One million selfies taken on a daily basis. That means the market for selfie-driven products is already huge and, with the release of the iPhone 6 tomorrow, ready to grow by leaps and bounds. That’s where the Satechi Smart Selfie Extension Arm Monopod. This inexpensive accessory will make it “simple to selfie” and does so for under $40.
ScanSnap’s various scanners have long been a key part of my digital work-life. Their high-speed scanners have allowed me to not only digitize paper documents, but they have helped me move much of my professional library to the cloud as well. Now they are announcing the new ScanSnap iX100 Mobile Scanner; it will impress!
I’m a big fan of Epson’s printers, so I was excited to check out the brand new Epson Expression Photo XP-860 Small-in-One printer. It leverages Epson’s MicroPiezo printing technology, and it offers much, much more in a compact, affordable printer. We have a full review on the way, but I wanted to serve up a first look.
I love that my Sony Xperia Z2 is completely waterproof; I even threw it into my mother’s pool the other day to prove it to my niece and nephew! And if your phone is waterproof, shouldn’t your speaker be, too? The Braven Mira is round, gets quite loud and, perhaps most interestingly, it has an IPX5 water-resistant rating.
Here’s something you don’t see everyday, Apple just emailed me that they are increasing my iCloud storage from 55GB to 200GB. That’s nothing unusual as Dropbox recently did a similar upgrade. But Apple also changed pricing of Apple iCloud. 55GB was $100 while the new 200GB is under $45. Without my asking Apple is sending me a refund. That $45 comes just in time to help defray a tiny bit of the cost of my new iPhone 6+. How about you? Did you just get a love letter from Apple?
We reviewed the Henge Docks Gravitas Lightning Dock and loved it. (Read the review.) It is, in fact, the dock that sits on the nightstand next to my bed. It is stylish, weighs enough to create a stable base for iOS devices, and works with various device adapters. Now it will even support the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+.
A Facebook post by Judie last night sparked renewed interest in the cars we pre-ordered from Elio Motors last January. Our upcoming vehicles get an amazing 84 MPG, top speeds of 100 MPH, and cost just $6800. In fact, since Judie and I each went all-in and put down a non-refundable $1000 deposit, our Elios will be just $5300!
All too often devices that need to serve too many purposes end up being a jack of all trades and a master of none. That is not the case with the IOGEAR MediaShair Hub with SD/USB Input and Built-in Power Station. It is a jack of all trades and a it plays with a full deck.
I was in Washington DC for the first of four quick trips I’ll be taking in the coming weeks. The overnight was punctuated by a series of back to back meetings at which I took copious notes. Having the right tools was key. The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad Air let me keep up with the information flow.
If you use an Android device all of your mobile gadgetry likely uses the same microUSB sync/charge cable. If, on the other hand, you use an iOS device you need to both a Lightning connector cable for that device and a microUSB cable for everything else. The new TYLT SYNCABLE-DUO Charge-and-Sync Cable will let you carry a single cable.
A few years ago I set out to turn my mid 1970s home into an “after-market smart home.” At that time, I turned to a specific company. Since then I’ve taken a more individual approach that focuses on specific “best-in-class” products that work well, but are not part of an overall integrated system; the Kwikset Kevo is one such product.
When I got my Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone I didn’t think much about the fact that it is a waterproof phone that can be submerged without the need for a special sealed case. But after Carly’s son dumped, and ruined, her wife Sarah’s iPhone 5C into the water twice I realized a waterproof smartphone is no small thing.
The sub-$100 Bluetooth speaker market has grown seemingly exponentially over the past few years, to the point where a speaker needs something special to distinguish itself. The Divoom Voombox Ongo Bluetooth Speaker actually has that “something special”, and it makes this $69.99 speaker worth a second look.
I reviewed the Harman Kardon Esquire Bluetooth speaker a few weeks ago and was completely blown away by its build quality, feature set and, of course sound. It is a Bluetooth speaker that looks and feels more like jewelry than anything else. Now the company has announced a new speaker – the Harman Kardon Esquire Mini Bluetooth wireless speaker.
Judie is headed to Berlin next week as Intel’s guest for IFA; while there, I’m sure she’s going to see a ton of great new kit. I for one am looking forward to reading her posts. Of all of the new products that will be announced, I think we’re both looking forward to the new Sony Xperia devices the most.
Just yesterday, Plantronics announced the availability of their new Plantronics BackBeat PRO Wireless, Noise Canceling Headphones. The latest audio offering from one of the best-known headset producers, the BackBeat PRO takes the company’s experience and know-how in a new direction. The $249.99 headphones are wireless, noise-canceling and comfortable. And that’s just the beginning of the tricks they offer.
For the past few months, Blue (as in, Blue Microphones) has been hinting at their entrance into the headphone market. Well, the Blue Mo-Fi are here, and I can’t wait to experience these $349.99 headphones. With a built-in audiophile amplifier that offers six times more power than typical mobile devices, these headphones will reportedly take your music to new heights.
Inexpensive cases that offer some degree of protection for the Sony Xperia Z2 are widely available. They add a dash of color to the phone and give you that extra bit of coverage you’ll want when carrying something as pricey as this super phone. The Terrapin Hybrid Rubberized Sony Xperia Z2 case is one great, affordable example.
I’ve heard of churches using projectors to beam words to songs, images, and page numbers onto a screen during services, and we’ve been considering it for our sanctuary; we wanted to test it out during the summer. Fortunately, I had a review sample of the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2030 2D/3D 1080p 3LCD Projector in hand. It turns out that the projector is phenomenal for home use, and it held its own during services as well.
Looking for an inexpensive way to protect your Sony Xperia Z2? Still want to be able to access the magnetic charging port and the lanyard holes? The GMYLE Hard Case Metallic Color Sony Xperia Z2 Case may be the case for you. Best of all this case is under $7.00! Here’s our video review.
I’ve tried a few keyboards designed for the iPad mini, but I’ve found that none of them aided my productivity enough to make them worth using with my tablet on a regular basis. The Logitech Ultrathin Magnetic Clip-On Keyboard Cover for iPad mini is the latest.