Nerf Vortex Lightning Review: Shoots Hard, Shoots Far, Shoots Very Painfully [Video]

When you think Nerf, you think darts—the name and the ammo are synonymous. But the toy arms dealer's newest arsenal shoots tiny discs. Tiny, stinging, accurate, incredibly fun discs. They've terrorized our office. You'll love 'em. We do.

We tested three Vortex blasters: the pump-action Praxis ($25), the one-shot Derringer-style Proton pistol ($10), and the battery-powered, full-auto, Nitron ($40). Every single one blasts its green plastic disc shots straight, far, and with a lot of zip—these ain't foam darts. When you fire, you'll notice a big difference from the wobbly darts you might be used to—when you make contact, instead of the usual "Ah!," your target'll belt out an "Ah, shit!" Whether it's a soda bottle or your friend's neck, you'll have little trouble hitting your mark. And if not, the ricocheting havoc is just as fun.

The guns feel a little on the cheap side, but they are on the cheap side—they're plastic toys. The plastic stabilizing ring on each disc round also hurts a little more than it should—I definitely would not want to catch one in the eye. This might require more caution than you're used (or willing) to practicing when having a plastic firefight.

The Vortex line combines a few fundamental principles. Toy guns are a lot of fun. Frisbees are a lot of fun. Frisbees fly really far—how about shooting tiny frisbees out of a toy gun? It works. Each Vortex firearm compliments the others, and owning multiple won't feel redundant. Just try to aim below the neck. And above the waist. [Nerf]

You can keep up with Sam Biddle, the author of this post, on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Oakley 3D Gascan Peepers Lightning Review: Pimp But Pricey [3D]

3D movies are here to stay, for at least another year. So why are you still picking up crappy disposable specs every time you hit the multiplex? Oakley's 3D Gascan shades promise better optics—and permanence.

Color and light looked better in these glasses than the hand-out pair the theater gave me. The screen didn't look quite so muddy. Still images popped more. Even when I looked through the corners of the glasses, next to the frame, the image looked great. They also fit better. They were both more comfortable, and wrapped around my eyes to a greater extent, so I never saw the outside edges of the glasses, which made for a more immersive experience. And they're damn tough. I tried to scratch them with my keys and failed.

Some of the best things about these glasses are more intangible. When you drop your Real3D specs off in one of those bins outside a movie, they're typically transported to a recycling center where they're washed or recycled, inspected, and then shipped back to theaters again. That's a lot of interstate transport, and a lot of single-time use assuming many get damaged. I like the concept of buying my own and opting out of that chain. And then there's the appearance. Most 3D glasses are aggressively ugly, so much so that I've even seen hipsters wearing them in public. These actually look like regular sunglasses.

Oakley promises a lot with these, but to be honest I had a hard time telling enough of a difference between the 3D Gascan and the garden variety handouts to justify the price. In the area it matters most, crosstalk, I couldn't really tell much of a difference at all. Basically, anytime there was some really fast action onscreen, I picked up on crosstalk. This is a fundamental problem with 3D that even the best glasses in the world aren't going to fix.

Maybe. But probably not. Look, they're very nice. The optics are better than the movie theater glasses and they're damn near indestructible. But $120, is a lot of coin to drop for a marginal performance improvement. How many 3D movies do you see a year? If your main concerns are comfort, experience and you've got a hell of a lot of disposable income, by all means, go for it. But if you're hoping these will solve the problems of blurry pictures in a 3D movie, you're going to be disappointed.

You can keep up with Mat Honan, the author of this post, on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Ka-Bar ZK-Pestilence Chopper Knife Lightning Review: Murders Plants and Zombies [Outdoors]

Honestly, I was expecting a blade marketed for use in zombie killing—seriously, that's what the ZK stands for—to be just a flimsy toy built more for show than for actual work. Boy, was I wrong.

It's got solid heft, for only weighing about a pound. The blade is front-weighted, heavier at the tip than at the handle, which helps it accelerate on the downswing. Not that you really need it on account of the knife's ludicrous sharpness. Seriously, with just a flick of the wrist, I can dismantle a 4-inch-diameter jade plant. Using a full swing, I cleared 15-yards of blackberry patch in a quarter of the time it normally takes me with shears and a weed-whacker.

The Pestilence is definitely a one-trick pony—excellent at clearing brush and overgrowth but not really anything else. The 10 1/4-inch blade is too long to let you use it as a hunting knife (and too heavy for backpacking) but not quite long enough to use it as a true machete. Nor does it have the necessary weight to split logs so it really limits you to soft, non-woody plants.

