As a runner, biker or triathlete, how great would it be to have a navigator with you, offering key information like heart rate, pace, speed and cadence during your workout and letting you know when you’re slacking off or pushing too hard, all without taking your eyes off the road ahead? If you think that’s not happening unless you’re pulling a rickshaw behind you, I suggest a more practical solution: the Sportiiiis heads up display and audio feedback system. From 4iiii Innovations, this lightweight device provides athletes with the kind of performance data they need to improve their workouts and cut down their times, all with just a couple taps of their fingers.

The unit itself is small and simple: Just attach the Sportiiiis system (pronounced “Sport Eyes”) to the arm of your glasses (sunglasses, prescription specs, whatever) using the included mounting bracket, wrap the boom (containing the heads up display) around the front of your glasses, make some final adjustments and it’s all set. The only downside with the setup is that you pretty much need to leave the mounting bracket attached to the glasses you’ve chosen – even when you’re not working out – unless you want to go through the setup process again, but that may only be a minor inconvenience for some users.

So you you’ve got the fully charged Sportiiiiis strapped to your glasses. How does this thing work? Well, you’ll need to put in some study time before hitting the road to fully understand all the bells and whistles. The Sportiiiis synchs with any ANT+ device – like a heart rate monitor, a foot pod or a bike sensor, all of which you can buy from 4iiii Innovations or separately from other manufacturers – to give you the information you want to track during your workout. Just download the user guide and configuration software, set up your profile and determine which “Zones” (heart rate, pace, cadence, etc.) you want the Sportiiiis tracking in conjunction with whichever ANT+ device(s) you’ll be using.

You’re not quite ready yet, though. You’ll cycle through the various settings and readings using a series of touches and taps on the side of the unit. It’s not overly complicated but you won’t just be able to figure it all out on the fly. For example, pressing the power button once starts and stops your session; holding the power button for two beeps turns the unit off; holding it for three beeps switches to bike or run mode; double-tapping the side switches between the paired sensors you’re using. Be sure to put the Sportiiiis through some test runs before taking to the road.

Once you’ve done the homework, though, you’ll see firsthand just how useful this device can be. The display is made up of a series of seven LED lights that indicate where you are in the particular zone you’re tracking. For example, if you’re hitting your target heart rate, the LED blinks green. Fall above or below that mark and different lights flash to let you know it’s time to slow down or pick up the pace. This system is programmable by color and position so you can tweak it to best suit your needs. Additionally, the audio function announces when you’ve successfully switched between zones or modes and can tell you when you’re on target, or above/below, via the tiny speaker at the back of the unit. It’s all pretty cool and, once you get the hang of it, pretty easy to use.

The one drawback is a personal one that will vary from one athlete to the next, since some simply don’t like wearing glasses while they work out. Bikers probably don’t mind at all, but as a runner, I’ve never been a huge fan of wearing shades on the road – all that bouncing around can get on my nerves. The Sportiiiis, however, may very well make me reconsider that stance, particularly during an important training run. I’d probably leave the unit at home for simple maintenance runs, but for those who like to have all of their metrics available to them on the go, there may not be a better solution than the Sportiiiis.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) presented a product preview of several new professional and consumer desktop computers yesterday afternoon at the Edelman Offices in Manhattan. The presentation pointed to HP’s future, which seems to be streamlining its efforts toward more all-in-ones, as opposed to the more traditional tower and monitor design, in response to consumer demand. Many of the new products presented will not be available in the United States until August or September of this year, but one of the most interesting models is already on the market as of today.

The HP Passport 1912nm Internet Monitor is a relatively inexpensive option for direct access to online content without the use of a PC. Starting at $259, the monitor provides quick and easy internet service through its “plug-and-play” set-up, and is especially designed for consumer-oriented business environments such as lobbies, waiting rooms, cyber cafes, airports and conference centers. According to HP’s official press release, this monitor “delivers access to email, videos, images and music through an easy web interface with a locked-down operating system that prevents vulnerability to viruses. With an Ethernet input and plug-and-play connectivity options, the HP Passport 1912nm offers a four-in-one HP Media Card Reader and five USB ports to support digital cameras and other accessories.”

