2008

Blowing in the Breeze Part 2 – OSX 10.5.6 & the MSI Wind

Before I get started, I wanted to say special thanks go out to Dan Cohen, who stayed up with me until 3am Eastern/2am Central working on the Flash drive needed to get this all done. So… OSX 10.5.6 and the MSI Wind… Yah ok… maybe not so much. Quick update – I’ve got OSX installed on my Wind (calling it miniMBP); and I’ve learned some interesting things as of this morning. 1. I can still survive and be human on as little as 2.5 hours of sleep as long as there’s good, strong coffee around…somewhere. 2. You have to find…

Reviews

The Altec Lansing moondance GLOW Review

Like many of you, my days are structured around a general time by which I try to be in bed and a specific time at which I prefer to awaken. In order to get up in a timely manner, I have to use an alarm. I haven’t ever really given much thought to whether my bedside alarm clock could fulfill functions other than simply making sure that I was jolted out of bed when I needed to be, but the new Altec Lansing moondance GLOW has caused me to realize that there might be more to a bedside device that…

Reviews

The Tom Bihn Western Flyer Travel Bag Review

I have always read the reviews Judie has done on Tom Bihn bags, and have always wanted one. Judie recently gave me her Aeronaut; I used it for my vacation and I really like the packing cube idea. I also think that the construction of the bag is top notch. However, the Aeronaut is simply too large when you just have to stay one or two nights. Also, the Aeronaut may have some issues with smaller ERJ-145 overhead compartments; that’s where the Western Flyer comes in. photos by Kevin

Reviews

Tekkeon myPower ALL MP3700 Battery Review

Looking for a way to extend the run time on that Eee PC or Acer Aspire One that you got for Christmas? If so, then the Tekkeon MP3700 may be just the ticket for your power hungry ultra mobile device. Weighing in at 15.4 oz, the Tekkeon MP3700 is light enough that it won’t weigh you and your netbook down too much; the combination weighs less than the Lenovo T60 I use.

Reviews

Tricking Out The MSI WindOSX – Part 2: Noreve Leather Case

I’ve now got MacOS X installed on an SSD drive in my MSI Wind. No moving parts means that it really is a device that can be thrown into a bag and taken anywhere. So what it needed was a good case to protect it from the bumps and bruises of daily life; boy did I find the right case! I’ve always been a fan of Noreve‘s leather cases. They use superb quality leather, they offer polished and professional styles, and they clearly employ excellent craftspeople. Best of all, it just so happens that they have a case designed especially…

How to Do It Yourself!

Tricking Out The MSI WindOSX – Adding an SSD

A little over a week ago I installed Mac OS Leopard on the MSI Wind I had picked up at Best Buy. I’m pleased to report that after a week of use, it is still going strong. I’m amazed at how well the Mac OS runs on the device; I am grateful to everyone who figured out how to get Mac OS X running perfectly on a Wind and were then kind enough to share their work. Well, I couldn’t leave well enough alone, and so I decided that I need to trick out the diminutive Mac just a bit….

Reviews

USB Heated Slippers Review

Forget that tie or bottle of aftershave. What you should have gotten him are these USB-powered heated slippers from USBfever.com.

Reviews

Wi-Gear iMuffs for the iPhone Review: Giving Your Ears a Break

Wi-Gear has upgraded the iMuffs for compatibility and optimization with the iPhone. Previously reviewed October 2007 here at GearDiary, the wireless headphone consistently delivers good performance and comfort for extended wearing periods whether sitting on your duff, driving, walking or exercising. Last year’s model had some initial compatibility issues with the 1st edition of the iPhone, but has been resolved with both iPhone models (3G) with an improved range and less susceptiblily to radio interference The iMuffs use Bluetooth 2.0 and Advance Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) via the dongle that plugs into the base of your iPod or iPhone. iMuffs work…

Reviews

Griffin Clarififor iPhone 3G Review

I love my iPhone. I love Evernote. I love using the camera on the iPhone to snap pictures and send them to Evernote. I love the fact that when I send pictures taken on my iPhone to Evernote they are automatically scanned and completely searchable. I hate the fact that the iPhone’s camera take lousy close-ups of text. That’s why I was so excited to see that Griffin was releasing the Clarifi, a special case with the built-in lens that boosts the eye phones camera resolution. The good folks at Griffin were kind enough to send a review unit of…

How to Do It Yourself!

The Creation of a Hackintosh

(Note- This post is done in order to share my experience creating a Hackintosh. It is not intended to recommend or encourage similar hacks. Gear Diary neither recommends, nor takes any liability, if you choose to do the same.) I’ve been through the whole UMPC thing from the start. I had a TabletKiosk UMPC the day they were shipped. I had a Samsung Q1P, Q1Ultra, Q1Ultra Premium and a Sony UX 280P in rapid succession. I loved the whole UMPC concept but none of the machines ever fit the bill quite well enough for me. Each was either returned or,…

Vehicles & Gear

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

This week’s Wednesday Walkaround takes place on a brisk 15 degree (F) day in Dearborn, Mich. as we check out the all-new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. (Click on the image for video) UPDATED with review!

