Reviews

Reviews October 4, 2010

Review: Pelican 1015 Laptop Overnight Case

Some of my favorite movies over the years have been movies like Spies Like Us, WarGames, True Lies, Under Siege and the 007 Movies. In some of those movies, you’d see the hero or the antagonist slam a case on the counter and unlock it, flip open some heavy-duty double throw latches and open up a watertight, dust proof container and get a computer or some other equipment out. These are the images that came to mind as I opened Pelican’s 1015 Laptop Overnight Case or the 1015 LOC. Pelican is synonymous with robust and strong cases of all sorts for storing and…

Reviews October 4, 2010

T-Mobile G2 Review: Is it better than the Nexus One?

The T-Mobile G2 is the first true successor to the phone that started it all, the T-Mobile G1, over two years ago. I have been carrying two Android devices (a Google Nexus One, and a T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide) because there has not been a single Android device that met my needs. Does the T-Mobile G2, with its increased storage capacity, support for the faster HSPA+ network, with its innovative keyboard design and stock Android experience meet my needs? Read on to find out.

Reviews October 1, 2010

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z All-In-One Desktop Computer Review

photos by Kevin Lenovo recently sent me a 23″ touchscreen ThinkCentre M90z all-in-one desktop computer to use for long-term evaluation. Because of its similar form factor to the ThinkCentre A70z (which had a 19″ non-touchscreen monitor), I already knew that I would like its space-saving design. But what I didn’t expect was how much I would come to appreciate the touchscreen; having a desktop computer with a touchscreen has never seemed that important to me before, as I am used to more traditional methods of input. As with the A70z, the M90z came packaged in a ThinkCentre bag; minimal cardboard…

Music Diary, Reviews October 1, 2010

Music Diary Reviews: What’s Old is New Again Edition

Welcome to another edition of Music Diary Reviews! Wait – what Music Diary Reviews, you ask? I have been doing a series of short CD reviews grouped into full-scale articles, and seem to have no intention in stopping, so it was time to give them a real name! The basic idea is the same – a short capsule review of new release music with some highlights, a track selection and some buyer advice … and a quick video if I can find one. What started as just another set of reviews took on a particular theme this time: there are…

Reviews September 30, 2010

iPad Case Review – TwelveSouth BookBook for iPad

Here are a few of my books… in this picture alone there are over 100 different books. 16 of them are of the dead-tree variety. The rest are in the Kindle app on my iPad. Yup, that’s my iPad right in the middle of the picture. It is sitting safe, hidden and secure in its new BookBook for iPad. The BookBook for iPad is one of the offerings from TwelveSouth. TwelveSouth is the company behind my favorite iPad travel stand, the Compass. (Reviewed here on the site.) While the Compass had a lean modern look to it, the BookBook goes…

Reviews September 29, 2010

Lan Gear’s SFF “Da Box 100 Blackheart” Gaming Case Review: Little Package with a Big Heart

Image courtesy of Lan Gear Back since I bought my first caddy load cd drive I have been building my own computers for personal use and gaming. Since IT is now my career, the past few years I don’t do as much gaming but still like to keep my home system up to date with at least a current video card and cpu. This year I already had a pretty nice base system but decided to replace the Case and Video Card. My fascination with Micro Atx components always presents challenges when building a decent gaming system due to lack…

Game Diary, Reviews September 29, 2010

Gear Games Reviews: Freemium Fever! LotR Online, D&D Online, Quake Live

Image courtesy of the freemium blog I have had such great feedback from my ‘quickie’ music reviews that I thought – wouldn’t it make sense on occasion to apply the same logic to video games? I mean, I will give a full review to Civilization V, but not everything needs such an extensive treatment, and sometimes games can easily be grouped together in a theme. With that thought I turned my attention to the so-called ‘freemium’ business model. I think the image at the top sums up Freemium pretty well – your product combines a Free segment with Premium content….

Reviews September 29, 2010

Rocketeer for iPhone/Touch Review

The last two weeks, I reviewed apps that were kind of off beat and different from the usual Blue Plate Special choices. As I searched and scraped apps this week, I ended up returning to a familiar genre. I have the biggest game of our season to date so things are a little stressed. Getting a minute to escape is important to keep my insanity, so I was continually drawn to finding more games. I stumbled across an interesting game that is currently on sale for free! I recommend picking it up quickly if you plan on trying it out. …

eBooks, Reviews September 29, 2010

Blio eBook Reader Review

The Blio ebook reader program debuted today. Since Blio has a special deal with Toshiba, I downloaded the Toshiba-branded “Book Place” version for my NB205 netbook. Since Blio is a very unique program, with 3D page turns and other eye candy, I took the above video to demo the features. Here’s the summary/commentary to the video: Blio is dreadful. It’s incredibly slow, it feels horribly cramped on a netbook screen, many of the page view features are more gimmicky than useful and did I mention it’s slow? The page turn options were annoying, though the 3D and two-page layouts were…

Reviews September 29, 2010

Naked iPad? No, Speck SeeThru!

