I am on the go a lot — almost always without access to electricity. Whether I’m hunting or coaching, being a geek in the great outdoors can sometimes leave me with dead devices. The PowerBinder is a simple to use solar charging mobile power solution. I have the $199 PowerBinder in hand, so look for a full review soon! Check out the PowerBinder at the PowerStick website.
With bow hunting season in full swing, many hunters like to share their hunts as well as review shot placements. I try to use a regular video camera on my hunts, but that is not always easy when sitting in a tripod or tree. TACTACAM has brought HD video to the bow stabilizer turning the bow into the camera for $229.00. The TACTACAM attaches to any compound bow not only as a camera, but also as stabilizer. Basically, the HD camera becomes part of the hunt rather than a difficult extra piece of equipment needing to be concealed. The camera…
While I do possess the ability to learn some songs by ear, it is always much better if I can at least have the chords available then match the style of the song. An interesting Mac application called Capo 3 was just announced that makes this process much easier. For $29.99 Capo 3 will detect chords and beats from iTunes music making learning them quicker. The new software not only detects the chords being played, but will also show how to play them in chord boxes. Consider it like making a real time tableture of any song in your music…
I have been following the TrackingPoint smart rifle system and their releases. The mixture of technology and amazing weapon technology is mind-blowing to me. TrackingPoint has released an unboxing video of the XS2 Smart Rifle. The rifle itself is amazing in its own right, but it even comes complete with an iPad mini. Check out the video for all of the cool features. TrackingPoint Super Gun Technology Enables 3,100 Yard Shot Consistency TrackingPoint Releases Precision Guided Firearm iOS Simulator App TrackingPoint Presents The World’s First Precision Guided Rifle Technology
Traveling for business is a common occurrence in today’s world. That travel requires lugging a computer and other devices which makes checking baggage difficult. Everki has become the default for designing stylish gear bags with tons of functionality that are checkpoint friendly while traveling. The Atlas, at $169.99, is one of the newest offerings to the Everki lineup. The Atlas backpack joins an already awesome line of checkpoint friendly gear bag options. Airport checkpoints can often ruin a trip before it has started, so a bag option to alleviate this problem can be important. The laptop compartment opens up 180…
Most of you know that football is my life and how I make a living. It just so happens that one of my favorite hobbies is playing fantasy football. One of my leagues just drafted its 9th season and one problem is seeing the draft board. For just $20, PrimeTime Draft turns your HDTV into a live draft board. PrimeTime Draft is a Mac/Windows application which can turn a computer screen or television into a live draft board. With PrimeTime Draft there is no need for giant poster style boards that require someone to physically find the players’ names and…
My biggest problem with my mobile life is batteries. I seem to spend a large portion of my day figuring out ways to charge while on the go. My days have improved with the Odoyo Power + Shell EX For iPhone 5. At $99.99, the battery case promises to keep your phone charged all day long. The Power + Shell EX is a rechargeable battery case with kickstand for the iPhone 5. The 2200 mAh battery provides a full charge for the iPhone while the case provides protection. A kickstand is included tucked nicely away on the back of the…
Summer is officially over in Texas! That’s right, back to school. The classroom you remember as a kid has greatly changed. An article at Edudemic discusses 5 big changes in the classroom. As a tech geek, I find the changes exciting, and I welcome new methods. These changes are coming slowly to my school, but the ball is rolling. The five items becoming outdated according to the author are: Paper Parent teacher conferences Impersonal professional development Attendance Traditional age based learning Today’s student will likely have a much different experience than most adults remember in their education. What are your…
Amidio Inc. has just introduced a super realistic sounding guitar application for the iPad. No need to carry a full-sized instrument and case when on the go when you can make your iPad sound like the real thing. The $2.99 app is modeled after a 1979 Martin & Co. dreadnaught guitar complete with realistic resonance and string noise. I certainly do not own a 1979 Martin steel string acoustic guitar, but would love to. Amidio’s Pearl Guitar app is a carefully tuned replica of the classic guitar stuffed into an iPad. The sound is actually quite stunning complete with string noise,…
I have become quite dependent on my Pebble smart watch. Being able to see my messages without looking at my phone is actually extremely convenient. When I am in front of a class teaching, on the field coaching or even driving, the watch makes it super easy to glance at my watch when I get a message. It only takes a second and I never skip a beat in what currently is going on. Really, the only reason I like to check is to just make sure it is not an important message from my wife or anything dealing with…
