Articles by Travis Ehrlich

X Games 16 Mobile App for iPhone/Touch Review

It is no secret that I am a sports nut.  It is how I make a living and sports have been a daily part of my life for many years.  Most of these sports are the usual, football, basketball, baseball/softball.  I played these sports, I coach these sports and I am a fan of these sports.  One thing people do not know about me is that I was a skater in the mid to late 80s.  My buddy had a 12 foot half-pipe and we skated everyday.  In fact, I made the varsity baseball team as a freshman and my…


Arctic Sound P311 Stereo Bluetooth Headphone Review

The iPhone added stereo Bluetooth capability some time ago, but I have yet to try it. Finding quality with affordable prices can sometimes be difficult, so I never looked very far. There are times when wireless stereo headphones can come in pretty handy, so I was excited to test out the Arctic Sound P311 headphones. Most mornings I workout early in the morning long before the rest of the family wakes up.  Speakers are not really an option to avoid waking the crew, so I always use headphones. Some of the exercises allow me to hold my iPhone in my…


Omino for iPhone/Touch App Review

Games are advancing at a blistering rate and the iPhone has become a wonderful platform for today’s video games.  Most new games are all about reality and 3D graphics.  When I try to explain Atari or NES games to my son, he thinks it is crazy nothing was 3D and totally realistic.  The joy of playing 16 bit games while I was in Jr. High School cannot be explained.  With power-ups and level bosses, our idea of video games completely transformed into what would become modern-day gaming.  I still remember sitting up all night during the summer with my buddies…


MyJobChart Web Site Review: A Fun Way To Track Kids’ Chores

Anyone who is a parent knows the struggle of keeping your wonderful kiddos on top of their chores.  As the father of two young and arguably crazy boys, it seems that we could spend the entire day cleaning up their messes.  There are many strategies to getting the younglings to take care of their chores and I think I have tried them all.  The problem in my house is not getting the kids to help out but more of them cleaning up then dragging out a different room full of toys five minutes later.  They seem to not mind helping…


Wowee One Portable Speaker Review

There is a constant issue I am on a quest to resolve.  With all of these wonderful mobile devices and streaming music etc, I have spent a lot of time listening to my media on what are, at best, sub-par speakers.  My iPhone, iPad and even MacBook Pro are all amazing devices, but none provide audio of acceptable quality.  I do have several speaker devices around the house that sound great but none of them are particularly mobile.  Recently the folks at Wowee One allowed me to review their new Gel Audio mobile speaker unit.  The company promises full range…


Build-A-Lot for iPhone/Touch App Review

This week’s Blue Plate Special brings me a first…  The app was completely chosen by my wife.  My wife often plays the games I choose or she uses them, but rarely does she tell me about an app. So, I was playing poker the other night with all of the coaches and I texted her a few times expressing my woes of a slowly shrinking supply of chips.  The fact that she did not respond was not an issue, but about an hour later she replied, “Sorry, I saw your crying messages but I found this game that I can’t…


Ultrasonic Distance Measurer With Laser Pointer Review

I am a do-it-yourselfer (although not always a good one!) and also a gadget freak, so anytime the two can be brought together I am a happy man.  There are many times when a room or area needs to be measured quickly for reference and nobody is around to hold the end of a tape measure, or the area is simply too difficult to reach — like a ceiling.  In these situations, the Ultrasonic Distance Measurer from EFO is the perfect solution. This handy little gadget allows the user to quickly and accurately measure from 2 to 60 feet between…


Tiki Totems Premium for iPhone/Touch App Review

Well, the summer of addicting games continues!  I found Tiki Totems Premium on sale for free today.  The premium version includes over 200 levels and guarantees any new updates will come to your phone free of charge.  The game is basically a puzzler with a cute twist.  Here is the background story for the game. The tribes of the mythical island Tikonia have for centuries worshipped the Tiki God. All was fine and dandy until one day the tribe elder looked at the gathered worshipers and asked a simple question, “My beloved, how do we know that our great God…


Instaviz For iPhone/Touch/iPad Review

How many times have you had to plan a project whether at work or home and best illustrated using a flow chart?  I know many times I have mapped out my plans in this form on a scratch piece of paper.  Instaviz makes this mind mapping possible on your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad using a slick, yet simple interface.  The charts or maps you create will look professional and are customizable and quickly created.  Share your project easily with colleagues or friends right from the app.  Lets take a look at Instaviz and give you a chance to win…


World Series of Poker Hold’em Legend Free for iPhone/Touch App Review

Sunday evening I came home from playing some low stakes poker with some of my coaching buddies and still felt like playing.  I searched for a good iPad poker game but came up empty handed so I searched on the iPhone for some poker goodness.  There is a number of poker apps on the phone so I first tried a free game just to see how much I liked it.  Well, that turned out to be a great decision since I found a fantastic Texas Hold ’em game that I can play anytime. Anyone who enjoys poker has watched it…


Review: Pocket Radar

I have mentioned my coaching exploits many times.  I just finished my twelfth season as the head girl’s fastpitch softball coach.  We had the best regular season in school history staying undefeated until losing in the state playoffs.  One thing that has really changed over those twelve years is pitching.  High school pitching now is as good if not better as some college pitching when I started coaching.  With the pitching rubber only 43 feet from the plate, the speed of the pitching is a huge issue in my line of work.  Most teams own a radar gun to not…


