Stevieness

My First Graze Box

Sat, 20 Jul 2013 21:07:38 GMT

I never used to like nuts and dried fruit but for the last few months I have been trying out different options in an effort to snack more healthily.

Almonds are a strong favourite of mine, along with various dried fruit. However I wasn\'t really sure what I would and wouldn\'t like. After getting a code for 2 free boxes (1st and 5th) I finally decided to give graze.com a try.

After signing up I started to go through everything they offered, this was mainly to insure I didn\'t get things I hate like olives etc, so I \"binned\" those. The rating system has 4 different options, bin, try, like and love. I kept a lot of things as \"try\" so I didn\'t miss things I actually might like.

The whole idea of graze.com is to eat healthy, but that doesn\'t mean they don\'t offer tasty treats as well. I\'ll be honest, I did end up \"loving\" brownies, sticky toffee pudding, flapjack and other nice looking choices. But I did the same to a lot of the healthy options as well so it should even out.

I have now received and eaten my first box, it contained 4 of the things I loved which was great.

Here\'s what I got:-

honeycomb crunch
milk chocolate coated honeycomb, raisins and almonds

This was the first one I tried and it was a nice mix of healthy with an added bit of chocolate. Definitely one i\'d have again

honeycomb flapjack
rustic rolled oat flapjack with honeycomb and milk chocolate

I loved this, 3 good sized bits of flapjack which were really tasty.

billionaire\'s shortbread
fudge pieces, blanched almonds, milk chocolate drops and cranberries

I did like this, however I wasn\'t really sure about the cranberries, it didn\'t really feel like it went together well.

jaffa cake
roasted hazels, orange infused raisins and dark chocolate buttons

The \"roasted hazels\" in this mix were amazing! I could have eaten more of those, and the dark chocolate buttons were a nice change to milk chocolate.

Overall I was really impressed with my first box, which was predictable due to the fact I loved them all. I\'ve already received my second box, and it is more varied which is good, there\'s at least 2 \"trys\" in there. I\'ll let you know my thoughts on those soon.

It\'s too early for me to say if the boxes are good value for money, at �3.89 for the nibble box (inc delivery) it doesn\'t seem outrageous. I\'ll see how it goes though!

Gaming, TV and films

Sat, 20 Jul 2013 19:07:13 GMT

It\'s almost been 2 weeks since I last blogged, this year is just whizzing by. I try to plan out what I\'m going to blog and when but something else always crops up and my schedule goes out the window. I don\'t know how people do it for a living, although if it\'s your job to blog and make YouTube videos I guess you don\'t have other things getting in the way.

What\'s happened since I last blogged? Well, the sun is making itself well known to us, it\'s been in the high 20\'s early 30\'s for the last 2 weeks. It\'s been pretty warm, Don\'t worry I\'m not going to moan, I do like it when its hot during the day, but not at night. I\'m lucky enough to have air conditioning in my house though which makes a massive different. Without it my room can be 27 degrees which isn\'t very pleasant, just don\'t look at the electricity bill!

I decided to treat myself to a Nintendo 3DS, the main reason was because I haven\'t played any Mario games for years! I also wanted to take something on holiday to play games on, other than my iPad.

Obviously the games don\'t have the same graphics quality as the PS Vita (or an iPad for that matter), but the games still look good and are great fun to play. So far I have Monster Hunter 3, Mario Kart 7, Lego Undercover and Animal Crossing New Leaf. Don\'t judge me ok, the games do say 3+ . I haven\'t played Animal Crossing yet, but everyone seems to be raving about it, i\'ll probably give it a go later on.

I\'m still shamefully watching Big Brother, but I stand by the fact that this series is really good! However I\'ve evened it out by watching shows like Dexter, which is on its last season, and I\'m loving it so far. I was a late comer to Dexter, I caught up on the first 6 seasons on DVD and I was hooked after the first few episodes. There\'s been a few moments where its felt like they have dragged a bit, but all in all it\'s a great show and anyone that hasn\'t seen it yet should watch it.

When Dexter finishes I think I will re-watch all of 24 ready for the new season next year. I\'m trying to catch up on a lot of films I haven\'t seen lately as well. Cars 2, Expendables 2 (better than I was expecting) and Zero Dark 30.

Apart from that it\'s been work work work.

Andy Murray Wins Wimbledon

Sun, 07 Jul 2013 21:07:47 GMT

For the first time in 77 years a British player won Wimbledon.

Andy Murray played superbly and fought his way to win in 3 straight sets against Novak Djokovic. It was a tense match all the way to the final point, but Andy held is nerve and won in style.

Now time for him to become the world number one? I\'m sure he will do it no problem.

Well done Andy, you have made your country proud.

Sun, Wimbledon and F1

Sun, 07 Jul 2013 00:07:22 GMT

Summer may have finally arrived, well for the next few days at least, it was a balmy (what sort of word is balmy?) 28 degrees down south today. It's going to be even hotter today, I don't mind the sun or the heat, but I'm not the kinda guy that likes to sit around on a beach, I just get bored.

I've spent a fair amount of the last 2 weeks watching Wimbledon, and it's certainly been one of the better years. With Nadal, Federer and others out in the first week, has it paved the way for Andy Murray to win? I don't want to tempt fate as the mens final is not until later today. Murray played Rodger Federer in last years Wimbledon final and lost, but can he win this year? I really hope so.

Random Wimbledon fact, each year they go through 54,000 tennis balls.

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone last weekend was also slightly dramatic. Hamilton started on pole, had a blow out and fell to the back of the pack. After a storming drive though he recovered to 4th which was pretty amazing. He wasn't the only blow out though, there seemed to be a bit of an issue with the tyres or curbs.

Pirelli have made some changes to the tyres for the German Grand Prix this weekend and they seem to have been fine during qualifying with Hamilton on pole once again. It looks like Lewis made the right choice moving to Mercedes as McClaren are not doing to well this season, it feels like they have taken some steps backwards from the car last year.

I really need to go and watch a race live one day, the thing is you only see the car for a second every minute or so. Is it really worth it?

If Andy and Lewis can win this weekend it will be the perfect end to a sunny day! Fingers crossed!

[Audio] I say this everytime

Sat, 29 Jun 2013 22:06:26 GMT

I must do more audio blogs!

Google waves goodbye to Reader

Sat, 29 Jun 2013 21:06:49 GMT

Google announced a few months ago that they were going to discontinue Google Reader, there popular RSS service, on the 1st of July 2013.

For those of you that don\'t know, RSS readers allow you to get all of your favourite news, blogs and other articles in one place. You can then read them whenever you want, wherever you are.

