2013

Gumdrop Put Their iPad Where Their Toughness Claims Were at CES!

Gumdrop is part of the growing set of case makers targeting people looking for a tough but attractive way to protect their iOS devices. Sure, their cases are attractive, come in multiple colors and styles, and cover all sorts of devices from iPhones to tablets. But what really makes Gumdrop stand out is their willingness to demo how tough their cases are with a solid softball-style underhand, as they did for me at CES: If you’re a butter-fingers (or regret that smartphones aren’t tough enough to handle a dramatic toss across a room), be sure to check out Gumdrop Cases!


Minimal-ish Shoes Trickle Down to Target

One of the big knocks on minimal running shoes is that the prices are anything but minimal. Most of the big brand name shoes cost around $100 a pair, which can feel steep for a slab of rubber and some cloth for the upper. But like all trends in fashion, designs do eventually trickle down to cheaper names. Target’s C9 by Champion offers all sorts of great athletic wear at low prices, and they’ve expanded that to shoes that look suspiciously like the Reebok Realflex, a popular transitional/minimal shoe! Target is calling it the “Champion Premier” line, but the shoes…


Timbuk2’s 2013 Lineup Brings Organization and Power on the Go

During CES, Judie and I had a chance to spend some quality time with Timbuk2 checking out all of their 2013 offerings. We were there for quite a while since there was quite a bit to see. Check out the extensive gallery for a look. Among the most interesting current products are a laptop messenger and laptop backpack that not only hold and protect your gear, but also power it up on the go. As the company explains, Timbuk2 has partnered with Joey® Energy to offer the first series of purpose-built bags with a power supply to charge a variety of electronics while…


The Honda EV-STER Concept Car, Hot Wheels for Adults

One of the best things about spending some time at the North American International Auto Show was having the chance to see some of the cool concept cars. Chief among them was this EV-STER Roadster concept from Honda. EV-STER is a next generation roadster powered by electricity. Based on Honda’s unchanging principles, it shows what a genuine small sports car can be. Even the steering mechanism screams “cool”! I love the look, I love the fact that it is electric, and I truly hope some of these design features make it to market.


Foldboat is a “Seamless Folding, Leisure Boat”

Remember taking a sheet of paper, folding it into the shape of a boat and seeing if it would float in the bathtub? Yeah, me either. I do, however, recall seeing origami masters create all kinds of three-dimensional items from flat sheets of paper. And yes, that did include boats. And yes, they did float… for a time. Now take the idea of a small origami boat, multiply it by a few thousand and make it out of a sheet of plastic rather than paper. The result? This flat-boat that folds up to create a real, three-dimensional vessel. Here’s what…


NAIAS Gallery, Day Two

Day Two at the North American International Auto Show did not have as full a schedule as Day One, but it was filled with much ballyhooed introductions that for some (yours truly included) were the most exciting of the show. In addition to foreign and domestic automakers bringing their wares to the Detroit Show, there are many third-party companies demonstrating their contributions to the automotive industry that are present as well such as DENSO, ZF Group, Johnson Controls, Panasonic Automotive, PPG, etc. The day two lineup of automakers included Nissan, Ford, Lexus, Cadillac, Acura, Kia, Tesla, Shelby American, and Guangzhou…


NRA Demonstrates Either Humor or Looniness with Release of Practice Range App

One thing is very clear about video games and violence – there has NEVER been a causal link established between the two. There have been indications that violent media (not just games) desensitizes the impact of other violent media, and that exposure to violent media (again, not just games) causes short-term increased aggression. But that has never stopped some from trying to blame violence on video games. It was done for Columbine, and ever since you can be sure if a young person commits a shooting rampage there will be an immediate look at the impact of video games. The…


‘The Walking Dead: A Telltale Game Series’ Review

Ever since winning Spike TV’s 2012 Game Of The Year award, Telltale Games has been topping yearly ‘best of’ lists like crazy. Yet, with all the press, there’s still a fundamental question to be answered: what’s so good about the new Walking Dead game series? It’s just a tie-in, right? How can a licensed, downloadable title be anything more than a cash cow? As it turns out, Telltale Games had an answer. The studio, while previously known for its mediocre, licensed work (CSI, Back To The Future) has finally done something remarkable. They’ve crafted an episodic series that manages to…


Cancel Tonight’s Plans Because Temple Run 2 is Hitting the App Store Today!

One of the earliest mega-hit iOS titles is getting a sequel tonight!  Temple Run was extremely easy to play, with its swipe left or right to dodge, swipe up to jump, and swipe down to slide mechanics.  It was also one of the first endless runner type games and really started the craze, as we’ve seen innumerable games of this genre hit the app store since. Imangi Studios has developed the upcoming follow-up along with help from Fuzzycube Software.  The Temple Run formula seems to have been left unchanged, as you’ll still be tilting to grab coins and swiping to…


iSmartAlarm Puts Your iPhone in Charge of Security

One of the really cool parts of being at CES was the chance to check out accessories and products that are up and coming. Of those, there were more than a few that hooked into the ubiquitous iOS ecosystem. We carry our iPhones and iPads everywhere, and companies are taking them beyond just email and Angry Birds machines to a whole new level. In the case of  iSmartAlarm, they’re looking to turn your iPhone or iPad into part of a home security system! We stopped by their booth at CES and they were kind enough to give us a quick…