Shift for iPhone/Touch

Once again my weekly app store search has brought yet another game.  This week’s choice combines subtle, simple graphics and a cool soundtrack with platform game play and puzzle strategy into a truly addictive and unique gaming experience.  Shift utilizes simple, yet intuitive controls to guide the character through each level.  The game usually costs $.99 but has been free the past couple of days. Shift’s graphics are extremely simple, yet work amazingly well.  No fancy 3D rendering or colorful puzzles, just black and white.  Much like Spy vs. Spy, the game is entirely in black and white which is…


Angry Birds for iPhone/Touch App Review

It is summer and time to have some fun.  I have recently heard rumblings of another great iPhone game.  The game was mentioned in the same sentences as Plants vs. Zombies so my ears perked up and I paid attention.  I needed to check out the game if it is near as good and addictive as what I was hearing.  First I tried the Lite version and thought about using it as the Blue Plate Special, but I was having so much fun I had to go ahead and buy the full version. I was trying to find the words…


Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go Wireless USB Modem Review

One thing modern technology and being a gadget freak brings is lots of monthly bills.  iPhone, Netflix, Satellite, home internet.  When you think about it, it seems we are being nickel and dimed to death with monthly charges.  Being a father of two and earning a meager wage, the addition of more of these monthly charges is not an option.  There are many new mobile internet devices that look compelling, but I never can work the monthly fees into my budget.  Enter Virgin Mobile’s Broadband2Go. Virgin Mobile was kind enough to send me a Broadband2Go Wireless USB Modem to try…


Glass Tower 2 for iPhone/Touch App Review

Many puzzle games involve items or shapes falling from the top of the screen that must be eliminated in some way.  Basically they are a take on Tetris which I loved to play back in my early high school days.  Every now and then one of these games is actually unique and fun.  I came across Glass Tower 2 on a random search of the app store and it turned out to be a great game. The game is free, but very limited with only 10 levels that may not be repeated.  Extra level packs are available for $.99 and…


We Rule…Just a Money Grab?!?

Courtesy of Steve Wampler The first day I had an ipad, my kiddos were super excited and demanded that I get some games. Of course I had to listen!  After a few hours of Plants vs Zombies, they wanted more. Translation, I needed to find a new game for them to play. I remembered hearing about the game We Rule on a podcast so we took a look. The boys were instantly hooked! We Rule might best be described as farmville on steroids. You farm your crops and the more you raise the better things go. You add businesses, houses and…


Bloons TD Lite for iPhone/Touch App Review

Working at a school allows me to see many different fads and phenomena.  Sometimes it is a certain clothing style, a catch phrase, a certain style of purse or shoes etc…  This year the craze seems to be a certain flash game.  The game is available on an educational website that is actually not blocked by the filter at our school.  There is a huge number of games to play but one has become the default for almost everyone.  Bloons Tower Defense is not only played by the students in spare moments in the computer lab, but the coaching staff…


SportBoard for iPad Review

As a coach, it is exciting seeing possibilities new technologies are bringing to the profession.  In the past I have reviewed a few iPhone apps that have performed a task, but were definitely limited in their abilities.  After the iPad was announced, there was even a discussion about using the iPad to coach basketball on my favorite basketball forum Texas Basketball Coaches or TBC.  Even non-tech savvy coaches instantly saw the possibilities of the new device. SportBoard for the iPad allows coaches to use the device to draw basketball plays just like you would on a dry erase clipboard.  Draw…


Review: M-Edge Leisure Jacket For iPad

Finding the iPad case that is right for me has proven to be a difficult task.  There are so many options and styles, finding the perfect option is truly an exercise in trial and error.  I thought I would give the iPad Leisure Jacket by M-Edge a try since it is compact and provides a lot of protection from the environment.  The product has left me with mixed results.  Kind of an interesting idea that does not work. Features * The Leisure Jacket provides superior protection against sand, dirt, and     moisture by utilizing a read-through, clear vinyl cover. * Protective…


2nd Opinion for iPhone/Touch App Review

I am not going to lie…many of the apps on my iPhone are used primarily for entertainment and wasting some spare time.  Most of these time wasters are games, but every now and then a non-game entertainment app is discovered.  2nd Opinion is not considered a game, but can be just as addicting.  If you like crowdsourcing or answering random questions, this will be quite entertaining. 2nd Opinion is a collection of user asked yes/no questions.  The questions can be any subject and can include a photo.  As more users download the app, the number of questions rises quickly so…


Review: Math Ninja For iPhone/Touch

Today’s gadgets are often a great source of wasting time, especially for kids.  Many complain that all of these games and mindless fun keep the youth from learning the important things.  Who wants to study math flash cards when an iPhone or iPod Touch is sitting there loaded with games?  As an educator, I love to see games that build knowledge especially in children.  I remember the pain I felt when my parents forced me to sit down and memorize my flash cards.  I also remember the joy I felt when my friend’s parents would let us play Math Blaster…