I\'ve used Google Reader for years, it\'s how I stay up to date with whats going on. I tend to focus around technology blogs, apple news and interesting blogs etc. I tend to get over 1000 new articles a day, obviously I can\'t read them all but I can scroll through quickly and find the ones that I want to read.

I use Google Reader to sync all my subscriptions rather than read them, I don\'t find the web interface very good especially when your using a mobile device.

Luckily there are a number of 3rd party apps that you can use with Google Reader.

Reeder for iPhone, iPad and Mac is my favourite. It\'s an app that I use everyday.

I use Google Reader so much that I couldn\'t imagine not reading news via RSS. So when Google announced it was going to be discontinued I actually wondered what I was going todo.

There are other alternatives out there and since the announcement they have all stepped up their game to become to next best choice, new RSS services have also been created as well.

Feedly has been around for a while and I have looked at their apps in the past but never got used to it. However that\'s changed recently.

Feedly allows you to login with your Google Reader account and transfer all your subscriptions, favourites and tags to Feedly\'s new cloud server, it only took one click and I no longer need to rely on Google Reader. Feedly offer their own web, iPhone and iPad app which aren\'t too bad, but they are different to what I\'m used to. The good news is, support for Feedly is being added into Reeder.

Another great alternative is Feedbin, the developer is very passionate about keeping RSS alive. The web interface looks great and it looks like more is coming soon. Reeder has already added Feedbin support, which means I can continue reading news without interruption.

However Feedbin charges a subscription fee of $2 a month (�1.32). Currently Feedly is free, although there are rumours of a paid premium service. Maybe paid is the way it will all go. But I\'m not sure it\'s something I want todo yet, not when I can goto the websites and read it for free.

There are a few other alternatives out there, but I haven\'t tried them yet.

I\'m still annoyed that Google is ditching it\'s RSS service, but at least their are some good alternatives to choose from.

A lot of people say RSS died years ago, but i\'d like to think it will keep on going, a bit like IRC, if you know what that is, you are properly retro.

Record of the week - Yogscast - HONEYDEWYEAYEA

Tue, 25 Jun 2013 22:06:49 GMT

This couldn\'t not be my record of the week!

It\'s been in my head all day!

New iPad App Please! - Wimbledon 2013

Mon, 24 Jun 2013 19:06:54 GMT

New balls please! Yep that\'s right, Wimbledon is back on our screens! I\'ve watched Wimbledon for as long as I can remember, there have been times where I\'ve watched it solidly for 2 weeks, unfortunately working life doesn\'t allow that. Thankfully I\'ve had my trusty iPhone app to keep me updated wherever I am.

Whilst the iPhone app is great, i, along with many others have wanted an iPad app, but every year it never arrived.

I\'m happy to say that\'s all changed this year! The iPad app has arrived! We returned to the famous grass courts today and I got to try out the new iPad app for the first time and wow I love it.

A lot of iPad apps are just bigger brothers of the iPhone app, but this is not the case with the Wimbledon app, its been completely redesigned for a larger screen. It looks great and gives you more information than you could ever need.

The Wimbledon iPad app gives you access to the following:-

Interactive grounds map
Live scores
Draws
Order of play
Player profiles
Photos
Videos
Live streams
Radio
Shop (everyone wants a towel right?)

The thing I like most about the iPad app is the live score board, it goes full screen and allows you to see whats going on live. It features all the stats that your used to seeing on TV, who\'s winning, number of aces, double faults, breakpoint conversions as more.

I really really love this app, it has been my TV replacement all day and I cannot fault it. If you love Wimbledon and have an iPad this is a must have!

Best of all its available in the iTunes app store for free. I\'m not going to review the iPhone app again as it hasn\'t changed much, but it\'s a great alternative if you don\'t have an iPad.

Screenshots

Big Brother and Minions!

Fri, 21 Jun 2013 23:06:39 GMT

Apparently today is the longest day of the year? This year is going really fast and we haven\'t really seen any sign of summer yet. I read the other day that the weather might be pretty miserable for the next 10 years, although they said it might not be so no one really seems to know.

Big Brother has been back on our screens for just over a week and I hate to say this but I\'m already addicted to it. This series is called secrets & lies and it was all kicked off by an actor being put in the house. Michael had todo whatever the public voted for, this included shredding the housemates luggage, nominating the housemates and causing them to fail the task.

A couple of the housemates had their suspicions, but he managed to convince them otherwise. I think it was a good thing todo but they could have done it a bit better. I\'m really enjoying it so far though, it\'s a good mix of housemates and there have already been some entertaining moments.

Tonight was the first eviction and Sallie was evicted, I didn\'t really like her so I\'m happy about that. Michael was also revealed as an actor and left the house as well. I think they should have kept him in their longer but I guess the housemates would have worked it out in the end.

I wonder what the next secret or lie will be?

Moving on!

Despicable Me was on TV last week and I watched it for the first time (i had know idea Russell Brand was a voice in it). At the same time the Yogscast posted an E3 video where they met Despicable Me Minions.

I really want to see Despicable Me 2 now!

Even my phone background is getting involved!

Kickstarter - Projects Backed

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:06:44 GMT

A few months ago I received The Nifty MiniDrive, my first Kickstarter backed project.

At first I wasn\'t sure what to expect, who are these people making this random product?, will it ever arrive?, Is it actually worth the money? It turns out I had nothing to be concerned about, the Nifty guys are great and the product is great.

The only problem is, now i\'m slightly addicted to Kickstarter projects. Since backing my first project i\'ve backed 3 more and I get tempted by more all the time.

Let\'s start with the most random one, Thermodo, a tiny thermometer for mobile devices. I know what you\'re thinking what do you need to know the temperature via for phone? Well, the truth is I don\'t really know, but I backed it anyway.

It\'s been designed by Robocat, who until now have only designed mobile apps. However as they are best known for their weather apps Haze, Outside and Thermo it makes sense to take it to the next level.

The Thermodo is scheduled to arrive in August, I have until then to find a reason for needing it!

The next project I backed was Road Redemption, a remake of the popular 90\'s motorbike racing game Road Rash. I loved this game, I used to play it all the time. When I heard that a remake was being made, I had to back it!

For the first couple of weeks it looked liked it wasn\'t going to reach it\'s funding goal, but luckily in the last couple of days there was a lot of new backers which means it has been successfully funded.

Although DarkSeas Games are not the original developers, they have a lot of collective experience and seem to have a lot of passion and interest for the project.

I have high hopes for Road Redemption and I really hope it doesn\'t let me down. As a legendary rider tier backer, I should have access to the beta around september and the game will be released towards the middle of next year.

The final project I have backed recently is Stonehearth. As a massive Minecraft fan this game caught my eye, it has a lot of similarities but enough differences to be worth while.

