Review: Google Chromecast

On July 24th Google held a press conference, and the world expected to see the new Nexus 7 tablet for the first time.  What no one expected was for Google to make another play for the TV and connected devices market, but that is exactly what they did with the announcement of the Chromecast.

The focus of the Chromecast is much like Apple's AirPlay with the Apple TV in that new Android apps will now have an API available to allow for video to stream to your TV.  The twist is that you can also stream video from the Chrome browser on any computer or device for which it is available, meaning every operating system and most mobile devices on the market today.

Setup was very easy.  Simply plug the Chromecast into an open HDMI port on your TV and switch to that input, then point your Chrome web browser to the setup page.  Download the Chromecast application and you will connect to the device to join it to your wi-fi network.

That is all it takes to get your Chromecast up and running.  Now any video that you can stream over the internet or even web page can be sent to your TV with the click of a button in your web browser. 

The ChromecastPackaging includes power supply, micro-usb cable, and HDMI extension if neededThe Chromecast's configuration software is dead simple to useThe amazing thing about this announcement is that it included three free months of NetFlix service (a $27 dollar value) for the $35 pricetag.  That means that this device really only costs you $9.00, an incredible bargain by anyone's standards.

Video controlled by the Netflix app on my Galaxy Note and displayed via the Chromecast

Review: LifeProof Nüüd for iPhone 5

LifeProof, the company who has won numerous awards and industry acclaim for having the best protective cases for electronics on the market have come up with a winner this time; a case that is water, dust, shock, and snow proof WITHOUT covering the screen.

By placing a high pressure seal around the edge of the screen they have kept the protection they are famous for without the cause of most criticism for cases in this category: lack of responsiveness to touch.

LifeProof was the first company in the marketplace to achieve IP68 durability certification from the US government, and the design and attention to detail on this product shows many of the reasons why this startup was bought out by the industry leader for many years, Otterbox.

Creative Marketing: Fab.com

Received the latest marketing "catalog" from Fab today, and am impressed enough by this one I had to post. Printed out like '70s era Polaroids are pictures posted to their Instagram feed of hip new items for sale. On the back are descriptions and info on the items pictured, along with a URL to find them quickly.
They may specialize in crazy hipster shopping trends, but they have marketing down to a science.

First Look: OUYA Game System

I just received and am now connecting the OUYA, an open-source gaming system that was the biggest launch in KickStarter history, and which solidified said crowd-funding site as a legitimate way to launch new technology start ups without giving away the farm to venture capitalists.

As you can see, the hardware certainly looks impressive, and since there is no physical media drive is exceptionally small. Anytime your console is smaller than your controller, you have gained ground towards portability.

Setup so far has been easy: plug the unit into the wall and an available HDMI port on your TV, pair your controller via bluetooth, connect to your wireless network, and you are set. Since this is still beta, the software is constantly being tweaked, so my unit is updating now. Stay tuned for follow ups on game play!

Update on 2013-10-15 23:03 by Drew Fleisher

OK, I've given this a few months for the game selection to improve and updates to work out the kinks, and I have to say that for an independent boot-strapped project this thing is pretty cool.  Major developers are still being courted, and may not do much depending on what happens with the offering from Steam, but in all there is some great gaming action to be found here.

First Look: Scrolls, the latest from the minds that brought us MineCraft

Today Scrolls, the latest game from the folks at Mojang who brought us MineCraft hit open BETA, giving everyone a chance to learn gameplay and strategy before the game goes world-wide in general release.  Gameplay is based on collectable card games such as Magic: The Gathering, but has some unique twists and strategy that will make it fresh and exciting.  I got my login for the beta this afternoon, and am taking this break to give you all a look!

Gameplay starts with customizing your game deck.You start by customizing your deck.  The minimum legal deck size is 50 cards, and you get a full deck from one of the three factions to start.  As you complete games versus the AI you earn gold, which can be used to buy additional cards, and allowing you to customize your deck in myriads of ways.  You also can trade cards with other players, giving you additional options to create a winning and powerful deck.

Once you have assembled your deck, to can play a quick game, or compete in trialsGameplay then begins, with quick play games to practice, and then trial scenarios allow you to win gold to use for purchasing more cards.  Gameplay is pretty simple to follow, but infinitely complex to master.  Each player has their own side of the board, and each row has an idol which you need to protect.  Once you get past the enemies and destroy three of the other players idols, you have won the game.  Likewise, if three of your idols fall, you are defeated.

