2008

Medis 24-7 Power Pack Review

Reviews

Medis 24-7 Power Pack Review

Do you live in Florida, Texas, or anywhere else along the Gulf Coast?  Do you live in a area that is prone to power losses?  Would you like a way to charge your devices that lasts a long time or is suitable for emergency use?  If so, then the Medis 24-7 Power Pack is for you. The Medis 24-7 Power Pack is not just battery powered charger, it is the first consumer fuel cell based charger.  Yes you heard that right, it’s a fuel cell.  The Medis 24-7 Power Pack is not a battery, and it doesn’t use any batteries…

Proof that I am Not a Member of Vertu's Target Audiance

Editorials

Proof that I am Not a Member of Vertu’s Target Audiance

I got my Vertu Constellation in a round about way, and while I have greatly enjoyed owning it there has never been a day when I thought for even a moment that I was in the same financial bracket as the typical Vertu owner. Today I got proof positive of that fact in the form of a repair bill; more on that in a moment… I had noticed soon after getting my nearly new Constellation that the leather on its battery cover was rubbed and might one day start to peel back. This is certainly not uncommon with the model,…

The Tom Bihn Ristretto Messenger Bag Review

Reviews

The Tom Bihn Ristretto Messenger Bag Review

One of the many conveniences I’ve encountered while owning a MacBook Air has been the ability to slip the ultra-slim laptop into almost any bag for a quick carry solution; this includes larger laptops bags as well as some of my roomier purses. There are times however, when I’ve wished that I had a bag made to specifically transport the Air: something slim, streamlined, but still large enough to carry any peripherals and doo-dads I might need. Tom Bihn has released just such a bag; similar in style to their Cafe line, the Ristretto Messenger Bag is built with different…

The iPhone 3G as a Business Tool - Part 3

Editorials

The iPhone 3G as a Business Tool – Part 3

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been looking at the iPhone 3G as a business tool. It’s been an interesting time. I’ve gotten quite a large number of comments on the iPhone OS and its advantages and challenges in the Enterprise and in a business environment. Last week’s comments on Calendaring, also in the Enterprise and in a business environment, created quite the off line discussion among the Gear Diary Team. Some of those comments have required me to go back and readdress some issues in this week’s commentary. If you remember, I said that I was going to tackle…

AOC 2219P2 Jenio 22" LCD Review

Reviews

AOC 2219P2 Jenio 22″ LCD Review

How often these days do you see 4×3-aspect LCD monitors for sale? I’d be willing to bet it’s not often. Widescreen has simply dominated the PC market, from laptops to desktops, which a lot of people thinking is a wonderful thing. It makes laptops smaller, it’s better for watching movies and it lets you put documents side-by-side. But the downside to this is considerably less vertical room, and if you think about it that’s where you often need it. How often have to been to a website that is almost twice as wide as it is tall? Or written a…

Palm Treo Pro Review

Reviews

Palm Treo Pro Review

The Treo Pro really needs to be a success for Palm. The company that was once a team of innovators has obviously been talking to the green movement, since for ages they seem to have just been recycling. The Treo 750 was good, but flawed when put up against the competition. For a kick off there was still no WiFi, despite the move by other manufacturers to make it a regular feature in their high-end phones. GPS was notably absent too, and the design was all too similar to the Treo 650, which came out in 2004. Its chubby dimensions…

Reviewed: Tom Bihn Organizer Pouches

Reviews

Reviewed: Tom Bihn Organizer Pouches

It never fails that when I pack my gear, there are always small items which will sift to the bottom of my bag’s cavernous pockets. This doesn’t even take into account all of the times when I have needed a particular something, and no matter how neatly I thought I had it packed, I couldn’t find it when it was time. Well, no more. Tom Bihn makes a variety of Organizer Pouches, and I think that it would be safe to assume that there is something for everyone. Let’s take a look… Cordura Organizer Pouches

Review: Nextar I4-BC GPS

Reviews

Review: Nextar I4-BC GPS

I am a GPS nut, and  I have been since I won my first one, a Garmin GPS-12 at the Dayton Hamvention as a door prize.  That Garmin had no maps in it, but fortunately it’s almost unheard of to not have included maps on a GPS unit these days.  So what makes the Nextar I4-BC special?  Let’s find out.

M3 vs. C63: Battle of the Bavarian supermodels!

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

M3 vs. C63: Battle of the Bavarian supermodels!

Despite the uncertain state of fuel prices and overall economy, there are still a few who place “fun” above “sensible” when making a new car purchase. We recently got to test a pair of German imports aimed at that extreme side of the “fun” factor: a BMW M3 sedan and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG sedan.