Stonehearth is a multiplayer sandbox strategy game with town building, crafting, and epic battles. It seems to be more in-depth than Minecraft as you have to plan for your future survival.

A lot of detail has gone into the design of this game, lots of classes, challenges and building. I don\'t really want to class it as a Minecraft clone, but a lot of people will. Can it be as successful? Only time will tell.

It\'s still in the early stages of development, the beta won\'t be available until at least december and the official release is slated for september 2014.

I love Kickstarter, I think it\'s a great platform to get new ideas out there. But I find myself just looking through the most popular or latest projects wanting to back more things all the time!

For the time being i\'m all backed out!

PS4 games i can't wait to play

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:06:42 GMT

At E3 we finally got to see some examples of what the PS4 can do, and wow it does not disappoint.

Here are some of the games I can\'t wait to play.

Watch Dogs

Killzone Shadow Fall

Metal Gear Solid 5

Assassin\'s Creed 4 Black Flag

Tom Clancy\'s The Division

I cannot wait! I might have to book a month off work to play them all!

The rumours are true - I'm back

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 23:06:02 GMT

Well, it\'s certainly been a while since I blogged! Why has it been so long? that\'s a very good question! I decided to take a bit of a break from the \"social internet\" world and focus on real life, shocking I know. I\'ve been known to take breaks from twitter in the past and I think its good just to step away from it every now and again.

I returned to twitter a few weeks ago and I meant to blog at the same time, but I never got around to it due to other commitments etc. But the good news is I\'m back! People can stop moaning at me to blog now, yes @SelinaRealm I\'m looking at you!

By the looks of things I have a lot of catching up to do! The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have both been announced and I\'ve spent most of this week watching E3 to get an idea of what we\'re in for. Some of the footage looks great, Watchdogs looks pretty cool, and the new Metal Gear Solid looks pretty awesome as well.

I\'ve already preordered my PS4 and a few games, I\'m still undecided about the Xbox One, but I\'m pretty sure I will end up getting one.

Apple is also holding it\'s 2013 WWDC this week with the first keynote on Monday. As expected iOS7 was announced and with a new designer at the helm things were destined to change and change they did. It\'s no secret that I am a huge apple fan, and I try to love everything they do, usually there\'s not much trying involved. However iOS7 has left me feeling a bit confused, I want to love it, some of the new features are good, but the overall \"flat\" design is yet to grow on me. I\'m tempted to install the first developer release and see if it grows on me.

I was also slightly surprised that no new iPhone was announced but I\'m sure it will arrive later in the year to coincide with the official release of iOS7.

OSX Mavericks was also announced, it has some nice new features like tabs in finder (see ya later pathfinder), multiple display enhancements which mean I can finally extend my desktop to my TV over AirPlay. Maps was also added for some reason, I still don\'t trust Apple Maps so I can\'t see any benefit of having a dedicated app on my computer.

iO7 and OSX Mavericks are both available later this year.

The Macbook Airs have had a bit of a performance boost with an \"all day battery\", Apple are generally spot on with their battery estimates so I\'m half tempted to upgrade my MacBook Air.

The Airport Express and Time Capsule were also updated and we were also treated to a quick glimpse at the new Mac Pro, which words cannot describe, it looks amazing and will be a formidable powerhouse.

I also have a few new apps and accessories I need to review, so I will do those over the coming weeks, YouTube videos will be coming as well.

My first Vlog

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:03:41 GMT

I decided to make my audio blogs more interesting and put them on YouTube as a kind of Vlog.

Bombermine gamepad instructions

Best viewed in HD!

Nifty MiniDrive - Kickstarter

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 23:03:08 GMT

When I got my Macbook Air, I knew that only having 256GBs of storage space would be difficult to manage at times. However the pros of solid state storage and lightweight portability outweighed the requirements for lots of storage.

I became much more tidy with my files, only keeping what I really need on my MacBook. If I want to play a game I uninstall it when I was finished, my YouTube videos are quickly moved to external storage and I don\'t store any music on my Macbook.

However there were times that I really wished I had a bit more space, I was seeing 1GB free more often that i\'d like and I was looking around for a solution.

About a year ago I was reading a lot about a website called Kickstarter. At the time I didn\'t really pay much attention to it, until a few months ago, when I discovered how good it was. In short Kickstarter is a website that allows projects to be funded by individuals, It could be any creative ideas, games, films, products, books etc. Each project will set a goal for the amount of funding they require and how many days they have to raise that amount, if either of those are not met the project will not be funded.

Once the idea has been pitched users can back a project and donate to help get off the ground. There are often different levels of backers, for example if the project is a game, �20 will get you early access to the game, but �40 will get you early access plus an exclusive collectors edition.

It was through Kickstarter that I found the solution to my storage problems. The Nifty MiniDrive allows anyone to quickly and easily add more storage to there MacBook computer.

All MacBooks feature an SD card port, and until now, I never used mine, so it was sitting there doing nothing. The Nifty MiniDrive is a Micro SD card adaptor that fits flush into this port so it not sticking out like most SD cards, but whats even more clever about this product is it allows you to add a Micro SD to your computer semi permanently.

When you consider that Micro SD cards are currently available in 64GB sizes thats a considerable increase to Macbook Air storage. The Nifty MiniDrive doesn\'t come with a Micro SD card, but a 64GB one can be purchased separately for around £40 and I\'m sure it won\'t be too long before bigger versions are available.

The Nifty MiniDrive is an innovative solution to a problem and the additional storage is more than welcome.

I was an early backer of the project on Kickstarter and since it was my first one I didn\'t really know what to expect. Initially it was due for delivery last November/December, however due to production delays it didn\'t arrive until February. Regular updates were provided, detailing every step, every hurdle and every success, the fact that it was a little bit late hasn\'t bothered me in the slightest, the Nifty team have done a superb job.

I\'ve been using my blue Nifty Mini Drive for 2 weeks now and have experienced no problems whatsoever, although some have been reported they are being addressed.

If your like me and need a bit more space on your MacBook the Nifty MiniDrive is certainly a great solution.

Unfortunately they are currently sold out, so I can\'t provide details of how to get one, they are however producing more and the mark 2 MiniDrive will be available around May.

[Video] Record of the week - Pompeii - Bastille

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:03:07 GMT

This song took a while to grow on me, but now i really like it.

[Video] Bombermine

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 22:03:38 GMT

Whilst reading through various blogs today, i stumbled upon a game called Bombermine. For any fans of the popular game Bomberman you will recognise it straight away.

It\'s a browser based multiplayer game that you can play with up to 1000 other players.

Currently it\'s in beta, hence there\'s no sounds, but it looks like it has a lot of potential and is great fun to play.

