Ducati Panigale V4 R 42107 Lego Technic Set! →

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Style, sophistication, performance. With breathtaking looks, this LEGO® Technic™ 42107 Ducati Panigale V4 R captures the spirit and design of the original. It’s the first model motorcycle in LEGO Technic history to include a gearbox for exploring different speeds and techniques. Other amazing features include steering, front and rear suspension for realistic movement, plus front and rear disc brakes. Amazing details capture the spirit of Ducati Ducati fans will appreciate the attention-to-detail in this amazing motorcycle replica. A kickstand, exhaust pipe, windshield and dashboard add the little details that make this model toy so true to the full-size version. And of course, the classic red color scheme is sure to quicken the pulse of any Ducati fan. Build and learn with LEGO Technic model toys As part of the LEGO Technic universe, this motorcycle model kit provides an immersive and rewarding building experience. With realistic features, it introduces builders to the world of engineering, as they discover how gear mechanisms work.

Did you read that?! It’s has a freaking  2-speed gear-box AND it’s over 12” long AND it’s actually selling for $69.99 on August 1st! Perfect for a post birthday present to myself!

Rivet and Other Cool Children Apps

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I'm always looking for new, child friendly apps for the iPad / iPhone or even maybe Amazon's newly updated Amazon Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet specifically when it comes to reading or math. Granted, I'm pretty sure that my children do not spend more than 20 minutes on any device per week when I'm home as I have a strict no screen time during the week and only VERY limited time on the weekend. Anyways, that's a whole different batttle these days as the Wall Street Journal points out.

Out today is Google's new Rivet app from their incubator team Area 120 called Rivet on Apple App Store or Google Play. It's a speech processing app that has over 200 books availble for children to read and learn. I played with it yesterday with my son for just over 3 minutes and it was awesome. I've also done the Apple Coding App for children called Swift Playground on the iPad but of course, Google has their own app as well, by the same group called Grasshopper. I encourage you to check them all out. Pretty intuitive and interactive stuff!

Convincing the Misses for a Tesla →

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"Turo was what convinced my wife to let me buy it," Hurin said. "Putting it on Turo was the whole reason we bought the first one and the second one was the same thing."

I'm crossing fingers for a Tesla Model X but only because with a family of five, it doesn't look like the Model 3 Day 1 Reservation we have will work. But shoot, while you're at it, use my referral code. Thanks! Bottom line, make sure it pays itself off and you're golden!

Garmin's New Tri Watch

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Even with Garmin's latest iteration in their running / triathlon sports watches 935, Apple's Watch keeps on drawing me back in.

Check out Ray Maker's "In-Depth Review". If you ask me, $499 is a little steep. For now, I'll wait for the Apple Watch 3.

Puddles, Poppies and Pie →

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Seven days straight!!! I seriously don't wake up "late" everyday but that seems to be the current trend.  I even set the alarm today for 7AM so that I could cook some oatmeal, grab some gatorade and take it easy. Thirty minutes later, I jump out of bed, put on my cycling gear, hoodies and shorts then run out the door. 

The Bike ride was awesome which included a really fast downhill with an abrupt dead end followed by a puddle, a snake and some amazing poppies. Just as it was coming to an end, my right calf completely froze up solid. Not good. Got back to the start, drove home, showered, school for a conference, small errands, dance then pie! 

Around 4:30, I also have the Rumpl unveiling! So warm, soft and awesome! Check them out! I'll have a review a little later down the road after we use it for camping at the end of the month.

BioLite's New CampStove 2

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Taking my family camping last month was amazing. With another trip on the horizon, charging our iPhones and iPads ahave become essential. I carry Anker's PowerCore which has done beautifully for a day or two but today, with the ability to charge your portable devices and burn wood AND a larger lithium battery, Biolite presents you their new CampStove 2 = WIN WIN!

The award-winning BioLite CampStove's latest upgrade features 50% more power, an integrated battery, and an updated LED dashboard for improved control and feedback. Burning only wood, the CampStove 2's fan creates a smokeless fire that can cook meals and boil water in minutes while turning its heat into usable electricity. Compatible with the KettlePot and Portable Grill, cook up wood-fired meals and charge devices using only the sticks around you.

