Reviews

TouchFire Screen-Top Keyboard for iPad, Some Kickstarter Projects Just Don't Make the Grade

Crowdfunding, Reviews

TouchFire Screen-Top Keyboard for iPad, Some Kickstarter Projects Just Don’t Make the Grade

Project Title: TouchFire: The Screen-Top Keyboard for iPad Status: Funded and my backer reward arrived Closing Date for Funding: December 13, 2011 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: TouchFire makes your iPad feel like a normal keyboard! TouchFire puts the “touch” back into typing on an iPad. You can now feel where the keys are and rest your fingers on the home row, so you can type as fast and accurately as you can on a laptop. You can even type without looking at the screen. TouchFire cushions your fingers as you type, something both touch-typists and…

ThinkTank Retrospective 7 Camera Bag Review

Reviews

ThinkTank Retrospective 7 Camera Bag Review

A few weeks back I wrote an initial post about upping my photographic game. After much thought and discussion I purchased a Canon G3i DSLR with an extra lens, and I have been accumulating additional accessories to go with it. (As a result there are a good many reviews on the way!!) Of course, I need a convenient and protective way to carry the camera. I shared an initial look at three different bags from ThinkTank Photo (check it out here). This post is the first of three in-depth looks at them. The Retrospective 7 is the smallest of the ThinkTank…

Brave: the Video Game Review on PlayStation 3

Game Diary, Reviews

Brave: the Video Game Review on PlayStation 3

The action-adventure Brave: The Video Game features single player, co-op, puzzle play and special bear modes in a third person perspective concentrating on the main character Merida. This game also expands the tale beyond the movie’s storyline and continues Disney Interactive’s impressive streak of quality game adaptations of their films.

Satechi WTR-C Wireless Timer Remote Shutter for Canon T3i Review

Reviews

Satechi WTR-C Wireless Timer Remote Shutter for Canon T3i Review

The other day we took a look at the Satechi Bluetooth Media Remote. The little Bluetooth remote has numerous tricks up its sleeve, including being able to remotely fire the iPhone’s camera shutter; this is useful when you want to take a self-portrait or place the iPhone in a stand, thus making sure there is no shake when the camera fires. After all, vibration at the moment a picture is taken can ruin an otherwise awesome image. But what if you are using something like the Canon T3i I am now using as my main camera? For that Satechi has…

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco with eAssist Is a Very Mild Hybrid

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco with eAssist Is a Very Mild Hybrid

For 2013, the Chevrolet Malibu enters its eighth generation and the first version released is the Malibu Eco. Let me begin by saying I love what Chevy has done with the Malibu of late. Vast improvements have been made to styling – inside and out – and the overall driving experience. It was not too long ago when the automaker gave Malibu its due attention, but for 2013 the vehicle needed to be hitched to a new global architecture as this is the model soon to be seen ‘round the world. All that said, I believe this Eco version and…

Gear-vs-Gear, the Phiaton PS 20 BT vs the Jabra Clipper, Bluetooth Headset Head-to-Head

Reviews

Gear-vs-Gear, the Phiaton PS 20 BT vs the Jabra Clipper, Bluetooth Headset Head-to-Head

It is time for another Gear Diary “Gear vs Gear”. Today’s competitors are the Phiaton PS 20 BT Bluetooth Stereo Headset and the Jabra Clipper Bluetooth Stereo Headset. Both let you cut the cord. Both let you listen to music and make/take calls. Both let you clip the battery, microphone and controls to your shirt so you don’t have a heavy portion hanging off your ears. And both… quite honestly, are good options. Yes, in this head-to-head both decisions are good but, in the end, you’ll want to purchase just one so the question remains… which one? Here’s our video look…

Satechi BT MediaRemote Review

Reviews

Satechi BT MediaRemote Review

Let’s begin this review with a summary of it: Do you need this Bluetooth accessory? NO! Do you want this Bluetooth accessory? MAYBE! Do I recommend you purchase this Bluetooth accessory? ABSOLUTELY! When I first saw the Satechi Bluetooth MediaRemote I really didn’t understand why I would want to having something like this. After using it for a time however I really find it to be one of the more useful accessories I have purchased in a quite some time. Yes, this was no review sample. This is something I purchased on a whim and am glad I did. As…

Portrait Professional Studio v10 Review

News & Features, Reviews

Portrait Professional Studio v10 Review

Let’s be honest here. If you’re over 40 years old, there’s a good chance you’re not looking your best. I’m not saying that you’re a hideous monster or anything like that, but it’s certainly possible you could use a little work. If you’re much older than 40, you could definitely use some work. That’s where the Portrait Professional Studio software enters the picture. Portrait Professional Studio is capable of “airbrushing,” a technique of photographic retouching and enhancing that removes imperfections and similar surface-level “problems.” Usually reserved for models in the glamor and fashion industries, Anthropics Technology has created an intelligent,…

