Brand New Xbox for Just $99!

Well, here's a move that will set the gaming console business on it's ear. Borrowing a page from the wireless phone industry, Microsoft is subsidizing their console....to the tune of $200. Yes, you are reading that right, a complete Xbox set-up with Kinect runs $299....and now you can get it for just $99 at any Microsoft Store.

The kicker is that there is a mandatory subscription to Xbox Live involved. You have to sign up for a two-year contract and pay the $14.99 monthly fee for 2 years. To me, that is an unbelievable deal. First, because I think the Xbox is the best gaming console on the market. And second, because I think Xbox Live is the greatest thing to ever happen to gaming.

Microsoft absolutely hit one out of the park when they created Xbox Live. Nothing is more fun than gaming with your friends and Xbox Live makes it incredibly easy and fun to hook up. If you've ever tried to connect with friends on the PlayStation Network...it's a big steaming mess of horse poop. In addition, there is such a wealth of gaming and entertainment content available over Xbox Live, it's just a great deal at $14.99 per month.

This should put a nail in the coffin of the pathetic Nintendo Wii. That stupid machine is an entire generation behind in graphic and computing power. For the casual gamer or parents looking for motion-based games for their toddlers and little kids, it's a no-brainer. An Xbox console with Kinect for $99 or a steam-powered Nintendo for $199....gee, that's a tough one. Xbox is the best gaming console on the planet. And now it's the cheapest.

A $799 MacBook Air?

DigiTimes is reporting this morning that Apple may introduce a new MacBook Air in the 3rd quarter of 2012 at a $799 price point. If true, that should send shivers down the spines of all of the "Ultrabook" manufacturers.

The cheapest MacBook Air is the 11.6 inch model and it is currently priced at $999. Judy has this computer and it is an amazing piece of hardware. It's essentially the size of an iPad but sports a lot more horsepower than what you can get in a tablet.

If the rumors from the Apple supply chain are true, that would give Apple a MacBook Air priced lower than the high end iPads. That would be devastating news for the PC makers, who would have to get their Ultrabooks down to the $699 price point to be competitive...something they have not been able to do yet.

Sonos: I Was Late to This Party

I'm a music lover. I like to listen to music all of the time. Walking around the lake, driving in my car or just sitting in my office, I've got music going.

I do a lot of reading and writing, so my taste in ambient music is primarily instrumental. That way it does not interfere with the task at hand. It's in the background and contributes to a nice, relaxing atmosphere.

As I go from room to room in our house, I like having the music move with me. So I had the house set up old school...with a receiver and speakers in every room. That ended up being a lot of electronics and hardware spread all over the house. Throw in a few subwoofers and we are talking about that stuff taking up a lot of space. A lot of space...seven receivers...fourteen speakers...three subs.

So I just exited 1973 and stepped firmly into 2012 with the addition of a Sonos system in our house. The amp you see pictured above is $499. It is the brain of the world's slickest music streaming system. You can use it to access your iTunes music collection, Pandora, Rhapsody, Napster, Spotify or several thousand Internet radio stations. Any type of music you want on the Internet can be accessed through this little beauty.

The system is wireless...it works over your home WiFi network. As I go from room to room, I use my iPhone to turn the system on and off and select the music I want to hear. I can be in the kitchen listening to The Brandenburg Concertos while Sean is down it the workout room listening to Rack City by Tyga.

If a room doesn't have a speaker system, you can add Sonos ZonePlayer speaker system. You just plug it into an electrical socket and synch it up with your WiFi network and you are good to go. The big speaker, pictured below is $399. A smaller speaker is available for $299.

I really was late to this party...but I could not be happier that I finally arrived. I was able to get rid of a lot of hardware and put in a whole-home system for not very much money. It's a remarkable system, so clean and elegant and simple you'd swear that Steve Jobs designed it. I don't think there is any higher praise than that. Check it out here:  http://www.sonos.com/

Summer Walking Tools

Now that warmer weather is here, I can shed my jacket and do my morning walks in gym shorts and a t-shirt. That means I also lose the pockets which held my iPhone and car keys.

I have owned a gazillion armbands for my iPods and iPhones. None of them were very impressive. Most were awkward and broke in short order. My latest, however, is an absolute gem. It's made by TuneBand. The case that holds the iPhone is a stretchable silicone. It fits the iPhone perfectly and holds it securely to the velcro band. The entire band is made of hook and loop velcro, so you get an absolutely perfect fit on your arm every time. The TuneBand retails for $19.99. Check it out here and don't miss the reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Tuneband-Grantwood-Technologys-Silicone-Protector/dp/B003ZZKL6U.

I used to have a small wristband that held my car keys. However, I recently switched cars and the new key fob that came with the car was too large to fit in my wristband. So I went shopping for a new wristband and came across the En Route wrist wallet.

There are three pockets total on this wrist wallet. The first is a large pocket secured by a velcro flap (see above photo). That pocket is large enough to hold my big key fob, along with my driver's license and a credit card or two.

The other two pockets are on the back side and these are both secured by zippers. These are large enough to hold a house key or coins for a parking meter. The En Route wrist wallet retails for $17.99 and is available here:  http://www.enroutetravelware.com/hanfrearmpoc.html.

