Category: Reviews

March 16th marked the six month anniversary of my move from AT&T to Project Fi as my main carrier service.  It is a move that I admit I approached with some trepidation.  I had been with AT&T since 1998 (seriously) and the thought of moving from the albeit expensive known to the inexpensive unknown was a concern.  It was a big change and one I hoped would work out.  It has, in spades.

For those interesting, you can read my original review of the service here on the site.

Not only have I seen a massive reduction in my mobile bill each month, I have also found that Project Fi works well in just about every area I have traveled here in the United States and abroad.  I regularly find that I have a solid, fast data connection when I need it but with Wi-Fi assistant on my side getting me connected up to fast, secure wireless networks, I have found my data consumption has dramatically gone down with no real changes in my usage behavior.  It’s not perfect this Project Fi thing but it is improving constantly and clearly Google feels confident in it given they just eliminated the invite system to get started on it.  I’ve put together some thoughts around the service to help those of you who are considering it.

The 2016 Formula One season kicks off this weekend in Melbourne, Australia in what promises to be an interesting season.  Mercedes has dominated F1 the last couple of years but all eyes are on Ferrari as they look potent in pre-season testing while Williams, Force India and Red Bull scrap to stay in the hunt each weekend.  And don’t forget that in 2016 there is a new F1 team from America:  HaaS F1.  Whether you are an old fan like me or new to the sport, the Official F1 app for Android is a must-have app.  Regardless if you use the free version of the app or get the extra benefits of the premium monthly service, there is a wealth of information about the teams, drivers, and news from around the paddock with the premium service bringing some great live action and radio at each race.  Overall it is a solid app but there are a few things that could stand a bit of improvement. Here is my review.

Wireless charging is one of those technologies that seems to have a love-hate relationship.  Some people, me included, love it and find it handy to not have to plus in my devices to charge them.  Others find the slower charging and sometimes positioning your device Just. Exactly. Right. on the pad to be too much of a pain.  I won’t be spending this review trying to convince anyone to use wireless charging but for those who do, or want to try it, and have a Qi (pronounced “Chee”) compatible device, the Anker Wireless Charger is an excellent option for your charging needs.  At only $12.99 on Amazon (regularly $59.99), it is an excellent value and performs exceptionally well.

At the end of last year, HP announced they were updating the majority of their Chromebook lineup with improved processors and overall improvements.  Of those, the Chromebook 11 G3 was one that was upgraded and the new Chromebook 11 G4 was released in November 2015.  The smallest of the HP lineup of Chromebooks, the 11 G4 starts at a budget friendly $199 which puts it in the middle of stiff competition from the likes of Acer, Asus and others.

I have been using the Chromebook 11 G4 as my primary computer over the course of the last 10 days and in this price range, it is one of the best built Chromebooks I have used.  It feels like a proper laptop, not a plastic toy, and it has the performance overall to meet almost anyone’s needs.  While it isn’t perfect – the display and battery life are areas of concern – it is a solid enough performer for me to recommend it if you are looking for a 11″ Chromebook.

Here is my review.

As users of Android and Windows based tablets continue to demand more productivity from their devices, accessories like Bluetooth keyboards equally are seeing a rise in usage. We see things like folio-style keyboards that essentially serve as a case and keyboard for your tablet all in the effort of providing a physical keyboard while not adding much bulk or adding a measure of protection. One of the best at providing that functionality as well as protection is the Zagg Auto-Fit Folio

Designed to fit 7″, 8″ or 10″ tablets, the Zagg auto-fit Folio uses a spring-loaded mechanism to hold your tablet in place while giving you a comfortable and very responsive keyboard that you connect to your tablet via Bluetooth. Add to that, the keyboard is folio-style case that has a hard outer shell to provide protection for your tablet while it is inside the keyboard case.

I recently received one of the Zagg Folio’s to try out with my Nexus 7 and having used it heavily in that time (in fact, this review is being written on it), I have to say it is one of the best Bluetooth keyboards I have used. It has solid performance, responsive typing and key action and is simply to setup all while not adding a huge amount of bulk to a slim tablet. This product is certainly one I can recommend with confidence.

In our battery driven consumer world, making sure you have enough battery on your mobile device is key to getting through the day. Sometimes however that is a bit tricky depending on how busy the day has been for you. To meet that need, many companies have developed battery packs that you can plug your phone into so you can recharge without having to dive for that one electrical plug in the airport terminal. Some of these battery packs are nice and aesthetically pleasing while others are… well less so.

When I was contacted by EasyAcc about their PowerBank and they sent me a review unit, I knew that power wise it was going to be fine. What surprised me was the sleek design. This device does not look like a lump of battery sitting next to you at the airport. It’s rounded corners, plastic shell and color band around it make it look really sharp while still maintaining functionality. After all, the point of the PowerBank is to charge my Nexus 6 and Nexus 7 while I’m on-the-go. To that end, it performed flawlessly.