Gear Bits

The One Reason to Buy an iPad Mini

Yesterday Mike posted a piece explaining why he won’t be getting the iPad mini. He offered five reasons. All of them were well-considered, but at the end of the day I still maintain that “I’ll believe it when I see it”. I figured it might be fun to offer a counterpoint to his points on the iPad mini, so here is my singular reason why I am ordering it and why, at the end of the day, I bet he will too. How about you? Is this something that is in your gadget future? Why or why not?

You Dropped Your Food on the Floor. Do You Eat It?

Gear Bits, Health and Fitness

The Five-Second Rule Can Make You Sick

I’d be the first to admit that for years I have used a shorter variant of the five-second rule, which at my house we called the three-second rule. When Sarah was growing up, if she dropped something hard and dry on the kitchen floor, at least one person would gleefully shout out “three-second rule!” and the item would be picked up and consumed. For (what should be) obvious reasons, this rule did not apply to wet or sticky items, but it did apply to adults as well as children. Hey … parenting is all about compromises and on the spot decision…

Gear Bits, News & Features

CBS Cancels ‘Made in Jersey’, NBC Sends ‘Saving Hope’ To Web – How Are YOUR Shows Doing?

The fall of 2011 was a virtual bloodbath with how quickly shows were axed en masse by pretty much every network. So I was surprised that we got all the way into the middle of October before I started hearing about shows getting cancelled. Turns out that it was happening – just a little more quietly and in different ways than before. Let’s start with a traditional axe – ‘Made in Jersey’ got whacked after two episodes due to dismal ratings and abysmal viewership: We have the first official casualty of the 2012-13 season. CBS has pulled low-rated new drama…

Gear Bits

How Do You Like Microsoft’s First Commercial for ‘Surface’?

Last night while watching a rerun of The Mentalist, a commercial for the upcoming Microsoft Surface tablet came on. Clearly the focus is on the design, and in particular the magnetic click-on keyboard/cover, as well as the integrated ‘kickstand’. In fact, that is pretty much ALL you see in the video other than a few touch-gestures to make it clear this is a tablet device, and someone tapping to start a video and to end the commercial. Oh, and a user interface paradigm NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT (i.e. Windows 8, only tech folks have a clue about it yet). For…

Game Diary, Gear Bits

Happy Anniversary Atari 2600!

It’s a milestone year for me as a media writer. Born in the same year Atari was founded (June 1972), we both turn 40 this year and my all-time favorite game console, the Atari 2600 (a.k.a. the Atari Video Computer System (VCS)) just turned 35 years old this past Sunday on October 14. We still have it. It does not work, but our entire honors it like a valued piece on our personal museum. It was our opportunity to bring the video game arcade home. The paddle controller. The orange buttons. The signature “bleep/bloop” sounds. More than 400 games including…

Gear Bits

Libratone Zipp Wireless AirPlay Speaker, First Look

Every now and then a product comes along that not only meets your expectations but actually exceeds them. That’s the case so far with the Libratone Zipp AirPlay Wireless Speaker. Sure, it has a cool, unique look. And sure, the fact that you can change the wool covers then, in seconds, have a speaker that looks completely different is very cool. And sure, it has AirPlay. All that is true, but what really makes this speaker stand out is its Play Direct and its awesome sound. Play Direct means you can stream great audio wirelessly even when you don’t have an…

Gear Bits

All-In With the New iPad

Mike and Carly have discussed the fact that the iPad is their 80% Plus computer. Mike even went so far as to try to use the iPad exclusively for a few days. (You can read about it here.) Well, I am embarking on my iPad-only experiment although I do so out of necessity. You see, prior to the MacBook ProR I had at least two computers. Usually that meant a desktop and a laptop but, for a time it meant a 11″ and a 13″ MacBook Air. That meant I always has a “spare” Mac available to me. Not…

Game Diary, Gear Bits, Reviews

Avernum 6 HD for iPad Review and Hands-On Video

Type of app: Role Playing Game (RPG) Platform/where to buy: iPad (no iPhone version); available in the App Store Developer: Spiderweb Games Description: Avernum 6 is an epic, indie fantasy role-playing adventure. It is optimized for the iPad and features an enormous world, a fascinating story, and 30+ hours of gameplay. Travel into the strange subterranean land of Avernum, full of dungeons, labyrinths, and constant warfare. A set of disasters threatens to destroy your homeland in a spasm of famine and warfare. Only you can help your people to get to safety before everything falls apart. As you wander the…

Gear Bits

Sirius XM Kills Off All of the One-Year Free Trial Deals Not Actually ‘Won’

A sad thing happened when I tried to log into SiriusXM on my iPad this morning – I was greeted with the message above. So I tried the other account I had grabbed when I posted about it a couple of weeks ago. I had used Sirius for the 6 month trial that came with my car, but couldn’t justify the $9.99 monthly (back in 2007) fee – particularly as we moved and I changed from a hour commute to a fifteen minute drive. But I knew there was loads of cool stuff, so when I had the chance to…

Game Diary, Gear Bits, Music Diary

Random Cool Video of Ohio State Marching Band Video Game Themed Halftime Show

Now that my son is in the high school marching band and each weekend involves a trip to watch a dozen different great school bands put on shows, I appreciate marching bands more than ever. So seeing this video from Ohio State University from this past weekend was just awesome. Check it out! Source: Reddit

Gear Bits

This Week’s Entertainment Weekly Has Tina Fey and a Free Phone

Grab the latest Entertainment Weekly edition (the one with the lovely Tina Fey doing her best Audrey Hepburn on the cover), and you’ll also get a bonus inside. An active LCD screen which when freed from the magazine reveals … a working phone? Check out this video where Christina and Lance, from Mashable, tear apart the October 5th Entertainment Weekly to reveal what powers the CW advertisement inside. “It’s a phone! It’s a phone! It’s a PHONE!” Priceless. If you want to get your own free “fully working Android [skeleton] phone” — one that would make MacGyver’s head swim with possibilities —…

Editorials, Gear Bits

No CW for Cablevision Subscribers!

