“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 18, 2011
Install Video Monitoring for Home or Business in an Hour? You Can Do It Yourself with the Logitech Alert System
We are all paranoid, right? Well, most of us are. We worry about what is going on in the places where we are not. That could be your office when it's the weekend or your home when you are traveling or there is a baby sitter watching your kids. Or maybe you want to keep an eye on your pool…
Read more →January 14, 2011
Backup Strategy: The ioSafe SoloPRO External Hard Drive is Waterproof, Fireproof & (Almost) Bulletproof!
When was the last time that you backed up your data? Today? Yesterday? Last week? A month ago? EVER?! And where did you save your backup? To another drive? To CDs? To an external drive? To the cloud via an online backup service? The reason I'm asking these questions is because most people don't make backups, and if they do,…
Read more →January 8, 2011
No Longer a “CES virgin” – Thoughts After 2 Days at CES 2011: Tablets, TVs & Other Tech
In many ways, 2 days at CES 2011 (International Consumer Electronics Show) is not enough time to really absorb the show. I was only able to essentially pay only a few vendors any quality time, others were quick, short visits, and others were just walk throughs getting from one place to another. On the other hand, 2 days is completely…
Read more →January 6, 2011
CES 2011 Bound & A Quick iPad Keyboard Case Review – Sena Keyboard Folio
Finally in the air and at 10,000 feet, thus all of the gadgets are coming out and on. Yes, the plane is packed with all types heading to CES 2011 to hear what revolutionary new device will be teasing us or making us think what a stupid idea it is. Honestly, last year's big thing was 3D TV which, in…
Read more →December 22, 2010
Casio Pathfinder Wristwatch Helps You Traverse the Great Outdoors or Urban Jungle
I love Casio. Over the past 15 years, I have had G-Shocks, Waveceptors, Atomic G-Shocks and now a Solar Pathfinder. I guess I'm pretty familiar with the techy-er Casio watches. My previous watch, a Casio Atomic G-Shock pretty much never came off of my wrist. It really never needed to because it was solar power (no battery replacement), atomic (automatically…
Read more →December 20, 2010
HighTechDad’s 2010 Gadget Roundup & Gift Guide
Better late than never I guess! Over the past year, I have tested out and reviewed a variety of gadgets and consumer electronic devices. Most of these were hand-picked for review purposes in that they are devices that, to me, looked really interesting and intriguing. Given that there are only a few days left for shopping, I realize that this…
Read more →December 17, 2010
Not Just Next Gen Gaming, but Future Computer Interaction? Xbox 360 with the Kinect
My family and I have had the Xbox 360 and Xbox Kinect for about a month now, and I must say that I'm personally impressed by the level of technology that has gone into the Xbox Kinect. I'm not a huge gamer and neither are my kids. Of course, we pretty much have everything: Nintendo N64, original Xbox, Nintendo DS,…
Read more →December 14, 2010
The Jabra Stone2 is a Techy Bluetooth Headset that’s a Comfortable, Solid Performer!
Jabra introduced a pretty innovative Bluetooth headset a while ago call the Jabra Stone. It had an attractive design in that it was actually like a small river rock, smooth and comfortably fitting in your hand. The "stone" part actually contains a battery that acts as a charger for the headset. It creatively houses the headset when not in use.…
Read more →December 8, 2010
Mophie does iPad Cases too, the Right Way! I’m Liking the Workbook.
I have reviewed a bunch of Mophie devices (iPhone battery cases) and when they asked me if I wanted to take a look at their new iPad case, I couldn't resist. I have a variety of iPad cases lying around my office, some I have reviewed and use, others I just have tried for a few minutes only to put…
Read more →December 3, 2010
Reversible FreakyPets Give Your Kids a Toy with “Split Personalities” & a 3D Online World
A stuffed animal frequently inspires creativity and imagination within children. Entire worlds can be unleashed with just a simple plush toy and a child's brain. All too frequently, toys are manufactured with a "story line" already built in as is seen in "features" that are baked into the toy, leaving little room for your kids to explore their own creativity.…
Read more →December 1, 2010
iPad Cases to Match Your Personality – Targus “Protect What’s Inside”
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty overwhelmed by all of the iPad case choices out there. As with any time Apple launches an iOS device (e.g., iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch), within a few days/weeks/months, there are a slew of cases that trail behind. I kind of equate it to an ice cream truck going down the street with…
Read more →November 29, 2010
Keurig & Cuisinart Brew Coffee Making Solutions Quickly & Easily in a Single Serving
I'm going to make an odd comparison here and hopefully people will get it. We all know how successful Apple has been with their App store and the products that "consume" the applications like the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Well let's stretch our imagination a bit and apply this to the coffee brewer industry. Over the past few months,…
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