First off, someone at Verizon Wireless must have been drunk or asleep at the wheel when they gave the Omnia the green light because it has Wi-Fi. Isn’t Verizon notorious for stripping that feature from every single phone in its lineup? Something tells me the other manufacturers are going to throw a fit over this bit of news.
Quick Version: The Omnia boasts just about every feature you’d want from a smartphone and Verizon, surprisingly, left it exactly the way it leaves the Samsung factory. Sure, they added their VZ Navigator app and the VZAppZone but we’re okay with that because they left the Omnia untouched. For a Windows Mobile device with a decent skin Samsung calls the TouchWiz, the Omnia is the clear choice for Verizon Wireless customers. Read More
Short Version: This thing goes under your laptop to keep it cool. It works and it’s great for a quick back massage mid-day.
Read More
Short Version: The Kensington 4-Port USB Charger is an ideal solution for people toting multiple USB-powered gadgets who want to charge more than one of those gadgets at a time without looking for open USB ports and wall sockets.
Read More
Short Version: A full-featured 22-inch HDTV with a built-in DVD player for under $400, the N2201w from ViewSonic is a great option as a bedroom TV, office TV, or dedicated gaming TV.
Read More
The ‘iPhone killer’ label (which I hate using – BTW) has been thrown around since the first touch-screen device hit the market after the original iPhone was launched last year. Unfortunately, nothing has been able to live up to the hype. Both consumers (you) and techies (us) have been eagerly awaiting the launch of the Storm in the hopes that it would knock the iPhone down a peg, or even level the playing field. I don’t want to dash your dreams, but the Storm is not on par with the iPhone. It is, however, the closest device available on the market today to compete with the iPhone. But that’s not saying much. Imagine the iPhone being on top of a mountain with the rest of the touch-screen devices at base camp. The Storm sits atop all the rest, but it’s still at base camp.
Video after the jump.
Read More
Quick Version: Whether you’re new to the Call of Duty series of first-person shooters or you’ve played some or all of the past versions, you’ll likely find World at War to be a compelling and powerful addition to your library of games.
Read More
Quick Version: This handy, compact, five-in-one power doodad from Kensington turns one outlet into three plug-ins and two USB charging ports for $24.99.
Read More
Like my review of the Juiceman, Jr., the Black and Decker 10-speed Cyclone Blender caused me to move beyond my staple meals of ramen noodles, chicken wings, and beer. I spent time in parts of the grocery store that I didn’t know existed. As a bachelor, blending isn’t high on my list of food preparation activities, but for you, dear reader, I tied on my apron and blended a variety of things.
Read More
What is it about airports that bring out the worst in humanity? Is it waiting in long, arbitrary lines? Is it being forced to reveal to everyone the holes in your socks? Is it the $100 beers at the airport bar? I try pretty hard to be a “good citizen” when I travel: my carry-on luggage doesn’t exceed the maximum dimensions permitted by the airline; I make sure I put all of my metal objects through the x-ray machine; and I try to make sure I can whip out my laptop to send through the x-ray machine separately from the bag in which I carry it.
Travelon has recently released its own line of TSA-approved Checkpoint Friendly laptop bags, designed to make it easier to get through the security screening without having to unpack your entire kit. I admit that when I received my review models I exclaimed “WTF?”. At first glance, it doesn’t look like these things will actually save any time. But for you, dear reader, I put myself through the indignities of airport security to provide an accurate review of these bags.
Read More
Now that I’ve had a couple days with the Turbines, I think it’s time for a full review.
I’m sad to say that my initial praise may have been premature having listened to a few CDs (I had to open up moving boxes in my apt to find one) and comparing these against my Shure SCL3s and Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pros. I also brought in my secret weapon Dave R. to consult. He’s a professional sound engineer who specializes in monitors and has toured with The Cure, The Used, Linda Ronstadt, Interpol, Yellowcard and Fall Out Boy, so he knows this stuff inside and out.
With any in-ear monitor the biggest challenge is to find a tip that actually isolates and blocks everything out. I’ve found that foam tips work best, but the Turbines come with two types (trees and mushrooms) each having three sizes. You might as well skip the mushrooms because they don’t block anything out. Read More
Many of the gadgets mentioned on CrunchGear are geared for the living room or office. There does exist, however, an entire range of under-represented gadgets designed for the kitchen. For you, dear reader, I have explored all that the Juiceman, Jr. has to offer. (Note: that link will resize your browser window. Bad Juiceman, Jr!)
The Juiceman, Jr. is an entry-level juicer, costing about $80. It is assembled from a number of removable parts, each of which is easy to clean. Assembly and dis-assembly is extremely straightforward. The 1/4 horsepower motor offers two juicing speeds, though I never found the need to use the fastest setting.
Read More
Short Version: The HTC Touch Pro is easily the best HTC device available from US carriers right now. If you’ve been considering a professional-level Windows Mobile phone with a QWERTY keyboard, the Touch Pro is an excellent choice.
Read More
Quick Version: Quantum of Solace offers a relatively entertaining single-player experience, but the true power of the game lies in the multiplayer modes. If you were a fan of multiplayer GoldenEye for the Nintendo 64, you’ll have a blast with this one too.
Read More
Quick Version: Starting at under $40, the Sansa Clip from SanDisk makes an excellent wearable MP3 player if you’re looking for something small that still has plenty of features.
Read More
It works! The Seattle Sling Dry Bag is waterproof thanks to a dry bag so I decided to put it to the test. Thankfully for the Hitachi Blu-ray camcorder within (love you, Hitachi) it works as advertised. There is more to this case than just a waterproof dry bag though, but simply put, I’m satisfied.
Read More
When I took on the task of reviewing printers I worried that I’d be so bored that I’d fall asleep at the keyboard, leading to a review full of jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjllllllllllllllllllllmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm and a keyboard full of slobber. Luckily, the Epson Artisan 800 kept me awake and excited and, dare I say it, enthused about the state of printers.
Read More
Short Version: At well under $600, the 25.5-inch ViewSonic VA2626wm is a good monitor for those of you who want to get into the huge LCD game at a reasonable price. While considered to be somewhat inferior to the comparable Samsung 2693HM, the ViewSonic carries an enticing $50 mail-in rebate until the end of November. Also, it’s good as a computer monitor but it’s even better hooked up to an Xbox 360.
Read More
BODIES AS SHIELDS!!!
This won’t be a complete review because I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. Like you, I’ve been waiting since I completed the first Gears of War, so instead, I’ll tell you what’s different. Cool?
But I can tell you that it’s everything I could have ever hoped and dreamed for. The reviews that came out earlier this week were spot-on with the scoring. It’s amazing, but there are a few things that are worth noting for the hardcore Gears fans. Read More
