Computer Gear

Seagate Thunderbolt Adapter Speed Comparison with USB 2.0

We told you about Seagate’s new Thunderbolt adapters last week. Yes, we are finally seeing products come to market that take advantage of the speed increases offered by Thunderbolt. But how fast IS Thunderbolt? Sure you can see lab testing but that doesn’t necessarily tell you about using it at home or work. We shot a video of moving 2.5GB of data from a MacBook air to an external drive using both USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt. This is a normal use-scenario for something like this so the speeds you see here are what you might expect if you get one…

Reviews

The Drobo Data Storage System Review

Last fall I applied for and received a grant that will allow my synagogue to build a new technology lab. Within the next few months we will have a number of iMac desktop computers and a host of iPads being used by our kids and adults alike. In fact, I’m working on a special tutorial program for students becoming bar and bat mitzvah that will run on the iPad. It uses the awesome iOS application MentalCase. More on that at a later date. When I found out we were getting the grant, I reached out to a number of companies…

Reviews

Disassemble Your Tech Gear with the iFixit Pro Tech Base Toolkit

I have a confession to make. I love to take things apart. Back when I was a kid I had a super-sweet Milton Bradley Star Bird toy, an early electronic noisemaker with revving engines and laser blasts. In the course of kid play, something inside broke loose and rattled around, driving me nuts. Spaceships off to do ground assault ought not to have a broken piece giving away their stealth attack so I, being young and adventuresome, decided to put my Star Bird in space dock (Dad’s table vice grip) and haul out a trusty Sears Philips screwdriver and effect…

Reviews

Andrea SuperBeam Phones SB-405 Stereo Headset Review

If you are into voice recognition, then you need to have a good microphone. It’s a basic fact of life. Yes, you can use the built-in microphone on the MacBook Air (for example), and you’ll probably get good results. But if you want great results you’ll need something that’s going to help filter out the background noise; that means a good headset. Among the issues with such headsets? The best of them have boom microphones that make you look like a Bell telephone operator. Sure, this is all about getting the work done and dictating your text but what if…

Events, News & Features

What’s ioSafe Planning for CES 2012? We Don’t Know but it is Gonna be Awesome!

ioSafe is at it again and this time they are looking to outdo themselves. (At least, we sure hope they are!) To recap our experiences with data-storage dynamos ioSafe… At CES 2010 ioSafe fried, soaked, dropped and crushed one of their rugged hard drives. As you can see, it was awesome. At CES 2011 ioSafe sought to outdo themselves when they took their new portable drive for a drag behind a car and then let us all take turns shooting it with a shotgun. Check it out here! Now we’ve been invited to the next demo, the “ioSafe Cage…

Reviews

The Synology DS211+ Review: A Pint Sized 2-Bay NAS with some Really Big Features

Image courtesy of Synology You can’t be too cautious these days about backing up your data. Time and time again friends, family and co-workers come to me about trying to recover pictures, music and documents on a failed or virus ridden drive. Some even have their small business data lost when the main computer goes down. My first advice to anyone is that they should get themselves some sort of backup device, whether it be Desktop Attached Storage or Network Attached Storage and some good software to automate the backups. I have wanted to upgrade my 2TB external drive to…

News & Features

Livescribe Issues Mac OS X ‘Lion’ Compatibility Warning – Don’t Upgrade Yet!

If you depend on Livescribe Desktop on your Mac from day to day, they have some advice: don’t upgrade to Lion … yet! Here is what they are saying: Livescribe Software Notice Regarding Mac OS X Lion The current version of Livescribe Desktop 2.7.2 is not completely compatible with Apple’s new Mac OS upgrade (Lion) that will be available to the public this month. We are working hard to complete an update to the Livescribe Desktop that will address this issue and plan to have it available for customers within the next few weeks. Until this software update is available,…

Reviews

iPhone Accessory Review: WOW-keys Keyboard for Mac, PC, iPhone and iPod touch

For the last few months my MacBook Air has been my main computer. It works quite well for me and, thanks to the large solid-state drive and the ability to connect it to a larger monitor, it serves as a desktop computing platform quite well. When I do connect it to a larger monitor, I like to have a separate keyboard and mouse so that I don’t have to worry about the placement of the laptop itself. Until now that is meant using a magic mouse and Apple’s Bluetooth keyboard. I’ve been trying out something new, however, and it’s a…

News & Features

Award Winning “Ring” Mouse Now Available in North America

Coming to you straight out of Taiwan, a small country off the southeast coast of China, the most innovative mouse available in the mainstream tech world is now available in North America. Crafted to fit snugly around your fingers, the newest entry to the remote control family is activated solely by your thumb, providing a uniquely flexible take on computer peripherals. Created and manufactured by the aptly named Genius corporation, the mouse is meant to come as a pint-sized revolutionary, a wireless liberator fighting off genuine banality and discomfort. Really though, it’s just a ring-shaped mouse. As the recipient of…

Reviews

Review: Samson Meteor Mic

About two weeks ago Thomas mentioned a brand-new microphone that was about to be released, the Sampson Meteor Mic. He told me that it not only had a great look to it but that all reports indicated it worked beautifully. It was small, easily transportable thanks to its fold up design, and it looked pretty cool. Most importantly it apparently offered excellent sound quality. I told him I’d have to look into it. I was fortunate enough to have a review unit waiting for me just two days later. I’ve been using it ever since and have been incredibly impressed…