Also previewed yesterday, and expected to hit the U.S. market on June 24, was the new HP 2311xi IPS LED Backlit Monitor, which features a 23-inch diagonal full HD display in an ultra-slim chassis designed to fit into any environment without taking up too much space. Its IPS panel technology provides an exceptionally sharp, clear picture with rich, vibrant colors and wide viewing angles. Perhaps its most unique and exciting feature is its 178-degree viewing angle, which makes photo or video sharing, as well as gaming, much more convenient for large groups of people. With this monitor, even sitting far to the side of the screen allows for a comfortable and clear viewing experience, making any seat in the house as good as any other.

HP continues to be on the vanguard of exciting new professional and consumer products that make life easier in both business and pleasure settings. As Jun Kim, vice president and general manager of HP’s Display Business Unit, says, “The needs of customers continue to evolve, and HP is well-positioned to meet these new demands by expanding its award-winning display portfolio. HP’s new IPS monitors bring professional-grade technology directly to consumers, while our internet monitor serves as a new tool for businesses to engage with their patrons.”

The products from Jack Black will make the skin on your face so soft, it’s a virtual guarantee that if you use them and go to Florida, someone will eat 75% of your face. And who could blame them?

The Electric Shave Enhancer is composed of Natural Witch Hazel, Oat Kernel Flour, Lavender, Linseed extract, Sunflower Seed Oil and Glycerin. Marketed as unscented, I was able to detect the scent of lavender. As a man who has lavender growing in his garden, I locked onto that scent right away and was immediately relaxed. And BTW, it’s a very manly garden, with shit that will poke your ass.

The enhancer was smooth, not gloppy, and smelled good. I followed the directions and added a small amount to my face, with a small amount of water as well. Once I began to shave with my electric razor, I found it difficult to get a clean shave with one swipe.

Instead, I had to go over the same area multiple times. In general, something like that can cause a lot of irritation, but the Electric Shave Enhancer really did a great job of moisturizing the skin and kept it soft as well. That said, it was somewhat arduous to go over the same area again and again. Based on the thickness of the shave enhancer, I actually thought it might be more suited for a shave with a razor, so I put it to the test.

I lathered up my face and then proceeded to shave half with the electric and the other half with the razor. The side I used with the electric just didn’t feel as clean afterwards. Because the Shave Enhancer is rather stout, I had to keep going over the same area again and again; it was difficult for the electric to cut through the Shave Enhancer and get to the skin.

With the razor, the Shave Enhancer was great; maybe for someone with a thicker beard it wouldn’t have been sufficient, but for me it was. The Shave Enhancer almost functioned as a mixture of shaving cream and soothing after shave lotion. My skin never felt ripped open or vulnerable.

The following day, I tried the DIY Power Peel Multi-Acid Resurfacing Pads. Think of them as a more astute, successful version of the Noxzema acne fighting pads you and all your friends were using in high school. Functioning as a facial scrub, the pads exfoliate the skin, remove dead skin cells, improve texture and even help reduce wrinkles and dark spots. The other cool thing is that these babies are so powerful you only need to use them 2-4 times per week.

Upon applying the pad to my face, there was a slight, refreshing tingling sensation immediately, but it was very smooth. I thought my skin was clean prior to using it, but after swiping the Power Peel over my face, it was covered in residue I couldn’t see or wash completely with a wash cloth. And even though it opened my pores, my skin felt as though it was coated and protected. The following morning, I woke up and my skin felt great, and it looked clearer and felt especially vibrant.

For more information or to order either product, check out the Jack Black website at www.getjackblack.com.

There is a certain inevitability that we as men must all face in our lives, and that is that, as much as most guys hate to shop, occasionally we have to buy new dress clothes.

That dress shirt you bought five years ago for your buddies wedding? It doesn’t fit anymore, and actually makes you look like Artie Lange in the movie “Dirty Work.”

Since it’s time to buy a new shirt anyway, why not do it from the comfort of your own computer chair and design a shirt that you like without anyone hassling you, and at an affordable price? www.ShirtsMyWay.com makes custom dress shirts that fit really well. Many men have the problem that normal shirts just don’t fit well in certain areas and custom shirts are the solution.

Do you even know how much a custom dress shirt typically costs? At your local tailor, you can bet it will be at least $200. Even if you attempt to purchase one online, you’re not going to spend less than $135, perhaps even more when you factor in shipping and handling. That is, unless you check out www.ShirtsMyWay.com.