Bento 4 for iPad Lets You Cut the Cord and Become a DataBase Power-User

News & Features, Reviews

Bento 4 for iPad Lets You Cut the Cord and Become a DataBase Power-User

The next generation of iPad is here, and it has nothing to do with the hardware or the OS. No, the next generation of the iPad is coming into view, thanks to the apps that run on it. Not only are they becoming more powerful but, at the same time, they are increasingly reducing their reliance on “host” desktops and laptops. This process of “cutting the cord” is moving iPads out of the realm of  add-on device that supports and extends your computer into one that stands on its own. A great example of this is Bento 4. Bento for…

iLuv FitActive Sports Headphones

Reviews

iLuv FitActive Sports Headphones

If you read the site you might recall that I’m married to a woman who doesn’t like headphones and earbuds. Yes, Elana finds earbuds to be quite uncomfortable and, if used for too long, downright painful. There is one exception – well until now just one exception – that is YurBuds. I learned about YurBuds at CES 2011 and while the headphones look kind of funny they are incredibly comfortable – even for Elana. In fact, she tried them on when I got home and then just kept using them. You see, not only are they comfortable but they stay…

WINGStand for Apple iPad and Bluetooth Keyboard Review

Crowdfunding, Reviews

WINGStand for Apple iPad and Bluetooth Keyboard Review

I have tried, reviewed, and stopped using so many keyboards and keyboard cases designed to work with the iPad that, quite frankly, I’ve lost count. Each time however I have returned to using the on-screen keyboard or dictating- as I am right now. It’s not that the different keyboards didn’t work – quite the contrary – in fact, some of them were rather good. It is simply the fact that I’ve been spoiled and none of those keyboards were as good as the keyboard on my MacBook Pro or iMac. In other words, in my experience even the best external iPad…

GoFurther with Ford Trend Conference 2012, My Experience

Events, Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

GoFurther with Ford Trend Conference 2012, My Experience

Last week I had the opportunity to be among 250 guests brought to Dearborn, Michigan by Ford; we spent 2 1/2 days seeing what they’re up to, learning a bit about their philosophy and, of course, checking out some of their latest vehicles. Usually, when attending such a junket, you’d expect to find one or two really good nuggets, a few sessions that were quite good, and a few duds. You’d also expect to have a few logistical glitches along the way. Having now had a bit of time to digest everything that we saw and did over those days,…

Secret Agent Splat's Mission Review for iOS

Reviews

Secret Agent Splat’s Mission Review for iOS

Suppose you were an anthropomorphized Felis catus whose father specialized in making toy ducks. Suppose as a cat you had a pet mouse named Seymour. Suppose you discovered one day that someone has absconded with your ducks. Why then you’d transform into Secret Agent Splat and proceed to investigate with help from your pet! Based on the popular children’s book Splat the Cat, Secret Agent Splat’s Mission is a set of mini-games where children can help the eponymous feline (and his rodent sidekick Seymour) hunt down and retrieve Splat’s missing toy ducks and receive a special agent rating. All 48…

iLuv iMM377 MobiAir Bluetooth Stereo Speaker Dock for Smartphones review

Reviews

iLuv iMM377 MobiAir Bluetooth Stereo Speaker Dock for Smartphones review

I would be hard-pressed to recommend purchasing a dock that includes an iPhone or iPod adapter right now. The reason is quite simple. The next generation of the iPhone is only four months away and all indications point toward it having a new dock connector to replace the ubiquitous 30 pin connection. With such a significant change on the way it makes no sense for someone to purchase a dock that will, at a minimum, require the purchase and use of an adapter come the fall. Instead, I would encourage anyone looking for speakers to use with their mobile device…

IPEVO Typi Folio Keyboard/Case for new iPad and iPad 2 review

Reviews

IPEVO Typi Folio Keyboard/Case for new iPad and iPad 2 review

We’ve reviewed numerous different iPad cases since the tablet was first released. Many of them have included a keyboard and, as a result, not only protected the iPad but also helped turn it into an even better productivity tool. The challenge with each of the combo cases has been the fact that both the keyboard AND the case have to be decent if the combination is going to work well. If one or the other is subpar the entire package falls short. Time and again that has been the issue when we have reviewed keyboard cases. Sometimes the keyboard is…

SMS Audio Street by 50 Wired Headphones review

Reviews

SMS Audio Street by 50 Wired Headphones review

Last week we posted a review of the a-JAYs ONE+ headphones. (Read it.) They sport a flat, tangle free cable, a selection of different ear cups, an in-line microphone and audio controller and, the most unusual package I have seen in a pair of headphones. At under $70 they were definitely a step up from something like Apple’s standard earbuds but they were far from my favorites as they included as many negatives as they did positives. One of those issues was the complete lack of a carrying case. That, however, was nothing compared to the static introduced when the…