Lately, I’ve been experiencing WiFi connection problems on a number of devices in my home, a notebook, tablet and cellphones. Occasionally the WiFi slows down or disconnects for a few seconds or displays a weak signal. It’s gradually become worse over time. I use an Asus RT–AC660U router, one of the best available when I […]
22
Dec
Dec
Two thoughts about CES, the Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas every year. The first is a personal one about attending and the second about the significance of CES in the world. For the next few weeks we’ll be hearing a lot about CES, where nearly 4000 companies will be previewing their new […]
16
Dec
Dec
Ditto Notifier – A clever inexpensive device that clips onto a shirt collar or waistband to notify you when you have a call, text message or your Uber has arrived. It can be configured to discreetly notify you with a vibration, and filter out other events. Allows you to put away your phone and avoid […]
14
Dec
Dec
As someone that likes to grill outdoors, I’ve become enamored with my Big Green Egg (BGE), a ceramic egg-shaped BBQ grill that can both cook steaks at 700 degreesF as well as slowly cook a brisket for 4 or 5 hours at 275F. The BGE’s main attributes are its ability to cook in its enclosed […]
08
Dec
Dec
As popular as the iPhone 6 is, it has one huge weakness, one of the shortest battery lives of any smart phone. That’s because Apple has prioritized thinness over run time. As an iPhone 6 user, it’s hard to get through the day without needing to charge my phone. Often the battery is dead by 2 […]
04
Dec
Dec
I make a lot of conference calls using my iPhone. One of the problems is remembering the meeting code you need to dial, after dialing the phone number for the conference call. While it’s usually stored in my appointment on iCal, the process of tapping the phone number in the appointment, closes the appointment screen […]
02
Dec
Dec
The end of Thanksgiving signals the onslaught of email requests from PR firms for meetings with companies exhibiting at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas during the first week of January. From these emails I’ve received just over the past two days, it looks like there will be some highly unusual products. I thought it […]
29
Nov
Nov
I reviewed Ring, a combination doorbell, camera and intercom, a few weeks ago, and ran into problems with the installation. After discussions with the customer support people, the unit was replaced, and now is working properly. The previous unit caused the doorbell to ring or buzz on its own. The cause is uncertain, but might have been […]
26
Nov
Nov
I read with a combination of interest, sympathy and a little bit of “not surprised” when it was reported that Coolest, the company that had the second most successful Kickstarter campaign ever, was struggling to meet its promises. In spite of raising over $13 million for its all-in-one picnic cooler, it failed to meet its […]
23
Nov
Nov
This review is not a cruel joke, appearing at Thanksgiving time. It’s about a subject that many of us struggle with, particularly frequent travelers that eat out and are away from home so often. I’m constantly battling weight gain, and like to say I’ve lost over 100 pounds through the years, the same 10 or […]
19
Nov
Nov
I’ve been closely involved with the design and development of the Pono hi-resolution music player over the past four years. It’s been a labor of love that began with a noble goal from rockstar legend Neil Young: Bring the same high quality music to music lovers that artists hear in the studio. The goal has […]
17
Nov
Nov
I love good headphones, especially to use with my Pono hi-res music player. So it was with some skepticism when I received a review unit of these headphones to try. Why skeptical? Because of their low cost ($170 list) and plain appearance. But after listening to a wide range of music for several hours, I was […]
17
Nov
Nov
By Larry Reich Will this be a digital XMAS for Santa and the children of the world? According to Walmart, don’t expect much. They claim there are no hot digital products this Christmas, and predicting lower to flat sales this quarter (as it was the last quarter for digital products at Walmart). But yes, Virginia, there […]
16
Nov
Nov
In my search for a leather wallet case for my iPhone 6 Plus I found this one to be one of the best available. It’s made of leather, unlike many others that are “leather-like”, and has worked very well over the few weeks of use. The phone snaps into a plastic shell and the pockets […]
12
Nov
Nov
Ken Rockwell, a photographer that has a hugely popular photo blog, compares the camera on an Apple iPhone 6s Plus to four high quality cameras, the Canon 5DS, a Sony A7R II, the Canon EOS M3, and a Fujifilm X100T. His results are very surprising, and his article is well worth the read. Check it out […]
11
Nov
Nov
Can we possibly have too many gadgets? Over the past dozen years, as a product reviewer, I’ve seen so many new products that offer the promise of helping us to be safer, healthier, and richer. Yet frequently they required a lot more work than was expected to set up, maintain and deal with unexpected issues. […]
03
Nov
Nov
The Cheero Power Plus 3 backup battery is a terrific solution for the traveler. Keep on in your briefcase and you’ll always have a backup for your phones and other devices. I’ve tried dozens of backup batteries over the past few years – but the Cheero stands apart for several reasons. It’s a whopping 13400mAH capacity, […]
02
Nov
Nov
Being located in San Diego often gives me insight to some special deals. Here’s one of them from one of my favorite hotel chains, Kimpton. Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar San Diego and Hotel Solamar announced today the launch of “Stay Crafty,” an authentic craft brew experience package. With San Diego continuously ranked as one of America’s top microbrew cities, and […]
01
Nov
Nov
I’m always looking for that ideal briefcase and have a collection that could match what you’d find in a small luggage store. With computers getting smaller, and the need to no longer carry lots of adapters and stuff, a smaller case seemed appropriate. I’m now carrying the 12-inch MacBook, Apple’s two-pound notebook, so it seemed silly […]