Author: Mike Breed

Writing for MyMac.com since August of 2009, Mike Breed is an Earth Science and Biology teacher at Chenango Valley High School in Binghamton, New York. He is currently acting as the Science Department Chairman in his school district as well. Mike has received numerous grants to incorporate Apple products into the laboratories and activities of his students, with the hopes of adding a new element of learning to the teaching of science in a demanding learning environment. A lifelong resident of Cortland, New York, Mike enjoys spending time with his family when not busy with his duties at school. An avid fan of the Macintosh platform, Mike also spends a great deal of time reading and working from his iPad and iPhone, where he is reading his way through the entire chronology of Star Wars novels. Mike is also passionate about fishing and enjoys spending time each weekend fishing with his father on the waters of central New York State’s Finger Lakes.

1More’s Single Driver In-Ear Headphones – Review

Audio, Headphones, Review

When the review pair of the 1More Single Driver headphones arrived in the mail, I was struck by how quickly my 16-year-old son latched onto them. Like myself, he was impressed with the attractiveness and fit and finish of the packaging and just the look of the headphones themselves. They look sharp, to say the least. The packaging is reminiscent of the way Apple packages its own products, showing me that 1More actually cares about customer first impressions. I kept asking myself, ‘These are only $29.99? Wow!’

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The Satechi 10 Port USB 3.0 Premium Aluminum Hub – Review

Hub, Mac 0

Satechi’s 10 Port USB 3.0 Premium Aluminum Hub has seven USB 3.0 ports to connect your devices to your Mac or Windows computer. With a transfer speed of up to 5.0 GB per second, you will be impressed with the speed boost you will see over ordinary USB 2.0 ports. With seven of them, the average user should see all of their USB needs met and then some.

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Lifeproof FRE Case for iPhone 6s Plus – Review

Cases, iPhone, iPhone Cases, Review 0

Putting the Lifeproof FRÄ’ case on your iPhone is pretty easy. You merely clean your screen with the included microfiber cloth, place your iPhone face down into the front half of the case, and snap on the rear section of the case. Just make sure you work your way all the way around the perimeter of the case to make sure the two halves are seated together properly. Instructions are provided, but I don’t think most people would need them.

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The Nyne Mini Bluetooth Speaker – Review

Audio, Bluetooth, Review, Speakers 0

The first thing that I noticed about the Nyne Mini is the quality of its packaging. Unboxing it is a very Apple-like experience, with the way the lid pulls off very slowly as if it’s held in place by a vacuum. It struck me that a company that cares that much about its products’ packaging is very likely paying attention to detail in all aspects of their product lines.

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IK Multimedia Releases iLine Mobile Music Cable Kit – Review

Adapter, All-In-One, Apple, Audio, First Look, Headphones, Headset, iOS, iPad, iPad 2, iPad mini, iPhone, iPod, iPod Classic, iPod Mini, iPod Nano, iPod shuffle, iPod Touch, News, Review 0

IK Multimedia is releasing a new line of 6 high-quality cables today. Aptly named the iLine Mobile Music Cable Kit, the cables provide musicians and audiophiles with nearly every possible cable to connect your iOS devices to speakers, headphones, stereos, amplifiers, or your vehicle. The Italian-made cables feature a level of craftsmanship seldom met by other manufacturers. IK Multimedia coins the kit as the “Swiss Army Knife” of the cable world.

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Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Recorder Review

Audio, Digital Recorder, Features, First Look, Review 0

For most of us who are fans of iOS devices, the recording features in GarageBand for iOS or the built-in Voice Memos App suits our needs just fine. There are some people for whom the quality of recorded audio needs to be at a level that exceeds the capabilities of your favorite Apple gear. One possible solution lies with the Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM recorder. The quality of recorded audio is beyond CD-quality, all in a portable handheld form factor.

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Fishing Is Much Easier When You Can See The Fish

First Look, Tutorial, Uncategorized 0

On a recent fishing trip with my Dad on Skaneateles Lake, one of New York’s famous Finger Lakes, we were having a hard time getting the fish to bite. After an hour of so of unproductive casting in an area I knew to traditionally hold large numbers of smallmouth bass, I decided to implement some of the technology now available to anglers. I opened my waterproof boat bag and got out my AquaVu underwater camera.

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Bane (The Dark Knight Rises Limited Edition) X Mimobot Review

First Look, Review 0

Nobody can argue the recent popularity and publicity surrounding Christopher Nolan’s final installment of the Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. While reviews about the film and its characters may be mixed, it’s hard to say that the merchandising of Batman-related products hasn’t been a success. Mimoco has just added the characters of Batman and Bane from The Dark Knight Rises to its popular line of character-themed USB 2.0 flash memory drives.