Best of all its free!

Best viewed in HD! If only it was 16:9

Mophie juice pack powerstation duo review

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:03:29 GMT

With an iPhone, iPad, iPad mini and other battery powered devices I have too many gadgets to keep charged whilst out and about. I\'m always on the look out for new backup battery solutions to keep my devices powered up on the go.

Recently I reviewed the Just Mobile Gum Plus backup battery. It\'s still the smallest battery with good capacity that I can find, however it does have one flaw, it can only charge once device at a time.

Time for the mophie juice pack powerstation duo to step up. Morphie has been producing backup batteries for a long time, for iPhone cases with a battery included to portable power station battery packs.

The mophie juice pack powerstation duo is much like any other back up battery, but it features 2 USB ports allowing you to charge 2 devices at the same time!

Featuring a 6000 mAh battery with a 2.1 amp output, it has enough power to charge an iPad and iPhone at the same time. In testing it has enough power to charge my iPhone 3 times over, it gives a good power boost to the iPad but unfortunately won\'t completely charge an iPad.

It will charge the majority of devices that can be powered via USB, however I have found that it won\'t charge my BlackBerry Bold 9900. But for Apple fans you will have no problems whatsoever.

At the press of a button 4 LED indicators let you know the charge level in the powerstation duo. It can be charged via the micro USB port (cable included), using the standard Apple iPad mains charger or a similar product.

The morhpie juice pack powerstation duo looks great as well its black soft-touch finish exterior and outer metal band certainly make it look like an Apple product.

Specs: -

2 USB charging ports
6000 mAh battery
2.1 amp charging output
Built-in short circuit and overcharge protection
Quick charging cycles
Available in black or white

I really like the mophie juice pack powerstation duo, its power in the palm of your hand and has become the battery I carry around everywhere.

The only thing I don\'t like is the 6000 mAh battery capacity, since you can charge 2 devices it would be nice if it was a bit higher, but obviously the higher the capacity the bigger and heavier the battery.

The powerstation duo is available for around �79.98 from Amazon or similar retailers.

[Video] Little Inferno for the iPad

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 01:02:30 GMT

I finally got round to playing Little Inferno for the iPad.

It\'s available for �2.99 on the iTunes App Store.

It\'s also available for the PC for �6.99 on Steam

Best viewed in HD!

Sony announces the PS4

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:02:46 GMT

It\'s been another busy couple of weeks lately, i have a lot to catch up on.

There has been a lot of talk lately about when the next generation gaming consoles will be announced. Sony has made the first move and announced the PS4, everyone knew it was coming and expectations were high.

From what they showed during the event, the games look good, but nothing \"outstanding\". It\'s based on x86 architecture which means internally its pretty much a PC, whereas the PS3 is based on a bespoke cell infrastructure. Unfortunately this means the PS4 will not be backwards compatible with PS3 games, but we are pretty much used to that. Only the first batch of PS3 consoles could play PS2 games before they removed the feature to save money.

Sony spoke about new cloud based gaming which should allow you to play all previous playstation games on your PS4, however details on this were fairly limited.

There was a strong focus on social/sharing, the PS4 gives you the ability to share your best gaming moments by recording your gameplay. Friends can also spectate your games live, and if your stuck on a certain level they can take over and complete it for you. Part of me loves this feature, but the rest of me thinks it\'s cheating.

I was expecting to see what the new console looked like, but we never saw it. I\'m guessing they haven\'t finished designing it yet, which is a bit strange. All we saw was the new controller which features a touch bar similar to the PS Vita and a share button.

No mention of price also leads me to believe they are finalising the final build and design, but the rumour is it will be cheaper than the PS3.

Over the next few months hopefully we will see more demos of its capabilities and clarification on some of the new features, but I\'m confident it won\'t disappoint.

Its due for release before Christmas, and i will be pre-ordering one, however I\'m not sure how many people will upgrade. PS3s and Xbox\'s are everywhere, and it will be tough encouraging all those users to upgrade.

Unsurprisingly enough it looks like Microsoft will announce the next gen Xbox in April.

I think it\'s going to be a big year for gaming

PlugBug World Charger Review

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:02:26 GMT

Anyone that owns an iPhone, iPad, Macbook or similar devices will know that there are never enough plugs to keep them all powered. Your always unplugging and plugging things back which can be frustrating.

A few months ago I read a review for a new product by Twelve South called the PlugBug. Until recently it has been USA only but they have just released the PlugBug World, which as you may have guessed works outside the USA including the UK.

So what is the PlugBug World? It\'s a USB charger specifically designed for Macbook owners, this might sound a little unusual at first, but trust me it makes sense.

The PlugBug has been designed to replace the power adaptor part of your MacBook charger by clipping over the top of it. This gives you your Macbook charger plus a USB port to charge your iPhone or iPad all in one device. That\'s right you\'re charging 2 devices with one plug.

Whenever I\'m on my Macbook at home or whilst I\'m working I generally want to charge my iPhone or iPad at the same time, the PlugBug eliminates the need to carry 2 chargers.

It\'s a brilliant idea and something Apple should have thought of. Why don\'t all the Macbook chargers come with one or even 2 USB ports built in? USB is fast becoming the norm for charging mobile devices, it makes sense for USB chargers to be more easily available without having to carry a different changer for each device. You can also use the device stand alone if you only need to charge your iPhone or iPad.

The PlugBug World includes five different mains adaptors that convert your MacBook Power Adapter into an international power supply. So if you\'re traveling to the US US/Canada/Japan, Continental Europe, UK/Hong Kong/Singapore, China or Australia/New Zealand you will be able to charge your Macbook and iPhone at the same time! No more forgetting to buy a travel adaptor.

Your probably thinking why don\'t you just charge your iPhone / iPad using one of the USB ports on your MacBook? Well, featuring 2.1 Amp of charging power, the PlugBug will charge your iPad up to four times faster than your MacBook. It also charges your iPad mini two times faster than the standard power supply.

The PlugBug World fits all current and previous generation MacBook Pro/Air Magsafe Power Adapters and will charge:-

iPad (all versions)
iPad mini (all versions)
iPhone (all versions)

This device is a no brainer for any Macbook owner who also has an iPhone or iPad you will forget the original Apple chargers and wondered how you ever survived not being able to charge 2 devices at the same time.

The PlugBug World is available from Amazon or similar retailers for �39.99.

Twelve South have once again impressed me with their design and innovation.

Website stats - Infographic

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 19:02:47 GMT

Any website owner or blogger probably looks at their website stats fairly regularly. If only for the random Google searches that direct them to you.

I have about 4 or 5 different apps for my website stats, each one presents it in a different way. So are very in depth with lots of information, others are very graphical which only show you what you really want to know.

