Category: Gear

Apple by Joe WilcoxJul 2, 201510:39 pm

13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display (Early 2015) Review

Reviewing most any MacBook Pro is a pointless exercise, because this year’s model isn’t much different from the previous—or the one before. That’s why I typically buy refurbished rather than new. But I broke with that practice last month, after a sudden electrical calamity laid my wife’s laptop to rest. Fried and died it is. With Apple releasing new versions of iOS and OS X and launching a streaming music service, a summer sojourn seemed opportune. I lent my beloved the Chromebook Pixel LS and purchased a new MBP. She will never give up the Google laptop, BTW.

I wouldn’t call myself super satisfied with MacBook Pro, which feels slower than the last one used, which packed 2.6GHz Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. Current: 2.7GHz Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD. The 2015 model has newer-gen Intel chip compared to the 2013 refurb. Could the difference be speedier storage? Perhaps it’s subjective recall, coming from the Pixel, which feels fast, with its 2.4GHz i7 microprocessor and 16GB memory. I have long asserted that Google’s target market is the MacBook Pro buyer, and that’s a recurrent theme you’ll find if reading further.

Society by Joe WilcoxJun 29, 20153:15 pm

Why iPhone Matters

Happy Birthday! iPhone is 8 years-old today. Oh my, it seems so much longer because so much has changed. Think back. Eight years ago, there was no Android. YouTube was but 18 months available to the public, and Facebook or Twitter only about a year. There was no market for tablets, or smartwatches.

The iPhone marks everything right about the Steve Jobs era of risk-taking design. More changes: He is gone from this world and some of that other-worldly innovation with him. In 2007, the smartphone was a decade-old slow seller that few people owned. Now it’s everywhere! Apple deserves credit for the transformation, whether or not anyone wants to give it.

Apple by Joe WilcoxJun 25, 201512:43 pm

Apple Watch (Stainless Steel) vs Sport (Aluminum)

After spending 7 days with Apple Watch Sport—and largely enjoying it—time comes to test the next pricier model. When trying to compare the two, I find very little useful from Internet searches. So a primer is in order for other folks also wondering: Which one is right for me? Ultimately, the best answer will come from going into an Apple Store (if there is one nearby) and putting the timepieces on your wrist.

Last week, I compared Android Wear and Apple Watch platforms, starting from the different design ethics behind them. Obviously, timepieces from the bitten-fruit logo company are more alike, with the main differences being materials, pricing, and target customers. Interestingly, the combinations offer subtle changes in benefits that will matter much to some shoppers. Henceforth, I will refer to the devices as Sport, for the aluminum model, and Apple Watch for the stainless steel sibling.

Apple by Joe WilcoxJun 22, 20159:00 am

Android Wear vs Apple Watch

Last week, I had opportunity to use Apple Watch, making it third of the modern smart variety that I have experienced (the others being LG Urbane and Moto 360). The differences between the platforms are quite startling and worth highlighting. They begin with diverging design ethics derived from the fruit-logo company’s app-centric heritage and Google’s place in the cloud.

For people who use either Android handset or iPhone, existing device really determines what watch platform you choose, if any—that is for now. Down the path you go. But where it leads is somewhere else, not the same destination. One platform is more responsive to you in varying contextual situations. The other requires more direct interaction, but gives other benefits.

Gear by Joe WilcoxMay 26, 201510:09 pm

Nokia Lumia Icon: When Great Isn’t Good Enough

I am lucky enough to have three sisters—Laurette, the youngest, and fraternal twins Annette and Nanette—but no brother(s). Nan, who is the tech savviest, rang on May 22, 2015, saying she had reached the inflection point of frustration finding apps she wanted or absolutely needed for the Nokia Lumia Icon purchased from me during summer last.

From Day 1, she praised the utility and usability of the user interface, attractive but sturdy design, and amazing hardware capabilities, which include the quality of images produced by the camera. But pushing a year later, with Windows Phone 8.1 installed and little improvement in the selection of apps that matter, She’d sacrificed enough.

Nan asked my advice about a replacement. Should she return to iPhone (she used the 4 before Icon) or get an Android? Her user story illuminates what can happen when someone entrenched in the Microsoft ecosystem raises his or her head above ground and sniffs the Android and Apple air.

Gear by Joe WilcoxMay 26, 20157:50 am

Don’t Talk Dumb About Smartwatches

Sunday afternoon, I cleaned out old CDs from a folder to make room for DVDs the family will keep but in more manageable storage. The things we save and forget about: install disc for the Suunto N3i MSN Direct smartwatch. The discovery is opportunity to express one of my ongoing gripes regarding news gathering today: Wild speculation about things to come that ignores context of past accomplishments.

