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 […]
Author Archives: Phil Baker
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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 […]
30
Oct
Oct
UPDATE: After 6 weeks of use, I now find the product UNACCEPTABLE. When it works it is fine, but too often it disconnects from the WiFi network. Several times a week when I try accessing its camera from my iPhone it will not work The fix is to unplug and replug it in again. Guardzilla is […]
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Oct
Oct
Technology is letting us down. After all, isn’t it supposed to serve us ads on our phones, tablets, and computers that makes us want to buy more? Isn’t it supposed to show us ads that are selected for us based on our activities on the internet and the information it learns about us? But, most […]
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Oct
Oct
In conjunction with researching Uber for a story several weeks ago, I went through the sign up process as a driver, but never completed the process when it came to providing personal information for a background check. As a result, Uber has been me emailing several times a week since early September requesting that I […]
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Oct
Oct
Leatherman is the company that invented the successor to the Swiss Army knife, the multi-function pocketknife that contains an array of robust tools, including pliers, knives, wire cutters, screwdrivers and much more. Today they make dozens of models of all sizes, even one that is TSA compliant that omits the knife blade. Over the years […]
18
Oct
Oct
With more complaints about Uber drivers, one victim called this to my attention, Uber’s waiver of responsibility: “You understand, therefore, that by using the application and the service, you may be exposed to transportation that is potentially dangerous, offensive, harmful to minors, unsafe or otherwise objectionable, and that you use the application and the service […]
15
Oct
Oct
Remember long ago when the invention of high-quality printers, Adobe Postcript, and design software brought publishing to the desktop? No longer did you need to rely on experts to design your newsletters, presentations, and brochures. Individuals were empowered to do more on their own in their offices. That thought came to mind when I read […]
06
Oct
Oct
New technologies are making it possible to keep tabs on your home when travelling. There are cameras that detect motion in your home and trigger an alert such as Canary, a product I previously reviewed. (https://bakerontech.com/two-clever-gadgets-advance-the-internet-of-things/) Using an app on your phone, the cylindrical-shaped device alerts you when it detects motion in your home when […]
02
Oct
Oct
Why can’t the US build consumer electronic products? THE DAILY TECHPINION PHIL BAKER / October 2nd, 2015 I recently returned from a short trip to Shenzhen, the large Chinese city less than an hour’s drive north of Hong Kong. When anyone wonders why we don’t build consumer electronic products in the United States, the one word […]
02
Oct
Oct
The Pono Player continues to be one of the most exciting products I’ve been involved with. When I began working for Neil Young more than 3 years ago, the player had been a dream of Neil’s for more than a decade. Thanks to the small design team we put together and our manufacturer PCH, the […]
01
Oct
Oct
The IONA dock from LandingZone is a premium charging dock for the iPhone and iPad. IONA was designed by the renowned industrial designer, Mike Nuttall, and it shows. It’s a sleek attractive dock, one of the best I’ve ever tried. It’s constructed of aluminum and glossy white plastic with a heavily weighted swivel base. It works with […]
01
Oct
Oct
Ditto is hot! This tiny little device alerts you to incoming calls, texts and messages, and it’s selling like hotcakes according to several insiders. It clips to your shirt or underwear and emits a discreet vibration. It connects to your phone by Bluetooth and relies on a free app (iOS and Android) to set it up. You […]