2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Snap Circuits Jr.

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Toys, Kids, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500,

We've found another fun, inexpensive geeky toy to feature in our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide. With Snap Circuits Jr., discovering the wonders of science and building cool electronics can be done in a snap. Winner of a Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products award, Snap Circuits Jr. comes with easy-to-follow directions that help you snap together a variety of intriguing experiments. Create things like a dual-speed fan, periodic doorbell, photo sensor police siren, flashing laser light, and more. Comes with over 30 easy-to-identify reusable color-coded parts and instructions. Definitely something cool to do with the little ones.

You can pick up Snap Circuits Jr. now from Amazon for $20.55, a 41% savings.

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Use ShopRunner for free shipping on all your holiday gift purchases!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Hot Deals, Internet, Family, Women, Men, Techies, Under $100, Under $250, Under $500,

We wanted to highlight one of the services we love in our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: ShopRunner. We're big fans of shopping at Amazon due to the benefits of Amazon Prime with free two-day shipping. However, sometimes you want to shop at another store online that may offer a better deal than Amazon, but you're used to not paying for shipping. That's where ShopRunner comes in. ShopRunner is a members-only service for online shoppers that provides unique benefits across hundreds of the best online stores.

ShopRunner's members save time and money with benefits including free 2-day shipping with no minimum order, free and easy return shipping, exclusive member offers, and easy 2-click check out. Participating stores include places like MacMall, Toys "R" Us, Brooks Brothers, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, GNC, American Eagle Outfitters, Drugstore.com, Blue Nile and hundreds of others.

You can get a ShopRunner membership and save on your holiday shopping for $79 for one year--the same price as Amazon Prime, but you can use it for hundreds of other online stores as previously mentioned.

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SOL Republic JAX headphones review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Features, Music, Product Reviews,

We can’t all afford to pay $100 for a pair of earbuds that we’ll probably lose or break. SOL Republic, a popular name in the headphone industry, has recently released an affordable pair of in-ear headphones that gives similarly priced headphones a run for their money. The SOL Republic JAX feature a tangle-free flat cable, a three-button inline ControlTalk with microphone, and serious audio quality. Are they good enough to warrant your attention? We bring you our full SOL Republic JAX review to answer that question.

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2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Western Digital My Passport Slim

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, USB, PC / Laptop, Storage, Techies, Under $100, Under $250, Under $500,

If you know someone who needs some fast portable storage that also compact and portable, look no further than the My Passport Slim from Western Digital, our next featured item in our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide. I have one, and it does it's job at my desk where I typically work, but when I need the storage on the go, I can easily slip it into a bag or pocket, and I've got a terabyte at USB 3.0 with me. For the data hogs in your life.

You can pick up the WD My Passport Slim now from Amazon for $86.

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2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Apple iPad Air

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Women, Men, Techies, Under $500,

Thanks to its vast ecosystem of apps, great performance, and a fantastic screen, the iPad Air earns a spot in our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide (see our iPad Air review.) Compared to the fourth-generation iPad, the iPad Air is nearly identical in terms of function, although it's much faster and also sports a better front camera for FaceTime chats. The big leap is in the design department, where the iPad Air just dominates on comfortability. The iPad Air is the best full-sized consumer tablet that you can get this holiday season.

You can pick up the iPad Air now from Apple--order now if you want to ensure that it's delivered before Christmas.

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LifeProof Fre for iPhone 5s review: An impressive Touch ID-ready case

Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Accessories, Apple, Smartphones, Features, Product Reviews,

It's said that Apple product's cycle iteration are improved upon from generation to generation; dubbed the tick tock method. In that regards, LifeProof has proven itself to be in sync. The Frē for iPhone 5s is an incremental update (see our iPhone 5s review) that goes hand in hand with the update of the Apple’s latest iPhone. To the untrained eye, the iPhone 5s' outer design is relatively unchanged from the iPhone 5 except for a few important aspects, which LifeProof simply nails.

