“Review” collection
Discover rigorous, hands-on evaluations and real-world testing of the latest consumer electronics and household tools. These “Dad Approved” assessments provide factual, objective insights into device durability, performance, and value to help you make informed purchasing decisions.
HTD Tech Briefs
View all →January 5, 2012
Custom Cases for Gadgets like Kindle Touch or Macbook Air, Hand-Crafted by Rickshaw Bagworks
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of visiting a local San Francisco business to see their craft in action. The company is Rickshaw Bagworks and they built, based on my choice of color and material, one of the best blogger backpacks that I have owned. My full review from back in 2009 goes into the details of materials…
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January 3, 2012
The “Power” Behind the New 2013 Ford Escape
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Ford folks at a San Francisco 49er game. There I got to see a preview of the new 2013 Ford Escape, which is billed as a "smart utility vehicle." I didn't actually get to test drive it, but I did have a chance to test out a new,…
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December 22, 2011
A Quest for the Holidays – The 2012 Nissan Quest
I sit in a darkened cafe. About a block away, packs of people are streaming into the San Francisco Opera House as part of a holiday tradition that goes back decades. Dressed up with kids in tow, they are off to see the San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker. I have seen the Nutcracker ever since I was a small child. It…
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December 20, 2011
I’ve Become an Ultrabook Dad!
I'm a dad who loves gadgets. That's part of the reason why I have this site is so that I can share this love and hopefully provide insights and understanding into the complex world of consumer electronics. While I normally go by the nom de plume of "HighTechDad", I have a new name that I'm going to assign to myself…
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December 14, 2011
Training Wheels without Training Wheels – The Gyrowheel
I'm a bit of a slacker daddy. My kids seemed to be the only ones on the block who were last to learn how to ride their bikes. Chalk it up to me either being a bit lazy or them being extremely busy with a bunch of other activities (ballet, gymnastics, piano, acting, dance and oh yeah, school). Regardless of…
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December 5, 2011
Norelco’s Mustache Trimmer & SensoTouch 3D Shaver “Shaves the Day” After Movember
For the month of November, I grew facial hair. I wasn't trying to make my wife upset nor prevent my kids from kissing me because I was too scruffy. It was to have a public show of support for Movember. Movember is a movement that was created to raise awareness of various male cancers like prostate or testicular cancer during…
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November 28, 2011
A Street Rocket with Class – 2011 Infiniti G37 Journey Coupe with Sport Package
The automobiles that I have been testing over the past few years were very much oriented toward families of 5 or more people (which is how many there are in my family). Typically these are SUVs or Crossovers, and many have 3 rows of seats. Let's face it, if you have a larger family, you need more space, for warm…
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November 17, 2011
Giveaway and Review: Modernizing Monopoly with Electronic Banking
Show me a family who hasn't played Monopoly before and I will let you see the dinosaur I keep in my back yard. I would hazard to guess that pretty much any family has, at one point of time or another, played Monopoly. It's a rite of passage and part of growing up. You have to go through the pains…
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November 14, 2011
Count ‘Em – 22 Pockets in a Lightweight Vest – Scott E Vest
I'm writing much of this review on an airplane right now. And I'm wearing a Scott E Vest (SEV) Classic Men's Travel Vest. Just a few minutes ago, I lost my free drink ticket in one of the 22 pockets in the SEV lightweight vest. I did manage to find it a few minutes later, buried deep in one of…
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October 4, 2011
D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Wireless Router – Advanced Configurations & Stability at an Attractive Price
I love WiFi routers. I'm not sure why. But I have about 3 or 4 of them running in my house. Some are providing WiFi networks for all of the people in the family and the other connected devices as well, while others are set up as back-up or private, and only used occasionally. I probably have a lot of…
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September 26, 2011
Waging War on Pollen, Dust, Bacteria, Mold, Germs & More with the Honeywell Air Purifier HHT-145
Sneezing, coughing and runny noses as night. Itchy eyes with tears being squeezed out. My daughters have had allergies all spring and summer and it was particularly worse this year because of the longer rainy season and the larger amounts of pollen in the air. So I brought some big air defense weaponry in to battle these tiny, annoying irritants,…
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September 23, 2011
A Tablet for Babies? The VINCI Tablet Gives Toddlers a Jump Start on Touchscreens
A few weeks ago I received a pre-production version of a new tablet targeted toward children ages 2-4 or so called the "VINCI Tab". I had been dying to review an Android-based tablet, but the VINCI threw me for an unexpected curve. It really is not what you might expect. While it is technically a tablet, it is really a…
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