I should really really watch what I ask for. For years I’ve complained about the size of my ham-hands. Finding a good gaming mouse to fit my mallets is like trying to tailor a dress for Lady Liberty. Sure I’ve found some larger mice that get the job done well enough and a few ergonomic mice that fit but with lack luster performance or sensor response. Our favorite mice thus far have come from SteelSeries and Corsair and only the latter one is of larger size.

So it was with excitement and high anticipation that I welcomed the Corsair Raptpr M4 gaming laser mouse. This is a large ergonomic gaming mouse with room and finger-indents for all four fingers on your right-hand. The mouse is capable or reaching 600dpi and features 6-programmable buttons. It’s definitely not the swiftest mouse on the block. But we’ve stated time and again, that anything above 3000dpi runs the risk of being too uncontrollable, unless you’re working on a ultra wide 4k HD monitor or television. It also ships with a mouse storage bag and extra PTFE mouse slider feet.

The Raptor M4 is a surprisingly simple mouse. It’s massive but not heavy at all. To be clear, removing any weights made it too light. The weight system in general is a bit misleading. There are two sets of 8-weights affixed with adhesive so the individual weights themselves cannot be easily removed from the pads to which they are stuck. You can simple remove one pad of 8-weight or the other. Not much in the way of weight adjustment.

The limiting options don’t stop there either. The Raptor M4 software is just as slim and is not same or compatible with Corsair more familiar Vengeance gaming software. After a quick download from the company product page, Raptor Gaming Technology installs in seconds. But the interface seems very dated with blurry text that is out of focus. Within, you can’t set specific dpi settings. You can only choose from 600-, 1200-, 1800-, 240-0, 3200-, 4800- and 6000dpi presets. Adding insult to injury, there is no option to set, import, export or record custom macros. You can create 1 or 2-button “Key Combinations” but that’s just as limiting as it sounds. The utility allows you to set buttons using a drop-down windows filled with more presets. You can’t assign applications to launch from t mouse button-presses. But you can set keyboard commands to the 6-different buttons by using a single button in the Key Combinations feature. It works but, again its a bit constricting compared to the software for competing mice.

The Raptor M4 is a uncomplicated solution that can be had for simple money. But I must stress, this mouse is for very large-handed folks–of which I am surprisingly not included. The new behemoth from Corsair is simply too big for my hand. I can play RTS and RPG games fine. But games even requiring the slightest twitch-factor render the Raptor M4 slow and lumber by comparison. For the size I would like to see more buttons, a better implemented weight system and slightly more sophisticated software suite. I appreciate what Corsair has done here. This is just what some large-handed gamers need. But size it’s the full package, functionality and versatility are still lacking.
That said, it’s not all bad for the Raptor M4. The 6-programmable buttons are responsive, the left-side thumb buttons are well-positioned, the metallic scroll wheel spins soft and quiet and the DPI switch is out of the way but easy to reach.

Adding “bling” and flair to your favorite Smartphone is all well and good. But when it comes to selecting a protective case for my mobile device du jour, I often look for a suitable companion that can either make up for existing shortcomings or accentuate other aspects of the device. The Seido Surface is a protective case meticulously tailored to preserve the HTC One without hindering or occluding its good looks.

Ballistic has something just as complimentary for the One’s main rival–the Samsung Galaxy S4. It’s the Ballistic Aspira Case in its “FlowerPinkOrage” version. This one piece of durable protective goodness makes up the GS4′s biggest hurdle. That’s the flimsy plastic housing. It’s an accident waiting to happen, and is also one of the phones biggest detractors when compared to the up-swell of metal constructed unibody design like that found in the HTC One.

The Ballistic Aspira Case is made from a highly durable rubber and plastic. This dual layer of protection works overtime to absorb shock and fall damage. The plastic is also treated with high polish finish that cools slick and seems to help to prevent lint, hair and other microfibers from sticking to the case like many other cases made from similar materials. There is extra padding packed in each corner for enhanced durability. Smart, since the corners are the stress spots and areas most likely to suffer the brunt from fall impacts.

Installing your Samsung Galaxy S4 into the Ballistic Aspira Case is a bit tricky. Again this case is comprise of o single piece. The Seido Surface used two hard pieces, slid over the bottom and top of the HTC One. As they met they snapped together. The Aspira case is a bit less elegant. You must first insert the bottom section of the GS4, paying close attention to the raised lip on the sides. You don’t want that to get folder under as you force the top portion of the GS4 into the case. Even after stuffing the thing in successfully I still had to spend time pulling all portions of the raised lip out, as it had gotten folded under despite my best efforts. Needless to some changes could be made to that. Or it would be nice if a flat plastic stick/tool could be included to help insert the Galaxy S4–a “shoe horn” for phone cases, if you will.

But what we have is very competent protective case. It’s highly durable, fights against grime and lint and comes in 12 different patterns and color styles. It’s carved adequately so you may easily access the charging cable port at the bottom, 3.5mm headphone jack at top and the speaker on the back. The Power button on the right and volume rocker on the left are just as accessible, albeit while protected under molds to fit their size and shape.

Ballistic has done it again. This is exactly the type of protection users of the Galaxy S4 should have available. That plastic construction is poor protection for all the goodness that lay inside. But the Aspira Case from Ballistic makes up for this nicely.