Sierra Sound iN Studio 5.0 iPod Speakers

Reviews

Sierra Sound iN Studio 5.0 iPod Speakers

The Sierra Sound iN Studio 5.0 speakers are one of many iPod speakers available on the market today.  I recently spent some time with them and I have to say I like them a lot, but there are some oddities.  Read on to see what they are…

B&W Music Club Review

Reviews

B&W Music Club Review

I am a real lover of good music.  I was a radio DJ in college, and through that, I developed an admiration for good music and talented musicians…regardless of the genre. When I heard that Bowers & Wilkins, the makers of some extremely nice iPod speakers (watch for my review of their speakers coming soon) had begun a new kind of music club, I knew I would have to check it out.  And boy am I glad I did. The B&W Music Club is unlike any music club I have seen.  Many of you are probably thinking, as I did,…

Review: The Agent18 MacBook Air Shield

Reviews

Review: The Agent18 MacBook Air Shield

The MacBook Air is a beautiful piece of electronics. It is sleek, stylish and… well, just plain cool. But while its aluminum construction is certainly more durable than, say, the current (and soon to be phased out) version of the MacBook, without too much difficulty the Air can get pretty banged up and scuffed. Within a short period of time “beautiful” can become “beat up”. And that is a problem on a device like the MBA. On the one hand you want to protect it while on the other, while on the other you don’t want to lose the sleek…

2009 Suzuki Equator and Grand Vitara

Vehicles & Gear

2009 Suzuki Equator and Grand Vitara

UPDATED WITH REVIEWS: Special Wednesday Walkaround: Two new models coming from American Suzuki – the all-new 2009 Equator pickup and the refreshed 2009 Grand Vitara. Suzuki hosted this press launch in the Texas Hill Country at the historic Knibbe Ranch. Click on image for video.

The WowWee Alive Lion Cub Review

Reviews

The WowWee Alive Lion Cub Review

When I was a child, I absolutely loved stuffed animals; I had such a massive collection residing on my bed that they threatened to push me off should I stretch out or roll over in the middle of the night. One of my fondest wishes at that time was that some of my favorite stuffed animals could be more life-like and animated. Granted, this was in the 70s, and the closest things we had to robotic toys back then were those obnoxious stuffed dogs that came with a wired battery pack so that they could walk a few steps, bark,…

Pas Deux: The Vertu Ascent Ti Experience

Reviews

Pas Deux: The Vertu Ascent Ti Experience

[Note from Judie: This is Drew’s follow-up to his original letter about his first week with the Vertu Ascent Ti. If you haven’t already read that, then you might want to check it out.] I had an opportunity to take a bit of a deeper dive with the Ascent Ti this weekend and tried out some of these other features: 1. Fortress (the over the air backup utility) 2. The camera 3. The music player 4. Software upgrade process One of the big selling features is the ability to back up your personal information to the Fortress, a military shelter…

(Why) I Hate to Date (Online)

Reviews

(Why) I Hate to Date (Online)

(Why) I Hate to Date (Online) is a new publication from MaryAnna Donovan which outlines her 5 years of online dating. I thought it might be fun to look at this book since Judie had just finished writing a series about online dating in July. In the book MaryAnna provides commentary about a few of the men she met as well as the online dating sites themselves. The book summarizes the online dating experience very accurately and provides excellent points about the world of online dating. If you’re thinking of online dating – could you benefit from the book?

Jetart Coolstand 3 (NC 6000) NoteBook Cooler and Stand Review

Reviews

Jetart Coolstand 3 (NC 6000) NoteBook Cooler and Stand Review

When I bought my laptop a few years ago, I proudly brought it home, tore open the box, and set it up on my desk.  I was so excited to give it a try.  With a crack of my knuckles, I sat in the chair and reached for the keyboard, which sat flat on my desk.  I had to slouch a bit and sloop my shoulders inward in order to reach.  I then craned my neck to view the screen, which was below my eye level and slightly askew.  While this setup did result in many fantastic articles and reviews,…

Mommy Toolbox's Carabean Review

Reviews

Mommy Toolbox’s Carabean Review

Every mom carries around a basic toolbox, whether it be stowed in her diaper bag or purse. The child’s age will dictate what gear must be carried, whether it’s bottles, binkies and rattles, or tissues, snack money and aspirin. The cleverly named company, Mommy Toolbox, has created a line of products meant to make mom’s (and dad’s) lives easier; their first product is the Carabean, a lead-free rubbery paint coated aluminum clip that can function as a much needed third or fourth hand. Packaged in pairs, I was sent a set in black licorice; they are also available in buttercup…

Balanzza digital airline luggage scale reviewed

Reviews

Balanzza digital airline luggage scale reviewed

Prior to using the Balanzza digital luggage scale I had an awkward way of weighing my luggage before leaving on a trip. In order to meet airline weight limits (typically 50 pounds) I’d try to position my fat suitcase on the bathroom scale. This was an imperfect method because it was nearly impossible to read the weight without shifting the suitcase around on the scale which in turn produced inaccurate readings. When I found the Balanzza luggage scale I had to give it a try to see whether it was a better method than the old bathroom scale.