July 2015


We Cut Our Cable and Don’t Regret a Thing!

About a month ago, we decided to tighten up our budget, and one of the obvious places was cable. A quick once-over of our viewing habits showed our TV spent more time tuned to our Roku box than the cable box anyway, so I cut our plan back to just internet, and we really don’t miss cable at all!


Aluminyze Your Photos for a Unique Look and Longer Life

So now that you have those once in a lifetime photos from your once in a lifetime vacation, what are you going to do with them? Sure, you can make them your screen saver on your personal computer or device or perhaps even render them to the wallpaper on your work screen, but Aluminyze has a better idea.




Basis Peak Review: Fitness Tracking with a Twist!

I jumped on the wearable train early on by using both a Pebble watch as well as the original FitBit. After tiring of wearing two devices, I looked for something different. Luckily I recently had the chance to try out the Basis Peak $199.99. The fitness tracker is also a watch with some smart functions. Let’s take a look!


SaneBox: A Cure Worse Than the Disease?

I’ve been testing an email management tool from SaneBox for part of the past week. Although a portion of this duplicates functionality present in the Gmail Default Inbox, I found some good parts to the service, particularly the SaneTomorrow and SaneBlackHole. However there are enough hidden “gotchas” that I won’t be subscribing. Here are my observations about the SaneBox service.


Stay Hydrated With the Vapur Element Anti-Water Bottle!

Proper summer hydration is must. That’s especially true if, like me, you are headed to Israel and Greece in a few weeks. And while Raina and I both tend to carry a Nalgene Water Bottle with us everywhere, the thought of traveling with a big, bulky water bottle doesn’t appeal to me. That’s where the Vapur Element Anti-Bottle comes in. Unlike a traditional water bottle, the Vapur Element is collapsible, packable, and clippable. It has an unusual design that makes it ideal for long trips but will also work just fine as your daily go-to hydration system. The company explains…


Jill-e Designs Sasha 15″ Leather Laptop Bag is Fashionable Functionality

Shoulder bags and messenger-style bags for work have to be functional, that is for certain. But that does not mean they can’t be stylish. Jill-e Designs has been creating just such bags and carriers for men and women that blend style with modern workday functionality in the digital and mobile world and recently launched the new Sasha 15-inch laptop bag.


Barber Shop Bags Are Lovingly Handcrafted Photography Bags for Everyday

Barber Shop bags is a brand new line of luxury photography bags and accessories that are all designed and crafted in Bassano del Grappa, Italy by skilled artisans. These gorgeous bags will be coveted by anybody, photographer or not, due to their quality Italian leather, design, and multi-functionality. Barber Shop has 11 styles available to order now on their website.


HomingPIN: Keep Honest People Honest by Identifying Your Gear

Most smartphones include a way for owners to send a message to anyone who might find their device when it’s lost, but there are plenty of items that don’t have that capability. Let’s say you left your laptop bag in a cab, could an honest person figure out an easy way to return it to you? With HomingPIN, they could.


Edyn Garden Sensor Now Available Exclusively at Home Depot

Edyn, the connected garden sensor, announced on July 1st that they struck an exclusive retail partnership with The Home Depot. This smart garden device is solar-powered, Wi-Fi enabled, and water and fertilizer resistant. Plus, you can use the Edyn iOS app to find out how to maximize your garden’s health! The Edyn Garden Sensor is available now for $99.97.


Give Your Mac a Lift with the TwelveSouth BaseLift!

The TwelveSouth BaseLift is one of those simple accessories that adds to both the comfort and utility of your Macbook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. It offers a better typing angle and keeps your laptop cool on your lap. Best of all, this one accessory will work with pretty much any of the current portable Macs and is under $40.


Get to Know the Dead, Reckoning: Conversations with the Grateful Dead

What do you do when you have numerous interviews with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead and have only published a small number of them? If you are musician and journalist Alan Paul, you pull the interviews together and publish them as an Amazon Kindle Single. The result? The eBook-only Reckoning: Conversations with the Grateful Dead by Alan Paul.


Synology Announces RS18016xs+ and RX1216sas Business Data Storage Systems

Synology America Corp., PC Mag’s 2014 Business Choice Award Winner, announced the release of the RS18016xs+ and its expansion unit, the RX1216sas. This enterprise aimed Network Attached Storage (NAS) system boasts extreme storage capacities, point-in-time data backup, and unparalleled performance throughput. The RS18016xs+ and RX1216sas are available now and are priced at $7,599.99 and $2,999.99, respectively.


2015 BMW 228i: The Ultimate Subcompact Sport Coupe?

I think most folks (people like me anyway) remember the BMW 2002 from several decades back. The German automakers has resurrected the iconic 2 Series when they introduced an all-new Coupe last year that hit the streets in the form of the 228i and M235i as the successors to the 1 Series Coupe in this subcompact sport class.


Make the Content Your Kids View Safer with Smartfeed!

Let’s be honest, your kids are learning at a pace that you cannot keep up with. Technology is forever changing and media is one of the quickest ways to get information to kids. But sometimes too much can be a bad thing. Luckily there’s a Kickstarter program that might help you as the parent better manage your child’s media consumption.