As a reviewer and technology enthusiast it’s always nice to see a good product get even better.  I reviewed the original SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger back in 2008 and was thrilled. It would have been perfect for my trip to Death Valley the previous year, on family camping trips, and anywhere else there might not […]

While there are a variety of ways to get sound in and out of your PC, sometimes a simple way is the best.  One of the products that caught my eye recently is the CAD U2 USB Stereo Headphone with Microphone and the manufacturer was kind enough to send one over for review. The U2 […]

A month or so ago I was working on a virtualization article for the print edition of  INFOExecutive (formerly Information Week Canada). The article dealt with barriers to virtualization, one of them being USB devices.  Or so I thought! My research took me to the web site of Minnesota-based Digi International. Digi originally developed their […]

Starfy’s been a hero in Japan for years and recently made his North American debut. In this game for the Nintendo DS series, players must guide Starfy though a variety of environments to the end of each stage by swimming, jumping, bouncing and defeating comical ‘enemies’. In addition to the numerous stages, it also includes […]

Despite the growing popularity of digital SLRs, many people prefer a smaller and lighter camera.  There are also times that carrying an SLR just isn’t practical. The DMC-LX3 fits perfectly into this niche.  It’s small enough to fit a jacket pocket, yet offers creative controls that will satisfy advanced photographers. The DMC-LX3 sports an f2.0-f2.8 […]

Back in the fall I started work on a virtualization project.  I’ll write more about it in some future articles, but in terms of background, I wanted to build a VMWare ESX-based system to make testing software products easier.  ESX is a server virtualization product that allows me to run multiple virtual machines on one […]

You may have caught our recent exposé on Apple’s iPhone Apps store, the one in which a PinchMedia survey revealed that the vast majority of iPhone apps downloaded by users are abandoned within 24 hours of being installed. In the interests of balanced journalism, we now present what some consider the most useful iPhone app […]

I’ll level with you: I’ve had a tough time finishing this review.  I’m a strong proponent of fair, balanced and unbiased reviews.  I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to test a lot of great camera gear.  When people ask me about digital SLRs, I’m usually quick to point out that Canon, Nikon and Olympus […]

If you’re new to Photoshop, you know that some tasks involve a steep learning curve. And most of us who have been using it for years could still learn much more about it. Adobe Photoshop CS4 one-on-one by Photoshop expert Deke McClelland, published by O’Reilly Media, is a 500-page book that will teach you everything […]

No, not that kind of ‘white lightning’. We’re talking about something more wholesome and less expensive: Plain white household vinegar. It’s not just for salad dressing and cleaning windows, anymore! In an age when we are bombarded mercilessly with television and magazine ads for ‘new’, ‘miracle’ cleaners, good old vinegar still shines as a multi-purpose […]

The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers by Derrick Story focuses on those aspects of CS4 most important to the photographer. The result is a concise 190-page book that you really could carry around in your laptop bag. It covers important topics such as importing images, rating and keywording images, basic and advanced RAW image techniques, […]

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Seasonal Affective Disorder and the Daybreak Duo sunrise simulator that now helps me start my day on a brighter note. Over the last few weeks I’ve also been testing another another product from Philips Home Health Care, the goLITE BLU. My previous article goes into the science behind […]