An excellent tool when faced with the challenges of clearing overgrown hedgerows and decapitating the walking dead alike.

You can keep up with Andrew Tarantola, the author of this post, on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

LED Lenser X21 Flashlight Lightning Review: Really, Really, Really Bright [Flashlights]

Maglite's 4 D-cell flashlight spits out around 120 lumens of brightness. The mammoth LED Lenser X21 shoots out 1,200. It's blindingly bright. It lights up entire rooms on its own. It will hurt your eyes. A lot.

Why do you buy a flashlight? To light things up. The X21 is almost too bright. It's extremely visible even in a well-lit room, or outside—photos do it no justice. And because it uses electricity-friendly LEDs, it can beam brilliantly for a long, long time—at its max power mode, we've far surpassed LED Lenser's advertised 2.5 hours. We'll take their word on the 25 hours of 225-lumen low power mode. The thing's also brutally substantial; if you want a flashlight you can drop repeatedly and also bludgeon someone to death with, this is tops.

The X21's very heavy: 3.25 pounds. This might wear on your wrist if you had to use it for extended periods. But the X21's only real design flaw is the stubborn push motion required to switch the light's lens and mirror mechanism between a focused and diffuse beam. A twisting control would have been much better, or something that didn't require jerky motions.

This is the ultimate emergency flashlight. For reading, it's overkill. But for power outages, wilderness wanderings, or anything dark that needs to be bright as a trillion dollar casino, the X21 is a stellar pick.

LED Lenser X21
Price: $450
Brightness: 1200 Lumens
Weight: 52.49 oz
Battery: 4 x D cells
Length: 15.55-inches
LED Lenser
You can keep up with Sam Biddle, the author of this post, on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Microsoft Touch Mouse Lightning Review: It's Not Magic [Mice]

Apple's Magic Mouse is two years old. It attempted to merge two interfaces—touch and mousing—in a meaningful way by hybridizing a capacitive touch surface and a mouse. It's pretty good. Microsoft's Touch Mouse is like that, but for Windows 7. And actually designed for human hands to hold it.

Well, the ergonomics. It's why Microsoft hardware is renowned. They make comfortable stuff. I typically dislike ambidextrous mice. Not this one. Also, the Touch Mouse's custom software delivers a true Expose-type feature to Windows 7 that reveals all over your open windows with a swooshy animation. It's so good it should just be built into Windows 7 by default, really.

Oh, how to put this delicately: It doesn't work? One-finger scrolling is kind of like spinning The Big Wheel on the Price Is Right—you never know where it's going to stop. The back and forward thumb gestures are truly awkward, and only work about half the time. It misinterprets touches, often, and with a vengeance. But the real killer? Right-click only works about 60-70 percent of the time. And because I could never trust the mouse to do what I needed it to, I never felt super comfortable holding it, since I was always paranoid I'd set off a horrible chain reaction of gestures that would like restart the sun or something.

Not unless there's a mega firmware update that magically makes it awesome. The prototype I saw over a year ago had tons of promise, and it could be killer mouse, even at $60. If, you know, it worked.

Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

In This Battle Between Lasers and Lightning, Laser Won [Image Cache]

Maybe this is the use the Wicked Laser was built for: LIGHTNING JOUSTING! Cold hard technology versus the awesome might of nature. And yet the red beam of man's raw lust for power pierced through lightning's heart unabated. Victory!

Well, ok. What you see is the European Southern Observatory testing its Wendelstein laser guide star unit in southwestern Bavaria. The lighting storm was actually far off when this photo was taken, but that doesn't take away from its power. I demand an answer, though. What would win: lighting or super-powerful laser? [ESO via Universe Today]

Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Levi's Commuter Jeans Lightning Review: Skinny Jeans with Biking Powers [Jeans]

A pair of jeans is a pair of jeans is a pair of jeans? Not quite. Especially when you're riding your bike, as getting denim caught in your bike is a faceplant waiting to happen. These Levi's Commuter Jeans, however, are made just for riding.

