“General” collection
Access a diverse collection of miscellaneous technology reviews, specialized DIY tool assessments, and unique lifestyle articles. From niche electrical equipment to general digital organization tips, this section covers the broad spectrum of a tech-focused life.
HTD Tech Briefs
View all →May 8, 2013
Did You Miss Us? We’ve Been Licking Lemon Ant Butts! Cast of Dads Podcast #57
Yep, we're baaaack! Have you ever tried to organize the lives of 5 busy dads who are dispersed across the country and time zones? The image of herding cats comes to mind. The desire to record our Cast of Dads podcast is there, the free time, however, is not. Yeah, excuses, excuses. We did manage to all get on a…
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May 7, 2013
How To Easily Remove, Install & Replace an Apple iPhone 4S Battery (Video)
I'm such a heavy user of my Apple iPhones that it really seems like about a year after I get one, I'm doing a how-to article on replacing the iPhone's battery. I now have an iPhone 4S and this past weekend, I replaced the battery. Other smartphone users may scoff at the fact that Apple has made their hardware quite…
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April 29, 2013
What Has Happened to Continuity?
Was it something I said or did? Why aren't you talking to me any more? Did I not do everything you asked? No, I'm not talking about dating here, although, in some way I sort of am. I am talking about being "dumped" by a brand. This is particularly painful if you are a blogger or content creator. Breakups are…
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April 26, 2013
Comfortable, No-Frills, Good Performing, Family SUV – 2013 GMC Acadia Review
The 2013 GMC Acadia is an SUV turned crossover (I still think of it as an SUV) which I believe is a bit of a sleeper. Probably the most aggressive features of it is the bold front grill with the GMC logo on it. It's strong, as if to say, get out of my way, I'm a GMC and I'm…
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April 25, 2013
How to Stop CHKDSK from Running on Every Boot Up
Recently, my Windows 7 computer started running a CHKDSK each and every time that it booted up. For those that don't know, the CHKDSK utility is a way that Windows validates the system file structure and integrity of your computer's hard drive. You can scan your hard drive with it or run it with a fix (/f) flag to correct…
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April 17, 2013
Remember the Evil. Embrace the Good. Talk with your Kids.
Take a bucket full of water. Pour some oil into it, not too much, but enough so that is forms a small blob floating on the surface. Now find a large rock and drop it into the water and oil. What happens? Obviously there is a splash. And if you look down in the bucket, you see lots of smaller…
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April 15, 2013
Wii U – Will U? I Will! Why I like the Nintendo Wii U
I'm not a hard core gamer. I do have an Xbox (original & 360), a PS3 and the original Wii. Now I have the Nintendo Wii U. I'm more of a social family gamer, that is to say, I only game with my kids (or occasionally when I have a free moment at night and then it is FPS and…
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April 10, 2013
Social Media Policy for Families
Quite a few years ago, I came up with some Social Media Guidelines, primarily geared towards businesses. I realized I also seem to write a lot of tips and recommendations for parents on how they can help their kids with social media. That got me thinking. Perhaps, I should come up with a social media policy for families (kids and…
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April 8, 2013
The Front of the Line Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood
Hollywood is a magical place. It has a 24-hour buzz of excitement, creativity and activity. Most people never get to really understand it unless you "work in the industry." It's the place where actors make it (or don't), where writing comes to life on the screen and where people flock from around the world to experience stardom. Universal Studios Hollywood…
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March 28, 2013
The Jabra Speak 510 Bluetooth & USB Connected Speakerphone Truly Speaks Great for Itself
As workforces become more distributed to satellite offices, home offices, client locations and even roaming within an organization, technology needs to be adaptable to any scenario. Mobile devices like laptops, smartphones and tablets have untethered our dependence on corded locations, meaning that the worker (or parent) on the go often is not always at the same location. And despite our…
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March 25, 2013
5 Reasons Why Social Media Might Actually Be Good for your Child
WARNING: The repeated use of Social Media can be dangerous to your child's well-being. Should we have a Surgeon General’s warning label slapped onto each and every social media site out there? What about some sort of age rating system like we have for movies, music and video games? No, of course not. The Internet is all about freedom of…
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March 22, 2013
15 Top Cloud Computing Use Cases
Cloud computing is established. And it has been proven by small and large businesses alike. Over the past 5 or so years, I have seen all types of companies adopting cloud computing as both primary and secondary sets of on-demand compute. Some cloud computing use cases are pretty traditional (e.g., a simple web presence) while others become extremely complex and…
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