When you win a game, you are awarded gold based on several criteriaOnce you win a game, awards and statistics are presented for your review.  Your ranking is based on how well you do against other players, not the computer.  The more you play, the more you increase your stats and improve your ranking.  One word of warning, the tutorial makes this game look very easy, but once you complete it the difficulty goes up incrementally.

As I get deeper into the game I will post updates, but this should give you a decent idea of what Mojang is up to.

Mojang — Makers of Minecraft:

Scrolls is in open beta! On-sale now!

Review: Crossman Stinger R-39 Airsoft Gun Set

The folks at WOOT sent me the Stinger R-39Today another package arrived from the folks at Amazon and their sister-site WOOT, and it contained two of these great Crosman R39 AirSoft Gun Kits .  With a breakaway stock and pop-up sites, it is compact to travel, yet feature filled fun when opened up to use.  I tested it with a 30-foot range and it was fairly accurate, although the lack of adjustment on the sights mean you need to spend some time getting familiar with the weapon to become accurate.

We have a father-son airsoft game coming up with the church in a few weeks, so we'll get to battle test these guns, but they are a lot of fun in the meantime.

Review: BestDuplicator 5 Target DVD Duplicator

I received a call from my sister-in-law the other day with a request for help that surprised me: the church that she and her husband pastor needed some DVDs duplicated.  After having spent most of the last year digitizing and getting rid of physical media in our home, I don't even own a DVD player anymore, much less have the ability to duplicate DVDs.

So I reached out to some folks and got one of them to send me the BestDuplicator 5 Target 24X SATA DVD Duplicator - Professional DVD CD Duplication Copier Machine to review.  This six drive tower has a single master drive with five targets, allowing you to place any DVD or CD into the top drive and make up to five copies very quickly.  I made forty-three DVDs in an evening, and the average burn time was 8.53 minutes for each of 16 masters that I needed to copy.  Pretty impressive given that the last CD duplicator I had took more than 12 minutes to copy a 700MB CD-ROM.

Operation was dead simple.  Drop the source disc into the top drive, insert blanks into as many of the slave drives as you need.  Once all the drives are closed, the discs are analyzed and duplication begins.  When complete the newly burned discs are checked for accuracy and ejected to be labeled.  That's all.  No complicated settings, no steep learning curve to make sure nothing goes wrong.

While the modern world is going to digital streaming and instant downloads, some applications still call for physical media.  I'm not sure when or if I'll have a need for it again, but I know the BestDuplicator will be here and bullet-proof when I do.

Review: Karma Mobility Karma Wi-Fi Hotspot

The Karma Wi-Fi hotspot arrives with just a USB power cable and the hotspot itself.

Today I recieved a new 4G wi-fi hotspot with an interesting twist from the folks at Karma Mobility.  Karma has an interesting business model. You buy the hotspot for $79US, and the first time you connect you get 100MB free data, which can be linked using your Facebook account. From then on, you can buy pay-as-you-go bandwidth for $14US/GB.

The twist is that you cannot secure your hotspot.  Anyone within range can connect, and when they do THEY get 100MB of free data, and you get 100MB of additional data added to your account for providing their access.  Karma is banking on the fact that people will start to recognize the Karma brand, and buy additional bandwidth when they need it and are connected to Karma hotspots in airports and at public gatherings.  I'm guessing it will work.  A hotspot with a familiar branding is more likely to get connections than one that is broadcasting a name like "ID10T B0X" or "D-Link".  And knowing that if they connect they will get 100MB of free data to check email or download a new book on their Kindle Fire before catching that flight makes it a no brainer for the consumer.

I averaged 8.17Mbps download and 1.29Mbps upload in my testing.  Not stellar speeds but certainly usable for checking email and small downloads.  And that is what the Karma is for, not streaming TV shows from Netflix or downloading torrents.  For free bandwidth, that isn't bad at all.

You can buy extra bandwidth if you need it, and it never expires.