It’s finally here. After being blown away by the stereo audio peformance on the crimson-clad G230 headphones from Logitech, we’re back with the 7.1 surround version. They’re not colored in the same sexy red-on-black motif. But these new Logitech G430 Dolby surround headphones are immensely impressive–though they could benefit from a more original styling. Big brothers tend to stomp and pout when made to wear lil’ bro’s hand-me-ups. But they offer enhanced sound and features in a very familiar package

The Logitech G430 are colored a bright topaz blue where the G230 are doused in red. On the headband just above ear piece where G230 headset features it’s model number etched in chrome is the same place on the G430 where you will find it’s model number also emblazoned in chrome lettering. Nothing about this look or initial aesthetic design is different than the stereo audio G230 offering. With similar styling comes identical comfort. The G230 sustains long consecutive hours of use without the slightest comfort hiccup. The cloth around the ear cushions is porous and fights ear and head perspiration very well. They can also be removed for cleaning. Also like the G230, you can lay the ear pieces flat since they can pivot for added comfort when not in use. The mic flips up out the way, which is nice. But it doesn’t mute when doing so. Instead there is a switch found on the in-line control. It’s sufficient, but can be hit accidentally confusing users and listeners alike.

Ok so the design is nice but we’ve seen it before in the G230. Where these two great products hit the fork in the road is at Performance. The joint-travels end here as the G230 is hopelessly outpaced. The G430 are a high quality 7.1 surround sound unit. Logitech is using 40mm drivers, capable of 20Hz-20Khz frequency response with 32 Ohms impedance. The microphone is a pickup-pattern unidirection mic, which is a Pressure Gradient Electret Condenser. To get all that tech to do 7.1 Surround you will need software assistance. Unfortunately the headphones themselves are capable of much more than the downloadable software will permit with my onboard sound.

Travel to the company website for the Logitech Gaming Software download. It’s the same application for the their G19s and G510s keyboards. The software is much more comprehensive than what’s offered for the Macatz F.R.E.Q. 7 Dolby Surround headphones. You can adjust overall volume, Bass, treble, 7-different speaker volumes and set EQ sliders. Yet with all that the headset still works off your system’s volume control, which is quite possibly a less worthy solution than say an aftermarket amplifier or soundcard.

I should note there are two ways to use the Logitech G430. You can connect the mic jack and headphone jack into the corresponding stereo plugs on your PC or soundcard. Or you can use the included USB adapter. Insert this into a free USB port and then plug the 3.5mm stereo jack and mic jack into the adapter. Each of these ways will allow access to the Logitech Gaming Software. But I found that my SoundBlaster Z soundcard or the 7.1 THX amplifier/receiver that ships with the Sound Blaster Recon 3D Omega wireless headphones set to both be better 7.1 processing options than the software on offer from the website.

Don’t misunderstand. The G430 headset is wildly impressive solution. It’s fairly comfortable and easy to use. When using onboard sound and the Logitech Gaming software, I found, while the overall volume was lower than I wanted, the all-encompassing surround effect was great. The end result is a more complete soundstage in games. It definitely wraps the user in the playback sound that is surprisingly balanced across games, music and movies. There are no presets for these 3 use scenarios. But the expanded EQ lets you adjust extensively. In music the G430 actually hold their own against other headphones that specifically tuned for music. Yet it’s clear games are their bread and butter. Explosions have added punch and depth, positional audio is handled very well with more attention to detail in ambient sounds than there is to perfect pitch across low-high ranges. Plus this headset has great active noise cancelling performance. All of this is amplified with more voluminous sound and distinct clarity when using a high performance soundcard or another amplifier as mentioned above. The mic, although seemingly obvious, flips up out the way, which is nice. But it doesn’t mute when doing so. Instead there is a switch found on the in-line control. It’s sufficient, but can be hit accidentally confusing users and listeners alike. That said, the unidirectional mic works really well, and helps to cancel out some the ambient noise from all the fans and other whirring electronics in the office.

It took them long enough, but with patience and meticulous care, Seagate has finally taken a serious dive into the well-established solid state storage drive market with the 600 series. We took a good look at the consumer level 600 240gb rendition. It was a fantastic performer that tried with all it’s might to keep pace the finest from Intel, Samsung and OCZ. It couldn’t do it, yet performance remains comparable as the Seagate 600 concedes the win the established competition by small barely noticeable margins.

Could the enthusiast level capacity king in the 600 line fare better? I have my doubts. Seagate’s 600 Pro is made from no sterner stuff than the consumer level 600. It is however available in 100-, 120-,200-,240-, 400-, and 480gb variants. So there is an obvious capacity difference for the Pro, which only comes in 120-, 240-, and 480gb sizes. Moreover you can only find the 600 Pro in 2.5-in 7mm size options. It may be dressed up differently and in more capacity options, but the innards are very similar. Seagate has provide the 400gb version for today’s check up. It use same Link A Media LM 87800 6Gbps controller found within the 240gb Seagate 600 we reviewed. There’s also 2-modules of Micron DDR2-800 DRAM cache memory. The capacity is achieved via 8 modules of Toshiba 19nm 64gb MLC flash memory. Once this sucker is formatted. You’re left with 373GB of useable space.

Yet here’s where things diverge. There are two main differences between the 600 and the 600 Pro–and the marginal speed difference is not one of these. The Seagate 600 Pro is packing Power Loss Protection (PLP). Power Loss Protection guarantees that your information completes its travel to the memory in the event of a power surge or loss of power. It’s something we enthusiast value highly when testing and pushing our rigs to the upper limits. It’s also a perk small businesses could enjoy as a great built-in fail-safe. But it’s not something the average net surfer or media streamer will view as a must-have.

