Reviews

Craig Taborn Trio Chants Review

The piano trio format is one of the classic modes of jazz composition and improvisation, going all the way back to Jelly Roll Morton in the 1920s and becoming a mainstay of popular jazz starting with Errol Gardner and Bud Powell in the late 1940s. The modern piano trio space was defined by Bill Evans in the early 1960s, but there continue to be advancements in the form. The latest album that is worthy of consideration is Chants by the Craig Taborn Trio. Musical Genre: Jazz Where to buy: Amazon MP3 or iTunes Artist: Craig Taborn Trio Description: Craig Taborn…

Game Diary, Reviews

Injustice: Gods Among Us Review for Nintendo WiiU

Injustice: Gods Among Us presents the long-standing DC Comics franchise in a high quality fighting action game in the familiar arena format. The Hype Injustice: Gods Among Us is a fighting game that blends classic Arcade style gameplay mechanics with an intriguing storyline that pits classic DC Comics characters against each other in unique combinations (hero vs. hero, villain vs. villain, etc.). The game is developed by NetherRealm Studios, and Ed Boon, of Mortal Kombat fame. Players can expect over-the-top action that is suitable for players of most ages, and a single-player storyline that provides the background for the unique…

Reviews

PhoneSuit Lightplay Media Projector with Android Review, Part 2

Welcome to the second part of Gear Diary’s review of the PhoneSuit Lightplay Media Projector with Android. Here, we will review the user experience and actual functionality of the PhoneSuit Lightplay. Feel free to head over to Part One of this review, where Dan thoroughly reviewed the Lightplay’s hardware and included accessories. Before we get into the meat of this review, let’s quickly recap some of the highlights that Dan talked about in his hardware review. The PhoneSuit Lightplay is a pico projector, the size of your palm, that has Android built right in. It comes with a gyroscopic remote/keyboard…

Reviews

HoodiePillow, a SharkTank Product Pitch Product Review

I was watching SharkTank a few months ago when I saw the HoodiePillow pitch. I laughed … out loud. In part because the product sounds so silly, but also because we were pitched this product or something like it quite some time ago, and I thought it was a joke. What’s a HoodiePillow you ask? The Sharks asked the same question, and they were more than amused by the answer. The HoodiePillow is exactly what it sounds like — a hoodie that is also a pillow case. Put the HoodiePillow on your pillow, and you now have a “pillow with…

Reviews

iLuv Neon Sound IEP336 Earphones Review

If you’re wondering what spring has to do with headphones, the answer is: nothing, really. However, to test the noise-isolation design of the iLuv IEP336 Earphones, I took them outside and mowed my lawn while listening to Pandora. Let me tell you something, these earphones fit so nicely inside my ear, that it really did remove a lot of the noise from my gas-powered lawn mower and allowed me to enjoy the music I was listening to. The iLuv IEP 336 High-Performance Earphones have a few nice features that set them apart from your everyday, run-of-the-mill earphones. These earphones…

Reviews

Just Mobile AluCup iPhone Accessory Review

Just Mobile has made some of our favorite iPhone and Mac accessory. We met with the company at CES 2013, and they showed us a few of their upcoming products. One of them, the AluCup, struck me as one of their less compelling products. Still, there was something about it that intrigued me, and I looked forward to using and reviewing it. They sent one to us, so let’s take a look at this cup-shaped iPhone and iPad stand. The Just Mobile AluCup is the result of a combination of an aluminium cup-shaped frame that provides rigidity and a rubber insert…

Reviews, Yum Log

Vejibags Keep Your Greens Greener

Now that April showers are giving way to May flowers, there are also plenty of wonderful greens coming up in farms and gardens. My family has been members of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share for years. If you’ve never participated in a CSA, basically the deal is that you pay a farmer in advance of the growing season in return for a bushel or half bushel of vegetables every week. We love having lots of fresh veggies that we know exactly where they came from, but being a two-person household it’s hard to get through all those greens in…

Game Diary, Reviews

Fieldrunners 2 for Android Review – The King of Tower Defense Games!

