As more and more of us rely upon our mobile devices for all our online needs, having solid and fast mobile network is more important than ever. PC Mag hit the road to find out which networks perform fastest and where. The results aren’t as complete as we might like; still there is much to learn from them.
I was impressed by the Element Case Soft-Tec Ducati Folio for iPad Air when I reviewed it last month. The folio case, which sports the co-branding of Element Case and Ducati, looks great, offers terrific protection and includes an integrated stand. Thanks to Element Case we also had a chance to check out the version for the iPad Mini.
Just over a year ago I reviewed the iPad version of The Secret Society – Hidden Mystery, noting I “would have reviewed it sooner … but I just can’t stop playing the darn game!” It is a game that constantly sends a ‘rush of good feelings’, but with the annoying hard-sell of in-app purchases. Now it is out on Mac!
Nintendo E3 2014 included a playful video presentation through Nintendo Direct where Mario games took a break while Yoshi, Zelda, and even the top Nintendo executives got in on the action. It was much less talking and more seeing and doing in this entertaining presentation, which packed an impressive array of enhancements, upcoming games, and fun entertainment.
Amazon may come under fire for their dominant position in ebooks, but they are number one for more reasons than just price aggression. Not all retailers can leverage the various versions of books to their advantage like Amazon can, and they’re showcasing it with their new “Whispersync for Voice” upgrades program.
At Sony E3 2014, the concentration was apparent from the beginning – games! “After all guys,” Shawn Layden, the new head of PlayStation America said near the end of the presentation, “it’s all about the games, isn’t it?” Some serious gear and service announcement where also made including a “glacial white” 500 GB PlayStation 4 bundle including the upcoming sci-fi space shooter Destiny from developer Bungie (HALO) and publisher Activision will release on September 9.
The first time I wrote about Marco Minnemann was in the context of Trey Gunn composing against a 52-minute drum solo by Minnemann in 2010. Then last year Minnemann was back as part of the Levin-Minnemann-Rudess trio, producing an incredible collection of music with appeal across jazz fusion, experimental and metal genres. Now he returns with a solo recording ‘EEPS’!
If you are looking for a folio-style case that looks good, protects well and won’t break the bank you’ll want to check out the Case Logic SnapView Folio for iPad Mini. This case, which combines a synthetic book-style cover and a protective polycarbonate shell, serves up just enough protection and functionality to make it worth consideration.
It has hardly been a year since I last reviewed the Ram Heavy Duty pickup models, and at that time I spoke of the never-ending competition between the big three truck makers. This year nothing has changed as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Ram have upped the ante yet again with the 2014 Ram lineup of 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickups.
Microsoft E3 2014 brought some serious game to consumers! Microsoft devoted this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) presentation (a.k.a. global media briefing) to games, while taking pride in their recent Xbox One console price drop to $399 (without the Kinect sensor). Exclusive Xbox One games were plentiful while HALO fans can look forward to several games by year’s end.
If you’ve got a Pebble Steel, then you know that the bands that ship with it are not awesome; due to the Pebble’s odd lugs, finding replacement straps is tricky. The Pebble watch is awesome, and it deserves a better strap. I am extremely glad to have found an Etsy seller who makes a gorgeous natural leather Pebble Steel strap.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a powerful smartphone that has Samsung at the top of their game. A device this powerful and feature-packed deserves better than the cheap plastic case Samsung continues to insist upon using. The Toast Wood Covers for Samsung Galaxy S5 helps correct this shortcoming. It looks great and protects in the process.
Monster Products (aka Monster Headphones) make an assortment of fashionable headphones that actually sound great. The company now offers a number of speakers. The Monster Superstar High Definition Bluetooth Speaker is one such offering. It is a small, colorful speaker that actually sounds surprisingly good. Currently available for under $130, it lets you take Monster Music on the go.
It seems that I can almost always categorize my iPhone’s status as either “charging” or “needing to charge”. Being a mobile user is rough on my battery life! I recently got the chance to review the Duracell GoPower Wireless Charging Kit. Not only is it a battery case, but also includes wireless charging. The kit only costs $119.95 from Apple.
2014 has definitely turned into the year of the “wearable” and the smartwatch has been leading the pack. Android Wear is on the way and Apple has yet to announce, let along release their offering. That means there’s much more to come this year. There are already some compelling options on the market and they have a range of prices.
How many of you are still using your original Lightning cable? Not me. The one that came with my iPhone 5S bit the dust months ago. Frayed and damaged original cables seem to par for the iOS course, so why not replace yours with an Apple Certified Incipio Charge/Sync Cable with Lightning Connector?
If you are always on the go and love your music, the JBL Clip is the “ultra-portable rechargeable speaker” for you. At under $50 and sporting an integrated carabiner, it is an affordable way to enjoy your music anywhere you go. Whether connecting via Bluetooth or the integrated 3.5mm cable, you’ll be ready to rock on the go.
It seems like everything these days is hi-tech, except for the great outdoors. Maybe it’s time to change that. The folks at Edyn want to give you a “smart garden” with their new Edyn Kickstarter campaign. Using a combination of WiFi connected devices in the garden and an iOS app, Edyn hopes to revolutionize the way we all garden.
Can you imagine pulling out the Handiheadset when making a call at the office? Okay, maybe it wouldn’t be much fun, because you might look like someone who’d had an allergic reaction while trying a new hand cream. Even so, if the ‘huge hand to face’ is a look you’ve wanted to rock, you’ll probably love the this. Making a call on a Handiheadset puts a big smile on everyone’s face. Shaped like an oversized hand giving the ‘call me’ gesture, the Handiheadset plugs into the headphone jack of your mobile phone. It has a built-in microphone and high quality speaker so you can comfortably talk…
Looks like Barnes and Noble has hit upon a new way to keep their NOOK business relevant, while still getting out of the costly hardware space — they’re partnering with Samsung to make NOOK branded Galaxy Tablets! This looks like a win for everyone. B&N will continue to sell tablets, and Samsung has a new avenue to showcase their products.
We recently received almost 5″ of rain at our house, and although we desperately needed it, the tradeoff was made in bugs, bug, and more bugs! No problem, though, as I had recently received a package from Stinger. Inside were their No Touch Fly Trap and their On-the-Go Zapper Racket. Bugs beware; I am now on the prowl!