We tested the Seagate 600 pro using our 30.5gb real world test and the ATTO Bench for our synthetic testing of sequential read and write speed of RAW compressed data. The white paper states the 600 Pro should hit around 520mb/s read speed and 450mb/s write. But our findings were peculiar. No matter how much I tried, I could not get the 600 Pro to meet its advertised speeds. This was not a problem with the consumer level 600. ATTO Bench shows it falling just short of the advertised claims. Our real world test showed similar results. Moving 30.5Gb of random movies, documents, pics and such took 1:16sec from the Seagate 600 SSD to the 600 Pro SSD. It took an long avg 4:10sec when moving it back and forth from a 7200 HDD platter drive. Still these numbers are virtually imperceptible during general use. We’re using an EVGA FTW Z77 motherboard, which has had it’s share of tantrums and hiccups. So I’m blaming the newly updated SATA controller on this one. All other test result from fellow journalist show this drive performs virtually the same–keeping pace with its consumer level 600 sibling albeit with more durability and that handy Power Loss Protection.

The Seagate 600 Pro 400gb SSD solution will make a fine system drive, media storage solution for streaming movies with its speedy read speeds , in RAID array or as a powerful dedicated gaming drive where you store your Steam, Origin or general games library. Being a higher capacity drive, however, the 400gb 600 Pro is not cheap, yet it’s price competitive making it’s negligible performance loss more easily forgivable.

There is nothing like a friendly rivalry between friends. Pushing your buddies to be better by rubbing their nose in your greatness is a proven way to mutually enhance the capabilities of each party. It’s peer pressure in its purest less seedy form. This is something hip hop artists turned money moguls Dr. Dre and 50Cent probably know all too well. It’s been many years since the two worked together musically. Now they are too busy making music and grand business moves alike. Dr. Dre has his exalted Beats Audio company. While not as lucrative or as expansive 50Cent works closely with SMS Audio as a majority owner to help the company’s Sync “by 50″ and the newer Street “by 50″ compete at a very similar level as Beats.

How similar, you ask? That’s exactly what we aim to find out in today’s aural eval for the company’s new SMS Street by 50 Pro Performance DJ headphones in the Shadow Black color scheme. These are large over-ear cans using SMS personally tuned 40mm drivers. They boast enhanced bass, fairly lightweight design, articulating hinges a couple a cord options and it’s all housed in a “shatterproof” UFP construction. The look is elegant and clean in its design–all black with no gaudy emblems or odd color schemes. Yes I’m looking at you Logic3.

The Street by 50 Pro Performance DJ headphones are bundled like many other similarly priced premium headies . You get the main headphones a hard shell carrying case, 1-oversived coiled DJ cable, a removable cable with 3-click mic, cleaning cloth, owner’s manual and an SMS product brochure. The football-like carrying case is all black with a teal blue trim. It’s sporty and really stylish. The 3.5mm cable with the 3-click mic works with mp3 players, iPod, iPhone, iPad and virtually all tablet PCs and CD players.

Those articulating hinges allow the DJ Wired headphones to collapse and fold in on themselves nicely. Like this, they can fit in the compact carrying case easier than you might think when extended. Memory foam is used for the ear cushions which are wrapped in soft leather. It’s a welcomed change after wearing the Corsair Wireless 2000 headphones. They have completely different purposes in life, we know. But soft leather memory foam 1-ups the slightly more coarse ear cushions on the gaming cans from Corsair. The Logic3 Scuderia use a similarly cushy styling with their ear padding. The padding in top head cusion does seem a firmer to the touch. It’s also very comfortable. But I’m unsure if it’s memory foam as well.

So the comfort is top notch, the styling is very attractive, albeit on a very large set of cans… The rugged construction is disguised in a elegant black and Spartan housing. So how do they sound? Very nice! The SMS Street by 50 – DJ Wired are a worthy rival and can compete the big boys like the Beats Mixr, Ferrari Scuderia from Logic3 and the V-Moda M-100 Metal headphones. The newbies from SMS perform with a more complete soundstage than the Scuderia, where bass is cleaner and highs pop and are more crisp. The bass is discernibly better in the Beats by Dre Mixr DJ but again the highs are sharper and cleaner in a larger variety of music with the Street Pro Performance DJ heaphones from SMS. V-Moda offers a clarity that is hard to surpass due the strategic use of metals. In fact it in those can that the Streets could find a kindred spirit. Performance is very comparable.

Yet there are key pieces of the soundstage that are only heard in our California Loredo headphones from California headphones. Their particular use of metals and focus on acoustic stringed instrument sounds from live bands, cements yet another win for them. This takes nothing away from the SMS offerings. Their headies are tuned for bumping Pop, Hip Hop, Dubstep and the like–bass heavy music. In this area they are rivaled only by the Beats by Dre DJ Mixr. Yet the Pro Performance DJ headphones are far and away more comfortable.

Steams Summer Sale hasn’t been announced yet, but if you’re itchin’ for some PC gaming, check out GOG’s DRM-free Summer Sale. Over 500 PC downloads discounted by 50%, plus new daily deals refreshed every 24 hours on their homepage. To kick off their Summer Sale, they’re giving away the download of Torchlight (normally a $15 purchase).

