Blog Posts by Victor Paul Alvarez

Happy Father's DayFather's day is Sunday, June 16. Since the Old Man is typically a difficult guy to shop for, I've got some ideas in this piece that will save you a few dollars while getting a fool-proof gift for Dad.

But first, I’m going to break character right now and address the haters. The stories I write about shopping deals or suggested holiday gifts are always met with slings and arrows in the comments section. It’s entertaining, so please keep it coming. But let me humbly point out that this this is a Yahoo! Shopping article. We offer something for everyone at Yahoo! – sports, news, finance, and virtually everything else. That includes shopping.

So please realize that this article about suggested gifts for Dad is in no way evidence that I – or my superiors at Yahoo! – believe honoring Dad is just about buying him something. My father is my hero. I’ll be lucky to be half the man he is. This Father’s Day I’ll honor him with kind words, quality time spent and a nice bottle of scotch. When I think

Orb AudioThe good folks at Orb Audio want me to tell you about their new Mini-T, an incredibly cool, micro-sized Class T amplifier designed for computers, televisions, and mobile devices. And I will tell you all about it, I promise. First, I need to talk about the company behind the Mini-T and other superb audio products.

Orb Audio has been quietly building high-end audio systems right here in the United States for years. If you haven’t heard of them it’s because the American audio technology market is littered with companies offering no substance in their sound. Since the iPod revolutionized how we enjoy music, hundreds of companies have jumped on board with “audio solutions” for MP3 players and other devices. Some of them are excellent. Most of them are “me too” docking stations or tinny speakers that look cool but sound terrible. Orb Audio is different.

“From the beginning, it has been our intention to deliver speaker systems with the finest quality components, an attractive, upscale design

MicrosoftMicrosoft’s Xbox One reveal on May 21 left the gaming community with more questions than answers. Will it play used games? What about backwards compatibility? Does it have to be connected to the Internet all the time? Will Microsoft abandon the Xbox 360 the way it did the original Xbox? What’s up with cloud storage? Can I keep my current Gamertag, Score and Achievements?

Not only do we have those answers for you, but we also have some tips on how to make the most of your current generation games and consoles while we await the dawn of the next one.

Used Games/Always Online
Most casual gamers buy used video games because they’re cheaper than buying new, waiting a few months to save a few dollars. The hardcore crowd – now considered the minority in the gaming industry – will wait outside game stores for midnight releases or even pay top dollar online to (illegally) get a game early. The Xbox One release led to swirling rumors about the fate of the used games market. The speculation was

Business InsiderI bought the original Xbox on Day One in 2001.

“I’ll need a memory card, too,” I said to the GameStop clerk at check out.

“You don’t need one,” he said. “It has a hard drive.”

I was impressed.

“And soon you’ll be able to play it online.”

My mind was blown. I thought I might never leave my living room again. The original Xbox played DVDs, CDs, games and could connect me to gamers and friends all over the world. While all of those features were present in some form on other consoles, this big black box got it right. And, of course, there was "Halo: Combat Evolved," the best First Person Shooter a console had ever seen.

There were throngs of haters on Microsoft’s first game console. They called it a Dreamcast clone, mocked its fat meatball controller and insisted it was simply a “Halo” delivery device. The Xbox and its early adopters proved them wrong. As innovative as it was huge, the first Xbox beat the odds and won over many critics.

Years later the Xbox 360 found success through the Xbox

The Original Mannish BoyI was 16 when I first heard Muddy Waters sing “Mannish Boy.” It was the live version on the album Muddy “Mississippi” Waters Live, featuring Johnny Winter, Pinetop Perkins and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. Since then I’ve told anyone who will listen that I want that song played at my funeral. When I was a teenager I thought it was just a tough song. Still is. Little did I know the simplest interpretation of the title “Mannish Boy” would forever define me. I am best described as a boy trapped in a grown man’s body

As such, I am not immune to gadgets and toys no matter how old I get. I know I’m not alone. Consider the following unique gadgets when shopping for the Mannish Boy in your life. Father’s Day isn’t until June 16, but the earlier you plan for the Old Man the more likely you’ll be to buy him something more thoughtful than a fifth of cheap scotch. Dad doesn’t want that – well, he might – but he probably wants one of these.

SensoGloveSensoGlove
SensoGlove is the first and only golf glove with

Dealnews.comYou’re looking at that refurbished Xbox 360 on the shelf at Gamestop. They’re selling it for a lot less than an identical new model. That’s money you could spend on games or a second controller. You’re tempted. But then you look at the teenage girl behind the counter with Hello Kitty tattoos and multiple face piercings. Maybe “refurbished” means she just wipes used consoles down with Windex before selling them to you?

Nope. You’re safe. GameStop, like most reputable electronics retailers, actually refurbishes the products that are sold under that description. In an article last year on Gamespot.com, the gaming giant’s Divisional Vice President of Refurbishment said: “We’re looking at repairing it; getting it back to that original factory condition. You’re not trying to sell it to a customer and in 30 days or 60 days they have a bad experience with it, because they'll never come back to you again.”

That attitude is echoed in the practices of reputable electronics retailers and producers

VerizonPicking the right gift for mom is a tricky business. Mom is probably too modest to tell you what she really wants. So you’re flying blind. Know these two things:

1. Mom will appreciate any gesture that shows her you were thinking of her.

2. Dads aren’t the only ones who like gadgets.

You don’t want to send the wrong message with a gift that’s associated with housework or fitness, though there are exceptions. As one mother told me: “I’d only give [a fitness gadget] to someone who I was very sure would understand that it was given with all the right intentions. And make sure that you are giving it with the right intentions!”

With that in mind I have compiled a list of gadgets – big and small, expensive and cheap – to consider when shopping for Mother’s Day. This list is bereft of any scientific expertise or data. I interviewed a few mothers with different backgrounds and tastes, thought about my wife and my mother, and employed some tech gadget expertise to cobble this together. If I

MagnetyzeThe tech media is putting the new Samsung Galaxy S4 through its paces. Our own Marc Saltzman, who recently spent some time with the phone, said the phone leaps over competing devices including the iPhone 5. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint will carry the S4, with Verizon likely to join in soon.

The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg tested the new phone intensively for four days and said this: “While I admire some of its features, overall, it isn’t a game-changer. It’s an evolution of the prior model and despite some improvements, it still is especially weak in the software Samsung adds to basic Android. I found Samsung's software often gimmicky, duplicative of standard Android apps, or, in some cases, only intermittently functional.”

Despite its flaws, many critics and consumers believe Samsung has a big hit on its hands. The after market accessory makers agree. One of those early adopters/supporters is BuQu Tech, a U.S.-based manufacturer and distributor known for its Magnetyze products.