September 2013

Underrail Launched on Steam Early Access for $9.99!

Most so-called hardcore RPG fans who have been around for more than a few years mark the Fallout games (1 & 2, anyway) as near the pinnacle of the genre, with only occasional post-apocalyptic fare like Arcanum being released to satisfy that itch. Now StygSoft’s intriguing Underrail has been released on Steam Early Access for $9.99. Underrail is a post-apocalyptic turn-based RPG that has been developed with loads of input from the community since it hit pre-Alpha. Now it is further along, and has been included in a couple of ‘indie bundles’ and on Desura and GamersGate. But the release…

Health and Fitness

Is There ONLY Competition OR Completion? – The Monday Mile

A recent New York Times called ‘The Slowest Generation’ slams the younger generation for abandoning competition and running races ‘for the bling’. The article – and the ‘Dumbing Down, Slowing Down’ article that inspired it – contend that competitiveness is dulled in the aftermath of a generation raised on ‘everyone gets a medal’, and finishing is now its own reward. The articles point to an increase in average finish times for races, the increased popularity of non-timed ‘gimmick’ races such as color and mud runs, and the move to stop funding elite runners at races by Competitor Group. They say that…

Vehicles & Gear

Nissan Becomes First Automotive Partner for Apple’s iTunes Radio

Nissan North America has just announced that it has signed an exclusive partnership deal with Apple and its new iTunes Radio. From now until the end of 2013, Nissan will be the first automaker offering iTunes Radio in its vehicles in the upcoming 2014 Nissan Rogue, the new 2014 Versa Note and the LEAF electric vehicle. Citing the Nissan brand as also being known for its innovation, Nissan North America Vice President of Marketing Jon Brancheau said in a press release the company is proud to support iTunes Radio from the very beginning and they see it as a huge…

Gear Bits

Grab Dubstep Beethoven with ‘Pay with a Post’!

In an adaptation of an infamous truism, if it exists there is a dubstep for it. The latest example comes in the form of a challenge to Andrew Huang from one of his YouTube followers. Huang created a dubstep based on the opening to Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, and the video here. So what do you think – cool or crap? You can get the MP3 version of the track using ‘Pay with a Tweet/ Facebook Share’ download. Here is the video:

Gear Bits

PetTrak Keeps a Virtual Eye on Your Pet

Pet tracking devices have been something of a mixed bag in my house. We tested the Spotlite, which worked well even if it was a little bulky, and the Tagg, which single-handedly gave me as many gray hairs in one malfunctioning afternoon as three months of parenthood has managed. Still, the concept is a good one, and more companies are entering the growing pet tracking market. eTrak, which has a great deal of experience in GPS tracking, is debuting their PetTrak product today! It looks and functions similar to the other devices we have tested, a small device attaches to…

Reviews

Think Tank Photo My 2nd Brain 13 Review- Made Especially for Apple Devices!

Think Tank Photo makes awesome camera bags. We’ve reviewed many of them, and you can see all our video reviews here. Now they have rolled out a new line of bags for Apple devices. They come in a range of sizes including a My 2nd Brain 13 that will fit a 13″ MacBook, an iPad, an iPhone, and assorted accessories. See them! Think Tank Photo’s new My 2nd Brain 13 is a slim, soft case that is just 2.4 inches thick. It is specifically designed to hold a 13″ MacBook Pro or MacBook air, an iPad, an iPhone, and additional…

Crowdfunding, Editorials

Sometimes Crowd-Funding is an Excuse to Beg for Money

Sites like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo are great places for developers to directly appeal to consumers with their ideas and involvement for product design and manufacturing. It is great to complete (‘Kick-finish’) something like a video. There are risks of being late, not living up to promises, or never releasing. But what if the funding was just that – for funding? This past week I got an email forwarded to me containing a link to a video and a ‘project’ on a crowdfunding site (neither of which I’ll share). The project used as a basis of enticement a list of past…

