Author Archives: Stephen Hackett

Velocity for iPhone

Velocity is a new iPhone app from Lickability that brings speed reading to the masses. After hooking the app up to a Pocket or Instapaper account, users can open their articles to have the words flash by at up to 1,000 words per minute. (I prefer mine set to about 340.) I didn't think this app would be for me at first,…

PCalc 3.0 for iOS

PCalc, the venerable calculator for the Mac and iOS has been updated to version 3, and includes a new iOS 7-class theme, updated layouts for the iPhone, full speech support and more. (If you're going to be running iOS 6 for a while, the app still has full support for the OS, and the old themes can be applied to 7, as…

The New iPhones

Today, Apple announced — for the first time — two new phones. The iPhone 5C is the new mid-range model. Starting at $99 on contract for a 16GB model, the 5C sports the same basic internals as last year's iPhone 5, but in a new, colorful plastic shell. Available on AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon here in the US, the iPhone 5c…

Breaking Bad: The Complete Series

While there are just three episodes left of AMC's Breaking Bad, you can pre-order the entire series in what has to be the coolest Blue-Ray set ever. Housed in the replica money barrel are discs with every episode of the show, 55 hours of special features from all seasons, a two-hour documentary, a Los Pollos Hermanos apron and more. The whole kit…

GoPro HERO3: White Edition

While the iPhone 5 shoots great video, it's a tad ... fragile. I wouldn't ever use my phone to film anything all that exciting. The GoPro HERO3 was born for extreme situations, however. It comes with a waterproof case. It's can take fall from 197 feet. The whole thing can be re-built easily if damaged. It can capture video in 1080p 30fps,…

Jawbone MINI JAMBOX

The T&T gang are all big fans of the Jawbone JAMBOX, and now the company has a new, smaller product: the MINI JAMBOX. Just check out these dimensions: Length: 6.06 in (154 mm) Width: 0.96 in (24.5 mm) Height: 2.28 in (58 mm) Weight: 9 oz (255 grams) Even though the MINI is well ... tiny ... it still promises great sound,…

The New Kindle Paperwhite

I'm a big fan of my Kindle. I upgraded to the Paperwhite last year, and while I still miss the physical page-turn buttons, the backlit screen is really handy. I can easily read in bed without bothering my wife. Today, Amazon has announced a new Paperwhite. Available for pre-order starting at $119, the new Kindle promises better contrast, thanks to a re-worked…

GhostStand for MacBook

While brushed aluminum is all the rage right now, it wasn't all that long ago that most Apple products were built with transparent plastics. I, for one, miss this look, and now the guys at Twelve South are bringing it back with the GhostStand. The Ghoststand is a $35 notebook stand that elevates any MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro or MacBook Pro…

Withings Pulse Wireless Activity Tracker

There are a lot of fitness bands and trackers on the market, and the Withings Pulse Wireless Activity Tracker takes some of the best features on the market and bundles them in a nice, neat package. Designed to clip on your belt or pocket like the Fitbit One, it has a screen like the Fitbit Zip. The Pulse tracks steps and sleep,…

Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop

Microsoft's had a line of ergonomic keyboards for a while, and they've announced a new one: the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop. I used its predecessor, the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, but didn't like how wide it was. My mouse was too far to the right, which caused pain in my shoulder. The new keyboard is much narrower, having ditched the keypad.…

iTunes Movie Bundles

If you're a Harry Potter fan, but don't own the films in HD, be sure to hit that "Check it Out" link below, because the entire collection of movies is just $9.99 right now. Update: Aaaaand some of the deals are ending. There are lots of other movie bundles on sale right now, too. Here's what else Apple's cooked up: The Lord…

Mini-Review: The iGrill

When I first heard about the iGrill, I wasn't all that impressed with the idea. Why would I need my iPhone to know about what was going on in my Weber Grill. Then I got sent one as a review unit, and man, it's pretty cool. Sure there are some great regular thermometers on the market, but the iGrill is smart. Powered…

Buffalo DriveStation DDR 3 TB Hard Drive

This Buffalo DriveStation DDR 3 TB Hard Drive isn't your standard USB 3.0 hard drive. It has a trick up its sleeve. Instead of writing and reading right from the hard drive itself, the DriveStation has 1 GB of RAM serving as a large cache, meaning I/O can peak at 408 MB/s. Combined with the crazy speeds of USB 3.0, this edges…

HiRise for iPhone 5 and iPad mini

Look, I'll level with you. If I have even the remotest need for a product that Twelve South makes, I'll probably end up with at some point. The new HiRise for iPhone 5 and iPad mini is no different. Equipped with a spot for Lightning connector (you have to bring your own cable), the new brushed metal stand is designed to keep…

Pushpin for Pinboard

Pinboard is a web service that allows users to bookmark and cache webpages easily. While it has a full suite of social features, it also can be used fully privately. Sadly, Pinboard isn't the most beautiful service on the web. It loads fine in Safari on iOS, but isn't the easiest way to interact with bookmarks. Pushpin is a great iOS app…

LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series

Thunderbolt is awesome. It's crazy fast and easy to use, but it's expensive. Most external hard drive builders still pack in FireWire 800 and eSATA to avoid the costs associated with the relatively new connector. eSATA is faster than FireWire 800, and thanks to the oddly-named LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series device, users of Thunderbolt-equipped Macs can enjoy eSATA speed. The adaptor…

djay 2 for iOS

djay is an Apple Design Award-winning app that turns your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad into a full DJ booth, with manual mix modes, music library integration and more. The new version adds "HD Waveforms," a new tool that allows users to touch and interact with their music in an all-new way. The waveforms are color-coded and extremely accurate, making it easy…

Zeitgeisty Books Bundle

The Zeitgeisty Books Bundle is a collection of books about making things and being awesome while you do it. Featured writers include Robin Sloan, Disrupto's Jack Cheng, Minimal Mac's Patrick Rhone, Justin Sirois, game designer Ian Bogost, and Bryan Young. The bundle is "pay what you want," but paying over $10 unlocks four additional books. All of the books are DRM-free, and…

Mobee Technology Magic Charger

While most Apple users I know like the Magic Trackpad, I still prefer a mouse most days while at my desk. I use Apple's Magic Mouse, which while a few years old, still works really well with OS X's ever-growing collection of gestures. The Magic Mouse's battery life isn't terribly good, however. The Mobee Technology Magic Charger was designed to change that.…

Saidoka for iPhone

There are a lot of iPhone docks out there, but the $30 Saidoka iPhone mount is unique. The mount is designed to sit on a desk or table, and angles the iPhone up slightly, near the angle of Apple's Bluetooth keyboard. This makes it easy to use in conjunction with a keyboard, laptop or paper notebook. The dock can be purchased in…

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