Buying Guides

Unless you’re an enthusiast or you’re an expert in time travel, you shouldn’t have purchased a new music release on LP or cassette tape since the last two U.S. presidencies. It’s been almost 15 years since the compact cassette was more or less replaced by the CD—and the vinyl LP? That was dead about 10 years before that.  You’ve had years to transfer these to CDs or to MP3, but now you finally have the time, so how do you do it?

Even though the iPad has been on the market for less than a year, there are plenty of options for protective cases. If you got an iPad during the holidays this year and are in the market for a case, consider one of these protective sleeves, compact cases or messenger bags that were designed to be used with the iPad.

Have you ever wondered why so many manufacturers make cameras in loud colors like hot pink? It's more than just a fashion statement. Some people feel a strong connection to their personal electronics, which become vehicles of self expression, and an extension of their personalities. Many people feel the same bond with their headphones, and just like a hat or a pair of glasses, they don't have to be dark and dreary.

These players make streaming movies, videos, photos and music from the Net to your TV or nightstand fun.

Lensbaby makes a number of different lenses for digital SLR cameras, most of them built around the concept of creative use of tilt-shift photography. While traditional tilt-shift lenses are designed for precise control and perspective correction for architectural photography, Lensbaby takes the exact opposite approach for their lenses.

For many first-time DSLR buyers, a tripod can be an afterthought of an accessory. I’ve seen many friends spend close to a thousand dollars on the latest DSLR with all of the bells and whistles—HD video recording, an image stabilized lens, multiple focusing points and what have you—only to mate it with the shoddiest tripod you can imagine. 

Winter is filled with contradictions. The air is cold, yet despite the bite in the air, visually, everything always has a warm tinge to it. Even at high noon—assuming you can call it "high" noon, when the sun is barely above the treetops, the air has an egg-shell quality to it. It's called... winter light.