“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 →August 9, 2012
A Plush, Propping Pillow for your iPad
I have seen many different types of cases for iPads out there and most of the ones that I have reviewed are for "out in the world" use cases, meaning they provide hard case protection (and some even include Bluetooth keyboards). But then I got to spend some time with the CushPad, which is a large, bulky, pillow-like "case" that…
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August 8, 2012
The Anatomy of my Targus Conquer Plus Blogger Backpack
Have you ever wondered what type of equipment bloggers carry around with them? I do. And I'm always intrigued by the cases or packs that they use. Mainly because I want to figure out what I need in my own case to be a prepared blogger. For several years, I used a custom-made backpack that I hand-selected the materials for.…
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August 1, 2012
A New Olympic Sport? The Orangutan Hang! – Cast of Dads Podcast #53
As the summer starts to wind down, the Cast of Dads convened via the phone waves again to record another laughter-fill and educational podcast, "Orangutan Hang and the Olympics." With just days to the start of the Summer Olympics 2012 in London, we believe we might have figured out another Olympic sport - the Orangutan Hang - but you will…
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July 30, 2012
Getting Rugged in the 2012 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X SUV
For 7 days, my family and I went off-roading in the 2012 Nissan Xterra Pro-4x SUV way up deep into the mountains with no signs of humanity for miles. Well, actually we didn't, we only drove over to Monterrey, CA, but in my mind, I imagined taking the Xterra up into the mountains using the 4x4 the entire time. We…
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July 28, 2012
Phishing for Your Olympic Spirit – Buyer Beware!
With the Olympics right around the corner, the last thing that you want to think about is security. Well, let me rephrase that, there is plenty of security at the Olympics itself and I'm one of many who sincerely hopes that the 2012 Olympics in London goes smoothly and safely. Go Team USA! But, if you are traveling or thinking…
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July 25, 2012
How To Create a Bootable Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8) Installation DVD or USB Drive [Updated]
As many people know, Apple's new Operating System, OS 10.8 - a.k.a. "Mountain Lion," is officially available for purchase and download. Just head over to the Apple App Store on your supported Mac and purchase and install Mountain Lion now! As part of the upgrade process, your Emergency Recovery Boot Partition will be upgraded to support re-installs of Mountain Lion…
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July 20, 2012
Dropcam HD is the Ultimate Home Monitoring Webcam Now with HD Video, Night Vision & 2-Way Audio
Almost two years ago, I reviewed a new wireless webcam that I felt was a clear winner, especially for families - the Dropcam. It was by far the easiest to set up and use, wireless web-connected video streaming camera that I had used. Over the past 2 years, I used it pretty much every day. It allowed me to have…
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July 18, 2012
Technology & Style Drive the 2012 Ford Edge Limited Edition
I have been test driving Fords for a few years now and I see an evolution happening. Not only are the autos becoming more stylish, the technology driving them is evolving. I remember first testing out the Ford Sync (when it was known more as Microsoft Sync) in the 2010 Ford Flex. Now, Ford has kept the innovation engine running…
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July 13, 2012
How to Use Olympic Gymnastics Scoring to Get Your Kids to do their Chores
There is a lot of excitement in my house with the coming 2012 Olympics in London, mainly because my 10-year-old daughter is a competitive gymnast. We watched the women's gymnastics trials a few weeks ago, and my daughter has some clear favorites and has been critiquing how each of the gymnasts are doing. But as we sat around watching the…
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July 9, 2012
A Vacation on Wheels! Review of the 2012 Volvo C70 Convertible
Test driving cars is truly a lot of fun and only over the past couple of years has it become regular content on HighTechDad.com. For me, I believe that cars are an important part of the family dynamic. They can be both utilitarian but also define the family persona. There may be one car that you use to do the…
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July 2, 2012
Parents Beware: Instagram & Kik Messenger Are A Dangerous Combination & What Social Dangers to Check For
Over the past few years, I have written about security and safety for the family, especially when it comes to protecting your kids from online predators and social bullies. My wife and I really try to practice what we preach. But as social networks and sharing services evolve, sometimes it is hard to keep up with the latest and greatest…
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June 28, 2012
How To Set the Default Address Book in Microsoft Outlook 2010
I recently got a new computer at my work and got Microsoft Outlook 2010 installed on it. However, I kept running into problems as I was trying to send emails to people within my organization. I would type in their name and Outlook wouldn't find it. I would then click the "To:" button and no names would show. This is…
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