Reviews

Murse-Off

Had you told me not long ago that I would happily be carrying a murse I would have told you you were nuts. It’s not like I’m insecure in my masculinity but… there are limits. And the whole murse-thing crossed a line for me. That was then. This is now. The New iPad is so fast and the iOS apps that run on it have become so powerful, that it is now possible to carry the iPad instead of a notebook and not feel like you are compromising much- if at all. Yes, the iPad means there is now the…


Crossworlds the Flying City for iPad Review

As I play more and more hidden object adventures I have developed a set of criteria that I expect every new game to meet: challenging but beatable hidden object gameplay, challenging but solvable puzzles, a hint system that balances being helpful with making you think, solid technical aspects in terms of graphics and sound, and of course an interesting story. With that list in mind, let’s walk through G5’s latest hidden object adventure CrossWorlds: the Flying City HD! The Hype: Teleport yourself into an out-of-this-world gaming experience! After inventing an amazing device that enables travel through parallel worlds, Professor Dumbdore…


Hand Stylus Review, Kickstart This!

Using an iPhone and or iPad throughout most days, there is one thing I have learned. My hands can sure make a touch screen smudged up and grimy. While coaching my high school softball team this year, we used the iPad to collect all of the game stats. While this was awesome, I found myself cleaning my iPad after every game just to be able to see the screen. At one point I thought using a stylus might be best to keep it clean while also making the stat keeping easier, but did not have one to use. Recently I…


Baseball Superstars 2012 for iPhone and Touch

As we approach summer, I had to keep with last week’s theme to celebrate baseball season. Not to gloat…but yeah I will…my 1st grader ripped a double in the first inning of his last baseball game this weekend! The game of baseball brings me back to a wonderful time in my life that shaped who I am today. If you have already mastered Flick Home Run! and looking for a more complete baseball game for iOS, I have found the solution. Baseball Superstars 2012 can take you back to those awesome summer days as a ball player as well as…


NeatReceipts Scanner and Software Package Review

Last July we reviewed the NeatDest scanner and software system from Neat. (Read the review.) Here’s how I began the review One of the keys to Apple’s remarkable success with their iOS devices is the fact that they control both the hardware and the software side of things. Good software is nice to have. So is nice hardware. But when you put the two together; when the hardware is specifically designed to work with the software and the software is specifically designed to work with the hardware… now THAT is a combination worth speaking about. The result? Well just take…


Waterfield CitySlicker MacBook Air Case, Review

Waterfield’s various iPad and MacBook cases and bags are seeing more than a bit of use in my home these days. Elana carries her iPad 2 and Apple Bluetooth keyboard in the iPad Travel Express we reviewed in March of 2011. (Read the review.) Having found time and again that the best option for a keyboard to use with the iPad is Apple’s offering, I’ve used the Keyboard Travel Express a number of times. (Read the review.) Judie reviewed the new Indy bag for the iPad and, knowing I love all-things-Indiana-Jones (I know, lame but true), she sent it to me. When…


Royal Trouble Hidden Adventure Mac Game Review

Back before the iOS release of Royal Trouble, even after reading the description I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect in terms of gameplay – and frankly I was nervous that I was getting burnt out on hidden object games. Fortunately Royal Trouble Hidden Adventure was an entirely different sort of casual adventure game – and an absolute blast that I recommended you simply MUST try! Now it has landed on the Mac, which leaves me with a single question – did they manage a solid port? Let’s take a look! The Hype: Help two charming royal heirs escape from…


Fix It Up: Kate’s Adventure Mac Game Review

Their have been three entries in the ‘Fix It Up’ time-management casual game franchise from G5 Entertainment. The first game was called Fix It Up: Kate’s Adventure, which I reviewed here. I had some issues with the strategic approach of the game that kept me from fully enjoying it, but the two later games I enjoyed very much. Now that it has been released on the Mac I was intrigued to go back and check it out again. Would I love it … or still find it lacking? Let’s take a look! The Hype: Get ready for a time management…


IPEVO Perch, Small, Medium and Large… and All are Awesome! Review

  IPEVO recently contacted Judie and me to see if we wanted to begin reviewing some of their products. The company was new to us but, after trying out two of their Perch stands for the new iPad, there is no doubt we will be keeping an eye on them to see what new products they introduce. Yeah, I’ve been using a small and a medium Perch for the past few weeks and I’m sold on it. The medium size is particularly useful for me and I’m even considering the purchase of a large size Perch to use as a…


Spirit of Wandering – the Legend, Mac Game Review

I was still warm in the afterglow of the awesome iOS game ‘Letters from Nowhere’ from G5 Games when I started another hidden object game from them called Spirit of Wandering. Given the innovative style of the former game, I really didn’t expect Spirit of Wandering – a stock standard hidden object adventure – to live up. If you read my review of the iPad version you know the results were mixed. Now the game has launched on the Mac, so let’s take a look! The Hype: Sail the seas with a pirate captain in search of her missing love…


Avernum Great Trials Trilogy for PC Review!

