GadgetReview

Doubling as a hacky-sack, the MovieWedge is a convenient way to view media horizontally on your iPhone or iPod touch.  The MovieWedge is lightweight and portable beanbag-esque cushion that supports your iPhone for prime viewing.

Embracing a brutally simple design aesthetic, the MovieWedge can effectively adapt to most any surrounding.  Capable of changing shape to a small degree, the MovieWedge can easily fit in where ever you need it.  From a stiff but moving airplane tray table, to your bed or your grassy backyard, the MovieWedge is unlike any iPhone stand you have used before. …Continue reading: MovieWedge Review

When the Joby GorillaPod hit the scene some time ago, it amazed consumers worldwide with its tenacious approach to all things tripod related.  Capable of countless angles and poses, the Joby GorillaPod is a must buy for anyone that owns a digital camera or camcorder. …Continue reading: Joby GorillaPod Flexible Tripod Review

In a land where product names have nothing to do with anything, Yubz reigns supreme.  Put the word Magnum next to Yubz and now you’re onto something.

The Yubz Magnum is a wireless speaker that will connect to any BlueTooth device.  The Magnum is capable of playing music as well as acting as a hands-free loudspeaker for your cell phone.

Resembling a “pleather” meat log of sorts, the Yubz Magnum is a cylindrical device with speakers on both ends.  It feels really nice actually, and is soft and lightweight. …Continue reading: Yubz Magnum BlueTooth Speaker Review

Style.  The all time most over used word in the hip-hop language.  It’s also my favorite word and I don’t really even like hip-hop.  Need For Speed Shift is all about Style.  Your style.  Leaving behind the concepts found in the last several iterations of the Need For Speed franchise, Shift comes away as a much more focused and exciting racing game.

Anyone familiar with the series will no doubt be impressed with what has been done with Shift and happily accept the new direction the game has taken.  Gone are the open world Midnight Club style races in favor of a good old fashioned racing game with some modern flair to boot. …Continue reading: Need For Speed Shift Xbox 360 Review

Talk about a party favor.  I mean who doesn’t like to trip?  Having recently experienced CornField Electronics’ Trip Glasses, I’m very glad there is not one part of me that is epileptic.  The packaging makes note of some sort of meditation that can occur when you wear the glasses but I don’t believe that malarky one bit.  Perhaps if your definition of meditation is in fact hallucination, then maybe.

To explain it bluntly, the Trip Glasses are less like glasses and more like a kaleidoscope of blunt force trauma to your senses.  Some people who tried it had mixed results, but I can honestly say that I could trigger my inner shroom no problem.  …Continue reading: Trip Glasses Review

4Bugs 200 is a picture hunt game from Root9 Media.  I had previously reviewed their Yeti Sports game and I’m here today to talk about Bugs4.  Sort of a weird name for a picture hunt game, the Bugs are merely the character that you represent when playing by yourself or in multiplayer.  You end up seeing them a bunch during scoring screens and they always look pretty happy regardless of how bad you are at the game. …Continue reading: 4Bugs 200 Game Review (iPhone/Touch)

During my quest for the ultimate earphone I have had the chance to review several pairs from companies I had not previously heard of.  Being pleasantly surprised on many an occasion, The Cresyn C750E’s are just that. Having a solid sound and a comfortable fit, I am compelled to recommend these earphones to anyone looking for a great package at the $100 price range.

Judging today’s current batch of earphones you are not only looking at sound but you are also grading how they fit and what features they flaunt.  I can say right off the bat that the Cresyn C750E’s possess all of the above.  Embracing a sturdy fit and competent sound reproduction in a lightweight and compact package, the Cresyn C750E’s easily rank as some of the better earphones I’ve used all year.

In comparison to other earphones I’ve unboxed, the Cresyn C750E’s was pretty basic.  Three sizes of inserts and a nice feeling carrying case.  That’s it.  Not that the Cresyn C750E’s needed anything else anyway. …Continue reading: Cresyn C750E In-Ear Stereo Earphones Review

By now we all know what a behemoth the Madden franchise is and the impact it has had on sports gaming in general.  Some cherish it and some loathe it, but it’s the only licensed NFL game available, so play it you must.

