For the last month or so both my wife, Elana, and I have both been using MacBook Pros almost exclusively. What amazing machines they are.

As strong as their aluminum cases are, however, they are still delicate electronic devices that require gentle handling and a good case for transport. New notebooks… new search for the right bags.

For the last couple of weeks we’ve both been using bags by Ice Red. Read on for our thoughts…

Continue Reading

There are so many good reasons why you might be interested in getting a clip-on safety light; perhaps because you ride a bike at night, or you walk in darker areas, or simply because you need a way to look inside a big gear bag in a darkened room.

The story goes that Tom Bihn spent three months searching for a light that would meet his expectations, and the result of that search was the Guardian Dual Function Light. Make no mistake about it, this is no cheap flasher that will break after a few uses; the Guardian Dual Function Light is made in Canada to military/law enforcement specifications, and it offers a lot of versatility. How so? Read on…

Continue Reading

I tend to think of a “Freudian Slip” by its commonly known definition: “a verbal mistake that is thought to reveal an unconscious belief, thought, or emotion.” Tom Bihn has recycled the term by cleverly (and I daresay unforgettably) naming their horizontal and vertical organizing pocket panels “Freudian Slips.” Both styles are basically “an insert that gives you eleven extra pockets to provide total organization of your files and accessories,” and they are made to perfectly fit inside Tom Bihn’s Zephyr or Empire Builder briefcases, or ID, Ego, or Super Ego messenger bags. A nylon loop attached to the top of the Freudian Slip makes it “easy to pull out of your bag, and [it] also allows you to hang the slip on the door knob of your office or hotel, allowing you to use the Horizontal Freudian Slip as work-in organization.”

Continue Reading

Don’t let the name of Tom Bihn’s Yarn Stuff Sack throw you off. While it’s true that this Japanese-made Dyneema rip-stop fabric bag was created to work perfectly with their Swift knitting bag, this approximately 9.5″ wide x 8.25″ tall drawstring bag can also manage all sorts of lose gadget peripherals.

Let’s take a look…

Continue Reading

I quit carrying a billfold a long time ago. It caused me pain in my hip and it was the perfect target for sticky fingers in a crowd.
So what happens when someone asks me to pull out a picture of my fiancee?
I hand them my keys.

Continue Reading

Lapstrap is a simple concept. Take a length of wide nylon “strap” (comfortably padded - with a nice inner rubber grippy surface), buckle the strap for form a big loop. Now sling the loop through your laptop and close it. What you have is a quick and easy way to carry your laptop without the hassle of opening and closing your laptop bag. What you don’t have is any of your laptop accessories like the charger or external drives. The makers of this device sent me one yesterday, and I’ve been trying it around the office. My initial impression: Great quality, nice inner grippy surface so the strap doesn’t slip from your shoulder, great for carrying a laptop within a school, convention, conference or office where you don’t have time to put it into and out of a bag.

Continue Reading

Just in time for fall comes this beautiful new bag from Mobile Edge, the Element Briefcase. With its moss green poly-suede exterior, chocolate faux leather trim, and white contrasting stitching, this bag is neutral enough to compliment any fall or winter outfit. But good looks are one thing; organization and laptop protection are just as important as presentation. Let’s take a look at how the Element measures up…

Continue Reading

Of all the vehicles I drive in a year, one of the biggest surprises still has to be the Suzuki SX4.
For those shoppers who do their homework, Suzuki will be giving many pause as they sift through the new vehicles offered today. SX4 commands attention not only for its warranty and fuel economy, but also for the value it brings to the segment.

Continue Reading

When I was in college, it seems like someone was always throwing a house party.  For those of you who are not familiar, it is a pretty basic concept.  You throw open the front door of your house, condo, apartment, dorm room, or wherever you live; set out some refreshments; crank the music and wait for the people to show up…and they will.  It is kind of like The Field of Dreams.  If you throw a party, they will come.

The problem, back in those days of the early 1990’s was the sound system.  Most of us had music centered around a CD player in the living room. Head over to the back rooms or bedrooms and the music faded away.  There was simply no way to pipe the music into other rooms throughout the house.  This meant that despite the fact that the whole house was available, almost everyone tended to congregate in one or two adjoining rooms.  Man do I wish I had a way to connect those back rooms to my music.  Man do I wish I had the Eos Wireless system back then.  Let’s take a closer look and see how it could have helped those long ago parties.

Continue Reading

This week’s Wednesday Walkaround takes a look at the hot little Evolution GSR from Mitsubishi, one of my favorite cars to drive.

Here is my review: Continue Reading