A couple of days ago, Dropbox added their app to the Windows Store for use in the Modern UI of Windows 8. Before this app became available, I had been using Box File Provider to access my Dropbox files via the Modern UI. If you are using an RT version of Windows, a Modern [...]
PhatPad for iPad Update Now Available
I know it probably seems like it, but your faithful Gear Diary team is not all about CES this week. No! For example, the kind folks at PhatWare have let us know that there’s a new release of their handwriting recognition, note-taking iPad app PhatPad available now. (We reviewed an earlier version for you back [...]
Boinx Software Announces iStopMotion for iPad 2
Dan previewed the original iPad release of iStopMotion last year, and now the software has hit a full version 2 release. Now Boinx has added new features: Animators can now record audio right inside iStopMotion for iPad, either before capturing frames or after while watching the clips play back. iStopMotion for iPad provides even more ways of importing [...]
Scansnap iX500 Scanner Review, the Best ScanSnap Scanner Yet
Scansnap’s scanners have been a mainstay of my move toward a paperless life. They have also played a huge role in my digitizing much of my rabbinic library. I wrote about it here and here and here and here. The hardware is always top-notch and the software integrates with the hardware to create [...]
AT&T LG Optimus G Android Phone Review
I’ve had a love-hate relationship with Android for some time; I’m not sure exactly when it started, but I think that it was around the time that I realized that just because an app was available, it didn’t mean I could necessarily install it on my phone. Lockdowns by carriers and various hardware limitations made Android [...]
Keep Your Data Safe in 2013 with Dropbox’s Packrat Feature
From now until 2013, we’re taking a look at some New Year’s Resolutions and Gear Diary ways to help keep them. New Year Resolution: Protect Your Data in 2013 This is one of those lessons you learn, forget, and then learn again once a data-loss disaster strikes. Here’s my story, and why DropBox’s PackRat feature [...]
Home Aquaponics Kit: A Self-Cleaning Fish Tank that Grows Food
Project Title: Home Aquaponics Kit: Self-Cleaning Fish Tank That Grows Food Status: Funded, with only 37 hours left (at this posting) Closing Date for Funding: 1:59am CST December 15, 3012 URL of the Project: Home Aquaponics Kit From the Creatives: Grow fresh produce right in the comfort of your own home – beans, basil, thyme, baby [...]
New Amazon Android App Lets You Update Your Photos to Your Amazon Cloud
Everyone wants to get you storing your files and photos on their service, because that gets you into their ecosystem and infrastructure. So with Apple there is iCloud, Google has Google+ and others, DropBox and others offer auto-uploads, and Amazon has their own Cloud Drive. Now Amazon has an app that manages your photos and [...]
iPhone 5 Plus NeatCloud Plus NeatMobile Helps Keep You Organized
As I work harder and harder to get away from using paper, I’m finding that a number of digital solutions are key to the process. For example, my iPad now lets me gather and read not only all my books but also many of the PDFs that I use. In fact, as Carly mentioned in [...]
ioSafe Turns to Indiegogo to Help Fund the “Disaster-Proof Private Cloud”
We’ve long been fans of ioSafe. We’ve spent time with them as they burnt, crushed and soaked hard drives. We’ve seen the drives abused with shocking results. We also taken shotgun shots as their drives. Now ioSafe has taken things even further. They’s turned to Indiegogo to help fund their newest endeavor, the ioSafe N2. [...]
ShopShop for iOS Review
Type of app: iOS, Universal for iPad and iPhone Platform/where to buy: iTunes, App Store Developer: Nikolaj Schumacher Description (from the App Store): A shopping list. Simple. Free. Major features: This is a straightforward shopping list. It keeps a master list of items you add regularly, making it easy to rebuild shopping lists each week. [...]
Pogoplug – My Own Private Cloud With 1TB Online Backup
I am always on the lookout for simple and secure backup solutions and good methods for syncing personal files across multiple devices. I use Dropbox and Google Drive, but have always liked the idea of my own personal cloud solution for more confidential information. I have been using The free Tonido program on my home [...]
The Best iOS Apps for Taking Notes
We’re back with another “Best Apps for…” This time out we’re looking at the Best Apps for Taking Notes… Judie: The built-in notes app is great for quick jots, but for heavier duties, I can’t recommend AudioNote highly enough! (iPad version here.) Dan: Judie, but there is no sync except over local WiFi with Audio Note? Judie: Dan, [...]
How to get Amazon Prime Streaming Media and Flash Content to Play on your Nexus 7
Amazon Prime Streaming “Ronin” on Nexus 7 Flash is dead…or is it? Although Adobe Flash is no longer support on the latest version of Android 4.1 (Jellybean), that does not mean you can’t enjoy the benefits of Flash content and movies. The move from flash-based content to HTML5 has been long underway but the [...]
GearFest GearChat #2, All About iPad Apps
In Part 2 of our GearFest Gear Chat we take a look at some of the apps we use and love. Check the bottom of the post for links to each Gmail Get it. Documents to Go Get it. Blogsy Get it. Bento 4 Get it. Type on PDF Get it. Pages Get it. IA [...]






















