Mac

Understands EVO 1: Elevate and Organize Your iMac with Gorgeous, Functional Wood

The understands EVO 1 is a sustainable hardwood stand that elevates your iMac for an ergonomic viewing experience. With undermount technology built-in, your iMac integrates into the wooden stand for an uncluttered and organic effect; cable management and a storage drawer complete the custom organization. I like an uncluttered desktop, and I like the look of hardwood; this looks promising.


KnewKey Rymek Bluetooth Keyboard Is Retro Coolness

Many times I sit at my computer and type on the keyboard and I remember back to the days of my youth, hammering away at the keys of our old manual typewriter. KnewKey has debuted the Rymek retro-style mechanical keyboard that brings back a bit of that nostalgia without the muscle ache.


Jamstik+ The Smart Guitar Review

When I started playing the guitar in the early 80’s, I dreamed of having a cool electric guitar with some cool technology. It is now 2015 and I have now played a small, portable guitar that connects to my smartphone and tablet. The Jamstik+ is a wireless, compact MIDI guitar that needs no tuning and costs $299. Let’s take a look! The Jamstik+ is quite unique looking. Kind of like you took a guitar and cut the heart out to make a new kind of instrument. The Bluetooth enabled guitar sports real steel strings and frets giving it a realistic…


Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Wireless Mobile Mouse: The Perfect, Portable Mouse?

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.


Tweetdeck for Mac Receives a HUGE Update

TweetDeck‘s Mac app received a much needed update today that includes the ability to share access to your account with others, Direct Messages to groups, support for GIFS and videos, and other various updates.


Henge Docks Gives Us an Exclusive Pre-CES Hands On Demo with Their Wares

Henge Docks has been making Gravitas docks for some time; we’ve reviewed them, and Dan won’t part with his, no matter how much I beg. Today we got an exclusive Pre-CES look at their entire Gravitas line, their Clique Apple keyboard and Magic touchpad holder, as well as their amazing new Horizontal Dock for the 15″ MacBook Pro retina.



OS X Mavericks Brings Enhanced Voice Recognition

Enhanced voice recognition in OS X Mavericks means that you are no longer limited to the amount of time you speak and can dictate even when offline. It means global dictation is available everywhere and without time limits. It is a far easier way to write. In fact, I am dictating this and I’m not even wearing a headset.


Apple’s Big October Event News and Opinions

We’ll be posting the news as it rolls in. While we do we want to know what YOU think! Do you like what you see coming from Cupertino this fall? Are you disappointed? Did Apple nail it or miss an opportunity? Do their prices make sense? We want to know what you think in the comments.


Use an Apple Computer? Ergotron Wants You to Work in a Whole New Way

Periods of back trouble can’t slow me down, so I’ve had times when all my writing was done while standing. Many actually feel more productive when working at a standing desk, and I cannot disagree. If you have ever considered using a standing desk, Ergotron’s new WorkFit Sit-Stand Workstations for Apple are worth a look. Check both out here.


Apple Quietly Innovates with Updated iMacs

We get so used to Apple introducing products with over-the-top hype and fanfare, so it is always a refreshing surprise when we discover that Apple has … um, refreshed one of its product lines. Yesterday Apple released an update to the iMac line, with upgraded processors, new graphics, next generation Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage options. Faster Processors: the new 4th generation Haswell Intel Core processors are faster with lower power consumption. The standard configurations offer quad-core i5 processors, but optional builds include quad-core i7, which allows hyper-threading for 8 virtual cores. Updated Graphics: even at the bottom end…


Want OS X or Windows 8 On Your iPad? Check Out Parallels Access

I just got a subscription to Parallels Access, and although I will be doing a full review I had to share a quick post because… “It is all kinds of awesome!” Minutes after creating an account, I had full access to my Mac from my iPad. The gestures are amazing. There’s no lag time. It just works. Check it out. I’ve used LogMeIn Ignition for some time. I like it a good deal and didn’t think I needed or even wanted Parallels Access. But after trying out my reviewer’s access to the service, I’m blown away. The biggest difference? In…


When to Use the Command Line and When to Stick to a GUI

Back in the early days of computing there was DOS, and DOS used what we call a command line. A command line or shell is a text interface for interacting with your computer. Today graphical interfaces rule the day, but the command line is still useful … in fact, sometimes it might even be better. Read on for more on how to improve your computing life with the good ol’ command line. When I bought my first IBM compatible PC, as we called them back in the day, DOS was the only way to interact with the PC. We launched programs…


