“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 →August 14, 2010
A Dude Ranch Vacation at Greenhorn Creek Ranch – Riding, Fishing and Generally “Horsing Around”!
My family and I spent about a week up at a Dude Ranch in Northern California called "Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch". Since I have 3 girls, their grandparents thought that introducing them to horses and ranching at their age would be great for them. I couldn't agree more! Earlier this year, we set out looking for a nice dude ranch…
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July 13, 2010
Laptop Got Stolen? Send PREY Out to Find It, for Free!
I'm sure that many of you have heard of the Find My iPhone service for MobileMe that helps you locate missing iPhones or iPads. Or the equivalent on Windows Mobile phones called My Phone. And I'm sure you know about LoJack that helps you locate stolen cars. LoJack also offers a service for computers as well, for a price. There…
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June 30, 2010
My Brain was Upgraded at Intel’s “Upgrade Your Life” 2010 Summit
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the Intel "Upgrade Your Life" 2010 Summit (my announcement) which was a gathering of a variety of technology influencers and bloggers. At this summit, we were introduced to a number of different individuals representing different initiatives within Intel. There were 10 of us invited to participate in some very intimate…
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June 16, 2010
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Mini Pounds Out a MAXI Amount of Quality Sound as an iPod Speaker System
I'm back with yet another iPhone/iPod speaker review. But wait, before your eyes glaze over, you really should read what I have to say. This time around, I tested out the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Mini, which is sort of the baby brother of the Zeppelin (which I personally think is a bit too wild looking for my tastes). In…
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June 15, 2010
The Sony Dash – Not Just a Fancy Clock Radio – An Internet Connected Appliance! (Sony Giveaway too!)
My wife now has a digital companion as she puts on her make-up or gets ready for the day in the bathroom. Carefully positioned on her makeup table is a small, digital screen that looks like a clock radio. But it is much more than that! The Sony Dash, formerly known as the "Chumby" is truly an Internet connected appliance…
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June 10, 2010
A Microsoft Companion for the Apple iPad or iPhone? YES! The Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000
When the iPad first came out, some of the biggest questions were "how well does the keyboard work?" or "is typing on the screen fairly easy?" In fact, I still get asked that question repeatedly. My answer is usually short and sweet, "Great!" I always say, and that is normally because I'm deep in note taking or writing a blog…
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June 8, 2010
Stream Your Family’s Media to the Big Screen TV using the Western Digital TV Live
Father's Day comes at almost the perfect time of the year. School is just ending and you are literally "gearing up" for the summer. If you are thinking about gifts for your Dad and he happens to be the resident audio/visual guy, I've got a great recommendation for a device that will easily allow you to play all of the…
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June 3, 2010
WINNER – Jawbone ICON Father’s Day GIVEAWAY & Review – Become a Hero!
I have always wanted a Jawbone ever since I read about the company and their Bluetooth headset products. It could be simply because I was sucked into their strong marketing, but I like to think it is because of the design and technology. Jawbone has been creating revolutionary, high-end Bluetooth headsets for several years, and they have just come out…
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May 24, 2010
My 10 Essential iPad Applications Thus Far
Ok, this is another one of "those lists." And for many people, this list of my top iPad applications is very subjective in nature. What I feel to be a hot application, others may find to be a yawner. And I only have a couple of weeks of experience and a limited budget to form my opinion. But here goes…
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May 12, 2010
iPhone App “Am I Done?” Answers THAT Exact Question When Your Kids Ask You It
Part of a parent's role is to ensure that your kids brush their teeth well, take a shower or bath, clean their rooms, or just simply wash their hands. Most of the time, when you ask your kids to do these tasks, they wave a toothbrush within a few inches of their teeth, splash some water on their bodies or…
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May 7, 2010
New GelaSkins Give your iPad Protection as well as Personality
Putting a skin on your electronic device is nothing new. Just go to a mall or an electronics store and you can find a bunch of different products that wrap around your device. But there are several drawbacks to those run of the mill skins. They have boring designs, the don't fit your device quite right, they look and feel…
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May 5, 2010
Altec Lansing’s inMotion Compact – An Innovative, Portable Speaker Solution for Mom
With Mother's Day just around the corner, I thought that I would do a quick review of the Altec Lansing inMotion Compact (iMT320) portable speaker as one of those great tech gifts for Mom. But before you rush out and get one of these (and I do recommend that you do), here is a strategy for you gadget-crazy men/dads (and…
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