One of the hottest areas in technology is the use of apps for accessing and sharing resources. There’s Airbnb for booking rooms and Uber for booking rides. And now there’s a service for booking rides for your kids. My first reaction after learning about this was, “What parent would put their child in a car […]
Like many others in the tech community, I applaud Apple’s efforts to encrypt the iPhone to protect our privacy. But there’s been noticeably little attention given to the impact of apps on that same privacy. I’ve always been surprised at how many permissions some apps requests before they can be installed. They typically request access […]
For those of us that use Macs, it sometimes feels like Apple is abandoning us. iPhones and iPads are a much more lucrative business for them than their notebooks and desktops computers. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook even touted the iPad Pro as a notebook replacement. And it shows in other ways: some of the […]
With all of the technology advances taking place, just how good are today’s radar detectors? The devices that attach to our car’s windshield were once were commonly used to detect police hiding along the side of the road trying to catch us speeding by. It became a back and forth game with police adding more […]
I’ve always had a moderate weight problem, being 20 to 30 pounds overweight, and have tried a myriad of diets over the years. There was the protein diet, Dr. Atkins, Weight Watchers, and many fad diets. Over the past three months I’ve been trying something new that has worked better than anything else, using technology […]
Briggs & Riley makes some of the best luggage available. I’ve used many of their products over the years traveling all over the world, and they provide some of the best designed, highest quality products in the business. (I also love Tumi, but comparable models are often as much as twice the cost of Briggs & […]
If you are discerning about the coffee you drink and grind your own beans, you may want to consider roasting your own coffee beans at home. When a friend first suggested it to me, I dismissed it, since I can buy freshly roasted beans from a number of local coffee shops. But I took the […]
Two weeks ago I reviewed security cameras and the Ring video doorbell, all products in the category called Internet of Things (IoT) that connect to the cloud through your WiFi network. While they provide useful benefits, they can also bring some risks. That became evident for many of those using a Nest connected thermostat, one of […]
Leica Camera has unveiled its first camera designed specifically for outdoor and underwater photography – the Leica X-U (Typ 113). Incorporating a fixed focal length Leica Summilux 23mm f/1.7 ASPH. lens (equivalent to 35mm) with underwater protection filter, and a large APS-C CMOS sensor, this fully waterproofed member of the Leica X family delivers images […]
One of my hobbies is pen and ink drawing and water color painting. In my struggles to make copies of my pieces for friends, I’ve been experimenting with a variety of techniques and devices. Photo copies are generally the most inexpensive way to print in large format. Large color prints can cost just a few […]
San Francisco manufacturer and designer, WaterField Designs, has introduced the Staad Attache´ with a padded compartment for the iPad Pro or Apple 13-inch laptops. Constructed of ballistic nylon, waxed canvas and full-grain leather in classic, muted colors, the Staad Attache´ bridges the gap between the casual messenger bag and formal briefcase for style-conscious professionals. Cost is […]
Kodak has announced plans to launch a Super 8 cine camera using analogue and digital technology. The new camera, called cleverly “Kodak Super 8 Camera,” will record its movies on normal Super 8 film cartridges while using a digital LCD display as its viewfinder. Super 8 film was originally a low quality amateur product that can’t compare to the convenience or quality […]
Tuesday, January 5 – Samsung refrigerator with a 21-inch display in the door and a camera inside. Samsung’s Family Hub Refrigerator is a $5,000 smart refrigerator with a giant built-in 21-inch touch screen with built-in apps such as Pandora, a family calendar and photo streaming. There’s a camera inside the refrigerator that allows you to […]
Yes, this had to happen, as silly as it may seem. A UK technology start-up has “unleashed” PitPat, a wearable activity monitor for dogs, at CES. The press release says, “Designed and manufactured in the UK, PitPat gives owners a fun and engaging way to ensure that their dog gets the exercise it needs by tracking […]
Here’s my take on some of the more interesting and significant products for 2015. Apple Watch – The eagerly-anticipated Apple Watch finally arrived, and once again showed Apple’s unrivaled skills in design and integration of software and hardware. While not a must-have, it’s a useful tool for helping us do small tasks. It’s significant because […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]