Edward Kiledjian

As we approach the holiday season, you're probably thinking about all the guests you'll have to entertain. I can't think of a better way to entertain the boys than with a new high quality TV. Just because you bought one of those new fangled really cool 3D TVs doesn't mean you have to fork over $100 for a "name brand" HDMI cable (regardless of what the teenage sales rep tells you).

There are dozens of reputable blogs and audio video specialists that preach the same sermon. Don't waste your money on expensive cables. I found it interesting that tech review site CNET uses cheap monoprice cables to test all the AV equipment that goes through their lab.

I have used Monoprice for most of my cable needs for the last 4 years (Ethernet, HDMI, Telephone, etc) and have never regretted my decision. They offer very good cables at super competitive prices. The one time I had a shipping issue, their customer support fixed my issue within 24 hours.

A 6 foot Monoprice HDMI Cable with Ethernet channel built in costs $7.54US.

Unlike most cheap cable providers, Monoprice actual speed tests all of their cables and backs them up with a lifetime manufacturer defect warranty. Even though the cables are cheap, Monoprice takes product design seriously and they implement cool technologies to improve your overall experience (including RedMere chips in some of their higher end HDMI cables).

You can buy a 15ft Ultra Slim Series High Performance HDMI Cable with RedMere® Technology for $23.21US.

What is AWG you ask? It is a size reference to the thickness of the cable. The smaller the  number, the thicker the cable. The thicker the wire, the less signal loss you will experience. Of course it depends on the length of your cable. IF you want a 15ft cable then any awg rating will do (normally 28 AWG is fine). If you want a 50ft run then go for a 22AWG. 

The first cable I recommended was a 24AWG (for ~$7). You can get a 22AWG HDMI cable at 20ft in length for $23.28US.

So this holiday season do yourself a favour and save some money by buying your cheap HDMI cables online from Monoprice. 

Other related articles your may like to read: 

• Bringing The Start Menu Back To The Windows 8 Desktop
• RetroUI - Bring Back The Start Menu In Windows 8

I recently discovered a new way to get the start menu back for free and improve the performance of your PC for free. 

When I was on Windows 7, I was using a free PC maintenance software called Soluto. I used Soluto to: 

• Keep Windows up to date
• cut down boot time
• find out what programs are crashing
• find out what programs are using the most horsepower
• Easily install some of the most useful free software around 

After upgrading to Windows 8, I found out Soluto was compatible so I installed it then logged into their management web interface and saw a new option

I clicked on one button, rebooted then was presented with a start button and immediately logged into the dekstop interface (instead of the new start page). And all for free for up to 5 PCs per account.

Having tested the other Start menu replacements, I think I will keep the Soluto solution running. It gives me that I want and a little more (all for free). 

Imagine being able to run [almost all] of your favorite Android apps on a standard Windows PC or tablet. Bluestacks does just that. Using a proprietary emulation engine, they allow you to run almost any Android app on your Windows PC.

If there are some non PC android apps you absolutely love and can’t live without, you can now use them on your PC (or Mac or tablet).

Windows 8 RT doesn’t have enough apps

The biggest complaint I have heard about Windows 8 RT (aka Surface RT) is the lack of apps. Developers aren’t willing to spend thousands in development costs for a product with an uncertain future. We have heard horror stories of some developers making a measly $100 from their Windows RT apps.

Now Bluestacks is considering to bring its Android emulation technology to Windows RT. What does this mean, it means 700,000 could find their way to Microsoft’s lonely platform and finally make it a little more compelling. Even if Bluestacks released a Windows RT product, Microsoft would have to approve it for distribution through its app store which is far from certain.

Verdict

Right now Windows (not RT) and Mac users can play with the very stable and fun beta of Bluestacks. If you have an Android phone, install their client on it and you can even choose what phone apps you want to copy to your Bluestacks environment.

A great way to have some fruit ninja or Angry bird fun.

The Google blog has stated that the free Google Apps for business option is going away. Until now, a small business with fewer than 10 users could opt for the free version instead of the $50 per user per year business option.

Google says this will be better for individual "who often have to wait to get new features while we make them business-ready" and better for business' "which includes 24/7 phone support for any issue, a 25GB inbox, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee with no scheduled downtime".

I love headphones and have relied on these 2 models as my go to devices: 

• UE Triple-FI 10 - for pure sound quality
• Etymotic HF3 - for everyday use with a mic 

You wouldn’t catch me dead with a sub-100$ pair of headphones because they usually sound as good as music playing through a can of soup. Imagine my surprise when I tried the Monoprice 8320 and found them decent (they cost less than $7).

The only reason I tried these was because of the Monoprice name. For those that don’t know, I love Monoprice because they offer great quality items at very competitive prices. The headphones do them proud. For a measly $7, you get 14.2mm drivers (larger than most sub $50 earphones), a 48” cloth covered cord (which feels nice and solid) and a gold plated connector jack.

The Monoprice 8320 offers incredible clarity, a clean and full soundstage and solid build quality. I compared them to my beloved Triple-Fi and HF3 and the comparison was interesting. Using Apple Lossless encoded audio (from the source) and connecting it to my iPhone 4s with the EQ turned off, the Monoprice 8320 put up a good fight. I expected it to fail miserably (come on, it’s $7) but it competing well.