Consider the smartphone, which you would think Apple invented based on all the blog blathering. Credit belongs to Nokia, about 20 years ago. Then there is the smartwatch. My feedbox fills with increasing speculation about when Microsoft will develop a wristwear platform or when will traditional timepiece makers produce the devices. Been there, done that.

Critters by Joe WilcoxMay 23, 20156:31 pm

Cali Relaxes

M daughter’s cat Cali assumes a rather unusual position in the custom-made tree we paid just $60 for. I love supporting a home business. I snapped the Featured Image using Nexus 6, rather than pull […]

Gear by Joe WilcoxMay 20, 20158:40 pm

Nexus 9 Review

I want to love Google-branded, HTC-manufactured Nexus 9. But ours is a contentious relationship. N9 is not a bad tablet; others offer better value and performance for the price (or less), with Apple iPad mini being high among them. That said, if pure (aka stock) Android is your thing, there is no worthy alternative. Just prepare for a few compromises, particularly if moving up from Nexus 7.

In his November 2014 review, my BetaNews colleague Brian Fagioli calls Nexus 9 “magical“. I can’t agree. During my four months using the tablet, response occasionally hesitates and WiFi too often disconnects. Last week, my N9 received the newest Android update, which somewhat resolves both problems. I purposely delayed this review, waiting for v5.1.1.

Gear by Joe WilcoxMay 18, 20159:13 pm

Meet the Fujifilm X-T10

Fujifilm’s line of cameras increasingly looks like choices among toothpastes. Do you want fluoride or gingivitis protection? Oh, this one whitens teeth, cures bad breath, and eliminates body odor. Decisions, decisions. That’s kind of my reaction to today’s debut of the X-T10 digital camera, which shouldn’t be confused with Fujifilm’s X10, X100T, or X-T1. Dyslectics and the visually impaired, beware!

As a X100T owner, I’m a Fuji fan. So, please, don’t take my criticism wrongly. It’s just this lineup is quite crowded. The company’s product website lists—count `em—18 different X-Series models. Sure, some aren’t current and not all can be confused. But many of them are close enough in actual benefits to perplex potential buyers.

Gear by Joe WilcoxMay 11, 20156:00 pm

Harman/Kardon Nova Review

M daughter’s cat Cali loves to chew cords—a habit we will eventually break. Meanwhile, it’s good excuse to invest in new wireless speakers that diminish some of the cord clutter. Our 20 year-old also is moving home for the summer, putting more wires at risk and necessitating some speaker swaps. She takes my Harman/Kardon SoundSticks, which subwoofer meets her requirement for thumping bass; I don’t need it and switched to a space-saving, cord-reducing duo set.

Spectacular sound is my description for Harman/Kardon Nova, which delivers rich treble, magnificent highs, fine detail, and more-than-adequate bass for the kind of kit. Separation and soundstage are bold—dynamic! The speakers are best appreciated when matched to the right source. I stream from lossless leader Tidal on Chromebook Pixel LS, connected via Bluetooth. The combination is immensely enjoyable and makes me happy while working, which boosts the quality and speed of my productivity.

Gear by Joe WilcoxMay 9, 20159:58 pm

Watch Me

I never expected to part with my Luminox 3187 (pictured), nor the Moto 360 that replaced it. But, hey, Craigslist sales happen. Both devices went to new owners this week. Meanwhile, I settle into supreme satisfaction using the LG Watch Urbane. We’re 10 days a team, and inseparable except for charging and showers—I do try to time their start together, seeing as how the Urbane comes off the wrist for either.

My initial first impressions are little changed. Overall, I prefer the LG smartwatch to the Motorola. Traditional styling, always-on screen, and satisfactory (but not exceptional) battery life are among the Urbane’s charming qualities.

Gear by Joe WilcoxMay 5, 20154:39 pm

Acer Chromebook 15 Display is More Than Just Big

As if my Pixel LS review isn’t enough, another Chromebook demands attention. Last week, Acer offered its maxi-model for review. FedEx delivered yesterday but I only cracked open the box this afternoon. The screen is motherfraking huge. Everything is humongous, actually.

The other big thing about the display—maybe that should be plural: IPS and 1080p. It’s the first Chromebook that my aging eyes can handle at full, native resolution. I keep the Pixel jacked down to 1440 x 956, like Toshiba Chromebook 2. Acer smartly chose a matte rather than glossy screen, which works surprisingly well. Viewing angles aren’t exceptional, but they are surprisingly good. Very, very good. Colors and contrast please, too.

Chromebook 15 isn’t the first Acer to user a matte display, but the others tend to be dim TNs. I like the company’s approach of going back to move ahead. Matte should make the IPS screen viewable just about anywhere—even outdoors in the sunlight. Reflective screens arguably give greater contrast but are overrated and way overdone.