Reviews

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 Delivers The Goods

Some things in life just don’t live up to the hype. Take, for instance, the much anticipated iPhone announcement this week. For many like me, it was a disappointment. Fortunately not all things fall into this category of “much ado/much a didn’t.” The new Chrysler 300 SRT8 is a shining example of “delivering the goods.” I was all set to be underwhelmed with this latest overhyped made in Detroit machine. When first seeing the redesign of the model line last year my reaction was melancholy at best and to be perfectly honest I never quite got all the popularity of…

Reviews

iPad 2 Accessory- Kensington’s SecureBack Security Case

It will come as little surprise to anyone who knows me that I have been considering ways to integrate iPads or other tablets into our educational approach at my synagogue, and I hope to have more to say on this shortly. One issue that has arisen time and again as I have thought about this, is the need to secure any iPads we get so they don’t walk away mere hours after we put them into use. It is for this reason that I was more than a bit excited to see Kensington announced their SecureBack Security Case for iPad…

Game Diary, Reviews

Android Game Review: Special Enquity Detail – The Hand That Feeds

Mix together a crime-drama mystery, puzzles, hidden objects, and tons of twists and turns and intrigue … and you have the makings of one of the most compelling casual games made this year. The name of that game is “Special Enquiry Detail: The Hand that Feeds” from G5 Entertainment, and I reviewed the iPad release earlier this year. Now it is available for Android! Let’s take a look and see how the port stands up to the original release! The Hype: Try your hand at investigating a crime, crack the case and catch the criminal in this perplexing hidden-object game!…

Music Diary, Reviews

Music Diary Semi-Quavers: Quick Looks at Recent Releases in Jazz

Welcome back to another edition of Music Diary Semi-Quavers, the quick-take reviews of recent releases. Last time I explored some recent pop & rock album releases, now I jump over to the world of jazz! And similar to before, when I say ‘jazz’, it can include just about anything in a very broad spectrum from traditional ragtime through swing, bebop, modal, free, fusion, post-bop mainstream, modern, smooth jazz and who knows what else. I believe there is good and bad music in every genre, and try not to bother too much with genre labels – though I obviously separate jazz…

Game Diary, Reviews

Game System Retro-Review: iPod Touch, the MP3 Player That Killed Nintendo and Sony’s Gaming Systems

Last September Apple unveiled the iPod Touch 4th Gen, with super-slim design, dual cameras, and great performance. The Retina screen and top-notch graphics clearly marked the iPod Touch as the ‘gaming system to beat’ – and games like Infinity Blade still defy the competition a year later! With Apple about to unveil their latest ‘next big thing’, I wanted to step back and take a look at the iPod Touch, the oversized MP3 player that has changed the gaming industry at a fundamental level. The Nintendo 3DS came out earlier this year, and Michael Siebenaler did a great review here….

Reviews

Laptop Bag Review: the Acme Made Clyde St. Messenger

We’ve become big fans of Acme Made’s bags over the last few years and are always excited when they release a new design. A short time ago we brought word of a new bag, the Acme Made Clyde St. Messenger and we now have one for review that we have been using for the last few weeks. It is a big messenger bag and, in typical Acme Made fashion, it has a good bit of understated-style and quality construction. Here’s a closer look. From Acme Made: The Clyde St. Messenger is a solid, all-purpose messenger bag. It’s built tough with lots…

Reviews

iPad 2 Case Review: ZENUS iPad 2 Leather Case ‘Prestige’ HandCraft Stitch Pouch Series

We got our hands on two different cases for the iPad 2 from a company called ZENUS. We had not seen their offerings previously but were immediately impressed by the sheer number and variety of cases they have available. The first of the two cases we’ll look at is the ZENUS iPad 2 Leather Case ‘Prestige’ HandCraft Stitch Pouch Series. The off-white case has a nice look and feel. If you tend to be a fan of pouch-style cases it is worth a look. From ZENUS: ZENUS ‘Prestige’ Handcraft Stitch Series is a pouch type case made of high quality…

