March 2013

Discovery Trekking’s Ultra-Fast Drying Towels

“Gear” comes in all different shapes and sizes and we do our best to cover as wide a range as possible here on Gear Diary. That’s why, in this review, we will be looking at… towels. Yes, this is a review of towels but, as you might expect, these aren’t just any towels. No, these are special Ultra-Fast Drying Towels from Discovery Trekking Outfitters. These Ultra-Fast Drying Towels come in different sizes and colors and their ability to all but vacuum water from wet skin surprised me- in a good way. (The claim in the previous sentence- mine not the…

Reviews

Zagg LEATHERskin for the Apple iPad Mini

I ordered a Zagg LEATHERskin for iPad mini last week. (It looked interesting and Zagg was offering a good deal on some headphones with any order I made that day. And… yes… we will be giving the headphones I got away in the near future!) If I look at the way Judie, Mike and I each protect our iPad minis I see three very different approaches. Judie doesn’t mind adding some weight and bulk to her iPad mini so long at the case she uses screams quality. That’s why she is happily using the Orbino miniPadova she purchased a few…

News

Pelican ProGear S130 Sport Elite Laptop/Camera Backpack Now Available

Before CES 2013 I reviewed the Pelican ProGear S100 Elite Backpack. It is a serious backpack for people who need serious protection for their laptop, tablet and assorted gear in the go. Now the company has released their Pelican ProGear S130 Sport Elite Laptop/Camera backpack. The Pelican ProGear S130 Sport Elite Laptop/Camera Backpack features the same basic design as the ProGear S130 Sport Elite but offers the addition of a protective divider pack for cameras in addition to the built-in watertight and crushproof case for laptops. If you bring your photographic lab with you on the go this backpack may…

Reviews

Eton FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM/Weather Alert Radio Lets You Be Prepared

When Superstorm Sandy hit last fall we, like so many in our region, were left without power. For Elana and me that meant no heat, no light and no water. (Yes, we live in New Jersey and have well rather than communal water.) The outage also meant we had no way to recharge batteries. Thankfully I had anticipated this happening and prepared by charging all of my various external batteries. I do, however, wish I had had the Eton FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM/Weather Alert Radio. The Eton FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM/Weather Alert Radio is an all-purpose, rechargeable weather alert radio…

Reviews

Braven 570 Charges Your Smartphone and Ears On the Go

We met with Braven at CES 2013 (check out the post) and had a chance to see their new speakers. We watched as the Braven BRV-1 went for a swim and checked out the budget-priced Braven 570. Now we’ve got out hands on the Braven 570 for a hands-on review. Before we jump in though take a look at the BRV-1. If you’ve used one of Braven’s speakers or checked out our head-to-head match between the Braven 600 and the JawBone JamBox (read the post) you are already familiar with the design of the Braven 570. It is a rectangular…

Health and Fitness

Your Workout Is Where You Find It – The Monday Mile

I have talked about things that can keep you from working out, such as being sick, very cold or icy weather, or just ‘not feeling it’. But recently I have had to deal with another challenge to getting in my daily run – I have been traveling out of state to work on a major project at one of my company’s other locations. It is a large and important effort, and while it comes with high prestige and visibility it also has the downsides of taking me away from home and sticking me in the normal array of chain hotels….

Reviews

Spigen SGP Home Buttons for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Add Bling to Your Phablet

Some smartphone accessories have a clear purpose and reason for existing. The purpose of other accessories is… less obvious. Case in point- the Spigen SGP Home Buttons for Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The Note 2 has a Home button and it works just fine on its own. Why then would one spend $10 to buy three different metal buttons to place over the stock Home button? Well, if you have a Verizon branded Samsung GALAXY Note 2 there is ugly and stupid Verizon branding right on the button. The Spigen SGP Home Buttons for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 cover the…