When it comes to casual mobile games I love, Fieldrunners ranks at the top along with others such as Plants vs. Zombies and Civilization Revolution. All of those games allowed me to get an ‘on the go’ experience that still scratched my hardcore gamer itch. So I was wary when Fieldrunners 2 came to iOS devices last September – but as noted in my review of the iPad version, I was thrilled with the results. This week the game (finally) landed on Android devices and I took some time to check it out! Type of app: ‘Tower Defense’ game Platform/where…

Reviews

RokForm RokShield v3 Case Kit for iPad Mini

Some weeks ago we took a first look at the RokForm RokShield v3 Case Kit for iPad Mini. I was impressed with the RokForm RokShield V3 for iPad mini and excited by the various possibilities it offered thanks to the kickstand, good protection and the option to add on additional accessories. After all, the case ships with an “easy-stick RMS” (remote mounting system and a 6 position KickStand for viewing, typing and browsing the web and those are just the included accessories. I liked the case enough that I put it on my iPad before leaving on vacation and used…

Reviews

Pelican ProGear Vault Series iPhone 5 Case Review

When you make the decision to go for a rugged iPhone case, the choice usually comes with a few trade-offs. In order to protect your case from drops, water, or other unfriendly conditions, bulky cases are usually needed. Typical trade-offs with these rugged cases include things like diminished physical button functionality or a less sensitive touchscreen due to the install of a protective layer. As you might expect, the best rugged iPhone cases make their owners accept the least amount of trade-offs; the Pelican ProGear Vault Series CE1180 makes a few too many trade-offs. I’ll first explain that I’m more…

Reviews

Kensington KeyCover Hard Shell iPad Keyboard Review – the Keyboard that Changed It All

Walk into a classroom, and you’ll see how much has changed in the last ten years. Classrooms are outfitted with SmartBoards (interactive projectors that connect to your computer), basic projectors, laptop carts, and now, individual tablets for each student. I work in a high school that values technology, and one of our initiatives for the 2013-2014 school year is to introduce a one-to-one technology plan. Our technology team has decided on using the iPads. I received my assigned iPad back in November. Truthfully, I have yet to find a good use for it in the classroom; I’ll save that discussion…

Reviews

Rokform Rokshield v3 and v3 Suction Mount for iPhone 5 Review

Some weeks ago, I had the opportunity to review the Rokform Rokshield v3 for iPhone 5 (read the review). The case itself offers nice protection, but that wasn’t what stood out for me. No, what stood out when I reviewed the case at the time was the numerous possibilities a case like this afforded any iPhone user. Why is that so? Simple, the Rokform Rokshield v3 for iPhone 5 is more a system than it is a case. The Rokform Rokshield v3 for iPhone 5 is a hard case, but it also ships with a rubber bumper that wraps around it…

Game Diary, Reviews

Youda Survivor 2 HD for iPad Game Review

When Youda Survivor hit the iPad back in late 2011, it was amongst a stream of PC ports that all played extremely well on the tablet such as Civilization Revolution, Jack of All Tribes and Tiny Token Empires. Since then bigger games such as Grand Theft Auto III, Max Payne and Baldur’s Gate have impressed on the tablet. So how does the sequel to Youda Survivor fit in? Let’s take a look! Type of app: Time Management Strategy Adventure game Platform/where to buy: iPhone/iPad (iPhone version here); available in the iTunes App Store Developer: Youdagames / G5 Entertainment Description: Youda…

Game Diary, Reviews

LEGO City Undercover Review for Nintendo WiiU

LEGO City Undercover lets “LEGOmaniacs” enjoy their own open world video game exclusively on the Nintendo Wii U. The Hype A Metropolis to Explore The world of LEGO® City playsets comes to life like never before in LEGO® City Undercover—filled to the brim with people on the streets and vehicles on every road. Make your way through busy downtown, head out to the beach, or to the airport—it’s a truly massive place, filled with over a dozen distinct areas. Over 100 Vehicles to Commandeer Every vehicle you see on the street can be commandeered, and used to chase down criminals,…