They look like the typical Levi's 511 jeans—classic Levi's stitching on skinny denim—but they hide some sneaky smart features that'll make you want to wear denim when you ride. The 3M reflective lining on the cuff provides a teensy bit of reflection when you roll up your pants, a U-Lock conveniently fits inside the belt loop as you ride and the water-resistant denim actually keeps your legs dry in light rain. The cell phone pocket inside the right pocket is especially thoughtful, as your iPhone won't fly out when you huff and pedal. Probably most importantly, after a few wears, the stretchier than usual denim becomes really comfortable (it has extra protection around your crotch area!). It's like I've had these jeans for months and not days They're skinny jeans so they wont get caught in your chains but they're not cracked out model anorexic skinny where they'll choke the circulation out of your junk.

The commuter jeans aren't as breathable as you'd like for "athletic gear"—they're better suited for nighttime riding than a hot summer day. A little more 3M on the jeans would make the reflection feature more useful than gimmick. You might be lazy and not like button flies. Also, they run smaller than typical 511s, so buy a size bigger.

It's a little silly to think the jeans are "bike specific", but if you're a bike rider, you get a pair of normal looking pants that's chock full of hidden features. For non-bike riders, you get a smart remix on the classic 511.

Levi's 511 Skinny Commuter Jeans
Price: $78
Levis.com
You can keep up with Casey Chan, the author of this post, on Twitter or Facebook. Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones Lightning Review: Massive Sound, Tiny Buds [Headphones]

Do you like to do things and listen to music while you're doing them? Me too! We have so much in common! Maybe you should try these C5 in-ear headphones from Bowers & Wilkins. They're great for listening while doing.

I totally want to make out with the industrial designer responsible for these buds. These suckers about as secure as Barack Obama's underwear drawer. An ingenious loop that sends the cable back through a passage in the speakers lets you use the wire to hold the buds in place. Pop them in your ear canal, push the cable, and the loop expands to secure itself against your antihelix. (That's the cartilage around your ear hole, smart guy. Hey, I had to look it up too.) Meanwhile, the tungsten sound tube is weighted towards your ear's interior, which also helps keeps them in place because they want to fall in, not out. The in-ear anchor works better than any over-ear cable contraption that I've ever tried. It makes them fantastic for running, mountain biking, or other highly active things that maybe you shouldn't wear earbuds for but probably will anyway. And while they aren't noise-canceling, they fit so snugly in the ear that they do a great job of blocking out ambient sound.

Better yet, they sound better than a come on from Lauren Bacall. (Ladies: you can swap in, let's say, Clive Owen.) Bowers & Wilkins says that the micro-porous filter, which has hundreds of itty-bitty steel balls, acts as a diffuser and opens up the sound in an otherwise tiny speaker. The dog ate my audio engineering degree, so I don't know about that. But my ears do tell me that the sound is rich and expansive. When I listened to lossless tracks back-to-back with the C5 followed by a pair of commonly-available $100 in-ears, there was no comparison. It was like being in a symphony hall versus standing outside of one.

They're also made for iPhone, so you can skip tracks and make calls. How pleasant.

Oh, tunneling terror! That stethoscoping sound! Make it stop! While the lower portion of the cable (below where the right and left speaker cables join) was well insulated and largely noise free, the upper portion had quite a bit of cable noise. And since that's the part that hangs down from your ears, it's also the part that gets jostled quite a bit. While it's no worse than most other in-ears, more insulation on the upper part of the speaker cable would probably have made for a quieter connection.

These are some delightful speakers. The bottom line is that they pack a massive sound into tiny buds. But even better, they stay in well and are exceptionally comfortable, even when you wear them for long periods of time. While they're expensive, if you've got the beans to dop on quality buds, you won't be disappointed.

You can keep up with Mat Honan, the author of this post, on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Wicked Laser S3 Krypton Lightning Review: Holy Christ Now It's Green and Goes Into Space [Lasers]

The Wicked Laser odyssey of horror continues. First, they offered an underwhelming laser you couldn't even buy. Then, they stuck two together. And now? A green one that's twenty times brighter, twenty times more pointless, and twenty times as awesome.

The S3 Krypton is twenty times as bright as its blue predecessor, which was already shockingly, dangerously bright. It's not more powerful—both emit a full watt of power—but the green light's wavelength is vastly more visible. Wicked Laser claims an 85 mile range, which means it could penetrate the Earth's atmosphere—the thermosphere, no less!—and go into fucking space. Hypothetically, at least. You'll forgive me for not being able to verify that claim myself. Essentially, the Krypton is just 20x the reckless fun of the Arctic. And yes, it is extremely, extremely bright. The dot is blinding. The beam is visible in full daylight. It hurts your skin. It hurts your friend's skin. Zap.