Reviews

iPad 2 Case Review: ZENUS iPad 2 Leather Case with Stand ‘Prestige’ Crocodile Sportism Series

This is the second of two iPad 2 cases from ZENUS that we are reviewing. This time out we are looking at the ZENUS iPad 2 Leather Case with Stand ‘Prestige’ Crocodile Sportism Series, a pearl white folio-style case made of leather that is embossed in a manner that makes it look like crocodile skin. Here’s a closer look. From ZENUS: ZENUS ‘Prestige’ Crocodile Sportism Series has its unique contemporary style by using bold lines and colors on the pressed cowhide that resembles ‘gator hide’ which has a touch of exotic crocodile skin to enhance its luxury appeal and style….

eBooks, Reviews

Speck FitFolio for NOOKcolor Review

The NOOKcolor is a great device, but like all electronics it needs a certain degree of protection. Loose in a bag there are too many things that could scratch, crack, or damage the screen or plastic body. But cases that offer total protection often add significant bulk, or are awkward to hold, or have various other tradeoffs. The Speck FitFolio appears to address all of that; is it the perfect blend of protection and size, or a swing and a miss? Read on to find out! First, here’s what Speck has to say: Protective padded cover with microsuede interior Custom…

Music Diary, Reviews

Music Diary Review: 100 Best of Blue Note (10-CD Box) (2010/11, Jazz)

100 Best of Blue Note Last Christmas I got a really cool gift – one that I have only now begun to use and appreciate. It was the massive 10-CD box set ‘100 Best of Blue Note’. As of right now I can only find the collection in MP3 format on Amazon and iTunes, with the CD collection still listed on the German Blue Note site. This is what you call ‘truth in advertising’ – the box consists of 100 tracks from the Blue Note collection of recordings, which theoretically spans from 1939 to the present, but much of which…

Game Diary, Reviews

Gaming Headset Review: Sharkoon X-Tatic SR Surround Sound Headphones

It is hard to believe, but not everyone wants to listen as you pump sound from video games through your home theater system. That is why there are gaming headsets to begin with – they provide a microphone, but can also provide very sensitive audio … or blast your face off with mega-sound! I use basic Apple or Sony earbuds most of the time, which are adequate but don’t begin to emulate the home theater experience – which is why there are ‘portable sound-systems like the Sharkoon X-Tatic SR. Let’s take a look! The Hype: Sharkoon headsets are sophisticated in…

Reviews

The Synology DS211+ Review: A Pint Sized 2-Bay NAS with some Really Big Features

Image courtesy of Synology You can’t be too cautious these days about backing up your data. Time and time again friends, family and co-workers come to me about trying to recover pictures, music and documents on a failed or virus ridden drive. Some even have their small business data lost when the main computer goes down. My first advice to anyone is that they should get themselves some sort of backup device, whether it be Desktop Attached Storage or Network Attached Storage and some good software to automate the backups. I have wanted to upgrade my 2TB external drive to…

Reviews

Kindle Case Review: WanderFolio for Kindle 3

(Part 3 of 3) In part 1 of this 3 part review series we looked at the Speck FitFolio. In part 2 we looked at the Speck BookShield. In this third and final part of the series we will look at the Speck WanderFolio for Kindle 3. Think of the WanderFolio as the big brother of the FitFolio, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what this case is all about. Let’s take a closer look, since this is the most intricate and useful of the three cases we are reviewing. From Speck: Keep your money, cards, ID and…

Reviews

Pet Product Review: Booster Bath Mini Makes Washing Small Dogs a Breeze!

