Bill Kuch

Is there really a market for another media player?  Pivos seems to think so and offers their XIOS DS Media Play, an Android-powered box that connects to your TV.  I have some experience with these players, and up until now, it hasn’t been good.  I’ve spent over a month putting the Pivos device through its [...]

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There are certain things in life that demand a price premium, such as a 1985 Dom Perignon or Monte Cristo #4, but an Ipad case?  Issentiel of Paris provides a line of smartphone and tablet cases crafted in leather.  The iPad 2 case I received to review lists for $99, which I think qualifies as [...]

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No one would ever mistake me for an athlete; nevertheless, I was intrigued by the Mio Alpha Heart Rate wrist watch from Mio Global because I’ve been attempting to get in better shape.  Anything to help me prolong my  life is a good thing, and in conjunction with my Fitbit and Aria devices, I figured [...]

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Since the demise of the Heathkit, I’ve lived with an emptiness in my gadget life.  However hope springs eternal, so when I heard about the Calculator kit from SpikenzieLabs, I was prepared to do whatever it took to review it.  Thank goodness I was selected and could now feed my kit-building addiction.  Hopefully my excitement [...]

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Have you ever used a pointing device that wasn’t a mouse?  I’ve used a trackball and touchpad, but they didn’t make me change from my mouse.  When I discovered the Pen Mouse by Genius, I figured it was worth a try, especially since I have been experiencing some wrist pain using the mouse.  Who knows, maybe [...]

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This post brought to you by Intel. All opinions are 100% mine. I had the privilege this past weekend to attend an Intel sponsored event in Washington DC.  It was a perfect day and venue.  Its purpose was to highlight the finalists in a science competition.  It was a half day  event and showcased the projects of [...]

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If you’re like me, you probably listen to music or podcasts when riding in your vehicle.  While I’ve never found it particularly difficult to aggregate my content to use in the car, the folks at Inrete think they have a better way to do it using their Automatica device.  The device requires a USB port [...]

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you’re probably familiar with the very successfully funded Pebble E-Paper Smart Watch for iPhone and Android Kickstarter project.  I too got caught up in the hype and paid $115 last May 18th for the privilege of supporting this project.  After multiple missed ship dates, it [...]

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When I purchased my current house, it came with a professionally-installed security system.  I never used it because there is a monthly fee to monitor the premises, which I’m not willing to pay.  Recently I heard about Oplink Security and their Triple Shield Home system which can be self installed and has an option that doesn’t [...]

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I’ve noticed that many of the new audio gadgets are now Bluetooth-capable, but what can you do about those that aren’t or are legacy products?  Avantree provides a solution with their Saturn Bluetooth receiver and transmitter, a small portable device that can turn your wired audio device into a wireless device.

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As an adult I realize that it is prudent to take care of your body so that it lasts as long as possible, but intentions are easier than practice.   Motivation is the issue, and that’s where two devices from fitbit, the One and Zip,  can help you keep track of your progress and hopefully lead [...]

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I do enjoy my 47″ LCD TV, but the sound quality never seemed to equal that of the picture.  I realize that it’s difficult to get any fidelity out of a couple of puny speakers, however, the alternative of getting a surround sound system was more than I wanted or needed, not to mention having [...]

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I imagine there are still some people around that actually take notes using paper and pen.  I admit I do on occasion in my role as secretary for a local club.  For the times I take the minutes, I’ve always wanted a way to convert my pen strokes to digital text so I don’t have [...]

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Do you want  to display Internet content on your TV?  Do you like your Android cell phone or tablet and wish you could have the same features for your TV?   Sungale says they have the solution with their Cloud TV Box.  Now you can play Angry Birds and display Facebook  on a large flat-screen TV.  I’ve been using the device [...]

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When I saw that you could get a non-contract phone plan with unlimited calling, data and texts for $19/month, it was an easy decision to jump in.  republic wireless can offer this deal because it uses both the cellular network and WiFi, something they call hybrid calling, to route your calls and data.   This is perfect [...]

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I’ve been using X10 products to remotely and automatically control some of the lights and appliances in my house for years.  Insteon is the next generation of X10-compatible devices sold by SmartHome.   I’ve been considering updating the devices in my house to take advantage of the new technology, so I thought I’d start with [...]

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About two years ago, I reviewed the netTALK DUO.  Since then the people at netTALK have been keeping themselves busy by coming out with a new version, the netTALK DUO WiFi, which allows you to place the device anywhere there’s power and a WiFi signal.  You’re no longer tethered to either the computer or a router. [...]

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Living in New Hampshire has its benefits,  however, one annoyance is the frequent and sometimes prolonged power outages caused by trees falling on the power lines.  Some residents invest in automatic generators, but my approach was a manual backup generator, saving about 2/3 thirds the cost.  Using the  ReadyBright Power Outage Lighting System by mrBeams, I [...]

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This is my first air cleaner and quite frankly, I wasn’t too sure how I was going to check it out.  However, thanks to Mother Nature and the mother of all pollen seasons, the AirGenius5 from Kaz USA was working overtime, and it did just fine.  If you think this is an endorsement of the product, you [...]

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There is a group of people who could use an alternative to the smartphone.  Those would be people in my age group (variously called baby boomers, senior citizens, the wrinklies, or Q-tips), some of whom have problems navigating the complex displays and keyboards of most cellphones.  Greatcall has an answer for these folks and has just come [...]

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