I went to the site and created my own shirt. Even as a child of the internet age, at first, I was somewhat daunted. “How long will this take? What are the odds I screw this up?” These thoughts and more careened through my brain, like a pinball in an empty auditorium. But once I got started, it was easy — the entire process took less than five minutes, perhaps more if you don’t have your measurements handy? Don’t know your measurements? Go to the men’s department of any reputable clothing store in your area and they should measure you for free.

The site is straight forward and easy to navigate thanks to the “point and click” setup. First, I picked the color of my dress shirt (Atlantis L. Purple). From there, the customizing options were seemingly endless; you can customize everything from sleeve length (long), type of collar (classic), cuffs (1 button angle) to yoke (plain) and even the placket (seamless). One really cool feature is that you can actually combine different fabrics for your design, which is something I have never seen anywhere else.

With my custom shirt now completed, I proceeded to check out and see what kind of financial damage I had incurred. Even with a custom color, my total was just $85 dollars. And since www.ShirtsMyWay.com has free shipping and handling (if you choose Standard Delivery; $10 for Express), there were no additional hidden fees. There are also no extra charges for any extra options.

New to the idea of a custom dress shirt and curious to exactly what that entails? You can download the free Book of Dress Shirts for more inspiration and tips on designing your dress shirts. Check out the site and read more background info on the company here: http://www.shirtsmyway.com/about.php

If you’re looking for gift ideas for Father’s Day, consider a gift certificate from ShirtsMyWay. You can email them at support[AT]shirtsmyway.com to set it up.

The new 2-in-1 AXE product was very similar to my thoughts on marriage. At first, I was repulsed and completely uninterested. “How often do combinations of body wash and shampoo actually pull it off?” I thought. “That’s like the amount of guys who refer to their wife as their ‘best friend’ and actually mean it.”

Usually, 2-in-1 combos are either too gloppy due to being more body wash than shampoo, or too light because they are more shampoo than body wash. Based on past committed relationships with other body wash/shampoo combos, I was initially repulsed, just like I was about marriage.

So I went into the experience with an eye jaundiced by past experience. But if I was going to get through this review objectively, I had to put on my big boy pants and separate my past experiences from a future unknown. Once I did that, I realized that SportBlast wasn’t the problem — it was me.

The gel itself was very thick, so my initial expectation was that when it came time to either rinse it off my body or out of my hair, it was going to leave a nasty residue. Nothing is worse than taking a shower with a new soap product (Zest soap from the 1990s, I’m looking at you) and realizing after the shower is complete and you’ve moved on with your life that there is still some residue on you.

But AXE SportBlast was different. The gel was thick but it didn’t feel like it once I began applying it to my dirty, alcohol-addled body. Just like with the shampoo, the body wash rinsed off with minimal effort. My skin felt clean and there was no leftover residue.

Another thing I appreciated was the smell of the product; it was refreshing and crisp. Not only that, but the gel really felt like it exfoliated and opened up my skin. I really noticed this about an hour after showering; my skin felt open, clear and clean. The shampoo, for as thick as I feared it would be, left my hair feeling noticeably lighter and refreshed.

One more detail for all you frugal dudes; you basically recycle the shampoo from your head and that becomes your body wash, so a bottle of this stuff will last a long time. We all know you’ve been using your shampoo of choice as a body wash as well because you are broke after the divorce, but now, you can buy a product that is made for that, specifically.

While I will never get married again, I would definitely purchase and use AXE SportBlast again. If you’re as hesitant to drink the Kool-Aid regarding 2-in-1 products as I was, this will be a pleasant surprise — unlike that $10,000 invoice from your divorce attorney.

Get more info on the product here: http://www.theaxeeffect.com/#/axe-campaigns/anarchy

In a prior article on the Instagram Camera, I said that the potential legions of fans that the prototype would draw should probably take to Kickstarter.com, in a mob like fashion, to make that invention a reality. I meant that somewhat jokingly. Well, in just a short time fund raising on that very site, tech developer Eric Migicovsky, along with his “dream team”, and their invention The Pebble Watch have pretty much guaranteed that no one will be making jokes about Kickstarter ever again.

The Pebble watch, which raised an almost unfathomable $2.5 million in just three days on Kickstarter, is a smart watch that works with iPhone and Android devices. It’s essentially an evolution of the inPulse smart watch, also designed by Eric Migicovsky and Co., which worked with Blackberry devices. The Pebble takes certain apps and functions of your smart phone, like controlling your music playlists or providing a heads up when you receive a text message or phone call, and transfers them to the face of the watch. It has an e-ink display, is waterproof, scratchproof, keeps its’ charge for seven days, and even functions with an app developer program.

