April 2010 | Gear Diary

Review: Speck Products Kindle 2 Cases

Speck Products was kind enough to send me one of each of the new cases that they just released for the Kindle 2. While I have heard of Speck from Dan’s review and Judie sharing her thoughts on some of Speck’s line, this is my first hands on experience with a Speck case. Will the cases match up to what I have been using? Since I received a Tom Bihn pouch from Judie, I have been using it to hold my Kindle 2 while commuting to work. While the pouch is perfect in size in most every way, it does nothing to…

Reviews

HTC Desire with HTC Sense and Android 2.1 Review

While the Google Nexus One has been on the market for a few months now, its HTC-branded brother has only just started to make it out. I’ve been using the HTC Desire for the last week or so, and it has surprised me just how good it really is. HTC have been a bit presumptuous from the get-go, calling the phone the Desire. While it looks quite different from it’s Google branded sibling, the two phones are very similar underneath. Both share the same 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, 3.7” 800×480 AMOLED capacitive display, and run Android 2.1. There are a few…

Editorials

What’s Up With Certain Devices and the Android Market?

I have an issue that’s a bit perplexing: I have the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G and the Verizon HTC Droid Incredible. Both are Android devices, and both have the Android Market, albeit branded differently based on carrier as you can see in the above photo. I was looking up a free software title on the Incredible — one that is definitely available on the MyTouch 3G, but on the Incredible it was nowhere to be seen. This happened to me again when I did a search for another title, only this time I could see that there were other results that…

Editorials

Apple, Don’t Fire Gray … Give Him a Raise!

Gray Powell, the Apple employee outed by Gizmodo for losing the next-generation iPhone prototype, is probably not having his best week ever. After all, Apple is known for their secrecy, and they expected the utmost of care when prototypes were taken outside of their facility — witness the elaborate 3GS disguise Gray’s phone was found wearing. As the world now knows, Gray managed to lose his prototype, ultimately resulting in it being sold to the highest (or only) bidder – Gizmodo. We’re sure he’ll probably lose his job, and he may be in even more trouble than simply economic ……

Editorials

No Relief in Sight for Palm

Poor Palm just can’t get a break. They are up for sale, but no one’s showed up at their open house, and Jon Rubenstein even baked cookies! In all seriousness, there’s no concrete evidence of a buyer, and the last few days have just been one blow after another. First, their Senior Vice President of Software resigned, and from the looks of the stock grants flying around, apparently, most of the office intended to follow him. Palm threw loads of stock at people to keep them around; if a new, deep pocketed suitor were around no one would be beating…

Editorials, Game Diary

Where the HECK Did All of Those PSP Games Come From?

A couple of weeks ago when Apple introduced iPhone OS 4 something struck me, but I had forgotten it until someone on a forum was asking me about the amount of games on the PSP … then it came back to me. Do you remember when Apple announced the new iPod lineup in September of 2009? At the time I wrote about the iPod Touch questioning the quantity to quality ratio, and led with this image: Image Source: Engadget Back then I thought that the PSP number was perhaps a bit low, given that I had reviewed more than 200…

Editorials

Gear Chat #8- The “No iPad Edition”

In Gear Chat #8 Larry and Dan do their best NOT to talk about the iPad. In fact they make a bet and place a dollar amount on each slip. How do they do? Listen and find out. So what DO they talk about if they are going to stop obsessing about the iPad for a bit? Why the iPhone of course. iPhone OS 4.0, rumors about new hardware, some recommended apps and more get covered in this week’s podcast.

Game Diary, Reviews

Mass Effect 2 (RPG, 2010): PC/XBOX360 Game Review

Way back in late 2007 (early 2008 on PC), Bioware released a game that was unique and interesting in several ways: it was their second game featuring all-new intellectual property (Jade Empire was first), a game designed from the start (or so we were told) as a trilogy, and the gameplay mechanic was a third-person squad-based shooter similar in some ways to Gears of War. The game was a tremendous commercial and critical success, thereby ensuring that the remainder of the trilogy would be produced, but there were some significant criticisms (even in the early 10/10 ‘bestest gaem EVAR’ reviews):…

Reviews

ReaddleDocs For iPad Review

There are a number of different ways to get PDF documents onto the iPad and then view them wherever you are. One of the best is ReaddleDocs. The developer describe the application adds, “a revolutionary PDF reader, file manager, and attachment savor for iPad. Let’s take a look. From the company, This is a revolutionary document viewer, file manager and attachment saver for the iPad. You can catch documents from any source you can imagine: PC or Mac computers, websites, e-mail, attachments, iDisk, Dropbox and any other online file storages, even iPhones. All files are saved to your iPad locally…

News

Newer Technology Releases iFolio for iPad

This one practically comes from my backyard. Well, McHenry County isn’t exactly in Chicago’s backyard, but Woodstock is a neat town and it’s cool that someone in the greater Chicago region is directly involved in making iPad accessories. Newer Technology, from Woodstock, Illinois, has just released the iFolio case for the iPad. Available in black or red Brazilian leather and featuring a zippered enclosure, the iFolio can be carried by either the attached leather handle or a removable leather shoulder strap. Inside the iFolio, the left side of the case includes pockets for documents, passports, and business cards. The right side includes four…

Reviews

A Quick Look at the Verizon HTC Droid Incredible Android Phone

Just a few days ago we announced the new Verizon HTC Incredible, and tonight they just went live in the Verizon Wireless store. I happen to have one here, so let’s take a look inside the box, shall we? Look at all of that shiny black plastic on the front, just waiting for you to breathe on it, smudge it up, and allow dust to land on its pristine surface. The Droid Incredible measures roughly 4.6″ tall x 2.3″ wide x 0.5″ thick; it’s slightly thinner than an iPhone, with a screen that puts the iPhone’s to shame … even…