Beyzacases and Aston Martin CES Booth Tour

It all started when Ali Yildirim’s daughter, Beyza, wanted a case for her mobile device. She couldn’t find one that she liked, so her father decided to make her one. Today, Beyzacases is a world class leather accessory maker; their products are available in European Apple retail and online stores, and they are an official licensed partner with Aston Martin. Dan and I had a meeting with Ali Yildirim, Beyzacases founder and CEO, while we were at CES. The moment we walked into Beyzacases’ booth and saw all of the new colors and styles, we were simply blown away. After talking to Ali…


Baldur’s Gate Enhanced Edition Wows on iPad, Adds Little on PC – Review

Type of app: Role Playing Game (RPG) Platform/where to buy: iPad; available in the App Store , PC version available through BeamDog Developer: Overhaul Games / BeamDog Description: * 80 hours of Epic RPG adventure * Over 40 classes and kits * Over 100 spells * over 150 magical items * New adventure: The Black Pits, a thrilling combat adventure * New character: Rasaad yn Bashir, a Calishite Monk searching for answers. * Available for purchase: New character: Dorn Il-Khan, a half-orc blackguard with a history of violence. * Available for purchase: New character: Neera the Wild Mage, a half-elf…


Low Emission Vehicles are Great but Style Still Matters

We are here at the North American International Auto Show and wandering the floor. There are some cool concept cars we’ve seen and some nice 2014 models that look great. There are also an abundance of small, highly economical cars on display. Here are a few examples. And as we have seen more and more of these small, low emissions vehicles I’m left wondering… Does lower emissions have to also have to mean less style and taste?


New Acura NSX Revealed

It is sexy. It is sleek. It comes in all wheel drive and two-wheel drive. And there is even a Hybrid option. The new Acura NSX was just revealed here at the North American International Auto Show. And it is a beast … in a good way. You can learn more about the Acura NSX by clicking here.


Sites That Make Pr0n ‘Safe for Work’ or Accessible for the Blind

One of the worst kept secrets of the internet age is that with all of the money flying around, plenty is being spent on online pornography. Time did a deconstruction of the notion that porn ‘has larger revenues than Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo, Apple and Netflix combined’, noting: While $2.8 billion is nothing to sneeze at, porn is hardly the golden goose many assume it to be. CNBC suggested in a recent report that the porn industry “stands at a precipice as it heads into 2012,” with “revenue from films … shrinking, due to piracy and an abundance of…


Titanium Fishing Gear from Fortitude

Fishing record holder Dave Lamoureux has launched Fortitude Fishing Gear. The line is the first to be entirely constructed from titanium to help guarantee longevity and reduce failures. The line, which ranges in cost from $28 to $490 included reels, poles, guides, gaffs, harpoons and more. Dave opted to use titanium because it is stronger, lighter than traditional materials. on addition, it won’t rust or pit over time. Moreover, the poles in the new line are modular and let you snap on different butts and reel seats to better match the targeted fish during a specific outing. You can learn…


Ford’s Press Conference During the North American International Auto Show

As part of #FordNAIAS, we are at the Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit for the Ford Press Conference. The North American International Auto Show started yesterday in the Cobo Center. (We’ll be spending time there later today.) We’ll be sharing images from the Press Conference below and adding details throughout the day. Bill Ford began the Press Conference addressing the fact that Ford had a great year and, as we approach the 150th year of Henry Ford’s birthday they expect an even better year in 2013. “In 2012 we saw growth in nearly every aspect of our business.” And this…


Adobe Mistakenly Gives Away CS2 Suite, Then Makes It Legit!

If you are looking to use the state of the art digital editing suite from around 2005, you are now in luck! Last week Adobe shut down the activation servers for their Creative Suite 2 (CS2), but wanted customers of the older version to continue to be able to make use of the software. So they assigned a generic serial number and listed it along the download links for the files for Mac and PC. Immediately some blogs hopped on the ‘giveaway’. Turns out it was a mistake, not an intentional ‘giveaway’. Here is the explanation: Effective December 13, Adobe…


iHealth Brings Out Monitoring Tools for Your iBaby

My friends with kids all marvel at how instinctively their children grasp iOS. They seem to easily master the touch interface and love playing games. The folks at iBaby have a few ideas to get your child started early on integrating smartphones into their lives … even in utero! The HeartSense won’t be out for a few months, but the video monitors are available now. The price and features are in line with other video monitors, but being able to control and watch them on your iPhone brings the experience to a whole new level! It makes me wonder what’s…


Cadillac Struts its EREV Stuff in New ELR

Cadillac has taken the wraps off its new ELR extended range electric vehicle that is based on the Chevy Volt architecture today. ELR is the production version of the Converj Concept that made the rounds a few years back. “ELR is an unprecedented combination of luxury, advanced engineering and progressive design in a coupe that is both sporty and environmentally friendly,” said Bob Ferguson, Cadillac global vice president. “This is a pivotal moment in Cadillac’s history, as we continue our product-driven expansion.” Cadillac says the ELR will deliver at least 300 miles of total range from its battery pack/gasoline generator…


NAIAS Gallery, Day One

Day one of the 2013 North American International Auto Show has come to a close, and it is time for a quick rest before day two gets fired up with another round of rollouts, debuts, and premieres. Here is a gallery of the bedazzlement that the opening day offered from automakers such as Jeep, Chevrolet, Lincoln, Volkswagen, Hyundai, MINI, Bentley, Honda, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota, Infiniti, and Maserati.