Let me say that right off the bat, the Touch ID is nothing short of a marvel. Biometric security is nothing new, but in and of itself, many companies have attempted it and many have failed miserably. On the other hand, Apple has executed it to perfection while making it look easy. My biggest trepidation was how LifePoof's new case would continue to provide protection from environmental factors like snow, water, dirt and shock while still allowing access to the Touch ID's function, without hindering biometric authentication in any way. So, how did it perform? Join us for our LifeProof Fre for iPhone 5s review to find out!

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iPad mini with Retina display review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, Handhelds, Product Reviews,

I've been using the iPad mini with Retina display for a couple of weeks now, and after using it as my primary tablet device during that time (setting aside my iPad Air) I think it's time to report back with my findings as it pertains to Apple's second-generation miniature iPad.

Last year, Apple introduced the iPad mini to the world at the same time as the fourth-generation standard-sized iPad. Essentially, Apple took the iPad 2 and forked it into two different products--the Retina display-packing full-sized iPad, and the iPad mini, which was simply an iPad 2 that had been reduced in size. Many (me included) expected that the next iPad mini would remain a year behind as far as internal chips and technologies go, leaving the cutting edge stuff with the larger iPad.

We were wrong.

Instead, Apple released two iPad that are, from a technological standpoint, virtually identical. You got the slimmed down iPad Air (see our iPad Air review), and the iPad mini with Retina display. Both pack the same number of pixels. Both sport the new Apple A7 processor (1.4GHz for the iPad Air, 1.3GHz for the iPad mini.) Same with the M7 co-processor, and the 10-hour battery life. So, the question as it pertains to an iPad purchase becomes, is it more important to you to have a larger display, or a more compact form factor? I've already given you my iPad Air review, now join me after the jump for my review of the iPad mini with Retina display.

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Unboxing Live 128: Exclusive! White Xbox One “I Made This” edition

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Microsoft, Video Games, Videocasts,

We give you an exclusive look at the white Xbox One! Microsoft built about 3,000 of these unique "I Made This" edition of the Xbox One, and gave them out to employees who worked on the Xbox One prior to launch as a thank you gift. In the box is the white Xbox One, black Kinect, black standard controller, Day One edition achievement, and all the other stuff you'd expect. In addition, Microsoft gave a custom white "I Made This" controller for the Xbox One as well, which features a soft-touch feel rather than the solid matte black plastic feel of the controller.

Of course, we already gave you a look at the standard black Xbox One console as well.

You can pick up the Xbox One now from the following retailers:

• Amazon
• The Microsoft Store

Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live on YouTube!

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2013 Holiday Gift Guide: SOL REPUBLIC Jax earbuds

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Wearables, Music, Women, Men, Teens, Under $100, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500,

The next featured in Gear Live’s 2013 Holiday Gift Guide is the SOL REPUBLIC Jax headphones. Available in multiple colors, the SOL REPUBLIC Jax were designed to put great style and sound within reach. They feature a wide, tangle-free cable with an inline microphone for answering calls. You can choose between a 1-button or 3-button remote as well. It's compatible with Apple, Android, and Windows Phone devices. You can pick up the SOL REPUBLIC Jax earbuds now for $39.99.

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Unboxing Live 127: Microsoft Xbox One

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Microsoft, Video Games, Videocasts,

A few days ago, Microsoft launched the Xbox One, dropping its next-gen hotness on the world. We're deep in the review process right now, but didn't wanna leave you hanging, so we're featuring the Xbox One in our newest episode of Unboxing Live. We give you a look at the console itself, as well as everything else that comes in the package. Also, stay tuned, because we've got an extra-special Xbox One exclusive coming later today as well.

You can pick up the Xbox One now from the following retailers:

• Amazon
• The Microsoft Store

Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live on YouTube!

Click to continue reading Unboxing Live 127: Microsoft Xbox One