Articles by Zek

How Taylor Swift Is Educating the Nation’s Grandpas About Spotify

You may not care about Taylor Swift or her presence on Spotify, but removing all her music from the service has had a curious side effect-it’s educating the average consumer about how little artists make from streaming services! I was in physical therapy this morning and heard two grandfathers discussing Spotify, all because of the publicity from Taylor Swift’s decision.


Why It Matters That Tim Cook Came Out As Gay

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has written a heartfelt and beautiful letter in Bloomberg Businessweek coming out as a gay man. If you haven’t read it yet, please stop what you are doing, and read it immediately. It’s been a bit of an open secret for some time, but seeing him put it in writing is quite empowering and courageous.


Wink by Kindara Brings Quantified Health Tracking to Fertility

Women’s fertility is rapidly becoming a fruitful and multiplying business. There are medicines to control fertility and plenty of calendars, apps, and other gear to help track it (for both reproductive and non-reproductive purposes). Now there’s even a smartphone accessory to help monitor your reproductive help: Wink by Kindara.


NFC, Apple Pay, CurrentC, and Smartphone Competition

Apple Pay rolled out last week, and it’s already hitting some roadblocks as some retailers are blocking or not supporting it. This isn’t because they hate iPhones, it’s because they have a competing product — CurrentC — waiting. A few years ago, companies wouldn’t have dreamed of blocking a new Apple product, but competition has made it easier to say no.


Top Closure Zip Tie Bandages Could Save Lives!

I admit, I don’t know much about stitches. What I do know is that doing them right requires doing them carefully in a sterile environment, and in an emergency where someone needs stitches quickly you may not have either. However, an Israeli plastic surgeon may have fixed this by mixing band aids with a zip tie for Zip Tie Bandages!


Our Long National Nightmare is Over, Sleater-Kinney Are REUNITING!

I will never forget the moment I popped my first Sleater-Kinney CD into my stereo and heard the opening chords of “Dig Me Out”. From that sound forward my musical tastes were fixed in a specific hierarchy: Sleater-Kinney, and everyone else a distant second. I was heartbroken when they disbanded in 2006, but today they’ve announced a surprise reunion and album!


Ghostbusters Renaissance with Fruit Ninja and a Potential New Movie!

Remember Fruit Ninja? That oddly zen game of thwacking fruit that we all got hooked on in the early days of iOS? Well there’s something strange in the Fruit Ninja Dojo…guess it’s time to call Ghostbusters! Of course, do you call the Famous Original Ghostbusters ,or the future rebooted all-women Ghostbusters? It’s a Ghostbusters renaissance! (A ghostaissance? A renaibust?)


Trobo the Science Robot Is Coming Soon!

It’s my goal to make sure my son appreciates learning. He’s shown an early love of science, as his favorite CD is They Might Be Giants “Here Comes Science“. It’s great to see that as he grows he will have more options, like the soon to be released Trobo, the Storytelling Robot who focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math!


Sarah Silverman Switches Genders for Better Pay

There are two facts most Americans will agree are true: Women typically make $0.78 for every $1.00 men make, and you either find comedienne Sarah Silverman hysterical or offensive. The National Women’s Law Center has struck viral gold by combining these two things into an amazing video where she proposes getting a sex change to make more money.


Want to Know What’s in Your Food? Don’t Ask Heinz!

My son is very allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame. Nuts are required by law to be listed, but sesame currently is not. We’ve gotten quite adept at calling companies about sesame as an ingredient, but disturbingly companies do not need to tell you without a doctor’s note … according to Heinz at least!


Roku Rolls Out Screen Mirroring for Android Devices

We love our Roku and use it constantly. It’s about to get far better, though, with a new screen mirroring feature! Android phones running KitKat will be able to beam the screen onto the TV, which will be handy for slideshows and game nights! Look for a full write-up after our Roku gets the update. Via Android Central


Pill Terminator Says “Hasta La Vista” to Old Medicines

I had knee surgery last week. I am fine, but part of the recovery included a prescription for Vicodin. My one year old thought the Vicodin bottle was an awesome rattle, so now that I am finished with the pain pills I have disposed of them safely using the Pill Terminator!


Amazon Boosts eBooks with New Kindles, While B&N Pulls NOOK Downloads

This has been a roller coaster week for eBook fans. If you’re an Amazon Kindle fan, it’s been a positive coaster; there are new Kindles galore! On the other hand, if you’re a Barnes and Noble NOOK fan, you just lost the ability to download NOOK books directly to your computer. Disappointed? Happy? Unsure? Read on for more details!


Tilt My Blinds Brings Automation to Window Treatments

When we moved into our house, the seller’s realtor presented us with a small remote for the blinds in the living room; the prior owners had installed electronic blinds there. We thought it was a silly gimmick, but we have found it quite useful. Now you can automate your blinds, too! Just back Tilt My Blinds on Kickstarter!



The Ultimate “99 Luftballons” Cover Takes Red Balloons Literally

I have a pretty great Pandora playlist curated for myself, and one of my favorites that comes up is Goldfinger’s cover of Nena’s “99 Red Balloons”. I like the original too, but my new favorite way to hear the song is definitely this very creative version using literal red balloons as instruments. This takes some serious creativity and talent!


Guided Access in iOS Is Perfect for Kid-Friendly iPad Use!

We rarely let our one year old son play with our iPads. It’s not just that he’s little and tends to be rough on objects, it’s that he’s OBSESSED with Siri and loves pressing the home button over and over, rendering attempts to play games and watch videos impossible. However, it turns out there’s an easy solution-Guided Access in iOS!


Build a Wall, er, Cover Art for Arrested Development Season 4 on DVD!

Are you an artist looking for “a nu start”? Skip the Skyping with your Phoenix advisor and head to ArrestedFanArt.com, where you can enter your design for the 4th season DVDS of “Arrested Development“. There’s a $1,000 prize plus your design on the DVD cover. But you only have until 9/16; sadly, you can’t wait for Cinqo de Quatro for this contest.


Fiat’s Ad People Have Lost Their Minds

I have a coworker who just had an awful experience with Chrysler over her Jeep. We joked that she should have called Fiat directly, but after seeing this ad, courtesy of Jalopnik, I think I’m just going to avoid making eye contact with my local Fiat dealer at all. And I won’t look at forest animals the same way again.


FaceTime Needs FaceMail

My wife Sarah’s phone died a watery death this week. You might feel a slight sense of deja vu, and that’s because this already happened a few weeks ago. We’re having a rough month for phones in our house. As a result, we’ve been FaceTiming a fair amount while I am at work, and we’ve concluded FaceTime really needs voicemail.


Chicco Activ3 Jogging Stroller: A Fantastic All-Around Stroller!

The stroller is probably the most important items you own when you have a baby (besides maybe the crib). It is a means to transport the baby, but it’s also a gateway to getting outside, especially if you have a jogging stroller. There’s no shortage of choices, and today we are looking at the Chicco Activ3 Jogging Stroller.