WWDC 2013 Opens the Door to Apple’s Future

  Apple WWDC Developer Conference is THE media event of the spring for Apple fanboys and girls everywhere. It is usually the place we get our first look at the next versions of iOS and OS X but, more than that, it is the event that reveals Apple’s overall direction for their products. At times there are also some hardware announcements. And, while this is more geared to developers, the fact that the Apple Store online is currently down indicates that there will be some new hardware revealed. We have been careful not to speculate and quote rumors but serious…


Mitchell’s Gear, Spring 2013

  We all have our selection of favorite gear; you know, the equipment we have that we actually keep with us on a regular basis. So spring seemed like a good time to take a renewed look at the gear various members of the GD team actually use. First up — from Gear Diary’s Australian Bureau — Mitchell Oke. My job takes me on the road a lot, so my laptop bag is never more than a few metres away, packed with all the gear that I might need when I’m out of the office.


Keep Your Data Safe in 2013 with Dropbox’s Packrat Feature

From now until 2013, we’re taking a look at some New Year’s Resolutions and Gear Diary ways to help keep them. New Year Resolution: Protect Your Data in 2013 This is one of those lessons you learn, forget, and then learn again once a data-loss disaster strikes. Here’s my story, and why DropBox’s PackRat feature is my new best friend. I have spent the last year on and off creating an interactive iBook that can be used by all my Bar Mitzvah students to help them study toward becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. The iBook has the prayers the…


Just Mobile AluRack for Apple iMac and ThunderBolt Displays Review

If you use a MacBook and either an iMac or a ThunderBolt Display, Just Mobile’s AluRack will help you keep things neat and tidy while letting you be more productive than ever. We recently looked at the company’s AluBase. It holds your MacBook in a vertical position on your desk and lets you connect it to your big, beautiful iMac or display whenever you want your notebook to work as a desktop. If, however, you don’t want to take up the extra desk space with the AluBase and MacBook, then the AluRack is exactly what you have been looking for. Let’s…


Apple’s Move to Make Macs in the US is Just Good Business Sense

This week the media has lit up over the announcement that Apple is already producing some Macs in the US, and that starting in 2013 Apple is investing $100 million in efforts that will bring entire product lines back from their current Chinese manufacturing sites. There are plenty of articles about this, some going so far as to proclaim that it is time for American workers to rejoice. But an article at the Atlantic looked at something similar happening at General Electric and came to different conclusions. The article at Salon.com (thanks Doug!) takes the Atlantic article context and applied…


Blue’s Spark Digital Now Available

As I have quickly learned while trying to shoot videos for the site and record audio for an interactive iBook I am creating, having a high quality microphone can make all the difference. Blue’s Spark Digital is “the world’s first studio-grade condenser microphone to offer both USB and iPad connectivity”. We’ve reviewed a number of the company’s various microphone offerings but none have been quite as impressive as this one. As the company explains, Expanding on the professional and sound of Blue’s Spark XLR studio microphone, Spark Digital features the same studio-grade condenser capsule and hand-tuned components for high-fidelity recording…


Libratone Zipp AirPlay Speaker Review

Last week I offered a first look and video of the Libratone Zipp. The airplay speaker fuses European aesthetics with Cupertinian technology. The round speaker works fine at home, but it also runs on battery power so you can take it on the go. Libratone, who already offered two different speakers designed for home use has now made a speaker that is ready to, as they put it, “Leave the House”. From Libratone: Share your music anywhere, anytime! Libratone Zipp is an easy-to-use, wireless sound system wrapped in changeable Italian wool. Stream your favourite tunes with PlayDirect™ and AirPlay technology, directly…


Libratone Zipp Wireless AirPlay Speaker, First Look

Every now and then a product comes along that not only meets your expectations but actually exceeds them. That’s the case so far with the Libratone Zipp AirPlay Wireless Speaker. Sure, it has a cool, unique look. And sure, the fact that you can change the wool covers then, in seconds, have a speaker that looks completely different is very cool. And sure, it has AirPlay. All that is true, but what really makes this speaker stand out is its Play Direct and its awesome sound. Play Direct means you can stream great audio wirelessly even when you don’t have an…