Reviews

Speck CandyShell for Samsung GALAXY Note 2 Provides Tasty Protection

So you’ve entered the land of phablets and bought yourself a Samsung GALAXY Note 2. You love carrying one device that serves as both (a freakin’ huge) smartphone and a (tiny tiny) tablet and you take it everywhere you go. That’s great but a device getting that much use and abuse needs t be protected. Fortunately Speck has you and your Note 2 covered with their Speck CandyShell for Samsung GALAXY Note 2. It is a great way to add color while keeping your Note 2 safe and secure. The Speck CandyShell for Samsung GALAXY Note 2 comes in two…

Events, News

Audience earSmart Sets New Voice Quality Standard

I find myself using my smartphone less and less for voice calls and more and more for other types of electronic communication. I’m not nearly as bad as Judie, however, who rarely gets on the phone for actual calls. Still, there are times when we do need to use our smartphones as phones and having the best possible audio quality is important. While attending Mobile World Congress Judie saw the Audience earSmart ES325 Advanced Voice Processor. She was impressed. The earSmart is the first Advanced Voice Processor that has innovations such as the ability to have simultaneous three-microphone processing, optimization…

Editorials, Events

SXSW Interactive: First Fumbling Steps

South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi)–my first foray into trade show/events in a while I don’t go to many trade shows or other events. Gear Diary’s editors, such as Judie, Dan, or CarlyZ, are usually the ones who take on that burden/honor. It’s not that I don’t want to; I rarely have the opportunity. But Chevy is running a promotional event about their hybrid Volt during South by Southwest Interactive (i.e., SXSW Interactive), and as Judie is on vacation and our go-to superlative car guy David Goodspeed couldn’t make it, your humble news guy was asked to step into the breech….

Game Diary, Reviews

Tomb Raider Review for PlayStation 3

In Tomb Raider, adventuress/archeologist Lara Croft returns in her ninth video game…the first in four years. Was it worth the wait? Definitely. Developer Crystal Dynamics and publisher Square Enix push current consoles to their limit with this impressive reboot. The Hype A Survivor is Born When the first ever Tomb Raider game launched in 1996 it was a revolution. Outstanding in terms of graphics, gameplay, and storyline, it changed the way that video games were played and developed forever. Fronting the games assault on the world was the central character, Lara Croft. Lara was also to have an incredible impact,…

News, Outdoors

Oregon Scientific ATC Chameleon Dual Lense Action Camera Gives You Eyes in the Back of Your Head

We’ve all seen those first-person action videos of guys and gals flying down the slopes, jumping out of planes, or slashing through the whitewater on their kayaks. These videos are entertaining and provide the viewer a peek at exactly how it would look if you were risking your own neck out there, without all the danger and adrenaline. The problem with these videos, however, is that you can only capture one angle on the action, unless the camera is behind held in hand. Oregon Scientific is looking to change this with their new Oregon Scientific ATC Chameleon camera, the world’s…

Reviews

Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones First Look

I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on the Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones for some time. Jabra describes the Revo Wireless Headphones as combining “amazing sound clarity with peerless build and durability”. The videos on the Jabra website show just how tough the headphones are, and a live demonstration at CES 2013 reinforced the message. Yes, the Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones promise to be incredibly durable. If the sound quality is similarly impressive, then Jabra will likely have a hit on their hands. The bad news is that we don’t yet have a final price or release date on…

Vehicles & Gear

2013 Mazda3 in the Grinding Gears Garage

Grinning from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat, the 2013 Mazda3 embodies that all familiar “zoom-zoom” marketing philosophy of Mazda’s while offering value, quality and a truly nice driving experience for the segment. And whether you love or hate the styling, Mazda says the bold design was intentionally polarizing and was achieved through its design philosophy of “Nagare,” or flow. Since going to the single digit moniker for its vehicle designations, Mazda proves it is capable of delivering automobiles worthy of the consumer dollar. On a grand scale, Mazda3, in both four-door sedan and five-door hatchback versions, delivers. I am…

