Articles by Dan Cohen

Appigo's Notebooks for iPad, a Quick Look and Exclusive Interview

News & Features

Appigo’s Notebooks for iPad, a Quick Look and Exclusive Interview

One of the companies that I got to know when I was writing for an iPhone review website was Appigo. Appigo released a task manager, ToDo shortly after the App Store went live and it has been a mainstay on my iOS devices ever since. Appigo is a small outfit that makes quality apps. They are relatively slow to release new products and, over the last few years have proven their commitment to quality and adding value to apps customers have already purchased. Some time after they released ToDo the company also released Appigo Notebook. It was a simple, easy…

Apple By the Numbers... Wow... Simply Wow.

News & Features

Apple By the Numbers… Wow… Simply Wow.

In case you missed it, Apple is doing well. (Okay, ridiculously understated and then some.) Yes, Apple reported revenue of over $46 billion and saw its profit exceeded $13 billion for the quarter. That translates to $13.87 earnings per share. For comparison sake, at this time last year the company earned $26.74 billion, or $6.43 per share. Yeah, wow. ‘Nuff said. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook was positive but also a bit understated in saying We’re thrilled with our outstanding results and record-breaking sales of iPhones, iPads, and Macs,”. “Apple’s momentum is incredibly strong, and we have some amazing new products…

Tired of Boxy Bluetooth Speakers? Check Out These Q-i-sound Speakers From iharmonix

News & Features

Tired of Boxy Bluetooth Speakers? Check Out These Q-i-sound Speakers From iharmonix

The Q-i-sound Bluetooth speakers from Qmadix leave the square, boring speakers that are so common in the dust. Available in black or white, they have an unusual shape that is sure to grab attention. Each speaker has its own rechargeable lithium polymer battery that charges in 3 ½ hours and gives up to eight hours of playtime. Standby time is up to 10 days. As the company puts it Ultra portable speakers offer music lovers a great listening experience, as well as microphones for clear phone communication It is also worth nothing that, once paired the speakers can be separated…

Seagate Thunderbolt Adapter Speed Comparison with USB 2.0

Events, News & Features

Seagate Thunderbolt Adapter Speed Comparison with USB 2.0

We told you about Seagate’s new Thunderbolt adapters last week. Yes, we are finally seeing products come to market that take advantage of the speed increases offered by Thunderbolt. But how fast IS Thunderbolt? Sure you can see lab testing but that doesn’t necessarily tell you about using it at home or work. We shot a video of moving 2.5GB of data from a MacBook air to an external drive using both USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt. This is a normal use-scenario for something like this so the speeds you see here are what you might expect if you get one…

The Droid Motorola RAZR MAXX and Droid 4 Were Worth a Look, but They Didn't Steal the Show

Events

The Droid Motorola RAZR MAXX and Droid 4 Were Worth a Look, but They Didn’t Steal the Show

Motorola stole the show last year at CES 2011. The Moto Xoom and the Atrix with its web top keyboard dock… oh my! They were pretty amazing to see. Francis and I even had a chance to remote log into my iMac in New Jersey using the Atrix smartphone as the “computer” powering the remote access. Sadly, the actual experience of using the Xoom and the Atrix left a good deal to be desired. Judie, Thomas and I all bought one; we all returned them. Judie and I visited Motorola again this year at CES 2012, and while they didn’t…

A Visit with Gear4, and a Look at Their Current and Upcoming Prodcuts

Events

A Visit with Gear4, and a Look at Their Current and Upcoming Prodcuts

Judie and I had a chance to visit with Gear4 in their suite at the Wynn. We’ve seen some of the company’s products in the past, but I don’t think that either of us realized how extensive their portfolio is. And it is going to get even larger in 2012. Needless to say, we came away impressed. Here’s a rundown on the company and their current lineup … Gear4 wants to “make things that are simple, enhance your life and are a pleasure to use.” While all of that is highly subjective from what we saw they are doing everything…

Sony Bloggie Live at Hoover Dam, a Video Demo

Events, Reviews

Sony Bloggie Live at Hoover Dam, a Video Demo

Image taken with the Bloggie Live Judie received a Bloggie Live video recorder last week at CES and we brought it along with us to take some images and video while at Hoover Dam. As the video demonstrates, this diminutive Bloggie Live takes some amazing video and is incredibly easy to use.