One of the best looking apps is Analytiks for the iPhone. It displays your stats in a very nice way, and allows you to produce a full size infographic.

Keep reading to see the full image.

[Video] Record of the week - Area 11- Cassandra (pt II)

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 17:02:46 GMT

Today\'s record of the week goes to Area 11, I discovered them through the outro music on the Yogscast videos and they are BRILLIANT!

They have just released their first album, All The Lights In The Sky.

Download on Amazon

Dowmload on iTunes

One of my favourite songs so far is Cassandra (pt II)

How my iPad got me reading magazines again

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 20:02:28 GMT

I remember a few years ago when I used to read a few magazines regularly every month, I was even subscribed to a couple. But I started reading more online and I gradually became less and less interested in reading an actual magazine.

Newsstand has been a feature of iOS for a long time now, until recently though it was an app I never used and it used to always sit on the last screen of my iPhone/iPad out of the way. When it was launched it was primarily designed for reading newspapers and the uptake was shockingly slow. A lot of the newspapers had been awfully designed for the app and reading them was not a nice experience.

For me the app was pointless, had a lack of good content and I pretty much forgot about it until about 2 weeks ago. I was looking through the app store top charts for any new apps or games etc, I saw the newsstand category and thought I would have a browse.

I was surprised to see the amount of magazines that had now been created for the iPhone/iPad. Among my favourites are Stuff, Top Gear, T3 and FHM. I decided to download an issue of Stuff Magazine and Top Gear Magazine to see if things had improved.

As I have an iPhone, iPad 3rd gen and iPad mini, I tried out the reading experience on all three. The iPad mini was by far the easiest to use for longer periods, as it\'s light enough to hold in your hand and provides a big enough screen for easy reading. I didn\'t get on with using my iPhone as I don\'t think you can fit enough on screen

The first thing I noticed was that every magazine seems todo the basic structure if their app differently, what I mean by this is, each one has a different layout to their home screen. Buying subscriptions or issues are different for every magazine, it was easy to see past issues in some and not in others. Now I understand that every magazine will be designed differently and thats fine, I just feel like the standard supporting app design should be the same, leading to a much nicer experience.

Once you start reading the magazines though things get a lot better. Let\'s start with Top Gear Magazine.

I\'ve been a fan of Top Gear for years, i\'ve seen every episode and it\'s one of the classic BBC shows that people either love or hate. However I\'ve never read the magazine, so I had no idea what to expect. The first thing that surprised me was the file size of each issue, on average it\'s about 600MB which is pretty large. I would suggest doing it over Wi-Fi although i\'ve had good results over 3G as well.

Once it had finished downloaded I started to read the magazine and instantly realised why the file size was so large. From the very first page there are sound affects, animated graphics, highres photos and moving backgrounds. The contents page is really useful if you want to quickly jump to the areas you want to read.

The magazine is really well thought out, navigation is not all that obviously but mainly consists of swiping left and right to change page, swiping up and down to read more information on the current article or page your on and tapping the screen to provide more interaction.

Admittedly you can get a little bit lost in the magazine as its easy to tap an article and start going down a different path and missing out some of the information in the middle. That said, it does then make you go back to find bits you missed which means you\'re likely to pick it up more than once rather than perhaps recycling the normal magazine.

Top Gear Magazine is packed with information, interactive articles and stunning visuals, it kept me reading for ages, I loved it. It\'s so good that I have subscribed to it for a year.

It\'s available now on the iTunes App Store, you can either buy one issue at a time for �2.99 or subscribe for a year for �24.99 which is roughly a £10 saving or 3 magazines free depending on how you want to look at it.

If you love cars, I highly recommend you buy the iPad version over the actual magazine.

Moving on to Stuff Magazine. This is a magazine that I used to read all the time before the numerous tech/gadget blogs took over and in my eyes it made no sense to pay for a magazine when I could get it free online.

I was more skeptical about this magazine, I (skim) read about 100 tech articles a day online, what more could Stuff Magazine give me that they couldn\'t?

Stuff Magazines are smaller than Top Gear ones and average 300MB per issue, which is a little nicer to your 3G data plan.

As with Top gear magazine there are lots of different ways to interact with the magazine, fortunately on the second page they provide a little guide.

A contents page is also provided to allow quick access to the sections you want to read. A top navigation bar also allows quick access to the sections, but more on that later.

The layout is slightly different to Top Gear as it utilised both portrait and landscape orientation for increased interactivity. Reading is generally done in portrait but you can rotate to landscape for videos etc.

Interactive graphics allow you easily explore the features of devices and make it more fun than just reading paragraphs of text.

I found that the features on different devices, providing you with a quick look at the pros and cons along with a Stuff rating allows you to quickly and easily decide on the best device for you. Often when looking online for the same information your moving back and fourth between different websites and comparisons can be difficult. Although many comparison websites do exist, I found Stuff Magazine a nicer way of doing it.

Unfortunately this iPad magazine suffers from the same navigation issues as Top Gear, it\'s too easy to get lost and miss content. However if you tap the screen a handy top navigation bar appears to help you move between sections. It\'s also possible to search within the current issues or all issues for a certain word or phrase and I found this to be very useful.

I was expecting to not find Stuff magazine very informative compared to what you can find online However it was the interactivity of the iPad version that won me over, it felt like I was actually getting involved in the technology.

It\'s available now on the iTunes App Store, you can either buy one issue at a time for �2.99 or subscribe for a year for �23.99

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by the experience of reading a magazine on my iPad, they are well presented and easy to pick up and read. However Both magazines need todo something with the navigation to stop you missing content, going around in circles or just getting lost. Once that\'s sorted I don\'t think I will ever need to read a real magazine again.

Yellowtec M!ka Mic Arm Review

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:01:31 GMT

In my last audio blog i mentioned that i had just purchased a microphone arm to make it easier todo audio. I found it quite annoying to play a game and have a microphone on a desk in front of me, it wasn\'t really in the right position.

I did a lot of research into different mounting systems, however after reading reviews of the entry level models they weren\'t very positive. The arms couldn\'t support the weight of most professional mice and they became floppy after short periods. So i kept on looking.

Whilst watching The Yogscast doing their December live stream, i noticed they were using Yellowtec Mic Arms and they seemed todo the job really well. After some more research i found out the model was the M!ka Mic Arm and i knew this was exactly what i was after. The Yogscast seem to know what they\'re doing.

Locating retailers that sold Yellowtec products in the UK was more difficult than i had expected. Yellowtec only lists 2 suppliers Preco Broadcast Systems and HHB Communications.

I contacted Preco and a M!ka mic arm plus table clamp were quickly delivered.