Reviews

Zagg ZR-SIX Earbuds Review – Promising Awesome Sound for Under $60

If they’re not the best sounding earbuds you’ve experienced… we’ll give you your money back. That’s what Zagg says on the product page for theIR ZR-SIX earbuds. It is a bold claim to make under any conditions, but considering the ZR-SIX earbuds are under $60 it is actually a remarkable claim; I am left wondering if the claim can hold up in real-world use. Are Zagg’s new ZR-SIX earbuds “the best sounding earbuds I’ve experienced? Read on to find out. Inside the box you’ll find the ZR-SIX earbuds, two additional sets of ear cups, and a nice zippered protective case. I…

Reviews

PowerSkin PoP’n Battery Review – It Should Be in Your Gear Bag

We’ve said it over and over and over again — battery life is the Achilles Heel of today’s mobile devices. Speeds have improved, screen resolution and size have too; battery technology has, unfortunately, not kept pace. The result is that many of use have to either carry our wall adapter and charger cable or an external battery. And there are some people, me for example, who carry both. These days I’m carrying the PowerSkin PoP’n battery in my jacket and another battery in my gear bag. Here’s why the PowerSkin PoP’n battery is so useful. The PowerSkin PoP’n battery has an…

Game Diary, Reviews

Fate of the Pharaoh for Android Review

Over the past few years working with G5 games as they have grown into one of the more successful casual games publishers on smartphones, I have seen a fairly standard formula: they publish for iOS first, then Android and finally for the Mac (and occasionally PC). But with Fate of the Pharaoh we get a first – G5 is releasing an Android game before the iOS version! How does it play? Let’s take a look! Type of app: City-Building game Platform/where to buy: Available for Android systems (including Nook and Kindle Fire tablets); available from Amazon AppStore, Google Play, or…

News

SpotLite 2.0 Helps You Keep Your Eye on Spot

My dog Porter is generally a good dog, but he has his moments of being a bit bratty. Mostly we joke he thinks he’s a person, and every once in a blue moon he catches his reflection, remembers he’s actually a dog, and misbehaves accordingly. We don’t have him microchipped, in part because he’s a rescue who was shot with BB’s as a puppy, and the idea of inserting more metal into him, even a microchip, breaks our hearts a little bit. But we do watch him like hawks when he’s not leashed outside, especially in the backyard, since you…

Reviews

DRY-ALL Wet Smartphone Emergency Kit to the Rescue

“I just dropped my iPhone in the sink” Elana said. I jumped into action, went to the cabinet, pulled out the DRY-ALL Wet Smartphone Emergency Kit, pulled the SIM from the phone and sealed it inside. I then put Elana’s SIM into one of the review phones I had lying around and, within a few minutes, she was up and going on an HTC Windows Phone 8 handset. “Give the DRY-ALL Wet Smartphone Emergency Kit 48 hours to work its magic. Judie reviewed this back in 2011 and it worked perfectly for her.” (Read the review.) It was a good…

News

Roku Releases the Roku 3

After what seemed like an eternity Roku has released a brand new streaming box today. The Roku 3 finally does away with all connections for old standard definition TV’s in this iteration making the box HD only. It has HDMI, Ethernet, USB and a power port and that’s it. The new box has beefed up hardware and improved searching on the device itself. Roku promises that the user interface on the Roku 3 is the most responsive they have designed as well. One last bit of news for the new Roku 3 is that the wireless remote now includes a…

Game Diary, Reviews

Epic Adventures Cursed Onboard for Mac Review

I reviewed the original Epic Adventures: La Jangada here, which was based on the Jules Verne’s story ‘The Raft’ (direct translation of La Jangada). My opinion of the original was that it was an interesting story but hampered by glacial pacing and a dreary palette. Does the sequel Epic Adventures Cursed Onboard deliver where the original failed? Read on and find out! Type of app: Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (HOPA) game Platform/where to buy: Mac; available in the Mac App Store Developer: Urchin Games / G5 Entertainment Description: Here are some of the features: 25 Eery locations 10 Unique mini-games…

« 1 … 3 4 5 6 7 »