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Organize Your Seeds with a Seed Organizer Binder Kit

I collect seeds when I find interesting plants in the reproductive stage where seeds can be gathered. Usually I am pretty good at remembering what I collected (and why), but recently I stumped myself. I had gathered some seeds and put them in a bag, and at some point (months later, I’m sure) mislabeled them “Mexican Paradise Plant”. After the seeds began to grow, there was no doubt in my mind that the seedlings were something completely different. Obviously my organizational skills had failed. Kev and I spent hours trying to figure out what this odd five-leafed plant was, and through…


ODOC iPhone & iPod Dock Offers Elegant Design, Superior Function

Here’s a rather unusual iPhone dock that is looking for backers. The team behind the ODOC let us know that they are about half way toward reaching their financial backing goal. The way Kickstarter works, if they do not reach it the project will not go forward. Well… I like this dock and want it to happen, so we’ll focus on it today!! Project Title: ODOC iPhone & iPod Dock: Elegant Design, Superior Function Status: In Progress Closing Date for Funding: Saturday June 9, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here.   From the Creatives: ELEGANT DESIGN: The meaningful…


JustMobile AluCube Mini Review

There are some products that just make sense from the minute you see them. Within seconds you know what the product is all about and it is instantly clear why the product exists. This is not one of those products. No, the JustMobile AluCube Mini is one of those products that looks like nothing more than a money grab- a way to get a little more cash from people who like JustMobile’s design sense. In fact, you can almost imagine the design team sitting in a room saying “We need one more product this year… We need it to be…


Gear4 AirZone Series 1 AirPlay Speaker Dock Review

Back in January, Judie and I spent some time with the folks from Gear4. We got to know a bit more about the company and its vision, spent some time with their current products, and we even got to see one or two items that were not yet released. We were not, of course, allowed to photograph or discuss the latter items, but were assured that when they were released we would get to discuss and potentially review them. Gear4 were good on their word; they sent over one of their new AirZone Series 1 wireless home stereo systems. At…


When Did Bed Shopping Get So Complex?

Sarah and I just bought a new mattress. This would not normally be news, but it was quite the shocker to discover just how complex buying a mattress has become. The last time I had to shop for a bed, I called 1-800-Mattress and bought the cheapest one they could quickly deliver. It was quick and it was simple. No longer. Now there are mattresses in every possible firmness, material, and price — except cheap. Honestly, I wanted to avoid the whole thing as long as possible, but Friday night our old bed struck back. I rolled over, and then…


Whirlpool Sticks Me with the Dirty Laundry, but Lowe’s Picks up the Tab

 Image courtesy of automaticwasher.org Is it really that hard to get good customer service anymore? Is the fine art of quality customer service a thing of the past? Looking through some past rants we’ve had here on Gear Diary, it’s evident that some companies just don’t care about anything dealing with “after the sale.”  Even dealing with major brand names on larger ticket items clearly doesn’t mean you’ll have quality support after the sale is complete. Having worked retail for about 7 years, I understand how important good customer service is, even if it means going out on a limb…


Why Do We Lose Power So Easily?

Ever lose power when the sky is blue?  That happened to me this week at both my place of work and my home.  While at home the answer was not clear, at work it was totally apparent.  There is a pole in front of our building that has not once, not twice but at least 3 times since we moved in the building had at least one of the three wires break.  For those who don’t know how power works in your home or business, it typically has 2 or 3 phases. Each phase requires a wire.  In the case…


AmazingRibs Meat Temperature Guide Might Just Save Your Bacon Review

There are lots of ways to determine the doneness of meat that you are grilling or roasting in your oven. (Notice I didn’t say “BBQing.” Where I come from BBQ is a noun, not a verb.) In addition to meat thermometers and a nifty little iPhone app that I’ve reviewed lately, sometimes it’s best to go old school. The cooking geniuses at GrillGrate.com have developed what they call the “Meathead’s Temperature Magnet.” If someone calls me a meathead, I take it as a compliment, so I was happy to see this product. There are so many things to like about…


Keep Your Beer Cool and Your Tunes Loud with the Marshall Fridge

This Marshall Fridge is pretty amazing. It looks like an Marshall amp, but it hides something tastier than great tunes. Yeah, it holds a few six packs or anything else that you might need to keep cold — although beer is much more fun than milk. As the description on Werd notes, You’re never going to play guitar like Stevie Ray Vaughn or Slash but if you shred 6-packs like they shred six strings, the Marshall Fridge will be the perfect addition to your pad. It looks like the iconic Marshall stack amp but it’s really a 4.4 cubic foot…


Native Union’s Curve Twin Handset Perfect for Multi-Device Professionals

We’ve previously reviewed a number of products from Native Union, and we have been impressed by the design and utility of them. That’s why Judie and I made sure to set aside time to visit the Native Union booth at CES. We are glad we did, because a couple of the items that were in the pipeline for 2012 really impressed us. One of them, the $59.99 Curve Twin, is finally available and for those of us who use multiple mobile devices; it promises to be a great accessory. As the Press Release notes, Universally appealing to anyone who uses…


AMG Viella 12 Redefines the Classic Turntable

Do you still have a vinyl collection that you just can’t part with? If so, then you’ll be glad that you held on to it, as AMG may have just released the ultimate turntable, the AMG Viella 12 “V12”. Werner Roeschlau, designer and driving force behind AMG, works with his son and other master machinists at their bespoke multi-story Bavarian factory located north of Munich. All machining is done in house, combining the latest Computer Aided Design and CNC machines with “classic analog” tools including custom lathes and drill presses. Their factory has been manufacturing key, precision parts for some…


The Wilson Electronics AG Pro 75 Was Worth the Upgrade

It’s no secret that if you live or work in an area that isn’t in the middle of a strong cellular coverage zone, your mobile phone signal is going to suffer. That’s one of the things I knew I would have to deal with when I moved to the ranch, but I wasn’t about to let it be the deciding factor.


Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver Review

Update: This contest is now closed, and the winner has been announced on Facebook. Thank you for playing, and keep an eye out for more Gear Diary giveaways! =) Whether it is via AirPlay or through my Sonos system, I’m into wireless music these days. I love not having to physically dock a device in order to get the music flowing. More than that, I love being able to keep my device with me and then, regardless of where I am in the house, change the track or the volume. The problem is that the least expensive Sonos speaker component…


The 4moms Origami Stroller Makes All Others Look Lame

If you were a new parent even just five years ago, you’ll have noticed that the gadgets and gear aimed at this market have gotten significantly better and much more savvy to a new parent’s needs. Whether you’re using FaceTime on your iPad to communicate with your kids when at work or teaching them to read using an interactive eBook, parent’s today are enjoying gear that was only imagined when I was raising my daughter back in the early 90s. Back then, I thought having a state of the art baby monitor meant being able to clip a walkie-talkie to my pocket,…


The CalypsoPad Cradles Your iPhone in Buttery Leather

If you hate putting your iPad in a case, but seeing it lay on a table completely naked (and vulnerable!) while charging makes you feel skeevy, then have I got a solution for you! Say hello to the gorgeous new CalypsoPad, a handmade iPhone desk accessory. Made of the finest premium Italian leather, the CalypsoPad manages to combine form and function; I like that there is a molded area to hold the iPhone, and the magnetic latch on the cable means it will be simple to remove the phone with cable when needed. Available in “Owami Peak” (beige) and “Karoo Slopes” (black with…


Eton Axis Self-Powered Radio Review

This past year Sarah and I have been very lucky. While our town did flood, it only necessitated the power being out for around 15 hours. Many of my coworkers and friends north of us had it much worse, with power outages lasting anywhere from 24 hours to 5 days! Unfortunately, the modern world isn’t really conducive to going off-grid. Cell phones need juice, you need access to the news, a clock to see what time it is, and of course, an alarm clock if you plan on heading to work! That’s where having a radio like the Eton Axis…


Synthetik Park’s Wall Aquarium Is Eye-Level Gorgeous

Watch how my thought process goes … 1. We have a Beta fish named Brad; he lives in a goldfish bowl that sits on our credenza, and every chance she gets, our cat Avah likes to drink water from his bowl. She’s not trying to eat Brad, or at least we haven’t seen her try, but she seems to love his fish flavored water. This bothers me, because she has been known to lap his water down to less than half a bowl when we have been away. 2. In order to really see Brad I have to bend down,…


Twelve South Does it Again with HoverBar for Mac and iPad 2

If you use a Mac and an iPad, then Twelve South’s new HoverBar is for you. It lets you use your iPad 2 an adjustable arm that floats iPad 2 next to an iMac or Apple display, allowing you to use iPad as a secondary, touchscreen computer. [It] turns iPad into the ultimate sidecar for an iMac or Apple display, presenting more ways to use iPad more often. Connect HoverBar to your Mac, snap iPad 2 into the secure clip and you now have one powerful dual-computer work setup. Having iPad floating next to your Mac allows you to monitor…


OS X Moves Yet Another Step Closer to iOS

If you still weren’t convinced that Apple’s desktop/laptop Mac OS X operating system and their mobile operating system iOS were moving closer and closer to one another here’s yet one more example. If you have a Mac go to software update and download the Airport Utility update. Once you do you’ll be greeted with a utility that will be rather familiar if you have used the recently release iOS Airport Utility.


iGrill + Omaha Steaks’ Steak Time App = Meat Magic

Now far be it from me to tell a man (or a woman for that matter) how to use their BBQ grill. Like politics and religion, grilling is a topic where advice is rarely appreciated or even more rarely followed. I’m sure you’re great at cooking a steak over charcoal or gas, and I wouldn’t tell you to your face if I thought otherwise. A. because you’re feeding me and B. because you probably have fire and sharp BBQ tools within arm’s reach. Maybe you’re one of those people who can judge a steak’s doneness by comparing the surface of the…


Swingline Stack and Shred 80X Handsfree Cross-Cut Shredder Review

Who in the world would get excited about a shredder? ME, that’s who. So when Judie posted a review of the SwingLine Cross-Cut Shredder last year I took note. You see, as bad as Judie and Kevin’s stack of “waiting to be shredded documents” was, Elana’s and mine is worse. How much worse? Let me put it this way. In Judie’s review she began with the following, This is my husband’s and my pile of things that needed to be shredded. It started in a drawer, was moved to a shelf, and eventually ended up in a bag under our…