Reviews

The Peace App Brings Serenity to Your iOS Device

In my kids’ doctor’s office, they have one section of the waiting room that has relaxing music, peaceful images on a flat panel TV, filtered air, and a small waterfall. Depending on my day to that point, I find the area either relaxing or snoozy. That is one element of ‘The Peace App’, and it’s for a good cause. Type of app: Simulation game Platform/where to buy: iPad; available in the iTunes App Store Developer: Minerva Endeavors, inc Description: The Island: Castaway 2 has loads of content, including: – A huge, colorful island to explore – Over 300 intriguing quests…

Gear Bits

Valve’s SteamOS Announced for Computer Gaming in the Living Room

Today, Valve announced its SteamOS, which is built for computer gamers who want to bring their gaming experience into the living room. The free Linux-powered operating system will have a user interface that was built for use on a big screen HDTV and for viewing from the couch. Valve tells us to stay tuned for a release date, soon. One of the highlighted features of SteamOS is its in-home streaming, which promises to be able to stream any of your games from any computer in your house to your HDTV over your home network. This means that you will not…

Reviews

Apple iPhone 5s Review: Speed, Shades, and Scanners

The iPhone 5s is here, and thanks to the ever increasing amount of prerelease leaks, it arrives with even less surprises than past generations. Sharing the same chassis and design as the iPhone 5, the 5s focuses on improving performance, while introducing the completely revamped iOS 7 and new features like True Tone flash, slow motion video capture and TouchID. Front and centre is the 4-inch “Retina” display, with a 1136×640 resolution at 326dpi under a Gorilla Glass cover with an oleophobic coating. Despite not pushing the competition on size, pixel density or outright resolution, it is still a fantastic…

Gear Bits

More Than a PR Gimmick, Apple Sells a Record 9 Million iPhone 5s and 5c In Opening Weekend

When the news came of ‘record lines’ at Apple’s NYC store, it felt like a contrived move for headlines – and it probably was. But while that seemed like a desperation move, Apple’s press release today is a triumph of the continued consumer demand for the iPhone. The iPhone 5c and 5s sold over 9 million units in the opening weekend! In the press release, Apple highlights a few interesting numbers from the last several days: – The 9 million sales are just the iPhone 5s and 5c, and happened in spite of constrained supply, particularly of the coveted Gold 5s….

Gear Bits

Superhot Becomes Fastest Game to Be Greenlit on Steam

In non-Grand Theft Auto V related gaming news, a new browser-based shooting game is creating some buzz. Superhot is a first-person shooter where time only moves when you do. Therefore, if you’re standing still, time moves extremely slowly. This brings a very cool sneaking aspect into the game. Superhot has been greenlit for addition to Steam by the Steam community. Be on the lookout for upcoming news as to Superhot’s release, but in the meantime, check out the trailer below and click this link to play the short teaser game now! Superhot has become the fastest game ever to be…

Reviews

Droid MAXX by Motorola Phone Review – Maximum Advantages/Options

The Droid MAXX by Motorola lives up to its name with maximum screen size and considerable battery life. The MAXX (Android from Verizon) officially released this past August; it features a nice rounded design protected with DuPont™ Kevlar® fiber material, and scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass for the 5-inch HD multi-touch screen which also vibrates with user interaction. The MAXX’s style is sleek and durable. The striations on the outer case and chin accentuate the large panel screen. The dimensions are 5.41 (H) x 2.80 (W) x 0.33 (D) inches (137.5 x 71.2 x 8.5 mm), and users can really feel the weight is 5.89…

Gear Bits

Simple Graphic Informs Us About Exactly Who is Confusing Fantasy and Reality!

