“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 →February 17, 2010
Charge Your Gadgets Even When the Power is Out with the Scosche solBAT II Solar Charger
I spent a few hours at the MacWorld Expo 2010 and I saw a lot of innovative and cool products. But many of those devices were really only the "nice to have" kind. However, one device in particular stood out in my mind as something that every household should have: the Scosche solBAT II which is a solar powered backup…
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February 12, 2010
Hands-on Video: Parrot’s AR.drone – iPhone Controlled Quadrocopter Compliments their Vision
MacWorld Expo 2010 kicked off yesterday but even before the Expo exhibit hall opened, I was having fun with a gadget that got a lot of hype at CES 2010 - the Parrot AR.drone, an iPhone-controlled, Augmented Reality "quadrocopter". While not actually a part of MacWorld, the Parrot team was just down the street from the Expo giving hands-on previews…
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February 10, 2010
Has Apple Peaked? Their Ego Sure Hasn’t!
As I prep for covering MacWorld Expo 2010, I decided to take a step back and truly think about Apple a bit more. It wasn't that many years ago that people were saying their doom was inevitable. Back then, their products were less than stellar and splintered and people figured that they were on their last legs. However, through that…
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February 5, 2010
How To Upgrade an iMac G5’s Hard Drive – iFixit.com to the Rescue!
A few weeks ago, my daughter's (hand-me-down) 20" iMac G5 started acting up. It was showing the infamous "spinning beachball", was locking up, the fan was running a lot and loud and the machine was having kernel panics. I did a quick S.M.A.R.T. scan on it which is usually a good indication of the health (or lack there of) of…
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January 27, 2010
The Apple iPad – Why It Might NOT be a Winner … Yet!
So earlier today, I fully drank from Apple's vat of Kool-Aid. I wrote about Apple's new iPad and how I think that it will be a game-changer. I still think that it has definitely drawn the line in the sand for the competition to go after, but when you report on any ground-breaking technology, you need to look at it…
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January 27, 2010
Apple’s New iPad Announced and My Thoughts – Is It A Winner?
The weeks of waiting and speculation are now over. Today, Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, unveiled a new device for Apple called the "iPad." Building upon the success of the iPhone/iPod Touch OS and the elegance of the MacBook Pro lines but with the portability of the MacBook Air, Apple reaffirmed its innovative stance within the technology arena. I followed the…
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January 21, 2010
Microsoft Wants YOU to Test Out Office 2010 Beta on a Loaner Laptop
A very cool program from Microsoft just came across my email and I thought that it was important to share with my readers. Essentially, with this program called the "Microsoft Office 2010 Real Life Stories", you are loaned a laptop PC (a Dell Studio 17 running Windows 7) that has Office 2010 Beta installed on it and all that you…
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January 19, 2010
Cast of Dads: Podcast #6 – “Truckers (and others) Love Technology!”
On Episode #6 of the Cast of Dads podcast titled "Truckers Love Technology," we spent much of the podcast answering a question sent in by a daddy trucker ("Jokerman" by his handle). Jokerman had some questions about technology specifically from a driver's perspective. When I think about it, I simply could not live with my daily dose of various podcasts,…
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January 18, 2010
Reviewing the Nokia N900 – a Smartphone with Lots of Potential
For the past several weeks, I have been doing some on and off testing of the Nokia N900, a smart phone running on Nokia's proprietary operating system, the Maemo 5. I personally have never been a Nokia follower and as I think back, the only Nokia device that I have owned was an old PacBell PCS cellphone from many years…
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January 13, 2010
Cast of Dads: Podcast #5 – “Guys Love Gadgets”
This episode of the "Cast of Dads" podcast was something near and dear to my heart…GADGETS! With CES 2010 having just finished, we decided that the theme for the podcast would be gadgets and technology. Jeff Sass provided some great insight having just gotten back from CES (I covered the show remotely) but we all weighed in with differing opinions…
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January 11, 2010
How to Remove an Old Microwave & Install a New Panasonic Microwave (Model: NN-SD277WR)
Most people don't think of a microwave as a gadget, but I guess if it plugs in, has buttons and a display, it excites me a bit. But before I go in a major analysis of popcorn pop timing (or burning), I wanted rewind back. Here's the story. I had a microwave that was on its last legs, the outer…
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January 8, 2010
CES Coverage Remote #3: More Gadget Thoughts & News from the Day
My coverage of CES 2010 (remotely) is starting to run out of steam. I can only imagine what the people covering it there are feeling. I must say, that c|net has done the best in terms of presenting their coverage in my opinion. I have been watching BOL (Buzz Out Loud Live@CES 2010) as well as regularly reading the "CES…
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