Review

The Magnus Mini iPad stand is a minimalist obsession

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Ten One Design is mostly known for the Pogo Stylus, which comes in multiple designs. Bumping into the team at CES, I was able to get a glance at the Magnus Mini, their new iPad mini stand. It is one of the most simplistically designed iPad stands I have ever used. With just a small base and a minimal lip, iPad is held at a perfect angle to remain standing with as little effort as possible.

In comparison to other much more complicated docks or stands, the Magnus Mini is a welcomed change to the otherwise overly dramatic iPad dock arena...

Oscura Second Shadow review: retro platform gaming comes out of the shadows

Lory Gil ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

One of my favorite category of games is the traditional platformer. It reminds me of running home after school to start up my Nintendo for hours of Super Mario Bros. game sessions. Things have gotten more complex over the years, but a simple, effective platform game can still keep me posted in my chair for hours.

Oscura Second Shadow is one of those traditional platformers that make gaming on mobile devices a treat. By combining old-school mechanics with modern touch screen controls, this game is a solid investment. We’ve got a hands-on game review of Oscura for your reading pleasure…

Tinker app will make sure you stay productive

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

I’m the kind of person who needs constant self-supervision. I don’t work in an office and I am surrounded by my playthings. I regularly need to remind myself to get back to work because there is no one looking over my shoulder telling me to do so.

Tinker - Tweak Your Productivity is a goal minded productivity app that makes it possible for you to be on task, every minute of the day. Instead of creating long lists of things to do and trying to prioritize them, this app has you create duration-based goals that help you stay on track until your time is up. Read on for our app review of Tinker…

Booq offers creative hardshell laptop sleeve and roomy backpack

Jim Gresham ∙ July 2, 2014

There are a few product categories with which I am obsessed – mugs, jackets, and backpacks. Thankfully, my position at iDB allows me to feed one of those addictions on a fairly regular basis. A good backpack is your best friend. While traveling, on the road, or sometimes heading into the office, your backpack is with you on a daily basis.

Proper weigh distribution, materials, zipper quality, and pockets are key features for a good bag. What accessories you choose to use with the bag is also important. Today, we take a closer look at the Booq Boa shift backpack and Booq Viper hardcase 13. The combination is a one-two punch for protecting the items most valuable to you, a MacBook, iPhone, and iPad...

Kenu Airframe is the perfect dashboard companion for your iPhone

Jim Gresham ∙ July 1, 2014

Keeping iPhone within arm's reach while driving is not only convenient, but also a matter of life and death. Every day, people wreck their vehicles fumbling around for their smartphone while driving. There are many mounts on the market, offering easy access to a smart device. However, I would argue Kenu's Airframe is chart topping.

When designing a car mount, there are a few factors that must be considered: where is it going; how will it attach; what will it hold; is it portable. While portability is not the most important, the Airframe will easily detach and run with you to the next step. Airframe is a great solution in a small package...

Seagate’s Backup Plus line offers various storage options in small package

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Seagate is the world's largest provider of external hard drives by volume. Personally, I have around five or more scattered around my home, office and desk--too many to attempt to round up for an accurate count. They make great LAN, portable, wireless, and desktop class storage. Of course Seagate makes internal drives as well, but my experience with them is less versed. As I have witnessed, assumedly along with others familiar with the product line, Seagate is now producing a more creative approach to an otherwise simple storage device.

External storage, as a whole, used to be a simple drag-and-drop venture. Arguably, it was a simpler time. I really appreciate the ability to just plug in a drive and drop stuff to it. However, with the advent of social media, home networking, and some creative thinking, external storage is now something much different. Considering the Seagate Backup Plus line of products, which I first discovered at CES 2014, social sharing and saving are now integrated with the drives...

Weekly helps you keep track of tasks and goals

Lory Gil ∙ June 27, 2014

There are some tasks that need to be taken care of only once. Those can easily be listed in any format, including the good old-fashioned pencil and paper method. Other tasks are meant to be done every day. They are more like goals than tasks. Nonetheless, they still need to be tracked.

Weekly is a task tracker that makes it incredibly simple for you to add content, update activities, and see your progress at a glance. We’ve got an app review of Weekly for you today to see if it is something you’d be interested in…

Paperama turns your iOS device into a fun origami game

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 27, 2018

The art of origami is both impressive and beautiful. I’ve always been interested in paper craft and origami is an art form that requires patience and skills. Reading the instructions for origami is like reading a different language.

Paperama takes the complexities of origami and mixes it with the challenge of puzzle solving. Already a huge hit on Android, FDG Entertainment has brought the game to iOS. We’ve got an in-depth game review of Paperama below…

Godfire review: this game is about as console quality as it gets on iOS

Lory Gil ∙ June 20, 2014

These days, game developers are trying harder than ever to push the boundaries of what is possible with mobile gaming. No, we still aren’t there yet, but every day brings us closer to console quality gaming in the palm of our hands.

Godfire: Rise of Prometheus is one of those games that maxes out the iPhone and iPad’s abilities by offering a graphically complex game with fast action gameplay in a fairly large world. Read our game review of Godfire below…

Divoom Voombox-Travel is an ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker for the outdoorsman

Joe Rossignol ∙ June 20, 2014

When I went to the Consumer Electronics Show last year, I was surprised at just how many companies in the iLounge Pavilion were showcasing wireless Bluetooth speakers. I've always questioned the purpose of these speakers, since I have a surround sound setup in my office or simply consider my MacBook Pro speakers to be good enough when I'm out and about.

A recent outdoor event in which I only had my iPhone on me quickly changed my perspective. If you've ever tried listening to music through the iPhone speakers, you probably agree that the smartphone sounds pretty awful. Thankfully, I had packed an ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker in my backpack. It's called the Divoom Voombox-Travel, and I offer a full review ahead…

Perfect Paths review: finding the right path is harder than you’d think

Lory Gil ∙ Updated February 21, 2018

I am a big fan of minimalist puzzle games, as you may have noticed by the number of reviews I’ve done for iDB. As much as I love them, I’m also not particularly good at them. It always takes me a while to get the hang of the rules and I will oftentimes get stumped on a level with no idea what to do next.

Perfect Paths is one of those games that stumped me pretty fast. The first dozen or so levels are fairly easy, but once the controls get more complex, so do the solutions. I like getting stuck, though. It always makes me feel more triumphant when I solve a puzzle. Check out my game review of Perfect Paths…

iON Bond review: bringing particles together at last in this great puzzle game

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 27, 2018

Science. What a fun subject. You learn about the elements, sound waves, viruses, and all kinds of amazing stuff that exists in our universe. However, when I was in school, I don’t think anyone would have claimed that the subject was fun, exactly. Too bad there weren’t more cool video games to play that would help me identify with what I was learning.

iON Bond isn’t particularly educational, but it does take the basic concept of particle collision and turns it into a fun puzzle game. Check out our game review of iON Bond and see if it is something you’d like to play…