Need new toys for the kids? Today Amazon’s selling over a dozen Fisher-Price toys at half price. Everything from ride-on trikes to bubble mowers is represented.

And if you need a laptop that gets the job done without taking all your money, there’s a Dell Inspiron 15 at a new low of $280. It won’t blow you away with performance, but it’ll handle 95% of computing tasks without any problems.

	GOG Sale: 2013 #NoDRM Summer Sale
	Fisher-Price Products for 50% off.
	Dell Inspiron 15 Celeron 1007U, 4GB RAM for $279.99 with free shipping (normally $350). Cheapest ever by $10.

MONITOR MADNESS DEALS

Plenty of monitor deals to choose from today. For those looking for something relatively top-of-the-line for serious photo or video work, the popular 27-inch Dell UltraSharp U2713HM IPS LED monitor is at a new low of $550. For the same size at less than half that price, opt for the LG LED model we found for $220. And if your main concern is color accuracy rather than size, check out the 24-inch Asus IPS panel for $260. The other two monitors we found are much closer (or less than) $100, and they’ll do just fine for everyday use.

	27″ Dell UltraSharp U2713HM IPS LED Monitor for $549.99 with free shipping (next best is $628 – use coupon code AFNJ0968). Cheapest ever by $10.
	27″ LG EB2742V-BN LED Monitor for $219.99 with free shipping (next best is $250 – use coupon code EMCXPWM54). Cheapest ever by $30.
	24.1″ Asus PA248Q IPS LED Monitor for $259.99 with free shipping (next best is $310 – use coupon code EMCXPWM49 and this form).
	24″ Hanns-G HE247DPB LED Monitor for $129.99 with free shipping (next best is $140). Cheapest ever by $1.
	20″ HannsG HL203DPB LED Monitor w/ Built-in Speakers for $89.99 with free shipping (next best is $100). Cheapest ever by $9.

GAMING DEALS

Not everyone needs a whole year’s subscription of Xbox LIVE. If you want to go for just one month, it’s possible at Germany-based retailer GamesRocket for just $6.49 (normally $10). They’ll send you an Xbox LIVE code via email. Not part of a sale or anything, but a great deal on the PC download of Dishonored this week at GameFly. A $10 instant discount combines with their 20% off coupon code making it only $16 – just $1 more than its all time low price.

	Xbox 360 Live 1 Month Gold Subscription Card (Digital Code) for $6.49 with free shipping (normally $9.99).
	Dishonored (PC Download) for $15.99 (next best is $30 – use coupon code GFDJUN20).
	Borderlands Game of the Year Edition (PC Download) for $5.95 (next best is $25). Cheapest ever by $0.
	FTL: Faster Than Light (PC Download) for $4.99 (normally $9.99).
	Torchlight (PC Download) for FREE (normally $14.99). Cheapest ever by $4.

ALL THE OTHER GOOD DEALS

A nice mix of deals rounds off today’s GadgetReview Daily Deals post. You can pick up a 64GB UHS-1 Sony SDXC card for only $35. Those seeking a cheap but functional TV set should look at the 32-inch Dynex we found for $170 – a new low. Bundled with a $40 LG Blu-ray player, you can watch Netflix without a computer. Finally, the popular entry-level Nikon D3200 DSLR with 18-55mm lens is $405 today for a refurbished model.

	Sony 64GB SDHC/SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 R40 Memory Card (SF64UY/TQMN) for $34.99 with free shipping (next best is $36).
	32″ Dynex DX-32L200NA14 LCD HDTV for $169.99 with free shipping (normally $219.99). Cheapest ever by $10.
	LG BPM33 Blu-ray Player (Refurbished) for $39.99 with free shipping (next best is $70).
	Nikon D3200 24.2 MP Digital SLR Camera (Refurbished) with 18-55mm Lens for $404.99 with free shipping (next best is $482). Cheapest ever by $14.

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The coolest houses are the ones that have secret doors  that lead to other mysterious places (or just even the next room over). We’ve compiled some of the coolest secret bookcase doors on the web for your viewing pleasure!

 15. Secret Passage With Ladder

Now this isn’t your ordinary secret passage bookshelf since it requires a ladder to reach!

14. Minimalist Secret Passage Bookshelf

Secret passage bookshelves are usually very antique-ish with a very vintage feel to them, but that’s not always the case as seen with this minimalist one that would look great in any modern decor home.

13. Clue-like Secret Passage Bookshelf

This one looks as if it belongs in the mystery game Clue! It’s a wood floor-to-celing secret passage that goes from the library to who knows where…

12. Hidden Staircase Secret Passage Bookshelf

Even though this one isn’t all dressed up with books, you can still imagine the curiosities that lie behind this secret passage bookshelf that leads to a mysterious staircase.

10. Under the Stairs Secret Passage Bookshelf

This one looks as if it’s the doorway to a closet rather than another room, but it still looks very cool!

9. Artistic Secret Passage Bookshelf

While most have this old school look to them, this one is a bit more artistic, giving off a very creative secret passage bookshelf with its ornate details and unique color combo.

8. Tea Room Secret Passage Bookshelf

This one has to be in an English home somewhere since its secret passage leads to a tea room.

7. Double Door Secret Passage Bookshelf

What’s better than one secret door…TWO! This double door one leads occupants to the mysterious attic.

