Reviews

Speck FitFolio Case for Kindle Fire Review

eBooks, Reviews

Speck FitFolio Case for Kindle Fire Review

I love my Kindle Fire and use it regularly, nestled in the Oberon ‘Celtic Hounds’ design case. I am very happy with the feel and utility of that case, so anything else has a tough road against the incumbent. Speck recently sent us a FitFolio case to review for the Kindle Fire, so let’s have a look! The Hype: FitFolio is a Kindle Fire case that combines the fit of a precision-molded hard shell case, with the cover-to-cover protection in a book-style folio. The form-fit hard-shell cradle keeps your Kindle Fire securely in place, so it doesn’t slip or slide,…

IK Multimedia iKlip Studio for iPad Review

Music Diary, Reviews

IK Multimedia iKlip Studio for iPad Review

Every now and then you come across an accessory that after using it seems so obvious, so necessary, that you can’t believe it took two years for someone to bring it out. THAT, in short, described my feelings about the iKlip Studio from IK Multimedia. Let’s take a look! The Hype: -Sturdy, durable, lightweight, shock-resistant thermoplastic construction holds your iPad securely without scratching or marring it -Rubber foot pads grip the desktop and prevent unwanted sliding -Flexible orientation allows iKlip Studio to be tilted from a very low-profile angle to near-vertical positioning -The device can be quickly rotated between its…

Q Card Case For iPhone 4/4S Review

Reviews

Q Card Case For iPhone 4/4S Review

I live an active lifestyle and work an active job. One thing I hate is carrying things in my pockets. Wallets, keys etc weigh me down and tend to bounce around too much when I am coaching or working out. As a result, free pockets are just as important to me as the comfort of my clothes. If you do not know what I am talking about, try going “pocket empty” for a day… it is liberating. There is,, however, one item that always finds a way to stay with me regardless of what I am wearing or doing. That…

Murse-Off

News & Features, Reviews

Murse-Off

Had you told me not long ago that I would happily be carrying a murse I would have told you you were nuts. It’s not like I’m insecure in my masculinity but… there are limits. And the whole murse-thing crossed a line for me. That was then. This is now. The New iPad is so fast and the iOS apps that run on it have become so powerful, that it is now possible to carry the iPad instead of a notebook and not feel like you are compromising much- if at all. Yes, the iPad means there is now the…

Crossworlds the Flying City for iPad Review

Game Diary, Reviews

Crossworlds the Flying City for iPad Review

As I play more and more hidden object adventures I have developed a set of criteria that I expect every new game to meet: challenging but beatable hidden object gameplay, challenging but solvable puzzles, a hint system that balances being helpful with making you think, solid technical aspects in terms of graphics and sound, and of course an interesting story. With that list in mind, let’s walk through G5’s latest hidden object adventure CrossWorlds: the Flying City HD! The Hype: Teleport yourself into an out-of-this-world gaming experience! After inventing an amazing device that enables travel through parallel worlds, Professor Dumbdore…

Hand Stylus Review, Kickstart This!

Crowdfunding, Reviews

Hand Stylus Review, Kickstart This!

Using an iPhone and or iPad throughout most days, there is one thing I have learned. My hands can sure make a touch screen smudged up and grimy. While coaching my high school softball team this year, we used the iPad to collect all of the game stats. While this was awesome, I found myself cleaning my iPad after every game just to be able to see the screen. At one point I thought using a stylus might be best to keep it clean while also making the stat keeping easier, but did not have one to use. Recently I…

Baseball Superstars 2012 for iPhone and Touch

Reviews

Baseball Superstars 2012 for iPhone and Touch

As we approach summer, I had to keep with last week’s theme to celebrate baseball season. Not to gloat…but yeah I will…my 1st grader ripped a double in the first inning of his last baseball game this weekend! The game of baseball brings me back to a wonderful time in my life that shaped who I am today. If you have already mastered Flick Home Run! and looking for a more complete baseball game for iOS, I have found the solution. Baseball Superstars 2012 can take you back to those awesome summer days as a ball player as well as…

NeatReceipts Scanner and Software Package Review

Reviews

NeatReceipts Scanner and Software Package Review

Last July we reviewed the NeatDest scanner and software system from Neat. (Read the review.) Here’s how I began the review One of the keys to Apple’s remarkable success with their iOS devices is the fact that they control both the hardware and the software side of things. Good software is nice to have. So is nice hardware. But when you put the two together; when the hardware is specifically designed to work with the software and the software is specifically designed to work with the hardware… now THAT is a combination worth speaking about. The result? Well just take…

Waterfield CitySlicker MacBook Air Case, Review

Reviews

Waterfield CitySlicker MacBook Air Case, Review

Waterfield’s various iPad and MacBook cases and bags are seeing more than a bit of use in my home these days. Elana carries her iPad 2 and Apple Bluetooth keyboard in the iPad Travel Express we reviewed in March of 2011. (Read the review.) Having found time and again that the best option for a keyboard to use with the iPad is Apple’s offering, I’ve used the Keyboard Travel Express a number of times. (Read the review.) Judie reviewed the new Indy bag for the iPad and, knowing I love all-things-Indiana-Jones (I know, lame but true), she sent it to me. When…

