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Christmas Goodies: What Fun Gadgets were in Your Stockings?

How was everyone's Christmas and Holidays? Things were pretty darn good over here save some sicknesses, myself included.

I got my usual foray of electronics and accessories including a PS4 controller and a Wii U Pro Controller. Sound off below on any Christmas/Holiday tech goodies you may have received. Did you get a tablet, laptop, or GoPro?

Review: iOttie Easy View 2

iOttie Easy View 2 on Amazon

As mentioned earlier this week, I have been reviewing the iOttie Easy View 2 dash mount for our vehicles.

My goal was to find a strong suction that would adapt to various surfaces of dashes (too bad I can't test this in a Tesla Model S, if only). My other requirements were to hold my iPhone 6 Plus with a case on it and retail for less than $20. After several searches, this one trickled its way to the top of the list.

Now, I have had my fair share of cheap department store solutions but those always tended to break within a week, not hold up the phone well, or just plain stink (literally and figuratively). I just needed something that worked and not break the bank.

When I received it, I was surprised at how small the box was. I was starting to wonder if it would really fit my iPhone 6 Plus at all. After opening the package I did a quick test to see if it would fit. I was quickly shown that it fit rather comfortably, even with my Spigen Tough Armor Case. If you are  looking for a no fuss dash mount for your iPhone 6 Plus, just stop here, you have found it.

Now for some more of the fundamentals. The first thing to address is the suction/stickiness of the suction cup. I tried every surface type on our minivan which varied from smooth, textured, curved, and flat and held up like a champ. It simply wouldn't budge. Then I realized I hadn't even clamped it down yet! Once I had that clicked into place, it was going nowhere. I will say though that if you need to move it ton another car or another position, it can be done, but it takes some serious effort. (Which is what you want out of a dash mount right?)

 Next test was to see how well it held up my iPhone 6 Plus and case. The main thing I was looking for was wobble, or the arm falling under weight, or the whole thing coming off the dash altogether. I am happy to report that none of those thing occurred. In fact, after driving around with it for some time it held up perfectly. I was still able to make some minor adjustments while I drove around however. Here are a couple shots of my phone mounted on it.

Landscape

Portrait

There are just a couple minor quibbles with this unit, but they are extremely minor. My first is that I had a hard time telling if the phone was all the way on. It's kind of hard to explain, but I have a hard time knowing if it's all the way pushed back against the back, mostly due to the clamped edges clamping down so tight. I found that if I wrapped my had behind the flat part of the mount while installing the phone that I could could ensure it was pressed back all the way. My second complaint is that I feel there should be some arm movement to allow for additional minor adjustments. The mount on the stationary arm does allow some movement for small adjustments and rotation, but I still feel like there could be a tad more. For the price however, these are easily forgiven.

I highly recommend the iOttie Easy View 2 as a sturdy and affordable dash mount for your phone, especially if your looking for one for your iPhone 6 Plus. The iOttie Easy View 2 also comes in four colors too for a little variety: Black, Red, White, and Mint.

Review: Tech Armor Retina Shield Blue Light Filter for iPad Mini with Retina Display

Buy for iPad Mini at Amazon
Buy for iPad Air at Amazon

Like many of you, I use my phone or tablet on a daily basis. Getting the screen covered is crucial to keep the device in pristine shape to handle regular use. Really, you want to protect your hard earned purchase. Well, Tech Armor makes an interesting proposition to protect something else, your eyes. Here are there claims they make regarding this particular screen protector:

• Works with iPad Mini and iPad Mini with Retina Display

• Filters harmful Blue Light from phones and tablets which may damage your eyes and make it more difficult to achieve fast, peaceful sleep

• Ideal for children and adults

• Promotes healthy melatonin levels for better sleep AND protects from digital eye strain

Now, I am by no means an expert on these claims so I can only review them from experience over time, which is why this review will be done in two parts. The first portion will be everything that can be reviewed on the first day of use while the second will be to review of the effects of the blue light filter. All I can say is, I do use my iPad pretty much every night before bed.

Ease of Use and Application
One thing I have really come to like about the Tech Armor screen protectors is their ease of application. The instructions that come with it are clear and the same as seen on other Tech Armor screen protectors. I will also direct you to their helpful video for those who have not applied screen protectors, which can be found here:

http://www.techarmor.com/how-to-install.html

I highly recommend you watch it if you have not done this before, especially since this pack only comes with one screen protector. I would rather there be at least two protectors included, just in case of a slip up. Fortunately, I have done enough of these and have the best luck in applying Tech Armor screen protectors that I got it right on the first try.