Reviews

The Legend of Holy Archer for iOS Review

iPhone and iPad apps for anyone on a budget. Nothing over $.99! As an avid bow hunter, I always look for opportunities to do anything dealing with archery. There are few games for iOS that involve shooting a bow, so when I find one, it is always downloaded. I recently came across a new game called The Legend of Holy Archer. Since the game if free, I could not pass it up. Let’s take a quick look. In the fantasy world of this old kingdom a dark hole appeared allowing horrible devils to attack. Being the holy archer, you are the only one…

Reviews

STM Cable Wrap Review – Cords Kept Organized and Ready to Go!

If there is one lament I have heard my wife utter again and again in our technology filled house throughout the years, it is not about how everyone is on their devices too much … it is ‘those cords’! And while things have improved with wireless mice, headsets, smaller chargers, micro-USB for many devices and so on, there are still too many cords required; as a gamer I even need to have a corded mouse and headphones … and then there is my GPS watch and cable. When I travel I dump all of these things in my garment bag…

Reviews

AnyList for iPhone Grocery List Manager Review

I am always on the lookout for a good app to make grocery shopping go more smoothly. Ideally, I’d prefer that we get all our groceries in one day of running around, since it eliminates that “Oh crap we forgot ____” mad rush to the store mid-recipe. I’ve used to-do apps, as well as simple list apps, but over the weekend I stumbled on an app that has two features which make it hands down my new favorite. What’s so great about AnyList? Read on for the highlights! One, and the quest that led to finding AnyList, was that you…

Reviews

Kogan Agora Android Smartphone Review – Dual SIM, Great Specs, & Low Price

Bargain basement Android smartphones have been around for years now, but the Kogan Agora Smartphone looks to change the landscape. Many cheap models are available for under $200, but they all eschew large screens and fast processors to keep their prices down. The Kogan Agora Smartphone is just AU$149, unlocked and free of contracts. That’s a good price on its own, but the spec sheet could easily be mistaken for phones costing over $100 more. Starting with the display, a 5.0” IPS panel, by far the largest in this price bracket. The 800 x 480 resolution doesn’t get close to the…

Reviews, Yum Log

Hermetus Bottle Opener and Resealer Review – Doesn’t Your Beer Deserve This Bottle Opener?

That question was, of course, rhetorical. Of COURSE your beer (or other bottled beverage) deserves a bottle opener as simple and useful as the Hermetus Bottle Opener and Resealer that Kaufman Mercantile sent me to check out. Made in Germany, the Hermetus Bottle Opener and Resealer is a metal bottle opener that easily opens any bottle, but then it is also able to glide over the top and make a tight seal that helps keep beers from going flat or spilling. Why would you need such a device? Simple… This IPA is not only strong but it is huge. And…

Reviews

Phiaton PS 210 BTNC Noise Canceling Headphones Review

I had the opportunity to look at a number of different headphones from Phiaton in recent months. The first pair of Phiaton headphones I reviewed were the Phiaton’s PS 20 BT Stereo Headset. (Read the review.) These wireless bluetooth headphones were incredibly comfortable and sounded great. I found the control module to be a bit awkward. It’s round and the buttons were rather difficult to access times. I also didn’t love the fact that you couldn’t use your own earbuds but, thankfully, the earbuds that came with the PS 20 BT Stereo Headset were comfortable and sounded great. Here’s what I…

Reviews

Pebble E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android Review

Back in early May of 2012, Dan posted an article about both Judie and him supporting the Pebble e-Paper Watch Kickstarter project. The project became noteworthy in that it became one of the most heavily supported Kickstarter projects in Kickstarter history. Initially hoping to raise $100,000, it meet that goal two hours after going live. In less than a week it raised nearly $5 million dollars — talk about interest in a project! While the concept of smartwatches was not new, the notion of a dual Android/iOS notification smartwatch that could support 3rd party applications and be extremely customizable was very intriguing…

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