If you're all about minimalist get the things you carry, this is a new essential!

Horween Leather for Your Brand New iPhone 7 / 7 Plus →

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If you haven't already gotten the e-mail or checked it out, Nomad (one of my favorite anything Apple accessories purveyor) just announced an update to their Horween Leather Case. Now available for pre-order and shipping on October 31, it's by far one of the most beautiful and handcrafted cases I've been privy to own, and to tell you the truth, I'm probably on the train for this one too! =) Get yours for $39.95 for the iPhone 7 or $44.95 for the iPhone 7 Plus.

sidenote: one differentiator I can see consumers having is that the new Apple iPhone 7 Leather Case showcases "machined aluminum buttons that match the finish of your iPhone case." If you want to pay for it, Apple's variation on the leather case will cost you exactly $5 more than Nomad's offerings but it's not Horween, it's "European" but I say, to each his own.

Horween Leather offers an unparalleled blend of quality, consistency, responsiveness, and innovation. Through the years, we have cultivated our experience to offer dynamic lines of leathers. Our products include traditional, old world tannages and techniques, carefully updated with modern applications. Today, our leathers are still made by hand, the same way as generations ago.

 
Beautiful! 

Beautiful! 

 

Are You Excited for a $400 Hair Dryer?

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The heat that comes out of a hair dryer, as anyone who uses one knows, is both what dries your hair and damages it. Your typical drugstore hair dryer likely has settings for hot, warm, and cold air; when on hot, heat can climb past what’s thought to be ideal for drying hair, and into temperatures that fry and damage hair cuticles. During testing, the engineers used thermal cameras to watch how prototype hair dryers dispensed heat over strands, and over time. In practice, the final Supersonic has heat sensors built in next to the airflow jets that will take the air’s temperature 20 times per second, and send that data to a built-in microprocessor. If temperatures rise too much, the Supersonic can level itself out. All of this is powered by a V9—a newer, smaller version of Dyson’s prized digital motors.

Sounds awesome but is it worth the price of 20 $20 Conair Salon hairdryers?

Not Worth the $200 Premium →

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Still, those upgrades don't feel worth $290 for a device that doesn't perform its sole function any better than one more than half the price. In that context, the Oasis is meant to be the first desirable e-reader, marketed with its visual and tactile appeal instead of with its functional role in our lives. It’s appealing to customers who want a digital reading experience to feel more like a holding a well-crafted book and are willing to pay a premium for it.

My thoughts exactly. Looking at the reviews, the Kindle Voyage has half the amount of reviews of the Paperwhite and a quarter of the Paperwhite and Basic combined. Maybe I'll just add my own little "spine" invoking plate to my current Kindle for that "Oasis" feel.

"Everything Has Changed"

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Apple really pulled out all the stops with this update. For one, the megapixel and processor boost then the 3D touch. Count me in. If you don't believe me, take a look at the photos from the iPhone 6s! Also, yes, if you want Optical Stabilzation, you'll have to opt in for the 6s Plus. Now if I could decide which case to get.

note: I'm still using an iPhone 5 at the moment so an upgrade was due a year ago

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Debuts with an 80% from DPReview →

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After over a year and half without even a rumor, Olympus dropped their successor to their wonderful OM-D E-M10. Appropriately dubbed the Mark II, this replacement boasts a slurry of advancements and upgrades that make this the ultimate starter camera. Don't take my word for it but if you pair this with the Panasonic Leica SUMMILUX 25mm f/1.4, which by the way is the only lens that I've been shooting with on my OM-D E-M5, you'll have yourself the best duo that is out right now in that price range. Do it and check out the delicious f1.4 bokeh paired with the right body!

The E-M10 II is well-suited for those moving up to a more capable mirrorless camera and don't need the weather-sealing of the E-M5 II. The E-M10 II is also an attractive choice for those seeking a lightweight second camera. Either way, the E-M10 II offers a lot of camera for the money, and is well worth considering. DP Review