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David Ellefson Rock Shop App – Review

Apple, Apps, First Look, iPad, iPad 2, iPhone, iPod Touch, Music, Review, Tablet 1

Rock Shop is a universal app that works with any iPad, iPhone (4 or 4s), or iPod Touch (4th gen or later) running iOS 4.3 or later. To use the app, you need to have a way to connect your guitar to your iOS device. Pocketlabworks, Inc. would like you to purchase their $99.99 iRiffPort adapter, which allows you to connect your guitar’s cable to a splitter that connects to the 30-pin port on your iOS device. I use IKMultimedia’s iRig adapter when connecting my guitar to my iPad. At $39.99, it’s an option for those for whom price is a bigger consideration.

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Star Walk for iPad New Features Are Worth A Look

Apple, Apps, iPad, iPad 2, Review 0

I took a look at the original version of Star Walk some time ago, and at the time I liked the app a lot. Since then, Vito Technology hasn’t stopped improving the the app, with the latest version of Star Walk being the best iteration yet. Some of the new features that take advantage of the capabilities of the iPad 2 and the New iPad continue to make Star Walk a “must-have” app for any amateur astronomer or science teacher.

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TidBITS Take Control of Mail eBook – Review

Apple, Book Review, How-To, iOS, iPad, iPad 2, iPhone, iPod, Review, Tablet 0

Reading email is something everyone does with their iPad. The Mail app is arguably one of the most used apps on any iOS device. Most of the time, reading mail is a painless exercise. There are times when it can be downright aggravating too. TidBITS Publishing’s Take Control Series of eBooks has the answer to just about any question you may have about iOS Mail in Take Control of Mail on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, by Joe Kissell.

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Thule 15″ Crossover Messenger Bag – Review

Apple, Bag, iPad, iPhone, Macbook Pro, Messenger Bag, Review 0

As a high school science teacher for the past 18 years, I’ve had the opportunity to try out a number of bags to carry the myriad of papers, laptops, iPads, and books back and forth to school each day. I put these bags through their paces and I’ve seen some pretty decent bags and some pretty awful ones too. When Thule sent me their 15″ Crossover Messenger Bag, I could tell right away that it was built with quality and durability in mind. I’ve been using the bag for most of the past school year and it still looks like a brand-new bag.

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ZooGue BinderPad Pouch – Review

Apple, Cases, iPad, iPad 2, Review 0

The BinderPad is a soft, yet durable polyester case custom-fitted for the iPad 2. What sets it apart from other tablet cases is that there are grommets that fit any standard three-ring binder along the case’s left-hand edge. Measuring just under the standard notebook paper size of eight and a half by eleven inches, the BinderPad fits nicely inside of just about any three-ring notebook.

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Two iPad Accessories You Need to See – Review

Apple, Apps, Cases, Cover, First Look, iPad, iPad 2, Review 3

The SmartMate case is a protective, hard-plastic case that simply snaps onto your iPad 2. The most noteworthy exception to the norm here is that the case is designed to work in conjunction with Apple’s Smart Cover. Most hard cases don’t allow you to do so, and having that option is great. I love using Apple’s Smart Cover and I’m always annoyed when a case won’t work with it.

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Want To Save Some “Siri”ous Time On Your iPhone 4S?

How-To, iPhone, Opinion 1

Much of the recognition with Siri on the new iPhone 4S is its ability to schedule meetings, set timers and reminders, and come up with some pretty humorous responses to off the wall questions. What hasn’t gotten a lot of press is one of the more powerful tools Siri’s voice-cognition capabilities offers to users of the iPhone 4S.

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Headphones Comparison: V-Moda Remix Remote vs. Arctic E461-BM

Adapter, Audio, Earphones, Headphones, iPad, iPhone, iPod, iPod Classic, iPod Mini, iPod Nano, iPod shuffle, iPod Touch, Music, Review, Shoot-out 1

One of the greatest assets to any iOS device is the ability to listen to your favorite music, audiobooks, or your favorite apps. There is nothing more annoying than trying to do so with earphones that simply ruin the experience with their shoddy qualities. Most of us aren’t in the market for expensive earphones that can cost over $200, so what’s out there for those of us who want to find a balance between sound quality and cost? V-Moda and Arctic each have earphones in their lineups that try to reach such a balance. How do they compare?

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SuperTooth HD – Review

Audio, iPhone, Navigation, Review, Wireless 0

The SuperTooth HD is a sleek and elegant looking Bluetooth speaker phone that has smooth lines and a well designed layout of buttons. One particularly nice feature is the backlight that adjusts itself to ambient light levels. This is a real plus for night drivers who don’t wish to be distracted by bright lights.

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