Apple Products Reviews and Newsletter Resources

Latest Reviews

(click on any title below right to view the entire review)

  

Grip&Shoot: Versatile Photo Tool

 

 

 

 

Seagate Backup Plus Drives: Vast, Fast & Slim

 

 

 

EverDock: Versatile iDevice Charging Stand

 

 

 

 

 

  

TaskOne iPhone Case: MacGyver’s Versatile Toolkit

 

 

 

  

Stellar Drive Clone: Reliable Bootable Backups

 

 

 

 

 

 

LaCie Culbuto: Playfully Powerful USB Key

 

 

 

 

   

Nuance Dragon Dictate 3: Expert Speech-to-Text Software

 

 

 

 

  

LandingZone DOCK: Desktop Mac in One Step

 

 

 

 

 

OtterBox Defender: Build Your Own iPad/iPhone Case

 

 

in1 Multi-Tool Utility Case: Versatile iPhone 5S

 

 

 

 

  

Galileo robotic iPhone stand: Motorized swivel mount

 

 

 

 

GroovBoard: iPad Laptop Wood Elegance

 

 

 

 

 (more reviews are produced every week . . .

                                   . . . return often to see more)

IRIScan: Mobile Scanning and OCR Power

Do you have an optical scanner? Is it too big to travel with you, but you wish you had a small one? Wouldn’t it be nice to have one that could scan without being attached to a computer? I found the solution at Macworld 2011 to do this and much more.

The IRIScan Anywhere 2 is a stand-alone battery-powered single-sheet scanner that can help to archive and organize your documents, recognize and manage business cards, and save its output to a wide variety of storage options. With a default resolution of 300 or 600dpi, it will save JPEG files to its own 512MB of flash memory, or interfaces with SD, xD, MS, MS Pro, MMC, USB Slave (type-B Mini), and USB Host (Type-A) for USB Flash Drive . . . 

Read the full review from the appleJAC Macintosh User Group.

 

zBoost Repeaters: Amping Your Cellphone Signal

Ever have problems getting a reliable cellphone signal? Are you experiencing a lot of dropped calls? That has been my frustrating situation (0 - 2 bars average) for almost a year in my home-office duplex (only two miles from a tower on the ridge, but my place is at the bottom of the valley among the trees). I finally found a better candidate at Macworld 2011 which works with any of my cell signals.

zBoost by Wi-Ex (www.wi-ex.com) is described as the leading provider of consumer cell phone signal boosters for the home and office. They showcased their home and office solutions in San Francisco on January 26, 2011, illustrating their ability to help iPhone, iPad, smartphone, connected devices and mobile phone users with dropped calls and slow data. I was particularly interested in the zBoost-SOHO (small office/home office) and zBoost-METRO (urban single-story unit) . . . 

Read the full review from the appleJAC Macintosh User Group.

 

iPad/iPhone/iPod Accessories: Power Enhancements

With all the apps and activities that are being conducted on our mobile devices, power consumption is an ever-increasing concern. Do you have to recharge every night, and even sometimes run out during the day? How about when you go on a trip? There are some great solutions now available.

The TekCharge™ MP1860A from Tekkeon, a dual port 1860 mAh power pack with two USB outputs, simultaneously charges and powers my iPad™, iPhone®, iPod® nano or iPod® touch, and a second small portable device. With mobile power at my fingertips, this high-capacity, lightweight battery lets me enjoy hours of extended play time on many of my small portable electronic products.

(also in this review: PowerPak Travel Charger from Technical, Boost Case from HRL Technologies, and TruePower iV Pro from TruePower, Inc.)

 Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh User Group.

 

More iPad accessories: Protection, Utility and Convenience

As I said before, this Macworld could more appropriately been called “iPadworld” with all of the emphasis on portable Apple devices. The incredible variety of accessories for iPads was stunning, overwhelming and intriguing.

The HandStand from Hub International is another example of the new generation of versatile and useful cases. This iPad case is designed to be an extension of my arm with the flexibility of 360° rotation around my palm. For only $49.99 (http://thehandstand.com), this case feels good, protects well, and is very functional . . . a good buy. 

(also in this review: Hand-e-holder from Burns Computer Services)

Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh User Group.

 

Gravity TAGS: Fingertip Information Connections

As I acquire more information and get more involved in this busy world, I need more tools to keep track of my diverse activities. Topical folders and specialized titling have long been my organizational technique, but the volume and scope of my data has exceeded my ability to keep everything straight. In a word, I need help!

  A new program from Gravity Applications called Tags had provided me with an innovative way to get back in control of my computer’s contents. This company points out that every day we deal with thousands of documents, emails, photos, contacts, videos, web links and others. The rigid file/folder structure on a computer, designed to mimic the real world physical equivalent, is no longer efficient. While specific applications exist to manage, sort, find and consume specific file types such as iTunes for music, iPhoto for photos, Mail for emails, and Safari for the web, what has been lacking is a comprehensive way to associate different types of files to one another in an intuitive way, without creating duplicates.

Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh User Group.

VirusBarrier X6: Mac Protection from Invaders

We are proud of the fact that, unlike the world of Windows, the Macintosh operating system is devoid of viruses (or, so we believe). This can lead to a false sense of security about which we need to be very careful. It is important that we still protect ourself from a much broader world of intrusion, misrepresentation and invasion.

VirusBarrier X6 is a powerful product that provides comprehensive protection from malware and network threats. It is the only antivirus program for Mac that includes full anti-malware protection together with firewall, network protection, anti-phishing, anti-spyware features and more.

Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group.

Microvision PicoP: Impressive Laser Micro-Projector

Have you ever wanted to show pictures, or slideshows, or movies to three or four people at once, but your iPhone or iPod screen was just too small? Even the iPad screen can be too small for a group of people. You could hook up to a big digital video projector, but its heavy and bulky, needs to plug into a wall socket, and is time-consuming to setup. On the other hand, with the marvels of today’s technology and miniaturization, wouldn’t it be great if you could just pull a projector out of your pocket, plug and play?

See the review from the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group

Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac: Incredible Windows Support

Do you have a Macintosh computer, but need to run a Windows application?  Are you a “switcher” from a Windows platform, and still need to run some Windows programs for compatibility?  Do you require Windows XP or Windows 7 in order to access network or Internet resources? I have a great solution for you!

I have a small island of Macs at work, in a sea of PCs. It is important that I be able to simultaneously access both environments, and move information effortlessly between them. I started with Parallels Desktop 3 for the Mac several years ago, and have recently updated to Parallels 6, which now has over 80 new and enhanced features beyond its previous edition. This is a reliable and productive tool for my daily use.

Read the review by the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group.

Dragon Dictate: The New Leader in Voice Transcription

Tired of typing? Need a break from the mouse? Want to step away from touching the screen? Yearn to just talk to your computer and have it transcribe every word at normal talking speed? There is a terrific product to give you this freedom.

In April 2010, I did a review of MacSpeech Scribe which, at that time, was the world’s most advanced personal transcription solution for the Macintosh. With the acquisition of MacSpeech by Nuance Communications, Dragon Dictate has now replaced Scribe as the new leader in Mac transcription.

Read the review by the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group