Reviews

Kuru Footwear Review

I am a avid walker and hiker. Sometimes I will choose to walk when I would normally drive, even if I have to take a empty backpack along to carry my purchases. Because I walk a lot, I always buy good shoes, which is why I jumped at a chance to check out these interesting shoes. Kuru Footwear gets its name from Kuru, Finland, which is an outdoor destination in Finland known for eco-tourism, environmental conservation, and many other outdoor pursuits. The company was started by a group of young and passionate lovers of the outdoors who wanted to make…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Lexus IS F: Fast, Fun, Fierce!

“Military Intelligence” seems to have been the poster child for oxymoron for as long as I can remember. Since entering automotive journalism prior to the end of the last millennium I have had extreme difficulty using the words “Lexus” and “performance” to describe each other as well. Not anymore. Seriously … stop laughing. While Lexus has been giving the European luxury sedan segment fits for the past couple of decades, they have won many battles but fell short of winning the war. This may change things. Toyota’s luxury division has unleashed a new weapon – codename “F” – in hopes…

Reviews

SuperTalent Mini PCIe SSD Drives Review

I am a huge fan of netbooks. The very first netbook, the Eee PC 701 started a frenzy of designs that even brought Dell and Lenovo into the netbook fold. One minor problem with the SSD based netbooks like the original Eee PC 701/702 and the 900/901 is that you may not have as much on-board storage as you might like. The 702 tops out at 8 GB, and that’s the model I have. While I didn’t necessarily want a lot more space, it did change how I used the little netbook; I basically dedicated the on-board storage only for…

Reviews

Xlink Bluetooth Gateway BTTN Review

My wife and I have had multiple telephone lines since we were first married. Most of the time we had two lines, a “house phone” that was for personal use and a “work line” that I used professionally. That changed last year when I got rid of my “work line”. I was using my cell phone almost all the time and having to check messages on both lines became a pain. Moreover, I found myself using the landline less and less. As a result, for the last year or so when I am in front of my computer I use…

Vehicles & Gear

2009 Toyota Venza

This week’s Wednesday Walkaround features a look at the all-new 2009 Toyota Venza. Is it a car? Is it an SUV? Is it the new Camry station wagon?

Reviews

Audéo PFE (Perfect Fit Earphones) from Phonak

We review a lot of personal audio equipment here at Gear Diary, and I’ve reviewed a number of different earphone packages over the years. The Audéo PFE from Phonak are a little different than many earphone products I’ve reviewed because they have the interesting distinction of being developed by Phonak, a company that specializes in making equipment for people who are hearing impared. The claim is that the Audéo PFE provide wonderful clear sound and a “perfect fit”. Read on to see how they stood up to my expectations.

Reviews

Visiontac VGPS-900 Multifunction GPS Data Logger Review

Have you ever wanted to see the exact route you had taken when driving to your relatives for the Holidays? Or have you ever had your speed demon of a teenager get a ticket? During a vacation have you ever wanted to Geotag your pictures? Well if so, then the Visiontac VGPS-900 may be just the device for you. The VGPS-900 is about the size of a zippo lighter, but thinner. The front of the device is dominated by the Point of Interest button followed by three light-up LED indicators. There’s a indicator for the log, one for GPS status…

Reviews

Palm Centro: A Wise First Smartphone Choice For Those With Tiny Fingers

Sprint recently introduced two new colors to their lineup of Centro by Palm smarphones. These new colors, olive green and vibrant rose, don’t add any new features however they create a different look to the phone which may attract someone whose criteria in phone selection is color. The question I had when Sprint asked us to take a look at the phone is not whether a power user would like the phone (I think the answer is no). Rather I was curious to know if the Centro would be a good phone for your wife, kids or significant other to…

Reviews

The Altec Lansing inMotion MAX Portable Speaker for iPhone and iPod Review

I’ve covered iPod stereo docks in the past, but this is one of the first I’ve seen that claims to combine a clear and powerful speaker system with a rechargeable battery for true portability. I went into this review with a bit of skepticism; I guess I just wasn’t expecting much from a battery driven speaker system. It would be up to the Altec Lansing inMotion MAX Portable Speaker for iPhone and iPod to either impress me or prove that my skepticism was warranted; read on to see what happened… Wander around the house, and take your music with you….

Vehicles & Gear

2009 Nissan 370Z

(Click on image to see video) We got to spend a little time behind the wheel of the all-new 2009 Nissan 370Z on its Dallas stop during the national Follow the Nissan Z Tour making its way across country since the car’s debut at the LA Auto Show. While having the larger 3.7-liter V-6 engine first used in the Infiniti G37 Coupe last year, we really liked the new styling and the new SynchroRev Match technology that automatically serves up throttle blips during downshifts with the six-speed manual gearbox, a first for the industry. We did not have any time…

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