Apple and iBooks 2 - It's the Strategy Stupid

Editorials

Apple and iBooks 2 – It’s the Strategy Stupid

I was scratching my head this morning after the announcement of iBooks 2 and Apple’s major play into the textbook arena. It struck me that they were already going in this direction and, as a result, this was an expected evolutionary step forward, not something worthy of an announcement. Having thought about it a bit more, however, I think there is actually a bigger story here. I’ll leave it to Carly to address the actual textbook aspect of this and instead, look at what is really the bigger picture that is key to today’s Apple announcement. You see, this isn’t…

Thomas Takes On the Wrapsol Non-Slip Grip Pad

Events

Thomas Takes On the Wrapsol Non-Slip Grip Pad

  Every now and then you come across a product that, despite liking the company that produces it, you cannot help but wonder, “Why?” That’s certainly the case with the Wrapsol non-slip grip pad. The product is designed for large tablets and adheres to the back of a tablet. From there its sole purpose is to allow the tablet to stay in position more easily when rested on, for example, your thigh. Don’t get us wrong…. the product actually works as promised but we cannot help but think it is an idea searching for an application. I don’t know of…

iOS, Android and Windows Phone - Where is the Market Headed? An Open Discussion

Editorials, Events

iOS, Android and Windows Phone – Where is the Market Headed? An Open Discussion

Judie and I both got HTC Titans the other day and have jumped into using them. Our initial thoughts? We both like them… a lot! We’ve been discussing a great deal of this behind the scenes. One discussion began with my posting So I really have to say that I am loving the hell out of the HTC Titan (even with its now slightly dented corners):-] I’m still learning how to get around but it is polished, tight, and a pleasure to use. Best onscreen keyboard ever! No matter how good the hardware o do t think I would like an Android…

IcePan Ice Cream: Made in a Pan Right Before Your Eyes

Events, Gear Bits, Yum Log

IcePan Ice Cream: Made in a Pan Right Before Your Eyes

On the way back from a meeting at the Wynn Hotel we passed by a small kiosk for IcePan. IcePan is ice cream that is made right in front of you while you watch. It is never put into an ice-cream maker but, instead, is made using a pan kept at 35 degrees below zero. (Yeah, it is cold.) We shot a video of it being made so, without further ado… I scream, you scream, we all scream for IcePan Cream. (Yeah, I went there.)  

Find My iPhone: Almost Needed It, Glad It Was There

News & Features

Find My iPhone: Almost Needed It, Glad It Was There

I came tremendously close to disaster at CES two years ago. While in the cab to the airport my 13″ MacBook pro slipped out of my bag. I got out of the taxi and went into the airport. My MacBook did not. At security I realized I did not have it with me. Worse yet, it was not password protected. I freaked. Fortunately I was able to contact the cab dispatcher. Ten minutes later my driver, a tremendously awesome and honest guy, was back at the airport. Disaster averted. Fast forward two years. Judie and I had just finished meeting…

ifrogz Boost Near Field Speaker: pre-release first look

Events, News & Features

ifrogz Boost Near Field Speaker: pre-release first look

I stopped by the ifrogz booth during the first day of CES to see what new offerings they had. In recent years the company has been increasing its selection of ear and headphones and, this year, they are taking things a step further. I got to see their Boost speaker which, when it comes to market this spring will retail for under $40. The size of two or three iPhones stacked on top of one another, the Boost is an unusual item. The company uses the term “near field”: to describe the technology employed but. as Francis was quick to…

Grabby-Hands Stanford Snags a Case-Mate Case

News & Features

Grabby-Hands Stanford Snags a Case-Mate Case

I stopped by to visit our friends at Case-Mate a little bit earlier today to see some of the different offerings they have. One case caught my eye. It was a dual layer case with a soft insert and a hard shell. On it were the words “I’m on a deadline”. Yeah it spoke to me. They gave me one. Apparently I’m not the only one. Judie saw. Judie grabbed. Judie said “Mine.”. End of story.

YurBuds Ironman Pro Earbuds Stay In… Even If You Do Backflips!

Events, News & Features

YurBuds Ironman Pro Earbuds Stay In… Even If You Do Backflips!

  Here at CES last year I was introduced to a new earbud company. YurBuds was offering their Inspire earbuds. The bright red earpieces stood out and promised a degree of comfort and “stay-putt-edness” that is in great demand among people who  listen to music while doing a strenuous activity. I was skeptical but ended up impressed by their sound. Elana, who hates in-ear headphones, tried them on and within minutes co-opted the pair the company had given me for review. (The company kindly replaced mine.) A year later Elana’s YurBuds are going strong and she continues to evangelize for them…

DLP Pico Engine Powers a Smartphone Projector: From the CES Floor

Events

DLP Pico Engine Powers a Smartphone Projector: From the CES Floor

Here’s another implementation of TI’s DLP PICO chip… This smartphone is also a projector. This “embedded Pico smartphone” is not yet on the market but it may very well be the direction the market is going. (This post and many more being brought to you from CES-stay tuned to Gear Diary for more great coverage all week!)

Fitbit / Striiv Fitness Devices.. Fight. A Gear Diary Faceoff

News & Features

Fitbit / Striiv Fitness Devices.. Fight. A Gear Diary Faceoff

It is time for a health-gadget Faceoff. Let’s meet our contenders. In this corner… Weighing in at an MSRP of $99.95 we have the veteran. The Fitbit Ultra measures your step, calculates the calories you have burned, the hours you have slept and more. You can track online or on your iPhone. It is proven technology that has seen increasing popularity since its initial release. It is cute. It is simple. It has a splash of purple. And in this corner… Weighing in at an MSRP of $99 we have the newcomer. The Striiv seeks to motivate you as it…