I suspect most folks will agree that the iPad is a nice looking device. So why would you want to cover it up and obscure all that aluminum and glass beauty? I mean, would you put a rubberized case on the Picasso in Daley Plaza? No, I don’t think so. With this in mind, the folks at Speck must have said, “hey, let’s cover the iPad, but not cover the iPad.” So, voila! Here’s the Speck SeeThru. According to Speck, the SeeThru features: One-piece flexible hard case for a seamless look, feel and functionality Rubberized front edge and button covers…

Reviews September 28, 2010

The Genius MousePen M508 Review

Just about a year ago I reviewed the G-Pen-M609X from Genius, and I used it with my netbook. Yes, back then I was using a netbook, but then again, that was “BiP” … Before iPad. My conclusion was quite positive. I wrote Overall I have been impressed with the G-Pen M609. Used as a pen-enabled mouse/trackpad it allows me to sit back in my chair and browse on my iMac or my netbook. Used with any pain program it reminds me just how untalented I am but would be a welcome computing addition for anyone who is artistic. The tablet…

Reviews September 28, 2010

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: Speck CandyShell Case

The newest member of the popular Speck CandyShell line is their new CandyShell iPhone 4 Case. No surprises there, right? But what might give you pause is the case’s combination of hot colors, good looks and protection on the iPhone 4’s sides and back. The interior of the case shows how the CandyShell is actually two layers, composed of a “thin, hard-shell coating with soft rubbery interior lining, bezel, & button covers.” The iPhone slips into the CandyShell where it is securely held. There are cutouts for the mute switch, sync & charge port, speaker, microphone, camera with LED, and…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear September 28, 2010

2011 Ford F-150: The Power of Four

The Ford F-Series pickup has led the sales chart for what seems like forever and is still the top-selling truck and top-selling vehicle in North America. So one might think the automaker is taking a huge gamble by totally revamping the powertrain lineup in a single strike. This is the first time any manufacturer has ever completely replaced every engine and Ford is going “all-in” with a pair of sixes and a pair of eights. Ford F150 team members hosted media from all over the country to introduce the automotive press to the new powertrains. An entire day was devoted…

Game Diary, Reviews September 27, 2010

ArcaniA: Gothic 4 Demo Impressions

I have written about ArcaniA: Gothic 4 before here, here, here and here … and with each new notice I am feeling more and more positive. From the ashes of the awful Forsaken Gods expansion to Gothic 3 in the wake of its separation from Gothic developer Piranha Bytes, publisher Jowood and new developer Spellbound seem to have been shaping a reasonably worth while successor. Late last week I got to put that to the test in the form of a demo. Since I have had such ‘trust issues’ with Jowood since the Gothic 3 debacle, I wanted to give…

eBooks, Reviews September 27, 2010

Book Review: The Man Who Lied to His Laptop

Talking with Clifford Nass is a real treat. He clearly loves what he does, and his passion for his work comes through in his stories and anecdotes. Not everyone gets to talk to Cliff Nass about his studies, but luckily he’s written a fabulous book, “The Man Who Lied To His Laptop”, that shares some of his best work and theories. The basic idea behind many of the studies Nass and his team do is that people respond to perceived emotions and intentions, even if it’s presented by a (supposedly) neutral party like a computer or television. From there, Nass…

Reviews September 26, 2010

Rightway 550 GPS Review: Keeps You on Track Without Breaking Your Wallet

Image courtesy of Rightway Portable GPS units are a dime a dozen these days; I think I even saw them for sale the last time I ran in to the local 7-11 for a slurpee. A few years ago I remember the GPS boom with the 3.5″ TomTom’s flying on the shelves on Black Friday and for Christmas, but I can tell you most of the time you get what you pay for. Some of the flagship units from Garmin, TomTom, and Magellan can easily cost you $500 or more on today’s market. But if you’re in the market for…

Reviews September 25, 2010

Hewlett Packard Elitebook 8440w Mobile Workstation Notebook PC Review

Taking a look at the Hewlett Packard (HP) Elitebook 8440w above, the term ‘sexy’ might not come to mind for most, but for folks who use a business laptop day in and day out, have to travel around and access their data on the go, it is absolutely GORGEOUS. However, what really matter is how it PERFORMS – in terms of speed, functionality, ruggedness, and possessing the features needed to help the widest array of business users get their job done. HP makes a lot of claims about how the 8440w meets those needs, but I wanted to see how…

Reviews September 24, 2010

GreenSmart Puku Messenger Bag Review

I like supporting “green” products and companies. It makes me feel a little less like “ooh, shiny new toy” and more “ooh, shiny new toy AND I did something sort-of good for the world”. Of course, any product, recycled/green or otherwise, needs to be well-built and functional. So when I had the chance to review a GreenSmart Puku messenger bag, I was excited to give it a spin. Let’s start with the bag itself, and then we’ll get into the things that make it unique and earth-friendly. The Puku came in a very earthy green color, with brown accents and…

Reviews September 24, 2010

iPhone App Review- Doodle Cam

Back in the day when MTV was actually all about Music Videos (go figure) there were a few stand-out videos that had effects that, at the time, truly “wowed”! Fast forward a few years and you can now use your iPhone or current gen iPod touch to do exactly the same thing… and more! The app is Doodle Cam and it costs just $1.99. It comes from the same developer who recently released Vintage Video Maker, an app that makes your iPhone and iPod touch videos looks as if they are old movies. That app is fun. Doodle Cam is…

Reviews September 23, 2010

Speck Pixel Skin HD iPhone 4 Case Review

When the iPhone 4 first launched many of the case manufacturers had cases for the new device at the ready. How this process of creating cases for a device that technically doesn’t exist yet works I have no idea but my guess is Apple forwards certain companies the specs of their upcoming device to go off. While this does mean companies are able to have cases ready on launch day it doesn’t always allow them to properly test them. The iPhone 4 is the first iPhone to have a built in flash. The LED flash, located on the back of…

Reviews September 23, 2010

Review: Everki Track Laptop Messenger Bag

For some time I have been using a backpack as my gear bag. I like the backpack because it provides tons of room and lets me hold onto my college youth of backpacking around campus. My main backpack has been the Everki Beacon laptop that I reviewed here. I loved the quality and features of the Beacon so when I had a chance to review two new Everki bags I jumped at the chance. I was actually ready for a change to a messenger style bag to bring a bit of professional style to my daily gear travels. The Track…

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