“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 2, 2011
10 Ways to Use FaceTime with the iPad 2, iPhone 4, iPod Touch or Mac That You Might Not Have Thought Of
If you have a Mac, or an iPhone or now an iPad 2, you probably have heard of FaceTime. This is Apple's foray into video conferencing but with a heavy consumer focus. FaceTime was first launched with the iPhone 4 and the iPod Touch, and then rolled out to the Mac as a beta. Then the Mac version made it…
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April 29, 2011
Ford & Sony Bring “Cast of Dads” Members Together (Almost) – “Family Road Trips”
I'm encouraged that big brands out there are starting to listen. There is a difference between simply pushing your product traditionally, and using real voices, people and opinions to create stories around these products and brands. The first is a traditional method that frequently gets lost in the clutter of all of the other brand chatter out there, and the…
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April 27, 2011
Hang In There Sony…And Thanks for Your Continued Innovation
It happens to the best of us. We plan for the worst, do all of our due diligence, prepare for the unexpected, test and re-test and cross our fingers a lot. But inevitably, there is always something that we didn't think of. I could be talking about the recent Amazon Web Services outage or the napping by the Air Traffic…
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April 25, 2011
10 Days in a Lincoln MKX – A Crossover SUV with an Almost Perfect Blend of Technology and Luxury
It seems that I have started sort of an annual tradition every Spring Break. For the past two years, Ford Motors has graciously lent me a car to enjoy with my family during our vacation. Each year thus far, we have driven from San Francisco to Los Angeles and back again. And each year, the car that we used has…
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April 22, 2011
How To Fix “The Required File Cannot Be Found” Error When Syncing an iPhone or iPod Touch
Every since I had to restore my iPhone 4 from a backup, I have been having a pesky error message popping up each and every time I would sync my iPhone with iTunes on my Mac. It cryptically said "The iPhone [insert your iPhone name here] cannot be synced. The required file cannot be found." Nothing more. No error message…
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April 20, 2011
iMovie & the iPad 2 = Fun Afternoon Creativity With the Kids
What do you get when you put together 2 kids, a dad, some stuffed animals, an iPad 2, iMovie and a bunch of pent up creativity? Well, I found out this past weekend as my kids and I created an entire movie (albeit short) in just a few hours using only an iPad 2 and iMovie on it for the…
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April 18, 2011
“It’s Like Walking on Springy Marshmallows” – New Sneakers from Crocs: Bowen & Hover Lace Ups
Footwear isn't exactly very techy, so why am I writing about it? Well for starters, I don't always write about tech. There are other things in life too, or so I'm told. Supposedly you have to sleep, eat, get dressed, shower, work, get exercise, laugh and do some other non-tech related things...right?! Let's rewind a bit to the "get dressed"…
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April 14, 2011
A Perfect Internet-Based Phone Service for Your Home Office or Second Line for your Kids – Ooma VoIP
Talking on the phone has become easier and easier. With unlimited calling now from both land lines as well as cell phones, many people simply don't worry about talking on a phone for a long period of time. Some people are even completely switching out their home phone with a cell phone. Personally, I'm not quite there yet. Yes, we…
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April 13, 2011
Dads are Ready for Summer! Road Trips, Teen Celebrities, Music Madness, Spring Sports & More – Cast of Dads Podcast #41
The Dads are definitely getting back into the swing of things, finally able to get together to talk about the latest and greatest things happening to us and our families. Obviously, our opinions and advice fly like t-balls in the Spring but you have to listen to the Cast of Dads podcast #41 "Summer is Almost Upon Us" for all…
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April 1, 2011
Hey Parents, Some Kids’ TV Shows are On Sale in iTunes for the Next Two Weeks!
With the weather (hopefully) changing for the better (at least out where I live), being good parents, we are pretty much required to get our kids OUT of the house and playing outside. That means, un-plugging from the computer/game console/TV/electronic gadget. But who am I to talk, I'm always plugged in pretty much everywhere I go. So, don't be like…
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March 28, 2011
Angry Birds Always Makes Me Happy & I Can Make You Happy with an Angry Birds Rio GIVEAWAY
If you haven't heard of the Angry Birds mobile game by Rovio, then you probably don't have kids, don't have a cell phone, or simply don't really care about gaming in general. But if you have, then you know how addictive it is to play and how successful it has been as a multi-platform game. It is currently the #1…
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March 24, 2011
A Great iPhone 5 Rumors Infographic & My Thoughts On It and What Apple Will Really Do
I absolutely LOVE infographics! I almost view them as a form of art (coupled with some marketing spin). And, I love the iPhone (being pretty much an Apple "fan boy"), ok, well, I love technology in general, obviously. The folks over at NowhereElse.fr (a French technology blog) put together a really GREAT infographic that rounds up all of the iPhone…
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