The Yellowtec M!ka mic arm is available in a few different sizes and models to suit your requirements best. It comes in dark grey or polished aluminium. The aluminium model is available in more sizes from extra small to extra large, however the dark grey model is only available in medium. Both come with or without \"on air\" lights, standard features include

Sturdy aluminium tube construction
Interior coil spring system supports microphones up to 2kg
Adjustable friction joints
Hidden wiring through tubes and joints
Open ended cable tails
Various mounting strategies available
More information

As soon as i got the mic arm out of the box you could tell how well made it was, its certainly the most solid i\'ve seen. The arm can be adjusted at 3 different points to get in the desired position. Remember todo the joints up tight as the springs are quite strong, once in place though it holds position well and can be easily moved when required.

As mentioned earlier it comes with built in cabling, however it XLR connectors are not included yet. As i only have a USB condenser mic at the moment this wasn\'t a problem. I am planning to change to an XLR mic though and will add the connectors at the same time.

My shock mount screwed right in so you should have no problems getting your microphone attached, an adaptor might be required in some cases depending on your setup.

I decided to use a desk mount as i didn\'t want to keep the arm in a permanent position, all you have todo is clamp it to a solid surface.

Over all i am really pleased with the Yellowtec M!ka Mic Arm, it solved a problem i was having and i know its going to be used all the time and won\'t suffer from any floppy arm issues.

Now down to the only possible downside, the standard (no \"on air\" light) dark grey medium arm is available for �170, the table clamp costs an additional �30. I admit that �200 just for microphone mount is pretty expensive, cheaper options are available but they lack the quality and sturdiness that will annoy you very quickly. After using this product for nearly 2 weeks i can assure you that you won\'t be disappointed with this product.

[Audio] Audio blogs are back!

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:01:40 GMT

I haven\'t recorded an audio blog for ages! I plan to do more this year.

BookBook for iPad mini review

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:01:55 GMT

Since buying my iPad mini I have tried out a couple of different cases to find one i\'m happy with. The Encase Ultrasuede Pouch proved to be a huge let down. But the Mujjo iPad Mini Sleeve does its job beautifully.

Today I\'m going to be looking at my 3rd and probably final case, BookBook for iPad Mini.

BookBook is a collection of cases produced by Twelve South, who make some of the best Apple accessories.

If you haven\'t seen any of the other BookBook cases, then it\'s probably because you assumed you were looking at an actual book rather than an iPad case cleverly disguised as a vintage book, with added wear and tear to make it look more realistic. The case provides all-round protection for your iPad mini.

One of the best features of the iPad mini is its weight, it barely weighs anything. This made me nervous about getting a case, because I didn\'t want to add unnecessary weight and make the iPad mini heavy to carry. When I first received the BookBook I was really surprised at how light it was. I placed my iPad in the BookBook cased and there was hardly any difference in the weight.

BookBook for the iPad mini only weighs a mere 7.5 ounces, this by no means affects the amount of protection offered. Two hardback book covers and a rigid spine provide solid protection for your device. An inside sleeve holds the device securely in place and soft lining protects the screen from any scratches.

A strong zip keeps the case closed when being transported, and it allows the case to fold back on itself so that it can easily be held in one hand. If you leave the zip slightly open you can change the iPad mini without taking it out of the case. The case can also be used to stand the iPad up for watching videos etc. A small kickstand inside the case also improves the angle of the iPad mini for typing.

When I heard the BookBook was going to be available for the iPad mini, I knew that it was going to be perfect. After a week of using it, I have not been let down by Twelve South, the case is simply the best iPad mini case on the market.

BookBook for iPad mini is available for �59.99 from MobileFun

It\'s also available in 3 different designs. Black, Brown, and red.

Twelve South also produce BookBook cases for the iPhone and iPad and if your a Mac user you can also get some pretty cool accessories for that as well.

[Video] Hundreds for iPad / iPhone

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 23:01:32 GMT

Hundreds is a new game for the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The goal of the game is to get to 100 using different circles to count towards the total. Tap and hold circles to reach 100, but be careful not to clash with others.

It\'s available for �1.99 from the iTunes App Store

Best viewed in HD!

Cosmonaut Stylus review

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 20:01:37 GMT

Touch screen devices are designed to be used by your hands, but sometimes your fingers are not precise enough. A stylus makes it much easier to write and draw on touch screen devices such as the iPhone or iPad.

Today I will be looking at the Cosmonaut Stylus by Studio Neat.

When your looking for a stylus there are a lot of different ones to choose from, it\'s difficult to know which one is best for you. They come in all different shapes and sizes and are made from various different materials. All of those choices will affect how comfy it feels in your hand, and how well they work on a touch screen device.

I\'ve tried a number of different ones in the past with varying results. Until now the Wacom Bamboo Stylus Solo was my favourite. Lets see how they compare.

The Cosmonaut Stylus is a shorter and more chunky stylus, more like a marker pen, whist the Bamboo Stylus Solo is about the same size as your average biro.

The Cosmonaut has a soft rubber coating, allowing you to easily grip the stylus, compared to the Bamboo stylus which has a smoother finish and is harder to grip. Each stylus features a nib which works on capacitive touch screen devices. The cosmonaut has a firmer nib but the Bamboo stylus has opted for a more spongey nib. I\'d had to replace the nib on my Bamboo Stylus before due to the rubbing perishing, I don\'t think I will have the same problem with the Cosmonaut.

Until now I always thought the Bamboo was very precise, however after testing the 2 I have to say the Cosmonaut feels more precise to me. It produces the most accurate writing and seems the more responsive on the screen.

I\'ve been using the Cosmonaut for a week now, and it\'s extremely comfy using it everyday, its lager size makes it easier to hold for long periods. Other people have held it and commented that it feels more comfy than the one the use.

The Cosmonaut is now my preferred stylus and if your in the market for one I suggest you give it a try.

It\'s available from Amazon or similar retailers for �19.99.

Hello January

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:01:42 GMT

I\'ve just finished my first week back at work since Christmas, and it always feels like the longest week of the year. It\'s good to be back in routine though, there\'s things i wanted to do this week, but most nights when i got home i just wanted to relax and watch TV.

I had a good Christmas and New Year although for the first time in about 4 years i was working, however i did have 3 days off after New Years so it wasn\'t all bad.

Every year i get asked what i want for Christmas and it gets harder every time. The chances of me being given a 27\" iMac as a present are pretty unlikely, so i had to by myself one as a present. I did get some good things though.

Earlier last year, the Raspberry Pi was released, and before you say it, no its not a form of desert. The Raspberry Pi is a credit card sized computer for �25. It\'s capable of running linux and has be designed to encourage people to start coding programs again. It allows you to modify it to do whatever you want, you can create your own games or turn it into your own wireless access point.