Like the other Wicked Lasers, this thing is completely, paradoxically useless. According to its own safety manual, you can't do anything with it. You can't use it for presentations, lest you blind everyone in the room with you. You're not supposed to look at the beam, or the dot, or any reflected light from either. You're not supposed to shoot it at stars, or planets, or use it as a gun sight. You definitely aren't supposed to shoot it at your friends or cat. What are you supposed to use it for? I don't know. Wicked Lasers doesn't say. I can only fathom uses that result in blindness, pain, arrest, or at the very least, high risk of one. It's also—god christ—one thousand dollars.

I'm not even sure if I can in good conscience tell you to buy this. I'm terrified of it. My roommate made me put it away. I slept anxiously knowing it was in my apartment. It's a giant, metal, $1,000 liability. But the mere idea of it is so stupendous, so insane, bizarre, and incredible—wield photons, mortal!—that I can't help but love it. That said, do not do anything risky with it. Don't shine it at yourself, others, or anything flying in the sky. Don't be stupid.

[Wicked Lasers]

Note: Wicked Lasers, after last year's shit-up with the Arctic, wants to say sorry. And that you can trust them again!

We have the real-time inventory system as you can see on the site, so users know how many are in stock (or not). Once we run out of stock, we will not accept pre-orders until we get firm dates from our manufacturing center (which will take several weeks).

Let's hope they learned their lesson.

You can keep up with Sam Biddle, the author of this post, on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Harman Kardon SB16 Sound Bar Lightning Review: How Much Is Good Sound Worth? [Home Theater]

At $600, Harman Kardon's SB16 sound bar is intended for someone who isn't quite impressed with a $200 soundbar, but doesn't want to drop $1000 on one that will inspire envy.

With the volume turned up, the SB16 transforms into a sound monster. It roars. I had the SB16 set up in a fairly spacious room (15 x 30 feet) with raised ceilings, and the SB16 could easily fill it with sound (and then some). Standing nearly two feet tall, the 10-inch, 100-watt wireless subwoofer pushes air with a purpose. The phase and cutoff controls on the woofer are also a nice touch for getting smooth sound. The 3D sound processing definitely expands the soundstage, but whether or not you consider that 3D is a whole other story. The SB16 isn't flashy in terms of design, but it's got a nice, tubular look to it, and the rounded geometry of the subwoofer gives it a nice retro-future look.

My criticisms of the sound quality are few, but the main one is that the SB16 has a pretty narrow zone in terms of optimal sound. But the issues here are mostly lie in the finer details. When it comes to products with sizeable pricetags, it's normally the little details that make it worth the extra cash. Aesthetics, sound customization, extra inputs, UI design. The SB16 misses the mark with the latter two, and only provides limited sound tweaking (mostly limited to the subwoofer). The buttons feel cheap and do a terrible job of indicating what mode the sound bar is in. There's no indicator at all for volume.

Strangely, there's no remote, and its method of programming your own remote is even more strange; it doesn't have a universal remote code, instead, it hijacks the signal of any remote, universal or otherwise. So when I set it up, my TV still picked up the signal and displayed an annoying "not supported" message on screen. With only three inputs (RCA/Optical/Coaxial), Harman Kardon clearly intends you to run all your inputs through your TV. This limits the versatility of the SB16, especially for music-related purposes. It's not totally fair to expect custom room calibration from a $600 sound bar, but there aren't even presets for room arrangement or bar placement.

The SB16 finds itself in a strange postion. It's neither a product for those who are just looking for ANYTHING better than what their TV spits out. Nor is it a product for home theater enthusiasts who want something in a compact form factor. But that's not to say its bad or not worthwhile. If your main objective is getting great, out-of-the-box sound from a speaker bar, the SB16 is winner (albeit a pricey one). But if you're expecting something with better, more advanced (or customizable) features, you may want to look elsewhere.

Harman Kardon SB16 Specs

Price: $600
Weight: 41 lbs total (Bar: 8 lbs / Subwoofer: 33 lbs)
Drivers: Two 3/4" silk-dome tweeters, Four 3" midrange cones, One 10", wireless subwoofer.
Power: 150w total (Bar: 50w / Subwoofer: 100w)
Dimensions: Bar: 4-5/16" H x 36-1/4" L x 3-1/2" D / Subwoofer: 18-7/8" H x 13-3/8" L x 13-3/8" W
Inputs: RCA, TOSLINK, Coaxial

Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Lightning Striking Eiffel Tower Is All Shades of Awesome and Frightening [Image Cache]

I wonder if they make tourist go down the Eiffel Tower if there's a lightning storm approaching to Paris. After looking at this lightning engulfing its metal structure, I know I'd instantly get the hell out of there.

