Let's Talk Tech
I’ll admit it. I kinda miss hardware smartphone keyboards. Reviewing the Classic was an interesting homecoming. How well does Blackberry’s mid-ranger compare to the rest of the smartphone market? Let’s take a look!
Shop the Blackberry Classic on Amazon.
BB Classic Camera Review.
BB Classic Speaker Test.
This is the first Blackberry I’ve used in YEARS, and while I was a big fan of their messaging services, the smartphone arena has become very competitive with some fantastic camera options. Let’s see how Blackberry’s mid-range, throw-back designed Classic performs in our real-world video benchmarks!
You can now upload 360 degree video to Youtube! This will be amazing for Google Cardboard and VR headsets, but even viewing it on a phone or in a browser, it’s a really immersive way to interact with content!
Here’s a quick tour of my completely trashed office shot on the Kodak Pixpro SP360! Make sure to view this in Google Chrome or through the Android Youtube App, otherwise you’ll just see a regular wide angle video.
Shop the SP360 on Amazon.
Kodak SP360 Review.
More SP360 Video Samples.
Raw “square” video from the SP360.
I recorded a video earlier this week in response to Apple’s MacBook and Apple Watch announcements, where I washed my hands of the tech angst many of us gadget geeks face when discussing Cupertino. Many of us who are now the most critical of the company, were at one time the most passionate advocates of the brand. I myself was an Apple product specialist for a company that sold systems and maintenance contracts to Department of Energy research facilities. The general thesis of my video focused on the realization and acceptance of the fact that Apple is not (and some would argue hasn’t been for some time) a tech company, but is now a full-fledged fashion and lifestyle brand.
Scanning through Apple’s site and ads, we see a company showcasing design in much the same way that a jewelry website would show off luxury, premium offerings. Sure, there’s a tab you can click on to get a full listing of hardware specs, but it’s neatly tucked to the side, while large banners talk about “Reinventing the Laptop”, or how Apple Watch is their “Most Personal Device” yet. Marketing intangibles, statements designed to make you feel good, appeal to you emotionally, but which aren’t quantifiable or verifiable.
While Apple has often been accused of recycling their designs, the tick-tock update schedule of the iPhone is a perfect example, the company has learned an incredibly important strategy from the retail arena. While iProducts rarely change much from year to year, the subtle design changes keep brand awareness high amongst the demographics of folks with money to burn.
When moving from the Black iPhone 5, to the “Space Grey” iPhone 5S for example, this was a clear visual signal that you had spent money recently to acquire the new phone, instead of slumming it with an old phone. A Silver MacBook likely wont stand out much in a coffee shop when surrounded by MacBook Airs, but a Gold MacBook gives up a ready signal that you are on the pulse. It just wouldn’t do to be seen with last season’s Apple gear. We can count on the next MacBook to be a modest iteration improvement to the internal technology, but we’ll likely focus more on a new design accent or a new color option. Continue reading “Apple, Fashion, and Perceived Exclusivity – Keeping Desire High for iProducts”
I loves me a good bag, and I’m a big fan of Moshi’s design, having reviewed several of their phone cases. Their Venturo laptop bag is one of the most attractive tech bags I’ve ever had the pleasure of reviewing on this channel.
Is it more than just a pretty face? Let’s dig in!
More info on the Venturo Laptop Case.
Shop the Venturo on Amazon.
Got a great viewer question on my Instagram feed from follower kill.the.spiders who asks:
“Do you edit your photos or are they the way they are? The focus is amazing and the blur effect is impressive, also is it possible to make similar shots with phones, like the G3 for example?”
Let’s take a quick look at cameras, sensor size, and depth of field! This video should be watched full screen for the best experience, and don’t forget to increase the quality to 4K!
The North Face makes some of my favorite camping and hiking gear, so I was really looking forward to trying out their Surge II backpack, which was designed to tote around up to a seventeen inch laptop. How does an adventure gear company fare when making a laptop bag? Let’s take a look…
Shop the Surge II on Amazon.
More info on North Face products.
It’s been a crazy start to MWC 2015 with a pair of killer announcements from Samsung and HTC! New smartphones, mobile payment systems, and a VR headset! What were your first reactions to the news? Drop a comment below!