6. Secret Bathroom Bookshelf

You would never know that there’s a bathroom behind this secret passage bookshelf!

5. Room Divider Secret Passage Bookshelf

Doors are so ordinary, so why not divide two rooms with a secret passage bookshelf that’s definitely a conversation starter with guests!

4. Secret Rec Room Bookshelf

Every rec room/man cave should have its own secret passage bookshelf that leads to the kitchen!

3. Laundry Room Secret Passage Bookshelf

Easily hide your washer and dryer with a secret bookshelf that will distract guests from your dirty clothes in the laundry.

2. Hidden Library Secret Passage Bookshelf

This one is a bit strange since it’s a secret passage bookshelf that leads to another hidden library, but those stairs are a bit mysterious.

1. Secret Passage Bookshelf To Apocalypse Safe Room

Every house needs a secret passage bookshelf to their very own apocalypse safe room filled with guns ammo and more!

ike’s Fuelband not only tracks your steps, calories burned, and connects you to a group of potential (and motivating) opponents, but offers awe inspiring design that appeals to those that are style conscious.  And while Fitbit’s line of pedometers, more specifically the Fitbit One, provides comparable utility, they’ve long lacked an aesthetic appeal that a younger generation is willing to brandish. And that best might explain the introduction of the Fitbit Flex.

Make not mistake: the Flex takes direct aim at Nike’s Fuelband.  First off, it’s a wrist band, which plays off of the whole Lance Armstrong Livestrong phenomenon (laughable now given the recent doping scandal).  Second, it sports a set of LED lights, which too can be found in the Fuelband, albeit the Flex has far less of them.

Where it begins to deviate is in the Flex’s complexity, or lack there of.  Unlike the Fuelband – which offers an array of LEDs lights that can literally spell out steps taken, miles walked – the Flex simply alludes to it by displaying up to 5 white LED lights.  Each light represents 20% of your daily goal (steps, calories, distance), which you setup when you first pair the Flex to your computer or compatible smartphone (iPhone, S3, S4, full list here).  And because of this, it’s helpful, though not paramount, that you have a compatible handset such that you can read your collected data throughout the day.  That said, I’m on my computer most of the day time during the week, and the included wireless USB Fitbit dongle is small enough to leave it plugged in all the time.

Firing up Fitbit’s website and logging in will cause the Flex to sync, if not sooner, to your account, where upon you can review and add details about your food and sleep, as well as view your steps taken, calories burned, and more.

But before you start tracking your activity and sleep – yes, it can track sleep, much like the Fitbit One – you’ll need to charge the Flex and add some personal details to your account that help it better track your activity.  That said, the Flex is in fact a smaller version of the Fitbit One, minus the screen.  So unlike the Fuelband, which is an all in one device, the Flex is a rubber wrist band (it comes with two sizes) that is simply a vessel (or holder) or sheath that carriers the pedometer.

To charge the Fitbit Flex, you’ll need to first take off the Flex, and using some pressure form your thumb, pop it out of the hole in the back.  Included is a USB dongle that plugs into a wall charger or your computer (of note, the Fuelband’s USB connection is built-in).  When all five of the LED lights are illuminated it is fully charged – this takes a few hours – where upon you’ll reverse the removal process, ensuring that the LED lights are facing outward.

Fitbit suggests that you don’t wear the Flex on your dominant hand – presumably this improves accuracy – though you can, but make sure to select the appropriate setting when you setup the device.  At first, I had a hard time attaching the Flex to my rest since the band’s attachment felt particular stiff.  Don’t worry.  It gets vastly easier to take the Flex on and off, so just have a bit of patience the first few days of use.  That in mind, the Flex can be worn in the shower, rain, and needless to say can endure sweat – the FitBit One can not.

To activate the Flex, you simply need to do nothing.  Once it’s charged, it’s on and tracking your steps.  To view your activity, just tap it a few times with your finger.  This will activate the LED lights and tell you, based on how many lights are illuminated, what percent of your daily goal has been completed.  To activate the sleep mode, just tap the display some what rapidly about 5-7 times, where upon two LEDs will blink in unison indicating its ready for sleep.  To turn off sleep mode, repeat the same tapping process of 5-7.  Fitbit instructions suggest you remove it from your wrist, but I don’t know why.

Strapped on, the Fitbit Flex will track your steps and then calculate  based on height and weight, how many calories are burned.  As mentioned numerous times now, you can set your daily goals when you setup the device, or modify them if you’ve got a compatible smartphone.  Compared to the One, a pedometer that I found to be more accurate than the Nike’s Fuelband, the Flex is equally as accurate.  To determine this I carried both the Flex and the Fitbit one with me and compared the steps taken and the sleep accrued.  While the sleep option leaves something to be questioned – both are worn on the wrist and guess that you’re awake based on movement – they’re both reported about the same amount of steps, which I was rather surprised by since tracking steps with a pedometer attached to a moving wrist requires the system to probably negate many more false positives than say in a pocket where less movement is experienced.

Aside from the Nike Fuelband, Fitbit is one of the few companies that has been triumphant in the race to win a significant sliver of the pedometer market share, or so it would seem.  While they continue to innovate, there is no disputing that the FitBit Flex is merely an answer to Nike’s Fuelband.  And don’t get me wrong, it’s a solid answer, though I would have liked to see some of the features from the FitBit One, such as stair tracking and a readable screen, added to the device, though that would likely increase the cost.  However, tracking stairs climbed with a wrist mounted device maybe to challenging given the up and down movement provided by the wrist.