I’ve got to confess. As nice as all of that sounded, I wasn’t  particularly impressed with the device at first. Or at least I didn’t understand how a “smart watch” could garner so much interest and cash in such a short time. But to truly appreciate the Pebble’s uses, you have to see the video that accompanies the product on Kickstarter.

 

No this isn’t a world changing device. That would be the smartphone. Instead this is a rare device that realizes that if you can’t beat the smartphone, you could do worse for yourself than to become its’ best friend. The Pebble is practically designed for joggers and bicyclists, as it allows you to do things like view your distance traveled, control your music, and manage incoming messages and calls without ever once having to break your motion. Even for pedestrians or drivers, the Pebble’s benefits of being able to access some of the most practical apps of your phone, without having to reach for it, actually brings your phone back  to being a convenience and not a burden. Not to mention this finally makes the modern watch more than just jewelry, and also brings us one step closer to the sci-fi staple all purpose “wrist computer” (think Fallout’s Pip Boy device).

But really, the Pebble itself isn’t the story here. That belongs to Kickstarter. The idea of a program that could essentially allow consumers to choose the products they really want, without designers having to wade through the machine of corporate funding or personal loans for a project, was merely a vague notion whose successes have been treated as exceptions and novelty stories. But the Pebble has managed to raise over $10 million so far through Kickstarter  (10,169% of  its original goal), which is such an absurd figure that the developers are now pleading with people to stop contributing money as they have too much of it and can no longer meet demand.

Whatever success the Pebble watch has from here on out will be tied directly to Kickstarter. As word of the sites potential spreads, only time will tell if its’ bazaar of ideas will change certain foundations of commerce. But considering many people will be telling that time on their new Pebble watches, my guess is it’s got a pretty good shot.

I’ve never been much of a hat guy. Sure, we all have a friend who is a “hat guy” and is rarely caught without a hat on his head, but as I’ve gotten older, hats have more appeal.

And when I say hats, I don’t mean baseball caps or other hats adorned with the emblem of their favorite sports team. Those have their time and place, but you can’t wear those all the time. We’re men now fellas and it’s important to have a hat that can top off an astute, smooth look for those times when casual won’t cut it.

The hat scientists at David and Young (D&Y) have you covered, and they’ve just released their latest collection of men’s caps, fedoras and panamas in their Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

For purposes of this review, I was sent the D&Y tweed Duckbill in grey, tan and burnt orange colors. I pulled each one out of the box and was impressed immediately by the look. The grey one was calling my name, and at first, I was concerned about the one-size-fits-all Elastafit because it was a little snug. But that is the style of these hats, the way they are made. After a couple cocktails, the hat didn’t feel tight at all; in fact, it felt perfect.

So what do you do when you get a new hat from D&Y? You hit some bars and rock the shit out of that sucker, that’s what. As I strolled through the night, I checked my reflection whenever I passed the occasional reflective surface, and surprisingly, I looked great and was very impressed, especially for a guy who never wears a hat.

The other thing I noticed is that ladies dig a guy who isn’t dressed like every other shmoe (i.e. every other dude wearing a sports related cap). I was hanging out at a lounge enjoying a cold cup of Hennessy and actually got approached by two separate ladies, and the first thing that both of them said was, “I love that hat on you.”

If you want to try out a new look, or pretend you are someone else for a night, snag a hat from D&Y. But you’re not stuck with the Duckbill look alone. Check out the Straw Fedora, the Denim Cadet Hat, or even the Houndstooth Cabbie.

Find all the necessary info here: www.davidandyoung.com

Duke Cannon’s Big Ass Brick of Soap is the coolest soap you’ve never heard of, let alone actually used to clean your mangina.

I was in love with Duke Cannon the minute I read about the product and the slick-ass advertising. In the words of those on Duke Cannon’s Team, “The only ‘axe’ he would ever use is for cutting down trees.”

Do you know why? Because Duke Cannon is a MAN; not a kid on MTV with a hairless chest and perfect abdominals. Duke Cannon earned his chest hair by doing hard man work over the years and there’s no damn way he’s going to be conned into being embarrassed that he has it.

But what about the soap? Is it any good, or is it a POS product that survives only off great marketing, like the pet rock, Crystal Pepsi or Kim Kardashian before it? I was eager to find the answer.