Warm weather is here, so get outside. And you don't need pockets!

Casio GW-530A

I own 10 watches, but this is my hands-down favorite. It's the one I wear 99% of the time. It has earned that status for two simple reasons. First, it's solar powered and never needs a battery. Second, it's the most accurate watch on the planet as the time is radio-controlled by the atomic clock in Colorado.

There's nothing I hate more than reaching into my drawer for a watch and finding out it's dead because the battery has ceased to function. Huge friggin' nuisance. Not so with this solar powered Casio G-Shock watch. Light keeps the battery charged...any sort of light. In the 3 years I have owned it, it has never run out of a charge. Doesn't matter if I spend hours on end indoors, the ambient light is sufficient to charge the battery. And once the battery is fully charged, it can run for 11 months without any light whatsoever.

Knowing that my watch always has the exact and precise time is a great feeling...especially since I am the most anal person on earth about being on-time.  It synchs to the atomic clock in Colorado four times each day.

The watch is loaded with features. It works in all 29 time zones. It's got 4 different programmable alarms. It's waterproof and shockproof. It's got a backlight that you can either turn on manually or automatically with a tilt of your wrist. There's a handy stopwatch function and the auto-calendar is pre-programmed through the year 2038.

My boys gave me this watch for father's day three years ago. Here's the best part...it cost a whopping $90 at Costco. To me, that's the bargain of the century for a solar powered, atomic watch that keeps perfect time and never needs a battery.

My Three Favorite iPad Accessories

I am a huge Apple fanboy. I shamelessly love all things Apple. This holds true for my iPad, which is possibly the greatest device of all time for consuming media. Before the iPad, there was print, there was TV, there was film...each medium had it's own niche. Not any more. Steve invented the iPad and it became  the great equalizer. Now the Wall Street Journal competes with Netflix and HBO Go and Zite and the NewYork Times and Lady Gaga and electronic books...all on one device. It's simply amazing.

The iPad really shines when you travel. All of your favorite books, newspapers, films, TV shows and music are contained in a single piece of hardware. It sure makes traveling easy. The first thing I reach for when I travel is my iPad carrying case.

My case of choice is a Belkin Grip Sleeve. It's padded, made of neoprene and has a reinforced panel that protects the screen. It has a large pocket on the side which I use to hold my portable easel and charger. The case sells for $14.95 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F8N278tt091-Grip-Sleeve-iPad2/dp/B003CFB19Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326045268&sr=8-1

My portable easel of choice is the Compass stand from Twelve South. This is a piece of art that is also a marvel of engineering. It folds down into a small little package: 7" long by 1" wide and 3/8" deep. When used as an easel, like the photo above, it makes it easy to read books and watch movies in either landscape or portrait mode. The Compass also has a small fold-away secondary leg (visible on the middle leg in the above photo) which transforms the product from easel to portable workstation. It elevates the rear of the iPad by 1 1/2 inches and makes it incredibly comfortable for typing. The Compass retails for $39.99 and you can check it out here: http://twelvesouth.com/products/compass/

My very favorite iPad accessory are the Bower & Wilkins P5 headphones. For anyone who has tried to watch a movie on a plane with earbuds, they simply don't work. They let in way too much outside noise. The P5's fit over the ears and isolate the listener from the environment. The padded headband and ear cups are made from New Zealand sheep leather...quite possibly the softest leather I have ever felt. The sound is absolutely astounding. When I listen to my music with these headphones, I hear instruments and sounds that I never knew existed on the recordings. These are amazing headphones...the most amazing I have ever used. But you don't have to take my word for it....go to an Apple store and try them out. You'll be blown away. The Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones retail for $299:  http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Headphones/Headphones/P5/Overview.html

Kahtoola MICROspikes

Last night it started raining then it flipped over to snow. Then the temperature dropped, which turned the 2-mile walking path around Lake Normandale into a giant skating rink. While it would be nice to stay inside, drink a cup of coffee and read the paper, Zorro must have his morning walk.

Last year I got caught walking in regular trail shoes when a snowstorm swooped in. The visibility was every bit as horrible as the traction and I slipped and fell, breaking a rib. While that was painful, I hated that it kept me out of the gym (my beloved CrossFit) for 2 months. I vowed never again.

I tried a number of winter traction devices and Kahtoola MICROspikes outperformed them all. And they outperformed them on two fronts. The first is the all-important traction on ice and snow. There are 10 spikes on each foot...8 on the forefoot and 2 on the heel. These babies dig in like nothing I have ever seen. I don't even think about slipping.

The second area where they outperformed the others is longevity. I tried the industry leading YakTrax, but they wore out after about 10 outings. They have a nice concept but they are poorly engineered. Hit a stretch of dry asphalt and the YakTrax are ruined.

Kahtoola MICROspikes retail for $59.95 and are worth every single penny. I put them on an old pair of Nike trail shoes that I had laying around. I throw those in the back of my car, that way they are always ready should conditions require their appearance. And Zorro was very grateful for their appearance this morning at Lake Normandale. As was I.

 This is a great product and you can check it out here: http://www.kahtoola.com/