Bottom Line: the Flex is Fitbit’s Fuelband, albeit cheaper, and more accurate. Just be prepared to sacrifice the readable screen as well as Nike opulence.

With summer here, your shoes of choice might be flip flops. But why walk around with a set that everyone else can have when you can get your very own custom ones from FlipSideFlipFlops on Etsy. The original custom personalized flip flops will leave a unique impression in the sand and soft soil with every step you make. They can imprint the flip flops with nearly any design you can think of, including logos and more! You can create your own flip flops for your pals, teams. cubs, parties and more.

They’re made using 100% natural foam rubber flip flops with rubber straps and come in many sizes and colors, so you’ll always be sure to find your size and the color you’re looking for. They’re also incredibly comfortable and will last a while since they are cut using a patent pending process. Each flip flop is only $19.95, making them a great item to give to friends on birthdays or order in bulk for any type of organized events you may have, including team functions, school functions, business promotions and more.

Since the shop is experiencing  a huge number of orders, orders will be finished and shipped out within 8-12 business days rather than their usual 1-5 business days, so it’s recommended that you order now!

GOT, as in Game Of Thrones, just wrapped their third season.  If you watch the show then I know you’re already pining for more.  Unfortunately, you’ll likely have to wait 12-months to once again witness what might be the most deborturous and entertaining show on TV.  Until then you can pick up this movie (or in this case TV) ready White Walker mask from Composite Effects.

Composite Effects, otherwise known as CFX, makes legit silicone masks.  Unlike a traditional Halloween mask, which simply covers the face, CFX’s masks actually mimics the person’s facial expressions, albeit in a some what limited fashion.

And now the company offers a White Walker mask from Game of Thrones.  However, it was sold as the mask of the month in May, so it’s not clear if they’ll be willing to reproduce it, but they say that you can always ask.  That said, the cost is well north of $1,000; $1,425 to be exact.  But with that comes an uncanny amount of detail and realism that you’d be hard pressed to find any where else.  This includes the long flowing white hair, beard, and the unmistakable dehydrated skin that adds the perfect touch of undeadness.

The Kickstarter campaign for the ivee Sleek voice-activated assistant is like a Siri for your home! It’s like having your very own personal home assistant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. ives can answer questions, obey commands you give it and can control other Internet-connected devices you have in your house…all from one little device. With ivee around, you’ll be living ins a smart house!

As the worlds’ first Wi-Fi voice-activated assistant for your home, you never have to physically control any device ever again! You can set reminders, wake up calls, and have it fetch various web content like weather, stocks, news and more. The goal of this Kickstarter device is to create a simpler, more natural way of interfacing with the Internet and your home via one simple-to-use device.

As soon as you start talking to ivee, it will turn your simple words into actions, making it a very useful tool for those who are handicapped like the visually impaired, the elderly and those who simply struggle with computer interaction and new technology. Set to ship this October, ivee will come with its batch of applications that allow you to set it to do many things. The device can work on its own right out of the box, but to connect it to other smart devices, all you have to do is use their online dashboard. You can even have it text you reminders on the go when you input your cell phone. Since it connects to their servers, it can easily be updated with new features every month, allowing ivee to get “smarter” over time. If you pledge $149 or more, you can get your own ivee, but hurry because it will retail for $199 when it comes out!

If you missed it, you can now endorse Super Mario Bros. everyday of the week by sporting a New Era cap with your favorite character from the game.  Needless to say, not everyone, me included, is not a Super Mario Bros. fan.  That isn’t to say I never played the game.  It just means I’m not a die hard Super Mario Bros. nerd.

Star Wars on the other hand…well, everyone is a Star Wars fan (right?), provided you were born in the last 15 years.  It’s the brand that won’t and should never die. Though I’d be happy if they locked away the last three movies and Lucas agreed to never show them ever again.  But I digress…you can now show off your Star Wars allegiance with these soon to be released Star Wars hats.

Starter, a brand that I faintly recall from the late 80s and early 90s, is set to release the Star Wars Black Label hat collection.  There will be four in total (2 snapbacks and 2 five panel).  Clearly the rebel hat is the coolest and perhaps the most iconic, but I’ll let you be the judge of that.

Sorry, no word on price, but Hi Consumption says they’ll hit Starter’s online store in July.

ver since getting into smartphone app development, the most annoying and cumbersome task has been sad: holding the phone upright. With the iPhone 5 and plenty of Android smartphones, there just aren’t any good docks. It’s surprisingly hard to find a decent stand for phones.

Over the past few months, I’ve determined several criteria a good stand needs, in the following order:

1. It must be stable (user must be able to press on it without the stand or phone moving)
2. It must hold the phone at the proper angle (either perfectly vertically or horizontally)
3. It should have a simple way to plug in

If you’re in the smartphone stand market, then you know that most docks don’t fulfill even one of these criteria. The few that do are typically speaker docks, which are bulky and expensive. So when I saw the SETA, I was intrigued but not hopeful. Why would a simple Kickstarter project be any better than what major peripheral companies have worked on for years?