During my tests, I found that the 8320 offered a clean soundstage. Mids were full and clean. Bass was strong but clear, I didn’t experience any static or distortion at normal listening volumes.

Soundstage is a very subjective descriptor. To test a soundstage, I put on a track with lots of vocals and instruments (in lossless format ripped from a source), I close my eyes and try to feel the music. Can I hear all the instruments? Can I feel where each of the musicians is standing? When I tested my HF3 and Triple-Fi’s, I heard nuances I had never heard before. They really brought the music to life.  The Monoprice 8320’s didn’t perform as well as these two (and I didn’t expect them to) but to be honest, I was dumbfounded by how well they performed. They won’t replace my 2 beloved units but this is a nice pair you can through around and not worry about.

The Monoprice 8320’s do not have a mic option but they can’t be beat for price/value.

A question I get a lot about headphones is “Do I need to use a headphone amp with my…”. I tested the Monoprice 8320 with and without a headphone amp and had the exact same performance.

I can definitely say you do not need a headphone amp with the Monoprice 8320 earphones.

They won’t be replacing my high end earphones but they beat the pants of any other sub $100 earphone I have tried. 

The last essential keychain tool I want to talk about it the True Utility Telepen.  It's a stainless steel telescopic pen that shrinks to 50mm when closed and extends to a comfortable 115mm. When fully open, it is easy to hold and write with and closed you'll hardly know its there. Like my 2 other keychain tool recommendations, this is an everyday carry (EDC) type of item that you will find useful. Think of how many times you struggled to find a pen?

You won't write a multi-page letter or novel using this pen but for simple tasks like taking short notes, signing a check or filling out a form, its perfect. 

The kit comes with 3 refills but you can always cut a bic refill once you run out.

Like many tech enthusiasts, I am anxiously waiting for Microsoft’s Surface Pro to hit the market so I could get one. After all, it is supposed to offer the ultimate tablet experience while being able to run all my “normal” Windows apps. Microsoft finally announced pricing for the Surface Pro tablet and many stood there in shock. Depending on which version you pick up, it will cost you $899US to $999US (plus one of the keyboard covers).

Let me be clear, the Surface Pro will cost too much.

Microsoft had said pricing would be in-line with that of ultrabooks but is that a real competitor? Ultrabooks have some qualities Surface Pro does not: 

• Bigger screens
• Real keyboards
• More ports for expansion
• More configuration options
• Better battery life
• have user replaceable batteries

The above list shows the advantages a typical ultrabook has over the Surface Pro tablet. I really feel that Microsoft should have made this a lost leader to help create demand and build an ecosystem. The Surface RT was too expensive when compared to the Nexus and iPad tablets. Now the Surface Pro will be too expensive compared to ultrabooks (it's chief rival). 

When the Surface Pro is finally released end of January, I will bot be buying one. Instead, I will look at my options and maybe go towards a MacBook Air.

We've all heart the old saying "the best camera is the one with you" referring to the benefits of having smartphones with cameras. The same can be said for USB keys. A USB key left in your desk drawer or home office is of no use. This is why I love the PetiteKey product from LaCie.

It is the newest iteration of their immensely popular imakey launched in 2009. Compared to its older brother, the PetiteKey is 30% smaller. The PetiteKey is waterproof to 100 meters and LaCie even says the little guy will survive a spin in the washing machine. This little bundle of joy comes in 8/16/32 GB flavours. My only complaint is that is is USB 2.0 (wish it had USB 3.0 support).

I saw the 8GB version on Amazon for $11.99.

Ultimately this is a tool that will always be on you and therefore will be ready to serve when needed. 

There are plenty of reasons why you may want to regularly check your heart rate. After a recent run, I wanted to compare the performance of: 

• Cardio Buddy 0.99$
• Instant Heart Rate 0.99$
• Wahoo ANT+ Heart Rate Monitor (Check belt and ANT+ key for iphone)  $99.00

The measurements were taken within seconds of each other so I could be sure nothing else could impact the results.

First up was Instant Heart Rate. To use this app, you gently plate your finger in front of the back camera & flash. After a couple of seconds, it detects and counts your heart rate.

Next up was Cardio Buddy. In addition to performing a useful function (calculating your heart rate), it also has a high cool factor in how it measures your heart rate. You frame your face (using the front facing camera) and it calculates your heart rate using blood flow variations not visible to the human eye. This is a cool party trick. Everyone I show this to is surprised and amazed.

Last was my trusty chest based heart rate monitor. I have previously compared it's results to those from my blood pressure monitor and they usually match.

Comparing all of the results, they are relatively close but Cardio Buddy seemed to be closer to the my chest based monitor than Instant HEart Rate (which surprised me). I ran another series of test 30, 60 and 90 minutes later and the results were a almost the same. As the rest period grew longer, Instant Heart rate got closer to the chest monitor but in all the tests, Cardio Buddy was the closest.

It is important to note that the 2 app based monitors are best used in an indoor or shady environment without harsh direct sunlight.