Author: Bullz-Eye Staff (Page 246 of 302)

New Style from Lugz for the Summer

We’re big fans of Lugz shoes, like the canvas shoes we reviewed last year. So we were happy to try out the new Changover Perf style that comes in white with black trim. The shoes have the look and feel of sneakers with super-soft leather and subtle but distinctive styling. The perforated leather on the sides with the four side-stripes give the shoes a high-end look. The shoes are super-comfortable with a padded tongue & collar and cushioned insole, and the soles are thick with traction grooves cutting across the sole for a jagged look.

These won’t replace your cross-training sneakers but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more comfortable shoe for walking, making them a great option for everyday use. They’re great for the summer as they fit well with a wide variety of shorts or jeans. With Father’s Day coming up, the new Changeover Perf can make a great gift for dad.

Great Sound from BRAVEN Speakers

With so many portable devices playing music, we’re seeing more and more options for portable speakers. We tested the new BRAVEN speakers and the sound was excellent. These units are loaded with other features and have a very slick design as you can see in the photos above, but sound quality is the most important feature and the Braven speakers deliver. The BRAVEN SIX Series speakers have two custom extended-range drivers and 3 watt speaker output providing high-fidelity stereo audio with left- and right-channel passive sub woofers.

You can take this speaker unit anywhere so you can share music with friends. It’s perfect for impromptu parties or just hanging out by the pool.

It’s also loaded with other cool features. Each device offers the ability to charge USB devices and daisy chain multiple speakers together through 3.5mm audio in and out jacks. The internal duplex microphone allows for hands-free speakerphone calls with most any Bluetooth cell phone as well as compatibility with FaceTime, iChat, Skype and other apps. Battery life ranges from 12 to 20 hours and the speakers allow continuous wireless play up to 33 feet away.

The line includes a rugged speaker built for durability in sporting and outdoor settings, as well as two striking aircraft-grade aluminum models. We tested the Stealth Black BRAVEN 625s which is encased in a rugged, shock-absorbing exterior with aluminum grills. The BRAVEN 625s is ideal for sport, travel, and outdoor experiences as it’s equipped with a waterproof bag, USB flashlight, and up to 16 hours of continuous play.

This also makes a great gift for music-loving dad on Father’s Day as well, or for anyone who is on the phone a lot and like to use the speaker phone option.

Check out the video below for a demonstration.

The Men’s Shop at ULTA Beauty

With Father’s Day coming up, men’s grooming products are always reliable favorites for dad. I remember giving cheap after shave as a kid, but now you can step things up a bit with high-quality products at stores like The Men’s Shop at ULTA Beauty.

The site has a great selection of gift ideas at any price point. The experts at ULTA have identified this season’s hottest items from classic colognes to lighter body sprays perfect for gym bags and traveling, and Father’s Day favorites including shave gels and hair sculpting clay. ULTA is also gifting a free insulated tote or roll-up picnic blanket with any $30 fragrance purchase for dad!

They sent us several samples to try out, including the Lacoste Rouge Eau de Toilette pictured above and the Dolce and Gabbana The One Sport Eau de Toilette pictured here to the right. Both are excellent fragrances that would upgrade the cologne collection for most men. This Lacoste fragrance for men has a clean, crisp, fresh scent with a light and cool feel. The Dolce and Gabbana product is also a fresh, clean fragrance with “light and energetic top notes accompanied by an unmistakable Mediterranean aroma of rosemary, the freshness of water and saltiness of the sea. The middle notes feature sequoia wood enhanced with the energy of cardamom. Patchouli and musk naturally compliment the fragrance’s base notes.” Basically, it also will make you smell great!

Check these and other products out and find something cool for everyone on your list this Father’s Day. Check out our guide for more ideas.

Samson Meteor Mic

Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, and in the gadgets section of our Father’s Day Gift Guide we’re focusing on stuff beyond the obvious choices like phones and iPads.

The Meteor Mic from Samson fits that criteria perfectly. It’s an incredible device that is chrome-plated and beautifully designed so that you can record great sound or use it as a speakerphone on services such as Skype. It looks like an old school mic, but it’s also portable as the three legs of the stand all fold up perfectly to make it easy to store in luggage or a briefcase.

Most importantly, the sound quality is so much better than what you’ll get from tiny mics or the mic built into computers. Features include:

– One of the largest condenser diaphragms (25mm) of any USB mic available to produce rich, CD quality recordings

– Fold-back leg design allows for the optimal positioning for any recording application

– A stereo 1/8-inch headphone output, no latency monitoring, and headphone volume knob give user complete control

– No drivers are required, allowing users to start recording right out of the box

It’s a great gadget for anyone and a great gift idea as well, so check it out online or at Best Buy.

Sunday Reading: Gifts, Prometheus and lots of TV

Father’s Day is just a week away, so this week we focused quite a bit on our Father’s Day Gift Guide. It’s one of the easier holidays to shop for as we mostly consider stuff we like as well, so there’s plenty of booze and gear, and Matt Byrd gave us his 10 best video games for dad. Of course there’s plenty more going on, so here’s some good stuff from the past week:

– In his review of “Prometheus,” David Medsker called it “the most gorgeous space monster movie you’ve ever seen” and he also gave it 3.5 stars.

– Meanwhile, “The Avengers” has had an incredible run at the box office. Read our review if you haven’t seen it yet.

– In the TV world, “Game of Thrones” wrapped up its second season on HBO. Read about the last episode in Nate Kreichman’s blog and you can catch up on all of our reviews and cast interviews on our new Game of Thrones Fan Hub. As this show is ending, “True Blood” returns for a new season which we hope is better than the last one . . .

– We also have to admit we have a thing for Callie Thorne (see her below). You’ll remember her as McNulty’s ex-wife in “The Wire,” but she really caught our attention as one of Hank Moody’s casual hookups in Season 4 of “Californication.” Now she stars in “Necessary Roughness” and Will Harris got to speak with her and other cast members as they start season two.

– We traveled to Nashville to test drive the all-new Nissan Altima, which should be a real winner in its category, and we also reviewed the 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco. This week we’ll be heading out to Utah to drive the new Ford Mustang on a track!

– In a much more serious article, Mike Furci gives some great advice on how to avoid cardiovascular disease.

– In a new playlist feature, Fitz & the Tantrums drummer John Wicks’ lists his favorite songs of the moment.

– Ever have a Corpse Reviver #2? Check out Bob Westal’s latest Drink of the Week selection.

Callie Thorne in “Necessary Roughness”

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