It is often said that the best camera is the one in your hand. This is true and our mobile devices have become the main photography tools for most people. Most modern cell phones and tablets have fantastic cameras and chipsets, but there often is something missing to make them the perfect shot. My favorite aspect of using my iPhone for photos is the ability to immediately edit and enhance images on the fly. I take pride in my ability to make my phone pics look great and use my iPad to edit images from my DSLR. With the use…
In January we brought exciting new firearm news with the TrackingPoint precision guided rifle technology. Read the news release here and read about their iPhone game here. The TrackingPoint technology allows rifles to be amazingly accurate up to 1,000 yards. The precision guided XactSystem allows shooters to tag a target, track it and fire the round making perfect shots despite moving the weapon slightly. The same sort of technology is used in fighter jets ensuring only the intended target is engaged. This is exciting technology that can only be found from TrackingPoint. The company was not satisfied with democratizing the…
When my MacBook Pro died, I was not able to replace it, and so I decided to use my iPad as my only mobile work device. Mastering my workflow has taken some adjustment, but it seems to be getting better with time. One issue I had to resolve was data entry. While I have become competent with the on-screen iPad keyboard, there are times when a true keyboard is just the best way to go. The only negative to an added keyboard is transportation; my gear bag now needs another spot for a second device. We recently brought news of…
A few weeks ago, we experienced a “super moon.” This is where the moon is full while at the closest proximity to the earth. My boys have a beginner telescope so we spent most of the evening in the back yard looking at the moon and discussing all of the markings and features. We were even able to see the rings of Saturn which surprised me using that particular telescope. While we took turns admiring the majesty of the moon, my oldest said, “Dad, I wish you could hook your iPhone up to the telescope and take a picture.” Following…
I currently am fortunate to have decent AT&T 4G service despite living in a primarily rural area. My service is not perfect, but I do get average speeds compared to spots just a few miles away. My dad, for example lives about 20 miles away and struggles to get data most of the time. The bad thing about connection problems for country folks is there is no real-time table for new towers and improved coverage. There can also be an issue with certain buildings not getting service in an otherwise good service area. Even though I have good service at…
Since my time in the “reading lab” during elementary school, I have rarely worn over the ear style of headphones and thought it might be time to try. I have always preferred the mostly hidden in-ear buds over the larger, attention-getting over-ear headphones. Most of my athletes have moved to the latter for what I assume are style preferences, but they all assure me they are more comfortable and sound better. With that in mind, I wanted to give on-ear headphones a shot. I recently received a review pair of JLAB Supra headphones, and I have been using for a…
Pebble has been in the news the past few days since they have signed a deal to be sold in Best Buy retail stores. The once almost impossible to obtain smart watch will be available to everyone. Early reviews of the product were mixed at best. I think people were underwhelmed by the functionality of the $150 watch. Basically, out of the box, it showed the current text message and acted as a caller id but as the product matures, several updates have made it a fun gadget. A recent update added an area in the Pebble app that makes…
When I was in college, I had a roommate that worked at a golf course, so naturally we played a lot. Between student specials and free golf after he got off work, I played around three or four rounds of golf a week. Playing golf is often a great method to keep your frustration and anger levels down. There are so many skills needed for a variety of situations, and most players spend their entire lives chasing the perfect round. For young players, hitting off the tee is about all they work on. You have to impress everyone with that…
I am approaching one year since my MacBook Pro took ill and departed. Rarely was there a day that laptop was not seen with me at work, on trips or even while hunting. Due to economic challenges I was not able to replace the computer so I moved to using an iPad as my primary mobile device. I have found that almost everything I need to do can be accomplished on my iPad. I have also discovered that the use of a Bluetooth keyboard is a must. I currently use the Apple Bluetooth keyboard that I keep in my gear…
While I do own a decent DSLR and love to use it, the best camera you can use is the one in your hand. Most of you have heard that phrase, and it is true. Obviously no image can be captured if there is no camera to see it. These days almost everyone has a camera with them in the form of their cell phone; I have an iPhone 5, and I have become pretty proficient at creating amazing images using it. From understanding controls to a great post image workflow, the iPhone can take some pretty stunning pics. With…
Since the Atari 2600 days, I have loved to play games. I went through the different versions of Nintendo systems and PlayStations, amazed at how each release became so real and advanced. Many hours were spent trying to defeat Legend of Zelda or unlock all of the cars in Gran Tourismo or getting my playbook just right in NCAA Football. Not sure hardcore gamer would ever be one of my labels, but I did have my niche in the gaming world and loved to play. My gaming habits have changed so much as of late. Of course, some of that…