review

My family and I just returned from a week in paradise, in Ko'Olina, Oh'au, Hawaii. Why Oa'hu? Because in Ko'Olina there is a relatively new resort, Aulani, that was built by Disney and opened to guests on August 29th, 2011, just a few months after my son was born. Since that time, my family and I have gone to several Disney properties, including both Disneyland, after moving to California, and Disney World, last year, as well as a Disney Cruise. This was our first time trying a Disney resort without an attached Theme Park and was a compromise between my wife and I (I wanted to go to Hawaii, she wanted to do something everyone would enjoy, which usually means...

The PadPivot is a “Lap and Desk Stand” for the iPad and other tablet-sized devices.  I had purchased an original iPad the previous year and had kept looking for a nice desk stand and/or way to hold the iPad, the PadPivot seemed like a good idea. Kickstarter Info Kickstarter Site: PadPivot Lap and Desk Stand Date Funded:  2011 March 14 Total Backers:  4,823 Total Raised:  $190,352 vs. Goal:  $10,000 Date Backed:  2011 January 31 Backer Level:  PadPivot Kicker Level Backer Price:  $35.00 Item Received:  May 2011 My Site Credits:  https://www.padpivot.com/welcome/hof Item Current Whereabouts:  In my basement somewhere Retail Info Where to buy:  http://www.padpivot.com Retail Price:  $39.99...

The C-Loop was my introduction to the Kickstarter service.  If you don’t know, Kickstarter is a way for potential inventors / service providers to crowdfund their ideas.  It provides a great jumping off point for innovators and inventors to fund their ideas so they can become reality. Kickstarter Info Kickstarter Site: C-Loop Date Funded:  2010 December 14 Total Backers:  1428 Total Raised:  $63,163 vs. Goal:  $15,000 Date Backed:  2010 November 29 Backer Level:  $35 or More Backer Price:  $35.00 Item Received:  January 2011 My Site Credits:  http://www.customslr.com/pages/c-loop-contributors/ Item Current Whereabouts:  Still attached to my DSLR Retail Info Where to buy:  http://www.customslr.com/products/c-loop Retail Price:  $39.95 Would I...

Over the last 6 years, IGG Software has continued to lengthen their lead in the Macintosh Personal Finance space, becoming the dominant player assisting you with all aspects of your Financial Life (ironically, that’s what the aborted attempt at re-writing Quicken was supposed to be called).  Unfortunately, as I predicted, Intuit has only made one improvement to Quicken Essentials for Mac since I wrote my article 4 years ago:  you can now export to TurboTax (wow). But I digress, this article is about iBank 5, the new offering from IGG Software in the iBank line.  A piece of software I’ve been running (and loving) since 2011. The Updates Several new features in iBank 5 will have Macintosh finance...

On March 27th, I was listening to the Security Now podcast (Security Now #397 – “Listener Feedback #164”), when Steve Gibson mentioned a Kickstarter project called the SmushBox.  He described it as “Mark [Thompson] wanted an automated way of sending and receiving SMS messages for his own web-based stuff that he’s doing.”  Hmmm, I thought, “So do I”. So on March 30, 2013, I pledged at the “SMUSH KIT, LATER” level for $250, which included an “activated SmushBox, installation and management software, cables, unlimited texting with unlimited keywords”.  The SmushBox project promised, “unlimited 2-way SMS texting, unlimited mobile subscribers, with no contracts or hidden fees.”  Unfortunately, in the three days since Steve mentioned it on his podcast, they had sold...