Update on 2013-05-22 00:27 by Drew Fleisher

My good friend at Oregon City Computers asked a question and I checked to verify regarding security.  His concern was that the owner of the hotspot would be on the hook if someone who connected to it was doing something illegal using the connection.  I checked, and because the Radius server at Karma handles authentication, the IP address is assigned there rather than using Network Address Translation (NAT) in the device itself.  In other words, unlike your home Wi-Fi, Karma assigns the IP adress to your device, not the local hotspot that I own.

Review: "Gun Power Screwdriver"

This arrived today, and I had to smile. A 3.5v power screwdriver in the shape of a handgun. It works fairly well, but doesn't have much power. It will be fine fora home screws, but won't have enough power to drive into hard woods.

Review: Triple C Designs "greenBoom" Portable speaker

I recieved this months sampler from BirchBox, and was pleased to find that I recieved this small portable speaker form Triple C Designs.  A small 2" cube that packs a decent wallop for such a small speaker.  Carrie and the kids were amazed at the sound volume and quality as well.  For $29 you aren't goinf to find a better marriage of form and function to pump your toons around the house or the yard this spring and summer.  Check this thing out folks, you won't be sorry.

Triple C Designs Portable Speaker | April's Box | Birchbox:

Triple C Designs Portable Speaker

Kickstarted to release: The Cookoo Watch

In May of 2012 a group called ConnectedDevice, led by Peter Hauser, looked to Kickstarter to help back an idea for a connected watch.  The idea was to have a real watch that also would connect to your smartphone, providing notices if you received an SMS message, a phone call, or new email on your smartphone without needing to reach for the phone.  The idea evolved into a product that is now in the hands of backers and was officially launched this week at CES.

The Kickstarter Edition of the Cookoo Watch arrived this morning

While the company was not able to hit all of it's goals (at launch it is not compatible with Android due to so many different BlueTooth implementations), it has accomplished the biggest one: They have shipped watches that are truly watches whether connected to your iPhone or not, and which are powered by replaceable batteries instead of requiring frequent recharging.  You can view the original goals and timeline of the project here via KickStarter.  While I have only had the watch for a few hours, I am impressed.

The Cookoo is a watch first, and connected device second, an important goal for mainstream acceptance

The watch was remakably easy to set up.  You download the connected application from the iTunes store and launch it.  It finds the watch, and you set alerts and button functions.  You can use the button to check-in to a location on Facebook, drop a waypoint pin on a map (handy when parking in large mall or sporting event lots), and even remotely snap a picture.

The settings are easy to configure, and pretty comprehensive, with more options coming

The command button can be configured to automatically check you in to the nearest location on FaceBookThis is a great product, that will get even better with time thanks to an open API and wide spread availability.  Keep an eye on this thing, it is going to be important.

Crowdfunded COOKOO Smart Watch Launches Worldwide At CES 2013 - Forbes:

Crowdfunded COOKOO Smart Watch Launches Worldwide At CES 2013

Review: Numark TT USB Turntable

Some times you want to listen to something that just didn't have wide enough appeal to make the leap to CD in the 80's, and hasn't made it from the dusty bins of the publisher's vaults to join the back catalog of media on iTunes.  That was the case for me with an old recording of J.R.R. Tolkien reading selections from "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" and other poems that are part of the Middle Earth cannon.  The Album was recorded in 1967 and is titled "Poems and Songs of Middle Earth".  It includes among other things the only published recording of Tolkien reciting poetry in Elvish.  Yes, it is geeky but then so am I.

To record it I pulled out the Numark TTUSB Turntable with USB and went to work.  The turntable is a wonderful made, belt driven, Hi-Fi turntable that has remarkable quality.  The platform is cast alluminum, and everything is top quality here.  Included in the box is a disc with both Mac and PC versions of the software to make recording super simple.  You just hit record on the computer, hit play on the turntable, and the software records the contents of your album.  It will seperate the tracks, and then ask you to identify the album.  Once the naming process is complete the software adds the recordings to iTunes automaticaly and then asks if you want to record anything else.

High quality, great sound, and super simple.  It doesn't get any better than this.  Now if I can just find a way to avoid having to record all of my wife's old Wham! records......

