While some parts of the “connected home” idea are natural fits for new technology (like smart thermostats and locks), I have been a huge skeptic of the idea that EVERYTHING should become smarter. Does a lightbulb really need Bluetooth? To overcome my skepticism, I volunteered to review the Oort LED Lightbulb, and now my household is in love.
The episodic mystery adventure Life is Strange begins with the first episode subtitled Chrysalis where Max, an 18-year-old photography student has the special ability to reverse time that have varied consequences.
It’s been two years since I reviewed the album Synesthesia by The Kandinsky Effect, heaping praise on it saying “musicianship and communication throughout are stellar, there are free elements without being too far ‘out’, and the trio keeps the modern elements at the forefront without sacrificing the jazz foundation.” Now they are back with Somnambulist … and it’s even better.
A few weeks ago I reviewed the Pivotal Living fitness tracker, and I concluded the following: “Pivotal Living is a company to watch, and I think if the bugs and kinks get ironed out, the Pivotal Life 1 is a very cool product.” I wanted to give them a few months, but here’s the truth: Don’t buy it. just don’t.
As a high school coach, I know the world of athletics has become incredibly competitive. In order to succeed, young athletes have to be willing to put in much more time than the allotted practice hours for a week. ShotTracker has developed a wearable device that assists basketball players to get workouts and track progress. Let’s take a look.
When Amazon announced the Echo connected speaker, there was speculation about how it would work in terms of integrating with Amazon and the larger web. Reviews came out after the Echo launched, positive or mixed depending on the source. For me that confirmed it was based on personal usage, so after using the Echo I wanted to report our findings.
It is ironic that I started playing Grim Fandango as I was writing up this review. Why? Because it allowed me to compare this game with one of the absolute classics of the genre. The revitalized adventure game genre provides plenty of comparisons, and allowed me to see both good and not so good elements in Supreme League of Patriots.
When the temperature dips below freezing, it takes a lot for me to want to take my road bike out for a ride. Motivation can come in the form of variety, like a new route I’ve never ridden or the need to improve my fitness, because I ate everything over the holidays. The Magellan Cyclo 505hc provides me with both!
I am trying to get into better shape. After a minor knee surgery, my running routine fell completely apart. A good chunk of my injury was caused by muscle imbalances, so I set out to get into better shape with a strength training routine. I settled on the Stronglifts 5×5 workout; the Android app has been invaluable to my progress!
Have you got a Samsung Galaxy Note 4? Have you proven yourself to be a bit of a butter fingers? If so, then you’ll want to consider covering that gorgeous screen with one of the best tempered protectors available — the OtterBox Alpha Glass fortified glass screen protector.
Do you have a Note 4? If so, then you’re no doubt enjoying its gorgeous screen and all its amazing features — including its handy stylus. What you probably don’t love is knowing that if you drop your naked phablet, damage is inevitable. Give yourself peace of mind by installing an OtterBox Symmetry for Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Case.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the upcoming launch of the action-puzzle game Satellina. Now it has arrived on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and it has continued to be a complete blast to play, adding new features for the color impaired. It arrives on Android soon, so check it out!
One truth in my world is that I am always up for a new pocket knife or flashlight. Maybe because I spend so much times in the woods, or maybe it is just a man thing. When I had the chance to review the Blackfire Clamplight Backpack, I jumped at the chance, and the $34.99 light spent hunting season with me.
When I wrote about the official announcement of Avernum 2: Crystal Souls last year I noted that I had missed the initial release of the first three games, and only played parts of them since. In 2012 I played and replayed Avernum: Escape from the Pit, and now I have played Avernum 2: Crystal Souls and completely loved it!
One of the great things about being around the tech world is watching the way in which companies and product lines evolve. The TwelveSouth BookBook for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is a perfect example. The original BookBook was nice but flawed; a few product generations later, and the new BookBook is nothing short of a home run.
It’s not that uncommon for us to review laptop bags that retail for $150+ and to add our own extended battery packs to the mix, but the $199 Phorce Freedom is the first we’ve reviewed that came with its own built-in 15,000 mAh power source. Why should you get this bag instead of creating your own with available components?
This post about the Toshiba Chromebook 2 has been a long time coming. It isn’t because I don’t like the machine. I do. Rather, it has taken time because I tried to see how it might fit into my workflow. I’ve come away from the experience impressed by what Google and Toshiba have done. Still, I need to come clean…
Since smartphones are the most popular cameras (because they go with us pretty much everywhere), it makes sense that as their image capture technology improves, so would the tools available for editing and sharing. Today Adobe announced that they were bringing their critically acclaimed photo editing platform to Android phones, and they are releasing Adobe Lightroom Mobile for Android!
If you’ve been looking for a fitness tracker, your budget is probably in the $50 to $150 range. That’s reasonable for a connected pedometer/fitness data collector, but Pivotal Living disagrees. They see the value of fitness tracking in the service, not the hardware, so they sell a subscription model instead. $12 gets you one year of service and one Pivotal Life 1 band!
I love the comic The Oatmeal, and highlighted a speech given by Oatmeal cartoonist Matthew Inman at BAHfest on my personal blog. I was contacted about a new dark humor book called Russian Optimism, which they describe as having innocent titles and horrible endings. The book is an illustrated coffee table book with illustrations and translations.
Now that you have had some time to get familiar with your new smart device, you may be starting to wish for some accessories to expand its functionality. A good place to start is with photography attachments and USBFever.com is a great place to begin your journey towards expanding your smart device photography portfolio.