Washing a dog can can be an ‘adventure’ for everyone involved. If you have a small dog it generally means washing them in the sink – and getting water all over the counters and pretty much anything in the kitchen! If you have a larger dog you might use the bathtub – with similar results. Now there is a new product – the Booster Bath! We have two small dogs, so when the opportunity came up to review the ‘mini’ version of the Booster Bath we gave it a try! Read on to find out how things went and to…

Reviews

Notebook PC Review: Toshiba Satellite L755-S5258 Laptop

In my review of the Toshiba Satellite S4250, I highlighted the almost maniacal devotion to delivering serious audio performance. With the Satellite L755-S5258 (hereafter called the S5258), Toshiba is offering a larger (15.6″!) screen, full-featured numeric keypad, same processor, and a stylish design – for $100 less! So let’s take a look and see how the S5258 performs! The Hype: Generous High-Def Viewing Don’t compromise when it comes to watching movies, juggling tasks or building complex spreadsheets. The Satellite® L750 laptop comes with a broad and truly brilliant 15.6” diagonal TruBrite® HD display that brings out color and clarity you…

Reviews

Kindle Case Review: Speck BookShield for Kindle 3

(Part 2 of 3) In part 1 of this three-part review of Speck’s cases for the Kindle 3 we looked at the Speck FitFolio. This time around we are looking at the Speck BookShield. While the FitFolio takes offers Speck’s take on the tradition folio, the BookShield takes a minimalist approach that, while thin and light, still protects the Kindle’s screen and keyboard. From Speck: BookShield is an ingenious and durable Kindle 3 case, fusing a hard plastic screen protector into a rubbery crystal-clear cover. It’s made of a soft flexible plastic that covers the screen, buttons, corners, and front…

Reviews

Notebook PC Review: Toshiba Satellite P745-S4250 Laptop

Normally in laptop reviews I try to apply some generic context about where the laptop falls in the market in terms of segmentation and price, then invite the reader into the main body of the review to find out how it fits in that segment and the value offered. For the Toshiba Satellite P745-S4250 (S4250 from now on), I will just come out and call the segment the HOLY-CRAP-DID-YOU-HEAR-THE-SOUND-ON-THIS-THING-IT-IS-UNBELIEVABLE-FOR-A-LAPTOP … and the price is just under $800 nicely equipped. With my hand fully tipped, come on along for a look at this wonderful 14″ laptop! The Hype: No-Nonsense Multimedia Performance…

Reviews

Kindle Case Review: Speck FitFolio for Kindle 3

(Part 1 of 3) As much as I love my iPad, and I do, there are some tasks for which it just isn’t right. For example, have you ever tried using your iPad in bright sunlight? It stinks. That’s where a simple eReader like the Kindle comes in. It is small, light and it is easy to read in even the brightest sunlight. Better still, at just over $100 it is relatively inexpensive. That means were it to be lost or stolen the hit would be far smaller than if that were to happen to my $829 iPad. As a…

Game Diary, Reviews

iPad Game Review: Fix It Up: Kate’s Adventure

The latest time-management casual game from G5 Entertainment is called Fix It Up: Kate’s Adventure. Centering around young Kate, who has just returned from college and needs to help bring her father’s auto-repair shop back up to standards after several employees have left, Kate’s Adventure continues as she moves on and seeks her own fortunes by expanding and branching out. How does it play? Let’s take a look! The Hype: Get ready for a time management adventure that will keep you on your toes! Kate comes home from college to find her dad’s auto repair shop grappling with financial difficulties….

Reviews

Mobile Device Accessory Review: Juice Pack Powerstation

It seems silly to refer to an external battery as “good-looking”, but mophie’s new juice pack power station is one good-looking battery. It is sleek, solid and feels great thanks to the combination of polished metal and soft touch material. And with a footprint that is a bit smaller than an iPhone, this 4000mAh battery is simple to carry around all the time. From mophie: juice pack powerstation: This powerful 4000mAh external battery can charge virtually any USB device in the world including the iPhone and iPad. With completely reengineered battery and electronics, the powerstation can charge your device at…

Reviews

Switch Magnetic Interchange Lens System Eyewear Review

Last year I went to CES in Las Vegas as part of a SCOTTEVEST No Baggage Challenge for Charity. Because I could only bring what I was able to carry in my SeV clothing I had to leave behind a number of items that would normally go with me on a trip. Among the items left? My sunglasses. It only took a few hours of being in Vegas to realize that I needed a pair. I walked into a Sunglass Hut and said, “What’s on closeout?” Even steeply discounted I spent $100 that day. The sunglasses have held up well…

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