If a network goes off the air and no one notices, do the shows still go on? Apparently my cable company is in a fight with the CW, and we haven’t been receiving it since August! I only noticed because <sob> I can’t record the premier of The Vampire Diaries if they don’t come to an agreement by next week! What caused this dispute? Money, of course. Cablevision’s statement is very clear on this: BETHPAGE, N.Y., Aug. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Cablevision Systems Corp., (NYSE: CVC) today released the following statement related to the blackout of WPIX and other Tribune…

Gear Bits

If You Watch One Video Today, This Is It

I live in the public eye. That’s a choice I made when I entered the congregational rabbinate. As a result, people comment on pretty much every aspect about me. Sometimes they are kind; at other times they aren’t. And, thankfully, over the years, I have developed a fairly tough skin. And when that fails I have a few good friends who let me vent and put it behind me. Elana did not make this choice, but she too will often receive comments from people. Sometimes they are kind, and other times they may not be. Regardless, people will often comment…

Gear Bits

Nitrodesk Launches TouchDown for iOS!

I had been using TouchDown to access my work email since the original Motorola Droid first launched until for security reasons they clamped down on all mobile email access. It provided me a virtual Outlook environment that enhanced my productivity and let me work without worrying about having access to a laptop for an extended time period. In fact, just about a year ago I featured TouchDown in a post called Apps I Can’t Live Without: Touchdown for Android During these last few years I have heard a constant question – when are you releasing an iOS version? Well ……

Gear Bits

Blockbuster Lives?

A few weeks ago as part of our “clean out the house” initiative, I came across an old school Netflix ad-3 DVDs at a time for $19.99 a month! Sadly, Sarah didn’t know I wanted to hang onto it as a memento of the days when Netflix WANTED you to rent DVDs, and it headed out to the curb on the last recycling day. However, the universe clearly sensed my disappointment, and sent me a Blockbuster flyer offering me DVD rentals by mail! After checking my phone to make sure it was still a 4S and not the Treo 650…

Gear Bits, Music Diary

Check Out This Cool Video of Roy Clark and Joe Pass Playing the Music of Hank Williams!

When I think of Roy Clark, I think first of Hee Haw, but also know that he is an amazing guitarist. Joe Pass is recognized as one of the all time greatest guitarists. In 1994, just before Pass died, the two teamed up to record a selection of music by Country legend Hank Williams. The results were a jazzy-country mix that showed off the great songs, and highlighted two excellent guitarists who played very well together and a rhythm section who could handle the cool stylistic mix. Check out the video! And if you let it play to the end…

Gear Bits

Beer Goes Political

I love beer. Personally, my go-to choices are anything Sam Adams and Guinness. But really, if it’s not Budweiser or Coors, I will happily drink it. And while I have had many political conversations OVER beer, I have never politicized beer…but leave it to analysts to put together a graphic overlaying democrats/republicans/voting involvement and beer choice. Of course, this isn’t 100% accurate. After all, as I said above, I love Guinness and Sam Adams, which indicates I have a split political personality. The whole analysis is pretty neat, so be sure to check out the full article at National Journal….

Gear Bits

Physics Wins, as 32 Out of Sync Metronomes End Up Synchronizing

This is a really cool video that operates on a principle of physics: that the transfer of momentum will result in alignment of motion. In other words, as the metronomes tick, they are transferring force to the table, and due to the design of the table that force is dampened and dissipated through the table causing it to move. That motion begins to impart a force upon the metronomes – amplifying the signal of those aligned with the table, and dampening the signal of those out of alignment. Eventually all of the metronomes will align! Anyway, check it out! Source:…

Gear Bits, Music Diary

Stream Diana Krall’s Upcoming ‘Glad Rag Doll’ for FREE on USAToday This Week!

Diana Krall is a Grammy winning, million selling jazz vocalist and pianist, whose singing and playing have earned her accolades and made her one of the top-selling artists in all of jazz and pop music. We recently saw her live with Paul McCartney, and she had a major role in his latest album, arranging, playing, and directing the band made up of musicians she has worked with for years. There is no denying her talent or her impact on pop and jazz over the last two decades. She is also a beautiful woman married to Elvis Costello and who has…

Gear Bits

Wrapsol Ultra Screen and Back Protector for iPhone 5

Early reports suggest the iPhone 5 is having some issues with both the black and white coloring chipping off the sides and back. And with the device being so new, there haven’t been many options for protecting it. For that reason I have been treating mine with great care. I was thrilled when a Wrapsol front and back protector showed up today, and while I wish it also offered side protection, I’m glad to have it. I have not yet had the chance to put it on, but I thought we would take a quick look at what they have to…

Gear Bits, Music Diary, News & Features

iOS 6 Brings Loads of SIGNIFICANT App Updates

By now we all know the mantra – when there is a new iOS update, prepare for the onslaught of app updates. It used to be surprising … now it is expected. I have probably updated 100 apps on my iPad since last week. [Oh, and I should mention that I LOVE the in-place updating!] But while some updates are just bug fixes and iOS 6 compatibility, others bring entirely new functionality. Significant functionality. And the funny thing is that it is hard to know what changes are major or minor when you see a list of a dozen or…

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