Review: Grove Bamboo Case for iPhone 5

One of the great things about iPhone and iPad accessories is the ecosystem that has evolved since the advent of the iPod for all things Apple.  The range of design ideas and materials is endless, but one of my favorites is made by a company here in Portland, Oregon called Grove.  Their case for the iPhone 5 uses a new method not previously used in their products to increase strength.  They have laminated a plant-fiber compound inside the renewable bamboo outer shell that adds strength while remaining environmentaly friendly.  In an age of disposable plastic and silicon cases and covers, this 100% post-consumer material shows that you can add personality and flair to your electronics without causing more stress on our landfills.  In addition to loads of designs that are available from artists world wide on these cases, Grove also offers the unique ability to customize the case by laser etching your own designs as well.  They sent me the plain case above, but I have another case for my iPad 3 with my family's coat-of-arms etched into the leather cover that shows the great craftmanship these folks are capable of.  While their cases are continualy on back-order, they are well worth the wait.  Everyone who has seen this case is blown away, and I have had dozens of people ask where it came from in the week since it arrived.  Grove can be found online at www.grovemade.com.

Review: First round of iPad mini cases/covers has arrived

OK, so far I have received several cases/covers for the iPad mini, and a couple show why third-party case manufacturers need to be careful not to rush products to market too early.

Apple SmartCover for iPad miniThe first to arrive actuall got to me before the mini did.  Apple's SmartCover for iPad mini is much like the SmartCover for the original iPad.  Attached by magnets along the left hand side of the iPad, it lays across the face of the iPad protecting the screen.  Lined with micro-fiber cloth, it also can be removed and folded to be used as a screen cleaner.  It protects the glass but leaves the sides and back uncovered, and provides no real protection in case of a fall.  It is better than nothing, and holds in place fairly well over the screen to protect the glass while it is in a bag or pocket, but provides little protection.

Ionic 2-Tone leather caseThe next case to come in was the Ionic 2-Tone Designer Leather Case Cover.  This case looks great, and is well constructed.  The stiching is well done, and special attention to design was used to provide a magnetic flap to secure the iPad instead of the typical velcro or friction flaps used in most other cases.  The problem is that Ionic rushed this case out without having design specs from Apple for screen size and more importantly, the size of the bezel around the screen.  Apple changed the way it did bezels with the mini, and rather than being equal widths on all four sides, the long sides of the bezel are narrower.  This brings us to the problem with Ionic's case.  More than 1/4 inch of screen is obstructed on each of the long sides.  As you can see, the case covers a significant portion of the screen along both edgesThis was done because prior to the announcement of the iPad mini, no one could have expected that for the first time the bezel would be narrowed along those edges.  Ionic's designers couldn't take that into account, and so they are shipping a case that is not at all funtional for this device.

The last case to arrive is the iTronz Black High Quality PU Leather Smart iPad Mini case folio.  My favorite of the three I've recieved so far, but again it was obviously rushed into production.  Unlike the ionic above it was designed after the announcement, as evidenced by the proper placement of the side cut around the screen.  The design is pretty common, it fits the device well and provides fair ammounts of protection.  The issue comes from the placement of magnets in the front flap.  They are intended to activate a magnetic switch in the ipad to enable the unlocking of the device.  The magnets are not aligned properly for the switch, so you still have to manually turn the ipad on.  Not a big deal, but not as convinient as it was intended to be.

The bottom line is this folks.  By christmas there will be a lot of cases from well known manufacturers that work exactly the way you expect them to.  While the proces may be cheaper on these no-name imports, sometimes you get what you paid for.

Update on 2013-08-09 18:06 by Drew Fleisher

I recieved a review unit from Snugg, one of the worlds largest distributors of iPad and iPhone cases and accessories, and was quite impressed by the build quality and design.

The Snugg iPad Mini Case Cover and Flip Stand in black is well constructedThe stitching and attention to detail were both great on this case, and it was a perfect fit unlike some of the others reviewed here.  The leather was of great quality and it feels great in the hand, making it comfortable to use for extended periods of time.

Attention to detail sets this case apart from the packThe Snugg iPad mini PU Leather Case Cover and Flip Stand in Black is well worth the $24.99US that it sells for, and a great addition to your iPad mini.

Review: Apple iPad mini

When Apple finally announced the iPad mini two weeks ago, the only question most people in the tech industry had was where they would set the price. The device had been rumored for years, and was expected long ago. We received our answer, and many thought it was far too high. At $329 it is $130 more than the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, and more than $70 more than Google's Nexus 7.