Reviews

Review: Seagate GoFlex Slim Performance Drive

Judie’s and my first meeting at CES 2011 was with Seagate. (We posted about it here.) Toward the end of the visit we came upon a hard drive that was as stylish as it was function. At the time all we were allowed to write about it was this: Concept drive – We also saw a drive that is not yet named but will be out late spring (pictured above). The concept drive is super thin and will be $99.99 for 320. Black for PC. Silver for Mac. Also has premium backup for data security. This is an image of…

Reviews

The Sabrent Display Adapter Saves the Day Review

A bittersweet air fills the room as I type these characters into this document. The item I am reviewing is also the latest Gear Diary will give away in partnership with the sponsoring company. But for an A/V geek like myself, I will say goodbye to it with a tear in my eye. Sabrent, – tagline “Connecting Differently” – sent me its latest USB external video/graphics adapter, the USB-DH88, for review and giveaway. I first came across an e-mail sent us by the company’s PR firm touting Sabrent’s solutions to A/V presentation problems. This got my attention because recently I…

Reviews

Review: Epson Artisan 725 All-In-One Printer

I’m a huge fan of Epson’s printers. I find they work well, offer a huge range of excellent features and are priced competitively. A while back I had the chance to review their Epson Workforce 600 all-in-one printer/fax/copier. I was impressed and continued to use it until my father needed a printer. I gave it to him and he used it until a friend broke it while trying to replace the printer cartridge. (Don’t ask!) When I asked my father what he wanted to replace it he replied, “The exact same one.” That says it all. Over the past few…

Gear Bits, Reviews

The BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform; Thankfully Someone Was Listening

I have been using a Mac laptop of some kind for a relatively short amount of time — only since March 2008, but since then there has always been a MacBook nearby, whether it was the 15″ MacBook Pro, a first generation MacBook Air, a second generation MacBook Air, a 17″ MacBook Pro, or more recently an 11″ MacBook Air. I’ve been pretty vocal stating my opinion that Mac makes some of the best hardware available, even if I am pretty agnostic about whether their operating system is better than Windows or not. Beyond the all metal bodies and slimmer…

Events

CES Snippets: Jadu iPad Stand

I did a full review of the Skadoosh iPad stand from Jadu Industries a short while ago. At $69.99 it is on the pricey side for an iPad stand but the build quality, ease of use and awesome industrial design make it one of the most desirable iPad stands I have seen. It is, in fact, the stand I personally use at home now. While we were at CES I passed by the Jadu Industries booth and stopped to chat with the owners/reps for a bit. They are some great people who are committed to bringing thoughtful quality products to…

Gear Bits

IoSafe Has Got My Back; Do They Have Yours?

Freshly arrived back from CES, I found waiting for me an IoSafe 1TB fireproof, waterproof, and — as has been demonstrated multiple times by this site (and many others) — a virtually indestructible SoloPRO Desktop External Hard Drive. I’m looking forward to setting up this beast and putting it to work protecting my data. Knowing that any files, pictures, movies and music stored on it will be kept safe — even if something unimaginable and catastrophic should happen to Kev’s and my home — gives me a peace of mind that is hard to describe. Check out the IoSafe site,…

Reviews

Silicon Power Armor A80 Waterproof & Shockproof Hard Drive Review

If you’re anything like me keeping your data safe and secure is of the utmost importance. I’m talking about keeping it safe from hackers though. Sure that’s important but what I’m talking about it keeping it safe from life. With three kids at home I’ve got thousands and thousands of memories, in the form of digital pictures, stored on various hard drives. From time to time I take one of the portable hard drives with me, to a family members house, or on the road. Life has a tendency to throw bumps and bruises our way from time to time…

News & Features

Win a Mystery Item That You KNOW You’ll Want from ioSafe

This is obnoxious! I am absolutely awful at those “guess what this is” type games where they show you the tiniest portion of a product and expect you to figure out what it is … and this one happens to come with a prize that I am sure I would love to win! ioSafe, makers of the fantastic hard drives that are impervious to fire, water, crushing — or any other disaster man or nature can throw at them (and you had better believe that we have tried!) — is giving away a mystery item that they will soon be…

Reviews

ioSafe SoloPRO Fire & Water Proof External Hard Drive Review

Our love of ioSafe‘s fire proof and water proof external hard drives is no secret. I mean how can one not love something that’s able to survive this, or this? I’d been using ioSafe’s original product, their Solo model, since I first tested it back in August of last year (they sent me a replacement after I’d burned the original up in the car.) So when they asked if I was interested in being upgraded to one of their newer Pro models I happily accepted. The SoloPRO is available with either eSATA/USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 connectivity and you can…

Reviews

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

NOX Audio Specialist Headphones Works For Gamers and Office Workers

I found almost the perfect headset for both gamers and office workers. What am I talking about? The NOX Audio Specialist headphones that’s what! Let’s go over the basics. First, the NOX Audio headphones comes in a great case that has some structure to it. This is great for those who just want to protect their headphones while they are in their backpack. Opening the case reveals the headphones themselves. They fold so they can fit in the case and the cable itself is detachable and can be secured in the case. The cable looks like a microusb on one…

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