I\'m by no means a program developer however I\'m interested to see what i can learn from using the device, i will blog my progress and hopefully be able to pass on tips and tricks as i go.

The rest of my presents were fairly standard, clothes, games, DVDs, alcohol etc.

It didn\'t really feel very christmassy this year though, i don\'t know id its because i was working, or because there was no snow, it doesn\'t feel like its a new year either.

I have a lot planned for this year though, lots of opportunities, i can\'t wait.

I hope everyone else had a good Christmas and New Year!

[Video] FTL Part 3

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 22:01:04 GMT

Everyone seems to be playing FTL at the moment, so i thought i\'d give it a go.

I\'m getting better as i go along! Really starting to enjoy this game.

Best viewed in HD!

USB 3 causing erratic wireless mouse behaviour

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:01:37 GMT

For Christmas i decided to buy myself a new iMac, it\'s funny when you get to the age when you start buying yourself presents.

Anyway i digress, I knew that it featured USB 3 ports, and this the first time i had used them on a device. USB 3 has been designed to be backwards compatible, so in theory will work with all USB 2 devices. The connector on the computer remains the same size (it features additional USB connectivity internally), but the connector for the device will be different.

As you can see from the diagram above, the USB 3 connectors have a larger connector to support the new USB 3 hardware. New USB 3 hubs, hard drives and other devices will feature this connector.

Back to the point of this blog, my Logitech MX Anywhere Mouse features a tiny USB wireless receiver, which will plug into any USB slot. The introduction of USB 3 should not affect this device as the connectors on the computer remain the same.

Unfortunately this is not the case. I have been experiencing erratic mouse behaviour for the last few days, it would freeze or randomly jump across the screen, very frustrating.

After some research, Logitech has announced that USB 3 enabled computers can interfere with the wireless signal used in wireless mice. They gave some solutions to try:-

1. Use a USB 2 port as far away from the USB 3 ports as possible - My new iMac only has USB 3 so this is not an option for me. However some earlier computers do have both, so it might work for you.

2. Unplug all other USB devices - This made no difference to me.

3. Use an USB extension cable to move the wireless receiver away from the computer. Logitech are offering to provide a cable to-do this, so i am waiting to try that before i pass final judgement. My assumption will be it won\'t work, as it\'s still being plugged into a USB 3 port.

I have started using a wired mouse for the time being and all my issues have gone away. I can only vouch for this behaviour on the Logitech MX Anywhere Mouse, but i\'ve read that it is happening on other wireless mice.

If you have just upgraded your computer are are experiencing issues, there\'s a good chance this is why. Also if anyone has any other solutions then please let me via twitter @stevieness

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 12

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 01:01:23 GMT

It\'s the final day of iTunes 12 days of Christmas

Day 12 - Shark Dash - Game

So there we go, 12 days of something free from Apple. I shouldn\'t really complain, but it hasn\'t been that great this year, looking back at last year\'s i think it was better.

Come on Apple, you can afford to give away much better gifts.

Until next Christmas!

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 11

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 01:01:29 GMT

It\'s day 11 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas. I posted this one late on purpose, since i don\'t like one direction

Day 11 - One Direction - Little things video

I\'m sure all one direction fans will have this anyway!

I can\'t believe i\'ve said one direction on my blog, now it will come up in Google search results.

[Video] FTL Part 2

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 22:01:06 GMT

Everyone seems to be playing FTL at the moment, so i thought i\'d give it a go.

I didn\'t do very well in my first video, let\'s see of i can defeat the Rebels this time!

Best viewed in HD!

Kindle / Kindle Touch / Kindle Paperwhite case review

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 16:01:22 GMT

Christmas is always technology filled these days, iPhones, iPads, Androids, Kindles etc. If your anything like me, every new gadget needs knew accessories.

With that in mind i\'m going off piste again and reviewing another Kindle case.

Today i will be looking at the Tuff-Luv Embrace case for the Kindle, Kindle Touch and Kindle Paperwhite.

Made from soft leather the Tuff-Love case insures that your brand new kindle stays well protected from all angles. When closed the case protects the screen from any bumps and scratches. An elasticated strap keeps the case closed when not in use.

Open the case up and your Kindle is held securely inplace by 4 elastic corner straps, not only does this make it easy to take your Kindle in and out of the case, but they also stop it from moving around. Cut-outs provide easy access to all ports/buttons on the Kindle.

Here\'s where the case gets clever, it features an integrated hand-band, your probably wondering what that means. On the inside of the cover there is a small elasticated strap, if you fold the case back on itself you can insert your fingers into the strap and use it to hold your Kindle in one hand. I was surprised at how much easier this made it to hold the Kindle for long periods, it\'s a brilliant simple design.

The Tuff-Luv Embrace case is one of the best Kindle cases I have used, it\'s slim, functional and good value for money.

It\'s available for �19.95 from MobileFun.

If your looking for a different Kindle Paperwhite case, MobileFun has plenty of other options available.

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 10

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 01:01:06 GMT

It\'s day 10 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas. Only 2 days to go, i\'ve not been very impressed so far.

Day 10 - The photo cookbook - App

I\'ll be honest, i\'m not a very good cook, but maybe this will help me get better? Who knows.

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 9

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:01:55 GMT

It\'s day 9 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas. Bit late again, i have no excuse.

Day 9 - The XX - xxmas - EP

[Video] Theme Hospital for Mac / PC

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 01:01:39 GMT

I decided to go a bit retro and play Theme Hospital! It\'s still really fun to play.

It\'s available from gog.com for around �1.80 so you can\'t go wrong.

It runs on either Mac (10.6.8) or PC, no changes required.

Give it a go.

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 8

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 01:01:10 GMT

It\'s day 8 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas. Seems to be going by really fast!

Day 8 - Ken Follett - The pillars of the earth - eBook

Another book!

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 7

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 01:01:05 GMT

It\'s day 7 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas.

Day 7 - Toy Story Toons - Film

Happy New Year!

[Video] FTL Part 1

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 22:12:04 GMT

Everyone seems to be playing FTL at the moment, so i thought i\'d give it a go.

I did well in my first couple of practices, but when i recorded this video it all went wrong!

Next video coming soon

Best viewed in HD!

FTL is available on steam for �5.24, that's 25% off the RRP as part of the steam sale.

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 6

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 00:12:19 GMT

It\'s day 6 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas.

Day 6 - Sonic Jump - Game

It\'s a lot like Doodle Jump, but with Sonic.

On Air TV guide app review for iPhone / iPad

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 19:12:02 GMT

I know its been a while, but it\'s time for another app review.