In an era where men’s body wash gels have taken over, Duke Cannon’s Big Ass Brick of Soap is truly that; it’s a big, green piece of soap that has a big “D” (imprinted on it, you perv) and weighs three-quarters of a pound.

As I removed it from its sheath, I was assaulted by its fragrance. But it was a good, enjoyable assault. It smelled like a high quality men’s cologne rather than a fragrance associated with a bar of soap. Once Duke and I hit the shower after a long day at the orifice, Duke cleaned all my orifices in the most pleasing manners allowed by law. The soap also had these little yellow pieces of steel cut grains imbedded in it. Purportedly used for “maximum gripability,” they also worked to exfoliate and scrub dead skin from your body; you know, if you swing that way.

The Big Ass Brick of Soap came to a frothy head soon after we entered the shower and I never felt even an ounce of guilt or regret about it. The froth itself was very thick and laid down a dense layer of awesome all over my body. When it was time to rinse, it washed right off (which can be atypical of several leading men’s soaps), but the awesome lingered long after, and made me recall a time when me were men and weren’t ashamed of it either.

The next day I hit the shower again and thanks to the girth of Duke Cannon’s Big Ass Brick of Soap, it looked like I hadn’t even touched it the previous day, which means that for a meager $15 investment for three bars, you’re going to get more than a handful of uses in exchange for your hard earned cash.

Duke Cannon’s Big Ass Brick of Soap got me clean. And after all, isn’t that what soap is supposed to do? Check it out and buy some here.

Whether you are into sailing or just appreciate cool style in what you wear everyday check out the just released on March 1st Limited Edition Morgan Coast boat shoe from Rockport. These trendsetters or collectibles are limited to only 200 pairs that will be individually numbered. The original Morgan Coast shoe from Rockport was released in 1994 as the official boat shoe of the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race (later known as the Volvo Ocean Race). This new limited edition release hearkens back to Rockport’s rich sailing history, where the company’s shoes have been the casual and technical shoe of choice for many professional sailors and boating enthusiasts. We’re not quite into boating season yet in Northeast Ohio but I wore my test pair of Limited Edition Morgan Coast boat shoe in white from Rockport and I must say they are extremely comfortable and provide plenty of ankle support. The Rockport design team scoured sailing schools in the New England area to find the perfect vintage sail (approximately 170 square feet) and repurposed as fabric and material for 200 limited edition pairs.

The limited edition styles include two colorways of the Morgan Coast shoe in white and navy, and these shoes include many design cues and distinctive features that could be found on traditional sailing boats with Oversized grommets at the sides, with reinforced rubber gaskets, Zig zag stitching on the upper, reminiscent of stitching found on actual sails, Shoe laces that replicate the look of nautical rope and Ingenious hardware at the collar of the shoes which mimic pulley systems used in sailing. Bottom line is not only are these very sharp and unique shoes but the technology that Rockport put into these limited edition kicks is top of the line. Go to Rockport.com to learn more.

During his playing career, Joe Horn was an electrifying receiver who made play after play even though opposing defenses were keyed in on him week after week. Horn became a fan favorite during a career which saw him set the Saints career mark in touchdowns and make the Pro Bowl four times in five seasons. But what the fans loved even more than his production was the way he played and fought for every inch every time he had the ball.

Even though his playing career is over, “Hollywood” Horn is grinding it out in a different arena: the business world.

“I knew I’d go into business but I didn’t know what venue I’d go into,” said the Saints 2010 Hall of Fame inductee. “So when I retired, everyone thinks they can barbecue, so my brother said, ‘Joe you need to put this in a bottle man. Let people taste this.’ I love to barbecue. This is my product. I stand by it. I guarantee it.”

Building something from the ground up is nothing new to Horn. After playing two years at tiny Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Mississippi, Horn found himself working at a Bojangles restaurant in Fayetteville, Mississippi with no prospects of playing football as a career. Down to the final $6 in his possession, Horn spent $3.99 on a Jerry Rice workout video from a local Blockbuster and studied the drills and moves Rice performed in the video. Horn then made a highlight video of himself working out and sent the tape to multiple professional teams across America and Canada. One response Horn received was from the Memphis Mad Dogs of the CFL, who offered him a contract after viewing the tape and in his first year accumulated 1,414 yards on 71 catches. The rest is history.

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