I’ve mentioned my genealogy hobby before, but what I haven’t mentioned is how often I’ve had to try to scan photos that couldn’t be removed from the album they were glued into. My solution is usually to snap a sometimes odd-angled photo with my phone; Doxie Flip looks like a much better way. Battery driven, totally portable, and only $149.
Do you score your wieners before grilling them? I didn’t even realize that doing so was a “thing”, but it helps your dogs cook evenly while creating nooks that keep your garnishes from sliding off your frank and onto your shirt. That’s kind of cool, right? And it’s easy to do with the Cyclone Spiral Hotdog Slicer, $11.99 from Quirky.
Maybe this whole NSA debacle has you feeling a bit over-exposed, or maybe you’ve decided that no good can come from having your information “out there”; whatever. Removing yourself from the internet is a daunting task, but Gizmodo has just published a guide that will at least get you started. Can you guess what will have to go first?
This is even better than a secret decoder ring! Five tools crafted into a man’s titanium ring with brass rivets for contrasting flair. Included are a bottle opener, a straight blade, a serrated blade, a saw, and a mustache comb! Don’t act like you don’t want one! You can get yours made to order for $385 from BooneRings on Etsy.
Habitat for Humanity‘s vision is “a world where everyone has a decent place to live”, and in one Detroit neighborhood, they have really made a difference. Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine and I recently test drove a 2014 Ford F-150 while delivering wood to be used on the 100th Habitat home being built in one Detroit neighborhood. That’s community in action!
Happy Halloween! Some of you may be heading out to go trick or treating this afternoon. Oothers may simply be hanging out and enjoying this last day of October. We thought we might do a bit of trick or treating ourselves here on Gear Diary; we’ve turned on our porch light, and we are ready to hand out some treats!
I’d recently written that if Apple upgraded their iPad mini with retina and 128GB, I’d be buying one, so when the announcement came that my hoped for upgrades were imminent, I had a decision to make: what would become of my “old” iPad mini? Thanks to eBay’s new Simple Flow listing interface, it will soon become money in my pocket.
Have you ever received a dollar bill with a stamp that said “Track me at www.wheresgeorge.com“? One of the dollar bills that my stepdaughter got for losing a tooth had that stamp on it, so the first thing we did this morning was check to see what the site Where’s George was all about.
The day the new Waterfield Staad backpack was announced, Dan and I placed our orders. Yesterday I received my Stout Staad in black on black; Dan had received his Stout in brown on black the day before. Does the Staad live up to our expectations? It’s too soon for a full review, but we thought you’d enjoy some initial impressions.
Travelteq makes excellent laptop bags, iPhone and iPad cases, and travel clothing; I own their Mirjam leather shopper bag, and I like it so much that I often carry it as a purse even when I’m not toting my laptop. Their accessories are top-notch, and the current collection is 20% off with the code fall2013.
It’s not often that a press release can make my jaw drop (and my eyes go googly), but that’s exactly what happened when I opened the email from Calypso Crystal. Their new Furry Fury Collection has to include some of the most hideous examples of fashionista excess that I have ever seen. And the prices! Let’s look, shall we?
If you practice Yoga anywhere other than at home, then you’ll need a bag for carrying your mat, towel, water, and clothes. Hotdog Yoga’s Rollpack manages all that and more; its exclusive design “packs like a gym bag, hangs like a garment bag, and carries like a mat bag”. It’s already available in onyx, and amethyst is coming soon.
Since I was old enough to understand the full story behind Christopher Columbus “discovering” America, I have wondered why a holiday was celebrated in his honor. The Oatmeal has succinctly shown why Columbus was not a man worthy of any nation’s remembrance, and in the process introduces Bartolomé, perhaps a more deserving candidate for clothing sales and bankers’ days off.
I like Fitbit clip-on trackers because they measure sleep, steps, floors climbed, and they integrate well with Android and iOS fitness apps. But after losing two to the washing machine, I’d given up and moved to more convenient bracelet-style trackers. As an early adopter of Fitbit’s Flex bracelet-style tracker, I feel cheated by today’s release of the Force. Here’s why.
If everything in life were only so simple! A new release from the University of Florida says that in those with Alzheimer’s, the ability to smell from “the left nostril is significantly more impaired than the right.” So cover your nostrils and breathe deep from an open jar of peanut butter, a “pure odorant”. How did you do?
A Beautiful Smoke & CO2 Detector?! That’s certainly not a phrase that I ever thought I would find myself writing! I have a first generation Nest Thermostat — which I love. Based on how well it has performed in my house, I anticipate nothing but good from the Nest Protect, available soon in black or white, wired or wireless for $129.
I’m so picky about my backpacks, that for the longest I didn’t carry one. I had finally found one I liked well enough, but it’s not the one. I had just about admitted defeat and given up on backpacks, but now there’s no need. Say hello to the Staad, Waterfield’s perfect backpack available in two sizes and multiple color combinations.
If you thought the gold iPhone was a bit much, then you might want to avert your eyes from the 18K shine coming off of the £2,750 Gold HTC One that is one of only five. This is the most exclusive and expensive HTC ever, and chances are you won’t ever see one in person. Good thing? See more here.
Have you seen this video yet? I just did, and it’s a good reminder that freaky, unexpected, and potentially scary things can happen without warning. It takes a minute to get to the meat, but once you are there, you may have to watch it again. Have you ever seen anything like this? Stay vigilant, my friends. 😉 via LiveLeak
The first Kia Soul model was sold in 2010. Since then, the Soul has become a favorite of everyone from urban dwellers looking for a fuel-efficient compact with personality, to those who appreciate its low profile with easy trunk and rider access. 2014 brings its first major redesign since 2010, and it quite the transformation. The Soul is known for its funky boxy design; Kia’s priority was to stay true to that while making their 2014 model unique and special but obviously evolved. They succeeded. The 2014 Kia has improved dynamics; it draws inspiration from a wild boar, as seen by its…
Online privacy is an illusion; anything you wouldn’t want your boss, friends, relatives, present or future significant others (or anyone else important to you) to see should never be posted, texted, emailed, tweeted, or liked. And now it appears that our own government is the party most interested in our social connections and interactions. How bothered should we be? I began writing reviews on the internet in 1999, and at that time I accepted that a certain loss of privacy came with the territory. I have lived my online life as transparently as possible, because I believed that I had nothing…