Discussion: Amazon Echo

Source: Amazon Echo Link

Well, you have to hand it to Amazon, they truly surprised everyone in a day where there are rarely surprises. The Amazon Echo was certainly not on anyone's radar and there's not really anything like it out there. Really, Amazon's R&D is certainly alive and active.

The whole idea behind the Amazon Echo is to have an always connected device in the home that gives you access to music, news, and other useful information. The device actually looks pretty good and appears like it could be useful in sundry circumstances.

The Amazon Echo is not yet available, though Amazon mentions it will inform customers exactly when it will be ready for the masses in "a few weeks." The retail price is set at $199 and $99  to Prime members for a limited time.

It does raise the question though, what problem does it solve that can't be done with a cell phone? Also, how will consumers respond to the Amazon Echo, will it be a smash hit? Or better yet, does Amazon expect these to be a smash hit? It's certainly new and different and time will ultimately tell if it goes the way of the Fire Phone, or it could be the next Kindle for Amazon.

I'll just throw my two cents in. As much as I want to like the Amazon Echo, there just seems to be something missing, I just can't put my finger on it. The bizarre thing is that I actually want one, though more at the Prime member price of $99 than at the $199 price point. I personally don't know what problem it solves, but I would love to be proven wrong. Maybe I just need to give it a try which is what I intend to do when I review it once it's out.

Feel free to share your thoughts below? Do you think it will be a hit? Will you buy one?

Discussion: Why do we not have hybrid minivans in the US?

Sources: Toyota Japan, Honda USA

We recently came to a point in our lives where it just made sense to go out and shop for a new minivan. We have never bought a new vehicle before and were not sure what to expect. In fact, a 10 year old car for us was a "new" car.

Everyone has different needs at different times in life and there's usually a vehicle that fits just about any of those needs across a wide spectrum. One of the first thoughts I had was to look into a hybrid gas/electric vehicle. I mean, hybrid technology has been around for the better part of a decade now, surely this technology would have found it's way into the minivan category. Much to my surprise, however, this is simply not an option in the US at this point.

This raises some questions:
1. Is the technology not there yet to make this feasible?
2. Is the market not asking for it?
3. Are there political reasons as to why this has not occurred?

There is no doubt (at least in my mind), that the EV is here to say and will likely become mainstream. So there has to be some explanation as to why we have not seen the hybrid/electric minivan reach the market.

I then heard from a good friend of mine who was in the same situation as me recently (we both have a wife, three kids, and one on the way) and recounted a much similar story. He then sent me these links:

http://www.alphard.com.hk/index_en.html#hybrid
http://www.toyota.com/esq/pdf/hwt-vehicle-cards.pdf

So, they do exist...in Japan...apparently, and for almost 13 years! Where has the US been?

Let's take a quick look at the specs of the 2014 Toyota Estima which I think is catering more toward the budget-minded according to Toyota.
- Price: $34,190 (¥3,918,437)
- Fuel Economy: 40-42 MPG (17-18 KM/L)

I need to do more research, but there's got to be a perfectly reasonable explanation for this. I mean, this is roughly how much we spent on the 2015 Honda Odyssey EX which specs like this.
- Price: $32,275
- Fuel Economy: 19-28 MPG

If I had the option between the two vehicles mentioned above, I would have chosen the 2014 Toyota Estima for sure, simply due to the savings in fuel.

I want to hear all of your thoughts and what you may know about the state of hybrid/electric minivans in the US (or lack thereof) and if you would buy one if you had the chance. Sound off below!

Upcoming Review: iOttie Easy View 2

Up on deck for review is the iOttie Easy View 2. I recently did some research to see which dash mount would work best for our vehicles and my iPhone 6 Plus. I'm still taking it through its paces, but should have a report back in the coming days!

News and Upcoming Content and Changes!

Okay, I have let this this site sit for too long and I want to keep it alive and active. I have already changed the look a little bit with hopes of better navigation and content discovery. Life has been crazy as usual, but that is no excuse, especially with all the gear I have been able to get my hands on. So here's what I envision:

1. Minimum one post per week.
2. Minimum one review per month.
3. Minimum one video review via my YouTube Channel (which is embarrassingly empty).
4. Comment and user interaction.

Still trying to decide how I want to organize everything, but I would like to be able to have a review section, a discussion on technology section, and whatever relevant section I can come up with. I will be experimenting with different layouts and am always open to suggestions.

I have bought some gear for myself recently and may just start from there to help those looking for technology that can help in their day-to-day lives. I have also been looking at up-and-coming technologies and what they could possibly mean to us. Let's just say I have been doing a lot of research EV (Electric Vehicles).

Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing more technology with each of you!

Back Off of Vacation!

Needless to say I had a blast this Christmas and New Years season. I love to spend time with family and friends and make good memories, so much so that the blog sort of took a back seat. With the holidays largely behind us I am ready to get back into looking at gear and hopefully helping others in making informed decisions on purchasing electronics.

Coming up...

1. Adonit Jot Script Evernote Edition - I have had time to play with it some over the Christmas break, but the real test for me is going to be over the week or so as I put it through day-to-day use at work. I will also be putting together my first video review with the Jot Script, so keep your eyes peeled.
2. iPad Mini with Retina Display - I have had this for a little over a month now, and even though there are plenty of reviews out there, I still feel like I should put my 2 cents worth out there.
3. iPhone 5s - Same as the iPad Mini Retina, I have some things I'd like to add.

Thanks for reading!