“Hardware” collection
Explore the physical components and high-performance peripherals that power the modern digital environment. This category features rigorous testing of computing hardware, advanced power solutions, and durable equipment built for demanding tech enthusiasts.
HTD Tech Briefs
View all →May 28, 2013
Capture, Store and Use the Sun’s Power Easily with GoalZero Solar Products
I love solar energy. And I guess my dog loves it as well - basking in it to stay warm. The sun is seemingly a limitless source of power. It only needs to be harnessed. With the proper equipment, you can be ready for just about any situation, a camping trip, an emergency or a way to simply save on…
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May 21, 2013
Giveaway! Your First Smartphone Could Be the HTC First!
It's been a while since I hosted a giveaway, so I thought that I would start out the Memorial Day Holidays with a giveaway holiday! If you don't have a smartphone yet, this giveaway is for you! Or, if your child is ready for their first smartphone, you better enter. Or if you simply want a back up phone, you…
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May 17, 2013
Remote, Programmatic Home Automation at its Best – the Belkin WeMo
Home Automation and Remote Controls are cool. Really cool. Think back to the days of The Clapper (which you can still buy, by the way). Clap on, clap off. We have come a long way though. Now we have Internet-connected gadgets, gizmos, appliances and devices, hopefully all designed to make our lives easier, safer or simply better. The Belkin WeMo…
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May 15, 2013
Using the Sun to Power your Gadgets & Light the Way – WAKAWAKA POWER
If you look up into the sky, assuming it's sunny and daytime, you will see a vast energy source that is incredibly untapped - the sun. Solar power technologies have been evolving a break-neck speeds and the size and costs have been reduced dramatically to the point where you can throw a solar panel, charger and battery into your backpack…
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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 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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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 13, 2013
How To Fix a Broken iPhone Home Button – A Free & Easy Software Fix
Yesterday I received a panicked call from one of my daughters - "Daddy, my iPhone's home button is broken!" Tears and wailing ensued. But, as with any broken gadget, I was up for the challenge, knowing that I could either replace the iPhone home button myself or figure out some other way to breath a few extra days or weeks…
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February 8, 2013
Can You Have a Love Affair with a Gadget?
"I'm in love with the iPad Mini" I proclaimed proudly to my wife. I didn't expect the response (well, I did in a way). "You cannot be in love with a gadget." That was that. End of discussion. I had been hoping to start a conversation about why I like the iPad Mini so much or why it is better…
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January 10, 2013
A New Respect for Plumbers, Learning from Trade Professionals and The Zen of Snaking Out a Sewage Line
I have a bit of a "crappy" story to tell. Literally. And it doesn't have to do with technology, it involves sewage. I believe that the house that I own has plumbing possessed by Mother Nature. Ever since we have owned our home, there is an annual tradition (sometimes more than once a year) where we have to call out…
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January 9, 2013
iOS Apps & Backups are Hogging Up Your Hard Drive – How To Easily Free Up Disk Space
I don't know about you but I am always looking for ways to clear up my laptop's precious free hard drive space. I have tools that clean caches, temporary files, language files, logs and files in my trash. But I never seem to get ahead of the game. I probably never will but a periodic cleaning is always an important…
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December 19, 2012
Boom, Boom, Pow! The Boombotix Boombot2 Rocks Bluetooth Audio Streaming with an Edgy Design
With so many speaker solutions out in the market these days, it's nice to see a company that makes their design a little edgier and with character. Literally. The Boombotix Boombot2 brings functionality and collectible character in their Bluetooth and wired portable speaker, making is a pretty neat gift for kids (and they even have a boring gray version for…
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