Reviews

FoodEssentials Scanner for iPhone Review

About six years ago I made the decision to change my life. Being an athlete all of my life, I was pushed to get bigger and had always consumed a lot of calories since I burned so many. When I began coaching, I spent all of my time teaching others how to be athletes, and there was no time to do my own sports. I tried many dieting options with no luck until I tried the Atkins plan. Long story short, I lost 100 pounds and got back into shape. I now live a low-carb lifestyle and have maintained my…

Editorials

iPad- Like A Rorschach Ink Blot You’ll See In It What You Want To See…

I was at my physician’s yesterday. When he walked into the room his first words were… “So how’s the iPad?” (Yes even my doctors know what a tech geek I am.) I told him I love it… and I pulled it out of my bag. Then he asked me the question that has been asked over and over again, “What’s the point of it? What’s the purpose of this device? I don’t get it.” Unlike the radio DJs with whom I spoke last week (here and here) his questions weren’t statements. He actually was asking a question and wanted an…

Reviews

Waterfield Ultimate SleeveCase for iPad and iPad Suede Jacket – Reviews

Back in February we shared news that Waterfield was rolling out a number of different ways to protect your newest Apple device thanks to their Ultimate SleeveCase and Suede Jacket for Apple iPad. Well both are shipping and we’ve had a chance to check them out. Are they a good way to protect your iPad in a rough and tumble world? Read on and find out… First up is the iPad Ultimate SleeveCase. According to Waterfield… Ultimate iPad Sleeve Protection. Safeguard your iPad with a properly fitted SleeveCase. Cushioned with high-grade neoprene and wrapped in a nearly indestructible ballistic nylon…

Reviews

Multitasking for iPad Review

When the iPad was first announced, the one missing feature which bothered me more than any other was the lack of multitasking. However, for me multitasking is the wrong word. What I want on the iPad is what I like to call “multiviewing.” I could honestly care less about being able to listen to Pandora Radio while browsing the web. The iPad has a big, beautiful screen and what I want is to be able to open up a few applications and be able to view them side by side, all at the same time. With all the cool multi-touch…

Game Diary, Reviews

Tron 2.0 (2003, FPS): The Netbook Gamer

As a long-time techno-geek I loved the Tron movie back in the early 80’s and pumped loads of quarters into both the Tron and particularly Discs of Tron arcade game a few years later. I have watched the movie on a couple of occasions over the decades, but never owned or rented a copy until late last year. Sharing it with my kids, I found that they enjoyed it – though some of the ‘inside the computer’ references were terribly antiquated and the kids had no frame of reference to get the jokes. More recently we’ve seen the Tron Legacy…

Reviews

Review: Basketball Coach’s Clipboard For iPhone/Touch/iPad

The clipboard is a tool of the trade for basketball coaches that has been used for decades. I never coach a game without my trusty board sitting under my chair. The basketball clipboard is simple. A white dry erase clipboard with a basketball court diagram and a dry erase marker. The come in many sizes and configurations but all have the same function. Not high-tech by any means, but extremely useful. In fact, the only change in this technology is the switch from chalk boards to dry erase. Watch any game and you will see the boards come out at…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

2010 Jeep Liberty offers bit of freedom from the day-to-day

Photos courtesy Jeep While Jeep heritage has been going strong for more than half a century, most of its product lineup is still in its infancy. Compass and Patriot are actually more like adopted children – loved by their new parents but not sharing any DNA. Then there is Liberty. The Jeep Liberty was first introduced as a 2002 model but was quickly relegated to popularity around college campuses and sorority houses. Seeking to get back to its roots, Jeep gave Liberty a complete redux for the latest model. All-new from the ground up, the (Gen-II) Liberty returns to Jeep’s…

News

So … Even The Government Accounting Office Can’t Estimate the Impact of Piracy?!?

Image courtesy of BoyGeniusReport If you even peripherally follow any news about media piracy – music, movies, video games, TV shows, ebooks, and so on – you would have likely been confused. The media industry would have you believe that the amount of piracy is so massive and devastating that if they could recoup, the taxes would be enough to pay off the deficit, solve world hunger, wipe out disease, and give every child a cute little hypoallergenic kitten. If you believe the pirates, they are actually increasing sales for media and are misunderstood innovators breaking ground with a new…

Reviews

Review: Altec Lansing IMT320 inMotion Compact

I love Altec Lansing products. I have the inMotion Classic iPod Dock and I use it quite a bit. However, sometimes you need a speaker dock that is a little more compact and simpler to use than the inMotion Classic. That’s where the inMotion Compact comes in. The inMotion Compact looks a lot like the Classic, but it lacks the FM Radio, the integrated battery, remote and integrated display. The only controls on it are power and volume; all controls are on the top near the center of the dock. The rear of the dock hides the power cord’s port,…

Reviews

SurvivalStrap Review: Always There When You Need It

As a firefighter, I’m always looking for “gear” that keeps me safe. It’s especially nice to find a piece of equipment that I can carry both at work and at home. My rescue tool, for example, never leaves my pocket. It’s a versatile piece of hardware that I use almost every day, sometime to free an injured patient from their seat belt, other times to cut the blister pack off of one of my daughter’s newest toys. When I saw the SurvivalStraps web site I immediate thought, “now there’s something that might come in handy no matter where I am.”…