The Avernum series from Spiderweb Software is one of the classics of indie gaming and of the RPGS in general over the last couple of decades. Earlier this year Spiderweb released the revamped version of the first game in the series for Mac, PC and iPad. Now they have ported the final three games, known as the Great Trials Trilogy, to Steam. I had played them when they were originally released so I was thrilled to get an excuse to go back and revisit these classics. Let’s see how they play several years later! The Hype: Avernum 4 takes place…


First Impressions from a Long-Time iPhone User Trying a Windows Phone

Yesterday, the HTC Titan that Judie is loaning me for this experiment arrived on my doorstep. I opened the box she had packed it in, saw the AT&T HTC Titan box inside, and I actually stared at it for a few minutes pondering how this process was going to be a lot of fun. But it was also likely to be kind of painful.  After all, I’ve been heavily into the iPhone space since its initial release in 2007.  I had Windows Mobile 6.5 before that, and in the meantime I have also had a couple of Android devices from…


BubCaps by Paperclip Robot Keep Kids in the Right Place

If you have an iPad or an iPhone and you have small children, then you’ve learned how much your kids love to play games and watch videos on these devices. The problem is that the same device providing entertainment for your kids is usually the very device that you’re using to organize your life. Sure, it’s fine if your 7-year-old plays Plants versus Zombies on your iPhone or iPad, but what if he lands on your big presentation with just a click of the home button and a few taps onscreen? Or what if your little girl stumbles across your…


Cellhelmet Protection for iPhone 4S Review

The cellhelmet is one of the Kickstarter projects I backed that was actually successful, produced and shipped. (You can read the initial Kickstert This! post here.) Yes, my cellhelmet arrived the other day and I was excited to get it on my phone. It stayed there for about an hour and then came off, was repackaged and prepped to give away in tomorrow’s newsletter. Why am I not using it? Read on! The reason I find the cellhelmet to be a mixed bag can be summed up in this image. You see, the bulk of the creators discussion of the…




Is the 2012 Scion iQ the ‘Smart’ Choice?

Move over smart car, Scion is taking over the micro-subcompact car segment with its iQ. The new Scion iQ is being touted as the world’s smallest four-seater and adds yet another model to the funky spinoff division of Toyota. I had been looking forward to testing this new little urban go-kart. I find its design much more appealing than Daimler’s smartfortwo U.S. model and its onroad experience is light years ahead of the smart car. But I do have two requests for Scion in the iQ: First, please stop calling this a four-seater – it ain’t. A third occupant maybe…


Mary Halvorson Tops Her Critically Acclaimed Last Album with ‘Bending Bridges’

Mary Halvorson Quintet – ‘Bending Bridges’ In late 2010 Mary Halvorson released Saturn Sings, her second recording as a leader and first with her quintet. Building on the acclaimed trio debut ‘Dragon’s Head’, Saturn Sings was immediately acclaimed and landed on Top 10 lists across the world of jazz critics. I found it a stunningly original and creative work, saying “she soars with unique and original compositions and improvisational techniques that are tremendously fresh and challenging and listenable all at once. This is absolutely one of my favorite recordings of 2010.” Now, just a few months after releasing a set…


A Second Opinion on the LifeProof Case

At the start of the year, Dan reviewed the LifeProof iPhone case. He loved it. I have had one for a few months, and on paper it is the ideal case for me. But I don’t have the unconditional love for it that Dan did. So will the pros outweigh the cons? Read on for my take, though if you haven’t yet read Dan’s review i suggest you head there for a quick overview of the fundamentals of the case first. As I said, on paper this is the case for me. I run, in all-weather conditions, so having my…


SPIGEN SGP HTC One X Crumena Leather Pouch Series Review

The HTC One X is a beast… and I mean that in only the best way. It is big, it is beautiful, and it has a fantastic screen. The body of the phone is polycarbonate which means the white color goes completely through it. That, in turn, means scratches won’t be quite so apparent. The screen is made from Corning Gorilla Glass. THAT means the screen won’t easily scratch. In other words, the HTC One X is a tough phone. Despite being so tough, however, you ARE going to want to protect the device. One great option is SGP’s Crumena…


ElementCase Design Studio Customized iPhone Cases Review

Let’s be clear, ElementCase’s offerings aren’t for everyone. No, if you don’t like superb industrial design the products in ElementCase’s line-up aren’t for you. And if you are cheap, ElementCase’s offerings aren’t for you. And if you like iPhone cases that don’t draw attention, ElementCase’s design are CERTAINLY not for you. But if you like great industrial designs that turn heads, and you don’t mind paying for it, the various products in ElementCase’s lineup are just the thing. The company recently rolled out their “Design Studio”; let’s take a closer look. The Design Studio lets you design a customized iPhone case…