On xoJane: FOR THE LADIES: Why Bluetooth Speaker Purses Are My Least Favorite CES Trend
Tech/Fashion combos are not all ridiculous, but enough of them are that it hurts. Major case in point: a growing number of Bluetooth speakers that are also purses except they’re not real purses because you can’t carry anything in them. The first one I saw just made me roll my eyes. When I caught a glimpse of the second, I knew I was witnessing the beginning of a trend. A horrible trend… for the ladies.
On Digital Trends: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2013) review
On the outside it looks much the same as last year’s model. On the inside it sports a faster processor, improved E-Ink display, and brighter, more even reading light. All this plus several new software features, many aimed at younger kids, make the new Paperwhite a very desirable e-reader. Is it improved enough to get you upgrading for the 2012 model? Read our full review and tell us if you’re tempted.
On Liliputing: Hands-on: Dell Chromebook 11 is intended for the classroom [Video]
Dell is positioning this laptop specifically for K-12 education markets, something it also did with netbooks a few years ago. The look isn’t meant to catch your eye on a Best Buy shelf (even though it does look like a slight modification on the Windows-powered Inspiron 11 3000 Series notebook, which is a consumer device).
It’s not ugly, it’s just more functional than fashionable. It’s not too heavy at 2.9 pounds but isn’t the lightest nor the thinnest Chromebook around. This size and weight will be easy for even first graders to carry around without starting early on back problems.
On Digital Trends: Barnes & Noble Nook GlowLight review
It’s slimmer and lighter than before, the display is sharper and more pixel dense, and the reader now lacks physical page turn buttons and a MicroSD card slot. This distilled approach makes the Nook look more like the competition, namely the Kindle Paperwhite and the Kobo Aura, thus making it feel like a “me too” device instead of an innovative one.
Should you stick with your Nook Simple Touch or spring for the new hotness?
The folks behind the Basis B1 Band are the most vocal about how accurate their product is compared to others. The claim is that people who think they’ve been walking 10,000 steps a day because the FitBit says so apparently aren’t because most trackers over-count. …
I decided to test this myself. I wore the Basis B1 Band for a week and compared it to my experience with the FitBit One and the Withings Pulse fitness trackers.
On Liliputing: 5 Tablets that changed the Android landscape
You can’t swing a dead cat5e cable around without hitting an Android tablet these days. It’s almost hard to believe that tablets weren’t always part of the Android landscape.
I mean, there were some attempts to put Android on all kinds of platforms in those early days. Later there were a few large-screen Android tablets that actually launched… to a less than enthusiastic marketplace. Then the iPad came along and things got real in a hurry.
On Digital Trends: Apple iPhone 5C Review
There is a lot less pressure on the iPhone 5C than there was on the iPhone 5, and the massive hopes and dreams for innovation are on the 5S this year. The 5C is new version of last year’s iPhone 5. It’s sold for $100 less than the 5S and is for those who like (slightly) cheaper phones and colors. All it has to do is perform well and not feel or look trashy. And, you know what: it’s doing a good job.
On Digital Trends: Toshiba Excite Write review
The Excite Write offers one of the best pen/tablet writing experiences for Android as well as smooth, speedy performance, but our experience with the Write did come with some inconveniences.
On Digital Trends: How to trade paper for pixels – and keep writing by hand
We all have smartphones, laptops, and tablets, but there are many people who still prefer the feel of pen on paper for taking notes or writing. Making the transition to digital writing isn’t easy and the path is littered with dozens of bad ideas and gadgets. The key is finding the right tools. With that in mind, we’ve created a handy guide to help you out. In the sections ahead, we will go through some of the best digital pens, note-taking apps, and tablets with built-in styli.
On Digital Trends: StandScan ($20) vs. ScanDock ($400): Which smartphone scanner is worth your cash?
Most scanner stands are like the $20 StandScan; simple cardboard (or plastic) tents that collapse or fold up in some way for easy porting and storage. And then there’s the ScanDock, which is in a class of it’s own. This study and more permanent-looking model bills itself as the Post-PC Scanner and promises higher quality. It also costs $400.
The ScanDock is clearly a product someone was clamoring for since it exists thanks to a successful KickStarter campaign. But is it so much better than basic scanner stands that it’s worth the high price? We tested the ScanDock and the StandScan head to head to find out.