I’m happy to announce it does. The SETA is a wonderful stand that fulfills two of the three criteria with extreme precision. The stand itself doesn’t look spectacular in any way; it’s really just an angled metal slab with two sticky panels, one facing the desk and another for the phone. These panels use a technology called NanoSuction, which won’t stick to skin but does hold most flat objects in place, such as the back of an iPhone or Nexus 4. And the SETA has two NanoSuction panels, one for the surface it sticks to and one for the phone. It sticks so well that it even carries my photography studio shooting surface (8lbs).

After a few days of use, I’m crazy about the SETA. At the office it is by far the best dock I’ve ever used. It’s as stationary as a boulder and holds a number of different phones that I use, including the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch, Nexus 4, Galaxy S 3, and Galaxy Note 2. It doesn’t hold all phones however; most newer phones have copied the iPhone’s flat back, but a current test phone, the HTC Droid DNA. The DNA has a rubber, rounded back, both of which do not work with the SETA.

The last piece to the puzzle is plugging in the phone while using the SETA. The system for that isn’t perfect, in part because MicroUSB and Lightning connectors are both terrible, and because the SETA supports both. It has a built-in slot for users to leave their cable of choice, though it leaves little space for the cable. It’s a simple solution to a complicated problem; that last requirement is also the most lenient of the bunch. The only realistic fix I see for this will come when phones ship ready for induction charging (where the phone receives power from a special surface, without the need for a cable). Then the SETA would be plugged in, and users could flick a switch to charge or not. This wouldn’t solve the requirement for plugging phones in for development purposes, but it would be extremely beneficial for everyday consumers.

My only potential issue with the SETA was the NanoSuction wearing out. I worried that moving the SETA from my office to my home for photography and additional testing would pick up too much dust and dirt to remain sticky. Thankfully the NanoSuction panels can be cleaned with a damp cloth or clear tape. Yet even then after the trek I didn’t need to clean it; my iPhone sticks to the SETA perfectly. And as you can see in the photos, it works just as well with the iPad mini.

I can’t recommend the SETA Smartphone Stand enough. I’m working out a large order so our entire team can have stands for their test devices. It has become the staple of my workspace when testing on mobile. It also hurts to use because I only have one SETA but regularly test across 3+ devices, and according to the Kickstarter page I won’t be able to get any more until September at the earliest.

Check out the SETA Smartphone Stand here

True, it’s not a surprise BMW is bringing out a replacement for their much beloved 3 Series coupe, and fans were less than enthused at the idea of any changes to their beloved quasi-sports car. In this particular case, though, it’s a case of a great car getting better.

The really big change is that this model will have a lower center of gravity than its predecessors, meaning it’ll have a bit more of a sports car feel to it. It’s also slightly lighter and slightly bigger than the 3 Series, so it’ll feel a bit different but still be a sports car.

The 428i and 435i are the two models BMW will start out with, although a convertible is rumored to be on the way as well, and both are available with either rear-wheel or xDrive, making four models total. Why BMW can’t just call xDrive “all-wheel drive” is beyond us, but anyway. The 428 gets a two-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which works out to 240 horsepower, and the 435 gets a three-liter V6 with 300 horsepower. Don’t get too excited, though; Electronic limiters keep the top speed of this particular car at 155 miles per hour.

The 428i with xDrive is automatic only, but the other three models will let you choose between automatic and manual gearshifts, and there’s no price difference between them. Yes, car snobs, BMW is giving you a car with a rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission, so you can stop complaining now. Surprisingly, for BMW, so far we’ve no word on whether there will be a diesel option in the United States, especially strange since a diesel is practically written in stone for the European market. The trim is the usual; Luxury, Sport, and M Sport. In short, the 4 Series looks good… but the real proof, as always, will be in the driving.

This is not our Photoshop job, honest.

We mostly know carbon monoxide detectors as annoying devices that eat batteries, but the truth is that they’re around for a reason. Carbon monoxide is impossible to detect without some sort of chemical detector sampling the air, and if it collects long enough, it can potentially be fatal. So this iPhone case is designed to save your life.

It’s a brilliant idea. As the case’s designer, David Tyers, points out, most people have their smartphone with them at all times and use it for functions like an alarm clock or a personal web device at hotels, other people’s houses, and other places that might not necessarily have carbon monoxide or even working smoke detectors.

As designed, the case can alert you by vibrating, giving off a visual cue, offering the standard shrill noise we all know and loathe, or even use the phone to dial emergency numbers. Tyers explains he was motivated by a real life event where an entire family, including five children, fell ill due to carbon monoxide poisoning, and thankfully got out in time.

We do have a few concerns, though, the most basic being this: We’ve all had these detectors in our homes, and we’ve all had them freak out due to false positives. What happens when this case gets a false positive, and immediately dials 911, or your family? We can see this causing a few freakouts and possibly landing the case user a ticket or even an overnight stay at the local jail, considering the false alarm laws on the books across the country.

That said, though, it’s still a good idea, and it never hurts to add extra sensors to your phone. Besides, the prospect of paying a $50 ticket is a lot better than dying thanks to some crappy hotel not being up to code.

Google is developing a database that might soon begin to help eradicate child pornography from the web, as told to the Telegraph.

In essence, technology firms, protective agencies, and those alike will be able to easily swap data in one felt swoop and delete indecent images of underaged individuals from their servers.  Moreover, images that have already been flagged by child protection services will now sit in a centralized location, enabling easy access for companies seeking to keep their hard drives free of this lurid material.

