands-free in bed, on the couch, or in your favorite cushy chair. Although there are many accessories for propping up the iPad, most are made to be used on tables and desktops. However, over half of tablet use takes place on the couch or…


iLuv iMM377 MobiAir Bluetooth Stereo Speaker Dock for Smartphones review

I would be hard-pressed to recommend purchasing a dock that includes an iPhone or iPod adapter right now. The reason is quite simple. The next generation of the iPhone is only four months away and all indications point toward it having a new dock connector to replace the ubiquitous 30 pin connection. With such a significant change on the way it makes no sense for someone to purchase a dock that will, at a minimum, require the purchase and use of an adapter come the fall. Instead, I would encourage anyone looking for speakers to use with their mobile device…


MOG Music Service Aquired By Beats

I used MOG as my subscription music service for a time but have settled in on Spotify and am quite happy with the decision. I have, as a result, been wondering what would happen when these various music services began to shake out. Who would survive? Who would close? Who would be acquired. Well it turns out MOG is the first to go. They have been acquired by Beats and, while they will continue to operate as an independent company, it clearly means we will see some changes coming. As the acquisition notice states Fellow Music Lovers, My first love has…


That’s No Alien, That’s a 3D-printed Designer Pen

I love pens. That’s kind of funny since I don’t really use pen and paper any longer but I still have an amazing fountain pen collection and I truly appreciate a fine, beautiful or interesting pen. This one is all of that and more. (It does look like something you would see in an old scifi movie does’t it?) As Adrian Grenier’s SHFT webstore notes, We’re always interested in innovations in 3D printing, the new design tech that involves making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. Designer Richard Elaver, a metalsmith by trade, has been busy developing useful…


IPEVO Typi Folio Keyboard/Case for new iPad and iPad 2 review

We’ve reviewed numerous different iPad cases since the tablet was first released. Many of them have included a keyboard and, as a result, not only protected the iPad but also helped turn it into an even better productivity tool. The challenge with each of the combo cases has been the fact that both the keyboard AND the case have to be decent if the combination is going to work well. If one or the other is subpar the entire package falls short. Time and again that has been the issue when we have reviewed keyboard cases. Sometimes the keyboard is…