Today I\'m going to be looking at On Air for the iPhone and iPad. Most TV services these days feature interactive TV guides, they are very useful when you want to record something. However if you just want to browse they can be a bit cumbersome and slow, i often get frustrated waiting for the next page to load.

A Radio Times app used to be available for the iPhone but for some reason it disappeared. Zeebox is a great little app for seeing whats on right now, but its difficult to see a full day at a glance.

This is where On Air excels. It features a complete guide to what\'s on TV for the next 7 days. 400+ channels are available and you can customise it to your service provider (Virgin Media/Sky/Freeview etc). You can also add/remove channels so you only see the ones you want to see rather than all of them.

The app provides a number of different views to make it easier to find what you want to watch.

Featured/Highlights - Provides you with popular ideas of what to watch.

On Air/Now - Shows you an overview of whats on right now.

Overview - Displays a grid layout of every channel and allows you to swipe though the day to see whats on. This is my preferred view.

Search - Allows you to quickly search for a programme.

Tapping on a programme in any of the above views will provide you with a more detailed description. You can also see when its due to be repeated or other episodes in the series. Programmes can be shared to Twitter, Facebook, Mail and if you want a reminder for yourself you can add it to your calendar.

Push notification reminders can also be setup, and you will be alerted 15 minutes before the programme is due to start (this can be configured in settings). To add a reminder simply tap on the bell icon in the top right menu. Tapping once will remind you every time the programme airs, tapping twice will only remind you once and tapping a third time will remove it.

You can configure the channels you want to see in settings, the order in which they appear can also be adjusted. The start screen can also be set to your favourite view. Alert times can also be adjusted, as previously mentioned it\'s 15 minutes by default.

On Air also gives you the ability to connect to face book, not only can this be used for posting shows, it also allows you to sync your On Air settings and subscription between devices. This is great if you want to use On Air on both your iPhone and iPad.

I really like this app, i prefer to use it rather than the TV guide on my TiVo box, it\'s fast and easy to use. The only downside to the app is the lack of remote record, Zeebox has recently introduced remote record for Virgin Media TiVo and Sky+ boxes, so it must be possible. Hopefully this will be added in a future update and make this a solid app.

On-Air is a universal app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It\'s availalbe now for free with minimal adverts, or you can pay a subscription fee for an ad free version. There are 2 subscription options, 2 months for �1.49 or a year for �6.99

If your a TV addict this app is definitely the one you need.

iPhone screenshots

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 5

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 03:12:59 GMT

It\'s day 5 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas.

Day 5 - Ed Sheeran Holiday Gift - EP

Not too bad if your an Ed Sheeran fan

Crumpler Light Delight Weekender

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 03:12:06 GMT

A few months ago I posed a blog about my Crumpler Bag collection. Crumpler bags are probably the most practical bags I have ever used. Most of the bags I have are primarily designed for carrying laptops or similar devices, they aren\'t really suitable for clothes or luggage type items.

With that in mind I now have the Light Delight Weekender. \"Light Delight\" is the lightweight range of bags made by Crumpler, they are lighter to carry, stronger and can be stored in a small drawstring pouch to save space when not in use.

The weekender has been designed with travel in mind, it\'s been manufactured to the exact dimensions for carry on luggage. Which means it\'s the perfect size for your next flight to somewhere more sunny or perhaps your next weekend away.

Its holdall type design means there\'s more than enough space for all the stuff you need for a 3 day weekend (though it depends how many pairs of shoes you are taking). But with all Crumpler products, thoughts of your laptop are never to far way, the Weekender does feature a mesh pocket big enough for your 15.4\" laptop.

Features

330d hyper performance waterproof ripstop lining
Zip fastened main compartment
Adjustable carry handles
Internal velcro fasted mesh pocket, for your laptop
Internal zip fastened pocket
External side pockets
External zip pocket
Holds unto 100KG (if you can even lift that much!), that\'s 45LTR
The bag itself weights 600grams (pretty light)
Size: 57.0 x 38.0 x 28.0 cm

I really like this bag, whether i\'m going away for a few days, travelling on a plane, or just going to the gym, I can quickly chuck stuff in and off I go!

It\'s available now for �69. See the full Light Delight collection.

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 4

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 22:12:58 GMT

It's day 4 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas. Bit late today sorry!

Day 4 - Marian Keyes - Rachel\'s Holiday - eBook

I\'m not really much of a book person, so this one\'s not for me.

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 3

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:12:17 GMT

It\'s day 3 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas.

Day 3 - Sherlock a study in pink - TV episode

A must have for Sherlock fans.

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 2

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:12:02 GMT

Hey all,

It\'s day 2 on the iTunes 12 days of Christmas.

Day 2 - Score - Football app

I\'ll do a quick video demo of it later.

iTunes 12 days of Christmas - Day 1

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 00:12:06 GMT

After a food packed Christmas day, it\'s that time of the year again.

iTunes 12 days of Christmas! For those of you that don\'t know, from the 26th of December Apple will give away a free app, single, movie, or something else from the iTunes store.

From past experience, the free gifts are not that great, but there\'s normally one or two good things.

Day 1 - Maroon 5 - Holiday Gift EP

Also whats happened to the unwrapping present animation from previous years? It takes away the excitement.

Mujjo iPad Mini Sleeve review

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 23:12:41 GMT

I previously reviewed the Encase Ultrasuede Pouch for the iPad mini, I was disappointed by this product because it wouldn\'t fit an iPad mini with a smart cover attached.

I started to look around for an alternative that would suit my requirements and fit the iPad Mini with a smart cover. I found a blog that was talking about the Mujjo iPad Mini Sleeve and it really caught my eye. Not only did it look great, but it was designed to fit the iPad Mini with smart cover attached.

When it arrived, I was really impressed with what I saw, even the packaging looked great. Everyone knows that Apple take great pride in their packaging, so when an accessory manufacturer does the same you know your in safe hands.

The Mujjo iPad Mini Sleeve is not just beautiful, it\'s fashionable, on top of that it\'s extremely functional as well. The good news is, it does fit the iPad Mini with the smart cover attached!

There\'s nothing worse than getting a brand new gadget and then it getting scuffed by being taken in and out of a case, don\'t worry Mujjo has this covered. The inside is lined with thick wool felt, and a leather strap provides a secure closure to keep your device safe. A second pocket provides space for cables and earphones etc.

You can tell a lot thought and care has gone into making this sleeve, it\'s made from a unique combination of 100% wool felt and high quality leather. The sleeve can be easily cleaned, and a special treatment makes the sleeve water repellent.

It\'s available from Mujjo for around �37 (44.95 Euros). If you want your iPad to be well protected and look great at the same time, this is the sleeve/case for you.