Google is apparently using software that was first developed in 2008, and expects the service to go live sometime within a year.   Additionally, they’re also setting up a $2 million fund to attract independent developers to produce tools to combat the child pornography.

XCOM was an epic game that garnered fans far and wide when it was released in the 90s.  I didn’t take to the game despite having it stored on my Gateway Pentium-60 computer,  but I had friends, one in particular, who spent countless hours glued to my monitor in the hopes of ridding the universe of the alien tyranny.

Now, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is coming to iOS devices on June 20th for $20.  According to 2K and Firaxis Games, Enemy Unknown “takes the complete XCOM experience of the console and PC version of the game” and optimizes it for Apple’s tablets and iPhones.  Compatible devices will range from every iteration of the iPad 2 and up, and the iPhone 4s and iPhone 5.  

Moreover, 2K and Firaxis Games say XCOM will support Apple’s Game Center, will work with iCloud allowing you to game from device to device without interruption, and will include a head-to-head multiplayer mode sometime in the near future as a free update.

2K and Firaxis Games are happy to announce that the award winning XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be coming to iOS devices this Thursday, June 20th. The game will be available via the iTunes App Store for $19.99 for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch (complete list of supported devices is below). XCOM: Enemy Unknown for iOS takes the complete XCOM experience of the console and PC version of the game and optimizes it for the touch interface of iOS devices. XCOM: Enemy Unknown for iOS is a universal app that includes GameCenter support and utilizes iCloud functionality so players can save games across their iOS devices. While not included at launch on June 20th, the popular head-to-head multiplayer mode in XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be added to iOS at a later date as a free update.

Complete list of supported iOS devices includes the iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad mini, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5th Generation.

Last week I told you about an Amazon customer poll on their Facebook Video Game’s page that asked customers which system they planned on purchasing this holiday season. At the time of my posting – the poll had 7-days and 6 hours left until it was complete – Sony’s PS4 had out scored the Xbox One at a ratio of 17 to 1, netting more than 21,000 votes in their favor.

Well, it would seem that Microsoft was none to happy with Amazon – this is entirely conjecture mind you – and demanded that Amazon not only reduce the polling time by more than 50%, but has now pulled the questionnaire from their Facebook page all together.

The reduction in time first came to my attention as pointed out by one commenter on Gadget Review. And today I discovered that the URL to the Amazon poll, which is in my original post, no longer lands on that page and directs to the general Amazon Video Games page.  That said, scrolling down on the Facebook page’s timeline reveals the original post asking customers to vote, yet the URL there loops back to the original page.

So, suffice to say, Microsoft’s control (the Xbox One requires you “check in” periodically to keep gaming) also appears to extend to Facebook.

Update: here is the cached version from Google, though it looks like the versus data wasn’t captured.

Sydney’s Opera House is an iconic building that is both unique and oddly attractive.  To say the least, its design is unorthodox.  And while LEGO has long had a version available, they’ve finally given the building something “the build” so deserves by adding it to their Creator Series.

Composed of 2,989 piece, the LEGO Sydney Opera House offers a variety of details that are apparently drawn from the real life version of the building.  Just ask its designer, who is detailed in the below video and conveys his excitement with a childhood like bashfulness.  Moreover, he says that it was one of the most challenging builds he’s been part of during his 6-year stint at LEGO.  Moreover, the LEGO Sydney Opera House uses “new & advanced building techniques, and hard-to-find LEGO bricks, tiles, and baseplates”.

The LEGO Sydney Opera House will arrive in LEGO’s online store in September and will cost $320.

Ages 16+. 2,989 pieces.

Recreate Australia’s architectural masterpiece!

US $319.99 CA $379.99 DE 279.99€ UK 249.99 £ DK 2499.00 DKK

Recreate one of the 20th century’s most distinctive buildings with the Sydney Opera House™ model. Build the unmistakable shell roofline, waterfront forecourt and more with this authentic representation of Australia’s most iconic building. Employ a variety of new and advanced building techniques to recreate the complex forms, angled walls and subtle detailing of the real thing! Collect lots of dark tan LEGO® bricks including the rare 1x1x2/3 stud and 1x2x2/3 stud slopes, as well as a 48×48 stud baseplate in blue for the very first time!

• Build this model of a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• Includes hard-to-find dark tan LEGO® bricks, tiles and sloped bricks

• Collect the 48×48 stud baseplate, available in blue for the very first time

• Sturdy construction allows the model to be handled and moved

• Features advanced building techniques for complex forms, angled walls and subtle detailing

• Measures over 11″ high, 25″ wideand 15″ deep

Remember that 50-inch 4k Ultra HD TV from Seiki that sold for a mere (comparatively speaking) $1,500?  Well, good news: it just dropped in price to below $1,000.  To be more specific it now sells for $965.99 on Amazon with free shipping.

That’s an astoundingly cheap price for a 4K TV.  I’m not suggesting it’s “cheap”, but relatively speaking this is the best deal available right now for what one might call a next-gen television.  That said, there is still little 4K content available.  That is until Sony launches their 4K movie download service, which will likely also be available via the company’s PS4 system, which got additional attention at the just commenced gaming conference, E3.

That all being said, Seiki’s 4K set, model SE50UY04, can upscale a 1080 signal to 4K, though it still will be a far cry from an actual 4K feed.  Moreover, at 50-inches, 4K will largely be imperceivable over 1080, especially from a few feet.  But hey, if you’re one to boast to your friends about your tech investments, have it.