Royal Trouble Hidden Adventure Mac Game Review

Game Diary, Reviews

Royal Trouble Hidden Adventure Mac Game Review

Back before the iOS release of Royal Trouble, even after reading the description I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect in terms of gameplay – and frankly I was nervous that I was getting burnt out on hidden object games. Fortunately Royal Trouble Hidden Adventure was an entirely different sort of casual adventure game – and an absolute blast that I recommended you simply MUST try! Now it has landed on the Mac, which leaves me with a single question – did they manage a solid port? Let’s take a look! The Hype: Help two charming royal heirs escape from…

Fix It Up: Kate's Adventure Mac Game Review

Game Diary, Reviews

Fix It Up: Kate’s Adventure Mac Game Review

Their have been three entries in the ‘Fix It Up’ time-management casual game franchise from G5 Entertainment. The first game was called Fix It Up: Kate’s Adventure, which I reviewed here. I had some issues with the strategic approach of the game that kept me from fully enjoying it, but the two later games I enjoyed very much. Now that it has been released on the Mac I was intrigued to go back and check it out again. Would I love it … or still find it lacking? Let’s take a look! The Hype: Get ready for a time management…

IPEVO Perch, Small, Medium and Large… and All are Awesome! Review

Reviews

IPEVO Perch, Small, Medium and Large… and All are Awesome! Review

  IPEVO recently contacted Judie and me to see if we wanted to begin reviewing some of their products. The company was new to us but, after trying out two of their Perch stands for the new iPad, there is no doubt we will be keeping an eye on them to see what new products they introduce. Yeah, I’ve been using a small and a medium Perch for the past few weeks and I’m sold on it. The medium size is particularly useful for me and I’m even considering the purchase of a large size Perch to use as a…

Spirit of Wandering - the Legend, Mac Game Review

Game Diary, Reviews

Spirit of Wandering – the Legend, Mac Game Review

I was still warm in the afterglow of the awesome iOS game ‘Letters from Nowhere’ from G5 Games when I started another hidden object game from them called Spirit of Wandering. Given the innovative style of the former game, I really didn’t expect Spirit of Wandering – a stock standard hidden object adventure – to live up. If you read my review of the iPad version you know the results were mixed. Now the game has launched on the Mac, so let’s take a look! The Hype: Sail the seas with a pirate captain in search of her missing love…

Avernum Great Trials Trilogy for PC Review!

Game Diary, Reviews

Avernum Great Trials Trilogy for PC Review!

The Avernum series from Spiderweb Software is one of the classics of indie gaming and of the RPGS in general over the last couple of decades. Earlier this year Spiderweb released the revamped version of the first game in the series for Mac, PC and iPad. Now they have ported the final three games, known as the Great Trials Trilogy, to Steam. I had played them when they were originally released so I was thrilled to get an excuse to go back and revisit these classics. Let’s see how they play several years later! The Hype: Avernum 4 takes place…

First Impressions from a Long-Time iPhone User Trying a Windows Phone

Reviews

First Impressions from a Long-Time iPhone User Trying a Windows Phone

Yesterday, the HTC Titan that Judie is loaning me for this experiment arrived on my doorstep. I opened the box she had packed it in, saw the AT&T HTC Titan box inside, and I actually stared at it for a few minutes pondering how this process was going to be a lot of fun. But it was also likely to be kind of painful.  After all, I’ve been heavily into the iPhone space since its initial release in 2007.  I had Windows Mobile 6.5 before that, and in the meantime I have also had a couple of Android devices from…

BubCaps by Paperclip Robot Keep Kids in the Right Place

Reviews

BubCaps by Paperclip Robot Keep Kids in the Right Place

If you have an iPad or an iPhone and you have small children, then you’ve learned how much your kids love to play games and watch videos on these devices. The problem is that the same device providing entertainment for your kids is usually the very device that you’re using to organize your life. Sure, it’s fine if your 7-year-old plays Plants versus Zombies on your iPhone or iPad, but what if he lands on your big presentation with just a click of the home button and a few taps onscreen? Or what if your little girl stumbles across your…

Cellhelmet Protection for iPhone 4S Review

Crowdfunding, Reviews

Cellhelmet Protection for iPhone 4S Review

The cellhelmet is one of the Kickstarter projects I backed that was actually successful, produced and shipped. (You can read the initial Kickstert This! post here.) Yes, my cellhelmet arrived the other day and I was excited to get it on my phone. It stayed there for about an hour and then came off, was repackaged and prepped to give away in tomorrow’s newsletter. Why am I not using it? Read on! The reason I find the cellhelmet to be a mixed bag can be summed up in this image. You see, the bulk of the creators discussion of the…

Is the 2012 Scion iQ the 'Smart' Choice?

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Is the 2012 Scion iQ the ‘Smart’ Choice?

Move over smart car, Scion is taking over the micro-subcompact car segment with its iQ. The new Scion iQ is being touted as the world’s smallest four-seater and adds yet another model to the funky spinoff division of Toyota. I had been looking forward to testing this new little urban go-kart. I find its design much more appealing than Daimler’s smartfortwo U.S. model and its onroad experience is light years ahead of the smart car. But I do have two requests for Scion in the iQ: First, please stop calling this a four-seater – it ain’t. A third occupant maybe…