reviews

tl;dr: A worthwhile upgrade to the Nikon D90, and an excellent display of Nikon's latest whiz-bang features. Best video recording abilities of any current or past Nikon SLR.

I just received my new Nikon D7000 SLR in the mail today, so I'm working on getting some images and videos together for a full-fledged review.

tl;dr: Another iPhone mount that doesn't fit my needs exactly, but works well and sells for a good price.

I was given a sample iShot 2-in-1 Tripod/Window Mount for the iPhone 4 from Abesco & Co. Design, LLC, a month or so ago, and asked to try it out, then post a review. So, here goes:

For the past eight years, I've been bouncing back and forth from one ISP to another, trying to find one that actually feels worth the load of money I pay for it.

I've used a variety of services from both of the main St. Louis area providers (AT&T and Charter Communications), and am testing Clear wireless (a new game in town, but one that's been around in Chicago and other larger cities for a year or more). I've paid anywhere from $15/month to $90/month (for Internet service alone—I've never participated in the 'Charter Bundle,' 'Uverse' or any voice/data/video bundles).

I'm going to go through the reasons why I've tried all the different services, and what I've liked—and hated—about each. As a prelude, I am still not pleased with the performance I've received from any of the providers (at least, not for what I'm paying/have paid!).

AT&T 'High Speed' DSL

I've tried AT&T's DSL service in three different parts of St. Louis: North county, the Central West End, and Shrewsbury. In all three areas, I've encountered the same problem—an unreliable connection.

I've been through many support calls, and in all cases, when a technician is sent out, he says the line signal is perfect. Go figure. I've used a few different modems, some rather expensive, and they've all exhibited these problems.

tl;dr: For $7, why not? It's secure, and versatile enough for most any job the iPhone 4 can handle (plus, it works with other smartphones too!).

tl;dr: A great pocketable camera that shoots RAW, gets pretty good low-light results, and has a sharp new HD video recording mode.

After having used an excellent RAW-capable point and shoot, the Canon PowerShot G11, for about 6 months, I sold it on eBay and bought the new Canon PowerShot S95, the G11's smaller sibling. I had originally been looking into buying the S90 (another excellent camera), but thought the G11's flip-screen and handling would be worthwhile assets.

Unfortunately, I had bought the G11 to be my pocketable 'vacation-cam,' and though it worked pretty well, it wasn't quite pocketable. I had to keep it in its case, and it was another item of luggage to carry around wherever I took it.

The S95's form factor allows me to truly pocket this camera, and not sacrifice the quality of image I can get with it too much. It's a heck of a lot better than my iPhone 4's camera, but still nowhere near as amazing as my D90 SLR paired with a good lens. To better convey a sense of how the S95 works in my life, I'll break down this review into a few relevant categories.

tl;dr: The iPhone 4 is another great step forward from Apple. From the dazzling quality of the built-in camera and respective app, to the brilliance of the Retina display, this iPhone is an all-around winner.

After having tried an iPhone 4 display model at my local Apple Store, and tasting the Retina display kool-aid, I couldn't wait until my pre-ordered unit finally came in. Well, it did, and I have to say that one day's use has already impressed me enough to look on older iPhones with some amount of disgust. How could I have possibly coped with the low-resolution display, grainy camera, and rather sluggish upload speeds on the 3G and 3Gs?

tl;dr: Solid performers for those wanting a bass-heavy aural experience and good isolation. The headphones can bring new life to some songs, but are often overbearing for those with sensitive ears.

Finding a good pair of headphones can be an lifelong vocation. In my short lifespan, I've probably given a good chance to about twelve different pairs, from earbuds to large cans used in professional/studio environments.