If you enlarge the image, it looks like the electrical beam is getting in and out the metal structure of the tower. The image was taken by amateur photographer Bertrand Kulik during a lightning storm in July 2010. It will appear in an exhibition called Celestial Lights, Human Lights in Issy L'eveque, Burgundy. [BBC]

Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Exotac nanoStriker Lightning Review: Fire, On Demand [Fire]

When you find yourself in the back-country during a downpour and need a fire—like 5 seconds ago—that fancy Zippo of yours isn't going to cut it. The Exotac nanoStriker, however, will get your fire going with a shower of burning Ferrocerium.

It's so tiny! The nanoStriker is less than 3.5-inches long and weighs just 14.5 grams, which means I can dump it in a pocket or tie it to my pack and just forget about it until I need to set something alight. I also dig that the entire system is completely self contained—the ferrocerium rod and steel striker just unscrew from either end of the handle. Plus, it even works when it's wet.

There isn't much to fault with the nanoStriker though I wouldn't have minded the rod itself were a bit longer. As it is, you've got to hold the striker at precisely the right angle to get a solid shower of sparks.

While it won't be the first fire starter I reach for when lighting a cigarette, it will be the first I reach for when lighting a campfire. [$27 from Exotac]

Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Speck HandyShell iPad 2 Case Lightning Review: Jack of All Trades [Ipad 2]

There's no high concept to the Speck HandyShell. Slip your iPad 2 into its loving, polyurethane grasp and gain the ability to prop your vertically-oriented tablet at any angle between 0 and 180. It's a simple, but useful, tool.

I use my iPad 2 everywhere. On the couch. In bed. At the dinner table. In the kitchen. At work. The HandyShell makes using the tablet easier in some of these situations. It hangs from things! Like while I'm doing dishes. Or cowering from a hurricane. I'll prop up my iPad at a very slight angle when I'm eating so that I don't have to stare directly down. The foot/handle/loop doesn't change its position with a light, accidental pushes. The plastic, while flexible, maintains a rigidity and never feels like its going to crack or break anywhere. And the case isn't all that noticeable when looking at the screen.

You can't really customize the angle when it the tablet when it sits horizontally. While this definitely has the look, feel, and intent of being used like a tool (i.e. getting beat up), a little more attention to the fit and finish would be nice. Rough edges and visible seams take away from the visual appeal.

If you only use an iPad 2 for reading and browsing when both hands are free, the HandyShell's purpose will be lost on you. But if your iPad is your digital sidekick, and you almost-literally use it for everything, this is a nice little accessory to have, even if the $55 price tag is a bit high. [Speck]

Related Stories

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Drift HD 1080p Rugged Cam Lightning Review: Awesome? Check. Reliable? Ehhh, Not So Much [Video]

Man, and the Drift HD was so close to being a super-stealthy altrernative to my GoPro. If only it would just stay on.

The video quality is top-notch with a 170-degree field of vision. Its rubberized exterior survived being dropped (repeatedly). The Drift HD is 25 percent smaller than its predecessor at 4 inches, the HD 170 and weighs just 4.23 oz—saving you the typical neck strain of supporting a helmet-mounted camera all day. Its torpedo shape—as opposed to the GoPro's camera shape—makes it less obtrusive when you've got it strapped to your noggin or handlebars. It also supports HDMI and USB output, as well as up to a 32GB microSD card—plenty of space for a few full-HD videos. The built-in LCD is handy too for quick reviews of what I'd just shot.

This review should have included a POV video of me zip-lining 1500-feet of Sierra Foothill through the treetops. Unfortunately the Drift HD decided to stop recording three seconds in with nary a warning beep (so instead, you get a 17 second clip of me dicking around with it in the car.) It did work pretty reliably throughout testing, but had a weird tendency to stop on its own accord. That's not necessarily a deal breaker but damn, disappointing.

Drift HD 1080p

Dimensions: 104.14mm x 50mm x 33mm
Weight: 4.23 oz
Video Res: 1080p (30fps), 720p (60fps) & WVGA
Video Format: 16:9
Camera Res: 9MP
Price: $370

It's a great little action cam with a penchant for screwing my directorial vision. It'll retail for $370 when it's released August 31st.

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.