Look and Feel
Before I applied the screen protector, I did notice there was a slightly darker tint to it than the HD Clear, but that's not a bad thing, it's just an observation. I can say that there is no perceptible change in the overall look once I had it on than that of the HD Clear or with no screen protector.

The feel is very much the same as the HD Clear screen protector I reviewed from Tech Armor in the sense that I do not even know it's there.

Package contents.

Blue Light Filtering
This is really at the heart of this particular screen protector. Again, I am not an optics expert so testing this out quantifiably is rather difficult, so I did the best with what I had. The first day into it, I realized very quickly that in order for this to be effective I would have to minimize my time with my other electronics: laptop, other tablets (yes, more than one), my phone, PS Vita, television, and even the LED lighting in my house. So, my challenge was to try and just use the iPad which proved to be more difficult than I care to admit.

There are other variables that come in to play with my sleep patterns: my wife, my kids, my dog, my day at work, etc. So basing how well I slept on my iPad use really is next to impossible to quantify.

With that said, I did have one of my better weeks of sleep in a while. Whether or not that was the blue light filter technology, or that my kids and wife have been sleeping better is the reason is hard to say. I guess I can say that I don't feet like it impeded my sleep any.

Bottom Line
If you are a heavy electronics user, especially before bed, it may not hurt to grab one of these. I would suggest you go all in however and get a blue light filter for each of your devices if you need to go this route.

Something to keep in mind is no-hassle Tech Armor Lifetime Warranty. I luckily haven't had the need to exercise this, but if you are having problems with your screen saver they will send you another. Really, it sounds like you can't go wrong here, especially if you're having troubles installing it.

A good measure for me is whether I can tell if the screen protector is there or not and again, Tech Armor does very well here. I would recommend these to someone who uses their iPad heavily before bed and may have trouble sleeping. Though I may not be able to perceive it doesn't mean someone else wouldn't, this is still a reasonably priced and high quality screen protector so you can't go wrong really.

REVIEW: iPhone 5S / 5 Case Ultra Hybrid

Let me start off by saying I had never heard of SpiGen before I bought this case, and like you, was looking at the reviews to decide if this was the case for me.

I have been through many iPhone cases in my day and can never seem to be content with every point listed above. I have been searching for a long time for a case that would meet these requirements without compromises.

Form and Function
I'm going clump these to together here because they are usually mutually exclusive, but not the case here (no pun intended). I wanted to be able to show off the iPhone's original beauty while still being able to keep it reasonably protected. While it's not bullet-proof, the SpiGen has a clear and thick TPU on the back that shows off it's original beauty while keeping it away from the elements, scratches, and smudges. It covers the key components and performs wells. The outside band is a nice TPU that covers the power and volume buttons. I must admit, it feels nice and natural and keep those protected. SpiGen hit a home-run here with maintaining what I feel is the best balance between looks and durability. I can also add I have dropped it about three times and the case has done it's job perfectly.

Look and Feel
The thicker TPU feels great in the hand, not too grippy but not a bar of soap either. It maintains the original thin feel of the iPhone and adds minimal bulk. This way key for my search of the perfect iPhone case and SpiGen nailed it here.

Clear back to show iPhones natural beauty while still having excellent protection.

Function
I am able to access all buttons and functions of the hardware without a hitch, I must add though that my studio headphone have a larger audio plug mount and the TPU around the headphone jack is just a tad small for it. With that said, all my other earphones, including the Apple ones, have no problem.

Value
These cost a fraction of other cases you can buy in the store or online. Simply put, SpiGen offers up the best vlaue and bang for your buck.

Conclusion
Is it the most durable case out there? No. Is it the most colorful or is it going to turn lots of heads? Not really. But what is is, it's my perfect iPhone case that gives me the minimalist look without compromising the key durability functions while maintaining a thin profile. I have already recommended friends and family use this case as well and they have loved it too.

I will likely buy more SpiGen products in the future as their products have been stellar quality and will likely become a favorite in the future for other users such as myself.

Hope this review helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Welcome to Go-To Tech Reviews!

Let me introduce myself. My name is Matthew and I am addicted to technology and have been a gear-head as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are playing the original NES or figuring out how the camcorder worked. I have always been the go-to guy among family, friends, and co-workers. I finally decided, what the heck, let's open up the audience and start to tech reviews on a larger scale. I am still in the early stages, but plan on extending the content as I start making reviews. Also, I'm sure the process and layout will evolve the more reviews that I do, so stay tuned!