What the analysts failed to anticipate was the impact that Apple has on the public. Just as they did with MP3 players when the iPod was released, Apple has not just released another device in a crowded market, they have released THE iconic device in a market that many didn't know really existed.

Many people in my family would never have heard of the Kindle Fire without my telling them (and showing them mine). I'm sure many of you could say the same. However when Apple announces a product people hear about it, and more importantly for Apple, they run down to buy it. They stay up past midnight for preorders to make sure they have it before the people they work with. Apple announced that they sold more than 3 million new iPads over the first weekend, more than twice what the analysts expected. Here's how they did it.

Apple knows tablets. With more than 80% of the market in the US they know tablets better than anyone. Apple didn't need to change anything but size. They didn't need to design a new interface or operating system the way the other companies I've mentioned needed to. They didn't need to wait for developer support, because they used the same specifications developers were already writing for from the iPad 2. If you have used an iPad or iPhone before, you already know how to use an iPad mini. Since there are more than 200 million iOS devices already sold, that is a huge group of potential users to draw from, and a group with more brand loyalty than any other in the consumer electronics market.

As Phil Schiller said during the announcement, this is "every inch an iPad". From the familiar grid of icons to the 4:3 aspect ratio in a world of widescreen tablets, the iPad stands out, and in the minds of many above the rest of the market.

It has replaced both my Kindle Paperwhite and my iPad 3 in my daily life, and I expect I'm not alone.

Review: Microsoft Surface with Windows RT - Drew's Take

The home screen of Windows RT on the new Surface from MicrosoftMicrosoft for the first time has released their own computer, and it could be a game changer.  Fed up with hardware partners failing to capture their vision of tablet computing they have this week released Surface, a bold new take on the world of mobile computing.  Featuring a power efficient Tegra 3 processor from NVIDIA and finally removing backward compatibility from windows they have been able to strip their vaunted operating system down to its bare essentials.  A complete re-imagining of Windows has been needed for a long time, and I think Microsoft has hit on a winning formula here.  What remains to be seen is how quickly software developers start writing programs that will run natively in Microsoft’s new “MODERN UI”.  Without developer support this grand experiment is destined to fail.

Hardware

With a new hardware and software platform, it is impossible to really compare specs for hardware.  The surface has some interesting design cues, and Microsoft’s design team has made some risky design choices that I think they have really pulled off here. 

The touch keyboard doesn’t seem like it would work.  3MM thick, no moving parts…it would seem to most to be a token gesture towards a physical keyboard.  However, after a few days using it I am writing this review using it and am more than happy with its responsiveness.  Unlike many of the netbook keyboards we have seen over the last few years, the touch keyboard cover that is available with Surface has a surprisingly roomy keyboard, with nice separation between keys and a decent feel.  It takes some getting used to, but once you do it is like a whole new world.

One thing that became clear when watching the official release keynote for Surface was how much thought went into the smallest features of this hardware.  From the sound made when the kickstand is deployed or stowed to the angle of the cameras being set to account for the slope of the Surface when using the kickstand, no aspect of this hardware design was not thought of and planned for a specific reason.

Surface with Windows RT features 2GB of RAM, a 1.5GHz Tegra 3 processor, and either 32GB or 64GBs of flash storage.  There is no benchmark software available in the Windows Store yet, and no other devices to compare it to anyway, so in depth numbers cannot be a part of this review.  What I can say is that while some software takes a bit to respond, it does not seem to be a resource issue.  With more than ten applications running programs had the same response issues as they did when running alone.  Surface is a very responsive system, and on I could see replacing an Ultra Book or Net Book in just about anyone’s workflow.

Software

Windows RT is a new and vastly different operating system than Windows 7, and that is easy to see when the Surface first comes on.  The live tiles are not just the first thing you see, they replace the start menu so crucial to previous versions of Windows.  Make no mistake though, this is Windows, right down to the command prompt.  The biggest difference is “legacy” software.  It can run under Windows 8 Pro, but not on Windows RT.  This makes getting software written for and offered through the newly minted Windows Store critical in the short term.  Without software, this platform is doomed to falter.

First Look: Microsoft Surface

OK, I've had 24 hours with the Surface at this point and I think Microsoft is on to something.  For years I have lamented how bloated Windows had become, due in large part to their unwillingness to abandon support for legacy software.  Building in support for software that goes back up to 20 years in some cases is bound to cause and operating system to bloat beyond all reason, and this makes for a sluggish resource hog.

