2017 Top Five

Featuring my favorite 5's in the categories of Albums, Songs, Products and Apps of 2017.  In no particular order.  Here we go...

Albums

Songs

  • Kendrick Lamar - HUMBLE. [STREAM]

  • Statik Selektah - Put Jewels On It (feat Run the Jewels) [STREAM]

  • Jay-Z - 4:44 [STREAM]

  • Beck - Up All Night [STREAM]

  • Weezer - Happy Hour [STREAM]

Products

  • Eero [LINK]

  • iPhone X [LINK]

  • Arlo Pro Security System [LINK]

  • Anker Wireless Qi Charging Pad [LINK]

  • Bellroy Leather Slim Sleeve Wallet [LINK]

Apps

  • Apollo for Reddit [LINK]

  • Hello Weather [LINK]

  • Alpha Omega [LINK]

  • Bobby - Track Subscriptions [LINK]

  • Darkroom Photo Editor [LINK]

 

Year End Picks - Best of 2015

First off, my apologies for the lack of posting lately. To those few that visit this site and enjoy reading the content I provide daily I promise 2016 will ramp back up. Life has taken ahold of me lately and has moved the focus of my attention away from this website and to more important things.  That being said, to finish off the crazy year that was 2015, here are my year end best of picks for apps, gadgets, music and movies.

Apps

Best iPhone App - Outlook

I've been on a never-ending search for the perfect Mail.app replacement. While it's not perfect, Outlook for iOS hits a majority of the sweet spots for me. Spark, by Readdle caught my eye initially but is failing in one major aspect, proper badge updating. Outlook provides a clean UI, some nice power features and excellent push notification support.

Runners Up: Tweetbot 4, iShows 2, Notes.app

Best iPad App - Tweetbot 4

It was a long, drawn out wait but the wait was worth it. When Tweetbot 4 was finally introduced in the 4th quarter of 2015 it introduced a fresh UI that finally fit with the updated iOS and introduced a bevy of new tweaks including support for the new iPad iOS9 features. There is simply no better Twitter experience for iOS than Tweetbot.  

Runners Up: Plex, Reeder, Notes.app

Best iPhone Productivity App - Workflow and 2Do (Tie)

I couldn't decide between a clear cut winner in the productivity category. The issue here is while Workflow was introduced back in 2014 I never really harnessed its powers until this year. I find the app indispensable. 2Do has gotten to the point where I can't live without it. The power features it offers makes organizing and planning my work projects much more easier and less stressful.  Check out my breakdown and review of Workflow here and check out this amazing writeup on 2Do over on Macstories.  

Runners Up: Fantastical 2, 1Password

Best iPhone Utility App - Purify

The mobile web is a disaster and Purify made it a much better place in 2015. For me personally I don't mind when people use content and ad blockers when viewing my site because I refuse to put ads and tracking services on my website. Purify makes the web browsing experience much more tolerable.  Check out my writeup here.  

Runners Up: Linky, Opener

Gadgets

Best Gadget - iPhone 6s

Initially I was not going to buy the iPhone 6s. When I realized how much I could get for my 6 I jumped at the new device and boy was I happy. The sheer performance upgrade of the iPhone was worth the upgrade alone but the combination of 3D Touch, faster Touch ID and Live Photos (which I use a lot more than I expected) make this my pick for gadget of the year.

Best Non-Apple Gadget - Amazon Echo

I'm not an owner of an Amazon Echo but I see one in my future when I find my new home. I have messed around with a friends enough to know this is one killer gadget. Being able to have an on-demand Siri like device sitting in your house may sound creepy at first becomes rather essential. One of my favorite features is the ability to trigger your Wemo devices with voice commands.

Music

Album of the Year - Tame Impala - Currents

I'm a newbie Tame Impala fan. I first heard them on the single Elephant which had some killer blues riffs. I immediately checked out Lonerism and became a fan.  The interesting thing is Elephant stood out on it's own as the rest of the album did not have that same blues feel to it.  I had not been following Tame Impala so Currents was a surprise to me when it appeared on Apple Music.  I immediately dove in and experienced a sound much different from Lonersim.  Perhaps it's a natural progression but Currents provides deep and heavy basslines and amazing synths. Put on a pair of quality noise canceling headphone and enjoy this one.

Song of the Year - Miike Snow - Genghis Khan 

This one came out of nowhere. I was pretty set on my pick of the year being Crooked Colours - Another Way (GRMM Remix) and then comes an old friend out of nowhere to not only drop the track of the year but also drops a runner up track of the year in Heart is Full. 

Runners Up: Crooked Colours - Another Way (GRMM Remix), BOOTS - C.U.R.E., MED, Blu, Madlib - Knock Knock (feat MF DOOM), Drake - Hotline Bling, Miike Snow - Heart is Full

 Movies

Movie of the Year - Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The de facto movie of the year is Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It's been a very long time since I enjoyed and had that much fun at a movie. Whether it was getting chills from the opening scroll or cheering along with others when old familiar friends were introduced in the movie. So well done and sets us up for the next 5 years of Star Wars goodness.

Runners Up: The Martian, Mad Max: Fury Road