The majority of Apple Watch Series 3 reviews focus on the cellular model, but the one most people should get is the less-expensive GPS version. While it’s amazing you can place calls from your wrist without a phone, the GPS-only version does almost everything the fancier one does, and it doesn’t add a $17-a-month fee to your bill (I explain …
Continue reading “Three weeks with the Apple Watch Series 3 GPS: A review”
The Amazon Dash Wand with Alexa is a brand new, inexpensive battery-powered shopping and information device for the home. It’s similar, in a way, to the popular Amazon Echo smart speakers, but it’s different in lots of ways, too. Amazon Echo devices are primarily used to listen to music, but, the new Dash Wand isn’t …
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There are lots of reviews of the Canon 7D Mark II that lean heavily into its specs, but that’s not what you’ll find here. I shoot photos and videos primarily to indulge my interests. It’s a hobby, and I make purchases largely based on emotion. These are the primary forces that drove me to buy this beefy camera. …
When Steve Jobs introduced the original iPhone in 2007, he unveiled several major innovations — but the multitouch interface was by far the most important. It redefined the possibilities of mobile tech. Seven years later, Amazon debuted a product that may have an equally impressive input innovation. However, instead of being a sleek handheld gadget, it was a stark, voice-activated speaker. Initially, the …
Continue reading “Amazon aims for domination with the 2nd Gen Echo Dot”
I’ve had the 3rd generation Nest Learning Thermostat installed in my home for the past four months, and now I want to share my experience with this sleek, sexy, and slightly frustrating gadget. If you don’t have time for a long review, here’s a quick one: Overall, I’m satisfied. It’s not perfect, but it’s far better than …
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I recently purchased a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones, and I decided to share my opinion of them. Here’s the short version: they’re good, big, recording studio headphones. If you’re not using them for production, they’re nice headphones for regular use, but, they’re bulky and lack built-in controls for smartphones. In my case, this turned out …
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When someone is speaking in front of your camera, you need specific microphones to clearly capture their voice. But what if you’re not trying to record the sound of someone’s voice? What if you’re shooting a serene nature scene with no dialog? How about footage of a busy city street? How do you sonically transport …
Continue reading “Hands-on Review of the Rode Stereo VideoMic Pro”
My friends and family were surprised when I bought an Android phone in October of 2013. I had long been pegged as an Apple fanatic. Indeed, I was a big supporter of Apple. All of my computers were Macs, I owned an iPad 2 and an Apple TV. I had been using iPhones nonstop for five …
Continue reading “Switching to an iPhone 6S after two years of Android”
I just completed an audio test of the Tascam DR-70D, comparing it with the Zoom H4n and the Tascam DR-40. The test features side-by-side comparisons of each recorder’s built-in microphones, and you also get to hear how they handle several popular microphone for video work: the Rode NTG-3, Rode NTG-2, Audio-Technica 4053B, and the Sennheiser …
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I’ve been a Final Cut Pro user for a long time. It’s the only professional video editing software I’ve ever used. Even though it’s my tool of choice, I avoided upgrading to the new version for as long as I possibly could. Final Cut Pro X has been lingering in my subconscious ever since it was first …
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