With RT Microsoft has finally had an excuse to do what Apple did with the old Power-PC based software and start over.  This has allowed Microsoft to release a light, nimble, and responsive OS for the modern, mobile culture and I never expected to be able to say any of that about the guys from Redmond.

The surface is proof that Microsoft has been paying attention, and their hardware partners have not.  Light, portable, fully featured and well designed.  Who would have thought Microsoft was this good at designing hardware?  After decades of leaving hardware to others Surface is proof that Microsoft should have made this move a long time ago.

Stay tuned, we'll have reviews from the whole family ready to go by Monday.

Review: iPod Nano (2012)

No product in Apple's recent history has had half as many form factor changes as the iPod Nano, now in it's 8th incarnation.  The latest version blends the previous two into something resembling what I would imagine the smallest possible iPhone incarnation.  With three rows of two icons there isn't much room on this display, but there is plenty of space for a music player, clock, and Nike+ integration.

Sound quality is the best I've heard on an iPod, but whether a sign of a new DSP chip or just the result of the new ear pods, I can't say. What I can say is that I'm impressed. I sampled music from Gary Clark, jr and various country and classical albums with great results.

If you are in the market for a new iPod, you can't go wrong with this one!

Review: iPhone 5

OK, now that I've had a little over a week with the iPhone 5, I can tell you that it is the best iPhone yet without reservation.  While many have criticised Apple for not really innovating, I think there are really a few innovations here that have been over looked.  

A new connector - Lightning

The Lightning connector may not seem like a big deal, or to others has been seen as an inconvenience, but is a game changer in my book.  Yes, it will mean new accessories will need to be purchased.  It means I need to have 2 different adapters in my car, one for the iPhones Carrie and I have, one for our iPads and older iPhones the kids carry.  However, the advantage of being able to just plug a cable in without fumbling to make sure the correct side is up while driving is a HUGE improvement not just to use but to safety in a world where many of us plug our phones into our cars for everything from entertainment while driving to GPS navigation.

Maps

While the maps are not perfect (or even ready to be used for navigation in most areas), they are a sign that Apple is once again trying to branch out into existing areas without reliance on partners.  While this could backfire like the ill-fated Ping service or the iPod Hi-Fi, it could end up making Apple a player in a market they have left to others in the past.  Apple has always been a company that tries to do thing themselves when unhappy with the way partners or other companies are doing things.  Google would not give them the turn-by-turn directions that were needed to really integrate maps properly, preferring to reserve that aspect to it's own Android platform.  This left Apple with a choice:  either continue to let media and users see them as sub-par to Google, or make a change.  While they may not be firing on all cylinders to start with in iOS 6 with maps, you can expect that to change quickly.  Now that they can see the places improvement is needed, Apple can get people and processes on board to address the issues and get things right.

Specs/Performance

The iPhone 5 is by far the fastest iPhone, and according to tests from the major hardware sites, the fastest Smartphone on the market.  Combined with a true HD screen and a smaller form factor the iPhone 5 sets the standard once again for performance and features.  It is still the phone everyone envys, and is the only phone in the category that creates the kind of frenzy we saw at launch.  No other smartphone has ever sold-out presale availability in less than an hour.  No other phone in the category has EVER sold more than 4 million units in the first weekend.  In every way that matters to Wall Street and consumers, the iPhone 5 is a winner.

There are a lot of sites that can give you performance breakdowns and benchmarks.  What I want you to know is that you will not be disappointed in this purchase, now or in 6 months.  Lets see any other device give you that.

First look: iPhone 5!

Ok, I'm 3 hours in, and 2 since I stopped driving and could play a bit. I'm loving the bigger screen, and it feels even lighter than I expected.
The screen's contrast really is better, and so is color saturation. The white balance on the 4s always seemed a little off to me, and pictures from the 5 so far seem to have a more accurate image. I'll have to play with it more and do some side by sides to see if that is real or imagined.
I'm out of LTE coverage area right now, but I'll update when I can compare speed test results vs. Verizon here in the Portland area.
Definitely not a disappointment in any sense (except for crappy service from AT&T this morning after 8 hours in line.