Every time there’s a tragic school shooting or mass killing, we hear about video games. We hear that they’re ‘killing trainers’ and need to be regulated and controlled because they are dangerous and poisoning the minds of our youth. Studies show all violent media consumption desensitizes us, but that is very different than making us killers, as the image shows. Image Source – QuickMeme

Game Diary, Reviews

Project X Zone Review for Nintendo 3DS

Project X Zone combines popular fighting game franchises from Capcom, SEGA, and Namco Bandai into an Nintendo 3DS exclusive game with frantic action, unique character dialogue and special interactions. The Hype When a rift in time and space suddenly appears, a doorway to various universes is opened allowing both heroes and villains from different worlds to cross paths. Players will be able to take control of a huge selection of paired heroes including favorites such as Jin and Xiaoyu (Tekken), Toma and Cyrille (Shining Force EXA), or X and Zero (Mega Man X) to discover the cause of the rift and…

Reviews

Kohler Moxie Showerhead + Wireless Speaker Review – Stream Music & News While You Shower

Is it time to replace your leaky old showerhead and bring your bathroom into the 21st century? Then you should check out the Kohler Moxie Showerhead + Wireless Speaker. This clever design includes a removable Bluetooth speaker that magnetically inserts into the middle of a 2.5 gpm showerhead with 60 nozzles; its style will look great in any bathroom’s decor. When I was offered the chance to review the Kohler Moxie, there were two things that immediately went through my mind: the first was that I needed to replace the leaking showerhead in our master bathroom anyway, and the second…

Gear Bits

It’s Not Your Imagination – Every Other Phone Has a Laggy Response Compared to iPhone

Laggy Android touchscreen response has been covered so much it’s practically a meme; we’ve heard with each device and OS version they’ve solved it ‘this time for sure’. But here is the blunt and simple reality – the flagship Samsung Galaxy S4 is even slower to respond than the iPhone 4S, let alone the iPhone 5 or the newest devices! And before Windows Phone folks start feeling smug, the Nokia Lumia 928 from Verizon falls in just behind the Galaxy S4. Check out all the results here.

Reviews

SmartWallit Review – Time to Upgrade Your Billfold

SmartWallit is a new gadget that helps you keep track of not only your spending, but also the location of your wallet. This intelligent accessory has many functions, including a spending log, loss prevention, and a way to find your lost phone or wallet. You can order the SmartWallit from Amazon for $60 plus shipping. I was very excited to get my hands on this neat little device and stick it in my wallet. Unfortunately, the SmartWallit was a little bigger than I thought it would be. Like 90% of the guys I know, I stick my wallet in my…

Music Diary, Reviews

WiFi2Hifi 2 Brings New Capabilities to Remote Music Player App – But Is It Enough?

I thought I had done a review of the original WiFi2HiFi, but I’d actually just complained about the ordeal getting the copy I’d won in a website giveaway. But the app itself was good enough that when the new version was announced I was interested in trying it. My experience was not very good, with unexplained lost connections and dropouts. Type of app: Wireless audio app Platform/where to buy: iPhone/iPad; available in the iTunes App Store Developer: Clever & Son AG Description: Using the WiFi2HiFi application any iOS device in reach can tune in to the music you’re listening to on…

Gear Bits

Neat NeatConnect Direct-to-the-Cloud Touchscreen Scanner First Look

I went hands-on time with Neat’s new NeatConnect Direct-to-the-Cloud Touchscreen Scanner this evening. It really does, “Introduce a whole new way to get organized!” The NeatConnect sends scans straight to NeatCloud, Skydrive, Evernote, Box, Dropbox and Google Drive without a computer.. You can also send to email, an SD card or to Neat’s Desktop Software. Shipping in October for $499. We can’t wait to spend more time with it! Find the Full Press Release here.

Gear Bits

JBL Spark Wireless Stereo Speaker System First Look

The JBL Spark Wireless Stereo Speaker System is one of the funnest (yeah I know it is not a word) speakers we’ve seen. Offering “legendary JBL sound in a funky, fun shape” it has two high-performance 40 mm JBL drivers and offers wireless Bluetooth streaming from your smartphone or table. Just $129 each! Check it out.

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