I remember a time when football gaming was competitive.  Visual Concepts and Sega had released ESPN NFL 2K5 for $20 and EA Sports must have been straight spun.  But alas, no more.

Soon after that I read in utter dismay that EA had monopolized football gaming through an exclusive and costly NFL license.  In the years that followed, all the Madden reviews that I read couldn’t help but mention that EA was just dialing in their biggest and most lucrative franchise and that the series never really stepped it up from year to year.

While I agreed with these reviewers whole heartedly, I never stopped playing Madden.  It was firmly lodged in my gaming subconscious from the days of the early 90’s on the Sega Genesis to the late 90’s on the Sega Saturn to every other console after that.  I would never abandon it.  I loved NFL 2K5 for the strides the developers took to give EA a run for their money in regards to gameplay, presentation, and fun-factor.  But by no means was there ever a “bad” year of Madden, and it was often just a case of misallocated focus.  But, in the end, it was never the best it could be.

With that said, Madden 2010 is by far the most impressive rendition of football gaming EA Sports has created in years, but one can only hope and wait for what will someday be a truly complete and epic John Madden NFL Football experience.  Fingers crossed right?

**Before I get started on my review of Madden 10 I just want to note that I have been playing on an 2005 Xbox 360 that has already seen the three red lights.**

Presentation:

Receiving a positive and fresh overhaul this year, the whole look and feel of Madden NFL 2010 has a TV style sheen to it.  Each game information about the stadium is given and there are some animated tie-ins that show tailgating, consumerism, and social banter.  The in-game advertising is present once again but it would have been nice to have more of a variety instead of the same brands we’ve seen for years.  And I’m not talking about Snickers.

I would have liked to see some major networks (ABC, NBC, FOX, EPSN, NFL Network) involved in the process with each game being broadcast by the corresponding network with all the appropriate graphic, such as that stupid FOX football robot dancing around (never gonna happen).  Now that’s what should be the future of Madden, right? I swear I just cursed myself.

There could even be the specific announcers for each network.  While this review is traveling down a wish list path already, I can’t help but think about all the possibilities.  If EA truly wanted to champion an all great version of Madden NFL Football they wouldn’t have to make one every year.  They could release roster updates and other downloads, and a perfect game of Madden wouldn’t require you to buy one every year.  Would you pay $100 for a Madden NFL game that lasted you 3 or more years?  Not that EA would ever do this (-$$$), but it’s not a bad idea to ponder from a non-technical/financial standpoint.

At the end of the day – let’s make that day be Sunday – the TV-style presentation is truly evident and a nice leap in the 2010 version.   But with EA’s big slogan of the year being, “If It Happens On Sunday, Then You’ll See It In The Game”, what happens if I see it on Monday Night Football? …Continue reading: Madden NFL 2010 Game Review (Xbox 360)

Finding a good armband for your MP3 player can be a tricky thing.  Does it stay fastened to your arm without sliding?  Does it get in the way of what your doing?  I have tried a couple of arm bands in my day and I always ended up going with an around the hip accessory (tucked into my waistband) just because it worked better for what I was doing.

ArmPocket is an Eco-Friendly company that makes a variety of quality and utilitarian armbands for your Apple iPhone or iPod Touch.  To say it right now, the ArmPocket Sport 20 is the best arm band I have used yet and I highly advise you to check it out if you are looking for a competent and fairly priced exercise accessory.

Let’s start with features.  Assuming that you don’t have any other storage on your person, the ArmPocket Sport 20 has got you covered.  In the main chamber there are two elastic slots for an ID and credit card and it is big enough to hold an energy bar or gel in addition to your MP3 player no problem.  On the outside there is also a small loop to hold a keyring. …Continue reading: ArmPocket Sport 20 Review

Computer speakers are another one of those gadgets/accessories where there are literally countless options for you to choose from.  Most everyone who has a desktop or laptop computer can greatly improve the sound of their set-up with one of these after-market speaker kits.

Hercules has been around for a while now but they have yet to make any huge waves here in the US.  Hopefully this review will help!  The XPS 2.1 50 speaker system sports some versatile features out of the box, and for it’s price range (around $60), it sounds really nice. …Continue reading: Hercules XPS 2.1 50 Speaker System Review