I've been a big fan of Calcbot for a long time, but there's always room for new calculator apps. An interesting one I just came across is Llumino, which somehow manages to combine simple calculations with a dance floor aesthetic. Tap the buttons, and the area around them will light up in a psychedelic way. The calculation area is also quite animated,…
Ever since I bought myself a road bike last year, I've been super paranoid about leaving it in public places. I've got a pretty nice lock, but I've read enough horror stories to know that a persistent thief will quickly find a way to remove it, which is why I'd feel a lot more comfortable if I had a BikeSpike. This Kickstarter…
David Sparks, also known on the web as MacSparky, has added a new edition to his Field Guides series, this one focusing on Markdown (which is an excellent writing syntax for the web, for those of you not already familiar with it). It aims to get a complete beginner up-to-speed on Markdown, then ventures into some pretty advanced territory, so there should…
Lately I've been addicted to an awesome little game for iOS called Ridiculous Fishing. It's gorgeous, the music is great, and there are no in-app purchases (IAP) to unlock items. Everything is unlocked as you earn in-game money. The basic mechanics are simple: tap the screen to cast your line, tilt your device to move the hook around and avoid hitting any…
I consider myself a messenger bag kind of guy, but every now and then a sweet-looking backpack will catch my eye (rhyme unintended but I'm leaving it). Such is the case with the Tribute Cloak Backpack by HEX ($100). The navy blue corduroy material and leather straps give it a classy, almost timeless look, but the modernly-designed interior can hold a MacBook…
The microphones built into iDevices are...okay at best. They're perfectly suitable for capturing your personal memos, but not exactly something you'd use to record live music or interview someone with. The iXY mic by RØDE aims to solve that problem, at least for iDevices with a 30-pin connector (sorry, Lightning users). It can capture up to 24-bit/96k-resolution stereo audio as long as…
You know what's better than a cup of hot coffee first thing in the morning? A cup of iced coffee on a hot afternoon. I don't know about you guys, but in my neck of the woods, it's already starting to warm up outside as we get closer to springtime and I'm in full-on iced coffee mode. The thing is, iced coffee…
The onboard computer of just about every car made since 1996 contains tons of useful data about the car and its driver's habits. Usually you have to take the car to a mechanic and let them hook up a gizmo that can decipher all of this data, but now you can just get the Automatic Car Link and see it for yourself.…
We've been a fan of the BookArc MacBook stand for a while, and now Twelve South is offering a version of it for the iPad and iPad mini. This thing is awesome for several reasons: You can dock the iPad in portrait or landscape, so it's perfect for both getting work done (especially when paired with a bluetooth keyboard) and watching movies.…
I don't consider myself an expert on watches, but every now and then an interesting one will catch my eye. The Chroma Watch is just such an example. Throughout the day, a color wheel behind the black face turns, causing the hour numerals to gradually shift colors. A neat and simple idea, but the kid in me wonders if there's a hack…
Being the awesome nerds you are, we're willing to bet that at least some of you guys are members of App.net (ADN). Also, you probably already know about most of the awesome iOS clients like Riposte, Felix, and Netbot, but what about a Mac client? Well, now there's Kiwi, which started as a pretty Twitter client back in the day but has…
There are a surprising number of awesome credit card-shaped iPhone accessories. One of my longtime favorites has been the GoGoStand, but the ChargeCard looks to be another top contender. As you can see in the image above, it has a Lightning connector on one side and a rubberized USB connector that can be folded out from the middle section. I don't know…
Recently I posted about the Soundbender, which is a lo-fi way of redirecting an iPad's audio output towards you rather than out into the air. For anyone looking for a more robust solution, I'd recommend the Zooka Bluetooth Speaker. It hooks onto any edge of the iPad and connects via Bluetooth, no dock connector or cables necessary. A little metal stand is…
The kitchens of many coffee nerds are practically overflowing with coffee paraphernalia, but a lot of that stuff isn't very well-suited for traveling. Electric burr grinders are no exception to this, which is why hand grinders are so great. They can be tossed into a bag alongside your AeroPress for easy traveling. And if you're willing to put in a little elbow…
Silly name, handy items to have around. You won't find these nifty little cable holders in our cable management guide, but if all you're trying to manage is the occasional iDevice cable or set of earbuds that you toss into a bag, then these cord tacos might be right up your alley. The leather gives them a nice, distinguished look. Pick up…
I love it when someone takes a standard idea and puts an interesting new spin on it. Such is the case with the tome-like Lumio Lamp, a Kickstarter project. This object opens up like an accordion into a pleasantly bright lamp, which can run for eight hours continuously on a single charge. It's charming, aims to be eco-friendly, and thanks to the…
We've mentioned the DODOcase Durables iPhone 5 Wallet previously, but I figured the rest of the Durables lineup was worth taking a look at too. They've got one for just about all the popular portables: iPad and iPad mini, MacBook Air 11" and 13", Kindle Paperwhite, Nexus 7 and 10, and the Kindle Fire HD. One can never have too many deluxe…
Chess, traditionally played between two people, is an ancient and treasured pastime. That doesn't mean we can't mix it up a bit, though. Enter the 3-Man Chess set, which introduces some fascinating mechanics and strategy, even making it feasible for two players to form an alliance and crush the third player before inevitably turning on one another. Pick the set up for…
After Shawn's big announcement yesterday, I thought it'd be fitting to post about this wipe dispenser. With two kids doing diaper damage around the house, he's going to need it. There are three factors that set the Perfect-Pull apart from those cheaply-made dispensers at the grocery store: It's weighted. It has non-slip feet. It somehow (i.e. magically) keeps wipes from getting stuck.…
Remember what I said about 2013 and docks? Well now we've got another contender called the Horizontal Dock—made by Henge Docks—which is designed for the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. This dock allows you to connect up to three external displays, and features six USB 3.0 slots, dual audio ports, an ethernet jack, an SD card slot, and a Firewire 800 port.…