The one thing about having a Macbook Air is that even though the trackpad is very handy to have, sometimes after a long day in the office, I’ve gotten so used to using a mouse. I can’t really transition from using one to fully depending on Apple’s Trackpad option.
My first computer speakers came from Logitech and are still going strong. My office speakers come from Logitech and fill my larger study. Now Logitech had unveiled the Logitech z533 Multimedia Speakers. A front-facing subwoofer, 2.25” full range drivers and a wired control pod for convenient power, volume and bass control combine to create huge sound for small dollars.
I have a two-year-old 1TB Western Digital My Book I use for monthly Time Machine backups on my Mac. I paid roughly $150 for it (they’re ~$99 now); at 6.5″ x 5.5″ 2″ it isn’t exactly portable. I’ve been testing a 2TB WD My Passport that measures ~4.25″ x 3.25″ x 0.6″ and costs $99. Hmm, which would you rather?
There is one device in our computerized world that while being indispensable gets the least amount of respect. I am talking about the mouse. Humorously named, yet this is where many of us made our first connection with a computer. Logitech has introduced the MX Anywhere 2 Wireless Mobile Mouse to enhance the portability and productivity of that experience.
KLEVV is a newcomer to the memory game, but they have the pedigree to prove their worth. They’re hitting the market with many levels of premium PC RAM to suit every taste. KLEVV has access to the finest memory chips due to their parent companies and are looking to make a dent in the Gaming PC memory market right away.
My synagogue’s executive director recently asked me to look into purchasing a conferencing device so Board members unable to attend our monthly meeting could still be part of the conversation. I’ll admit it never would have occurred to me to check out the IPEVO VX-1 Internet Conference Station were I not offered one for review. I was and am impressed.
If you have a lot of data that needs regular backup, then once you’ve experienced Thunderbolt, nothing else will ever seem fast enough again, not even USB 3.0. I’ve been using the AKiTiO Neutrino Thunderbolt Edition 512GB Solid State Drive (SSD) Portable Drive for the past few weeks, and it’s a good thing it’s a keeper, because I’ve become spoiled.
Apple TV lets you access iTunes or view content from a Mac or iOS device on the big screen. The same holds true for Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV. Unfortunately, each only works with devices in that company’s ecosystem. Looking for something more platform agnostic? Check out the IOGEAR Wireless Mobile and PC to HDTV With WiDi and Miracast.
In The LEGO Movie Videogame, Emmet and his friends keep feeding LEGOmania throughout quality adaptation of the popular hit movie across several consoles, handheld consoles and computers. Everything is awesome for LEGO fans and video game fans in The LEGO Movie Videogame. Gameplay is well varied and so are the different versions.
My “desktop computer” is actually a 15″ MacBook Pro with Retina Display that is connected to a 27″ iMac. Each time I dock the laptop I need to individually plug in a series of cables; it is a pain. Thankfully, Henge Docks is getting ready to ship a docking station specifically designed for the MacBook Pro with Retina Display.
When it comes to flash memory, I’ve always believed that you get what you pay for. Saving five bucks isn’t worth it if you end up with a slow and balky dud. So when I heard that the PNY Turbo 128 GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive was available for under $50, I was skeptical to say the least.
The N2560 Network Attached Storage system by Thecus is a mid-level NAS system and it packs an Intel Atom-based Dual-Core processor as well as 2GB of DDR3 RAM. It’s got HDMI and SPDIF Audio outputs on the back for direct media streaming, and can hold 2 HDDs. The N2560 is expected out in May/June 2014 and will retail for $339.
Lately consumers have been shunning the traditional desktop PC for laptops. Today’s mobile processors are powerful enough to meet the average user’s needs, and now power-sipping mobile chips are regularly showing up in PCs sold by companies such as Lenovo, Apple, and Dell. Is there still room for desktop CPUs in computers you won’t hide under the table?
When I reviewed the Synology DS213j, I was impressed with not only the physical device, but also Synology’s Disk Management software called DiskStation Manager AKA DSM. Today, Synology released DSM version 5.0 which includes a revamped user experience, overall performance boosts, optimized multimedia and mobile experiences, and more. Check out the full list of features at Synology’s website.
If any old picture is worth a thousand words, how much would a big, bright, crisp picture be worth? That’s the question raised by the Epson Stylus Photo R2000 printer. 13″ wide, it serves up images that pop off the page; while my other printers max out at 8 1/2″X11″, this printer can handle 13″X19″ printer paper with stunning results.
I love my digital media, so I built my own Home Theater PC that streams all of my movies and TV shows to my HDTV. So, a Network Attached Storage system is perfect for me. The Thecus N2310 is an entry-level NAS with two Hard Drive bays, RAID support and a slew of other features. It retails for $159.
My iPhone-shopping brother-in-law wrote, “I think I know the answer, but is 32GB enough capacity for normal users? I do not have tremendous amounts of data and generally don’t store much in the way of videos.” iPhone storage capacity is a potential issue, but it is one that’s easily resolved thanks to the SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive.
I visited the Cambridge Audio suite during CES 2014. I put on headphones. I listened. The sound stinked. I put a Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS USB DAC / Headphone Amp between the headphones and laptop. The sound was amazing — you might even say magical! The recording was fine. It was the laptop amp and the DacMagic that made all the difference. It turns out the audio amp on a laptop is an amazingly cheap component of most computers. It is fine for notifications and the like, but when it comes to listening to music the amps fall short. They…
An item came across my desk recently that I’m really looking forward to testing, the Thecus N2310 Network Attached Storage system. It’s got two hard drive bays, features RAID support, built-in FTP and BitTorrent clients, and is supposed to take only 5 minutes to set up. Plus, it’s competitively priced at $159. Stay tuned for my full review.
One of the things I love about the new Nokia Windows Phones is that they can utilize inductive charging. Being able to lay my phone on a Qi enabled charging pad throughout the day without plugging in any cables is too convenient; having a charging pad that looks as stylish as the $69.99 TYLT VU is pretty cool, too.
I was impressed by Blue Microphone’s Spark Digital. In my review I noted that it, “the world’s first studio condenser microphone to offer both USB and iPad connectivity” does an excellent job of recording audio from both your Mac and your iPhone. I did, however, lament the fact that it only shipped with a 30-PIN Apple connector. No longer!