You’ve read a few articles we’ve written about the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3, but we finally have a hands-on sample to review and enjoy. Alcatel’s flagship phone is a beauty. I received it at my doorstep about a week ago to the day, and I’ve had the pleasure of using a T-Mobile SIM card, and I’m super excited about it.
I love my iPhone 6 Plus but find the battery to be lacking. I’ve tried a host of settings tweaks to optimize battery life but still run low by early afternoon. Having a strategically-placed charging dock is key for me. The Twelve South HiRise Deluxe is just such a charging dock. I reviewed the original HiRise and was impressed. This deluxe model takes things to an entirely new level. I love it! Here’s what Twelve South has to say about it: “HiRise Deluxe is a beautiful metal pedestal for charging and hands-free use of your iPhone or iPad. Set HiRise…
I like to keep my iPhone as pristine as possible both for the sake of aesthetics and resale value. That means I almost always have my phone in a case. It also means I ALWAYS have a tempered glass screen protector on it. The Amzer Kristal Edge2Edge Black Screen Protector for iPhone 6 Plus is a great option and offers an added twist. The HD Screen protector offers edge to edge protection.” It has an oleophobic coating, is fingerprint proof, offers 9H protection and is easy to install. And because it is just 0.3mm thick you will barely know it is there….
I have reviewed several cars for Gear Diary, and they’re usually my favorite reviews to do. Cars are probably the biggest purchase most people make, besides a house, and they are technological tools as much as they are transportation methods. The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport excels in one of these areas and fails miserably in the other!
If you have teenagers, you’ve probably struggled with getting them out of bed in the morning. With my older son, it’s like an arms race of alarms vs. his ability to sleep through them! So when I had the chance to check out the TCL Pulse, I was skeptical – ok, downright dubious – that it would actually work.
My time in Israel last July was a bit stressful as we constantly waited for the next “Red Alert” warning us about an incoming missile. My friends Menachem, Robyn, and I broke the tension (and stayed entertained) by taking selfies. The new GoTech ION Bluetooth Selfie Stick I have for review would have come in quite handy. Let’s take a look. Menachem, Robyn, and I took selfies in Jerusalem, on the Golan Heights (a missile from Syria landed near our stop about an hour after we left) and before and after various meetings (this was a “business” trip for us.)…
I found myself searching for a sleeve/case for my iPad Air recently and my efforts led me to Inateck. The Protection for iPad Air sleeve is a stylish gray felt sleeve that fits nicely over my device even when my Logitech Bluetooth keyboard is attached. Inateck also designed the sleeve to function as a nifty little device stand.
I’ve been through plenty of cases, but one thing that I always look for is the minimalism. There’s so many options; waterproof, shock-protection, you name it. But one that honestly intrigued me, the guy who wants ultimate protection, is labeled the “thinnest”. And I like it. At only 0.355mm thin (yes, it’s truly that thin), Totallee’s Scarf Case for the iPhone 6 Plus is actually lighter, thinner, and more comfortable to hold in my hand than even Apple’s Leather case. It’s made of polypropylene, which is a flexible material that means even though it’s virtually as thin as your fingernail, it can still be damaged…
At $249.99 the 13 inch Nixplay Edge Digital Frame is pricey. But for that price you get a gorgeous high-definition display, the ability to pull images from the cloud, send images directly from your mobile device or side load them from an SD card. The frame offers plenty of settings and delivers stunning images. And that’s just the beginning.
A year ago when I reviewed the previously unreleased album ‘S.O.S.’, I didn’t single out each player for their amazing contributions because the album was more about bringing together three amazing musicians for an even more amazing outcome. Now with the release of Mike Osborne’s earliest solo works as ‘Dawn’, we can single out his amazing contributions to jazz.
I don’t want to even try to count the number of headphones that, between the two of us, Judie and I own. And when she reviewed the Harman Kardon Soho Headphones I’ll admit I was a bit jealous. We both have the Harman Kardon Soho Wireless Headphones and I absolutely love mine. She does too. Here’s a look.
UAG makes one of the most rugged cases for the iPhone, so I was excited when I received two different UAG cases for my iPhone 6 Plus to review. Urban Armor Gear is a popular accessory company that makes tough yet featherweight cases for smartphones and tablets. I had the option to pick two colors, and I went with clear and the popping color of orange. The Urban Armor Gear Case is marketed as military-grade protection for your iPhone ,which pretty much means clumsy folks who have a habit of dropping their phones from average text height are safe from…
Just as Apple Watch opened for pre-orders, the Garmin VivoActive arrived in stores and the hands of runners and athletes everywhere. I had written up announcement at CES, so I was thrilled to get one in my hands to play around with. Now after a week, I want to check in with my initial likes and dislikes of the VivoActive.
One thing I end up dealing with often when out at happy-hour is my phone mysteriously dying. I don’t use my phone frequently when out, but over the course of the night, I keep bluetooth and Wi-Fi on, which obviously drains the battery. So when I was asked to review Native Union’s Jump Cable for the iPhone, I was stoked.
The portable Bluetooth speaker market has exploded in recent years and it is more and more difficult to stand out in such a crowded field. Bayan Audio has found a way to do just that with the soundbook GO, however. This small speaker sounds great, has a built-in stand that doubles as a cover and is under $140!
One thing I haven’t given up from my childhood is my love for puzzles. I’ve used Lumosity, and other third-party apps on my phone, but I wanted something more. So as a huge fan of Rubics cubes, I was happy to review Meffert’s Gear Ball puzzle.
When we first moved into our house, we debated signing up with an alarm company. Ultimately we decided against it after looking at how much a contract would cost, but I’ve been following the smartphone-based alarm systems closely. We’ve been testing the SkylinkNet Alarm System starter kit; so how does it fit our needs and protect our home?
I have a soft spot for wooden cases; I love the way they transform metal and glass devices into a more caressable object and how they add protection without adding weight. Wood cases never interfere with phone antennas, and some are like works of art. The Grovemade Wood & Leather iPhone 6 Plus Case does all of this and more.
I explored Nature Box as a way of having healthy snacks on hand. Working from home helps in that I choose what’s on hand. Graze is another healthy snacks service like Nature Box, except the default is single serving packages. Is the service worth it? The answer is … it depends.
Fitness Technologies, Inc.’s UWaterX3 Wireless Action Speaker is a unique waterproof Bluetooth speaker that is ready for almost anything. This monster truck tire-looking speaker feels completely solid and indestructible. The UWaterX3 creates great sound with its 50mm driver and directional subwoofer. This speaker comes with a number of mounting options for many different types of activities and retails for $130.
I hate phone cases, but know for most people they are a real need – and for our kids we mandated full-protection cases when we got iPhones a few years ago. I’ve reviewed cases before, and promptly removed them! So having Loop Straitjacket STILL on my iPhone for more than two months after installing it tells me this is something special.