November 2010 | Gear Diary

Review: Charge All Of Your Devices At Once With Arctic C2 USB Charger

I do not know about you, but I have collected quite the array of USB devices. From iPhones and iPads to battery chargers, it seems that my life is constantly filled with charging via a USB cable. For a while I did have a wall adapter with a USB port that I could use to charge some devices, but only one at a time, which was not working. One day, my wife said, “look at all this junk we have sitting here waiting to charge, and you only have one plug?” After explaining that none of it was junk, I…

How to Do It Yourself!, Reviews

iPhone 4 Jazzin’ Up Photography

All images by author I finally upgraded to the iPhone 4 from Apple and my “hand-me-down” 3GS went to my new bride Tish. When Apple first began to release details of its latest phone I was eager to test the higher resolution 5 megapixel camera (versus 3ish of the previous phone). And with the last iOS update this new device now has the capability of HDR or High Dynamic Range photography. What a pleasant surprise. What is HDR? An easy explanation would be to think of it as “high-def” photography as the range of colors and tones displayed is greater….

Editorials

Shape-Up Shoes Shocker: They Don’t Work!

Here’s a news flash for everyone who’s looking for a quick fitness fix: there isn’t one. There is no magic equipment, no special pill, and definitely no pair of super sneakers that are going to get you in shape or zap away the weight. It takes watching what you eat and getting your butt moving! Of course, if you look around your local mall, every athletics store is touting some form of “toning shoe” that promises better muscle tone in your legs and back, and all you have to do is wear them! The first time I saw the shoes…

Reviews

Review: Cgear Sand-Free Multimat for Camping

Let’s face it: The outdoors can be dirty and dusty. You go to the beach and try to lay a towel out and end up getting sand all over it. You go for a swim and then get sand in your eyes when you dry off. Not fun. How do you cure this? Cgear’s Sand-Free Multimat! That’s how! The Multimat is made from a special technological material similar to what the military uses a to keep dust down when landing helicopters in dusty environments. This also works wonderfully to keep the sand and dust on the ground where it belongs…

Editorials

Random Cool Video: In Case You Wondered Why So Many People Love Glee

At the end of last season my family started watching Glee, and we have been fans ever since. I wouldn’t call us ‘Gleeks’ since we miss episodes here and there and will watch other things in the same time slot on occasion – but we enjoy the show and look forward to it each week. This week’s episode was particularly good for a few reasons: it touched on homosexuality in a sensitive way, also looking at bullies and bullying, preconceived notions based on appearance, and other stuff. Oh, and there was the normal wall-to-wall array of high-energy songs and dance…

Reviews

Apolis Global Citizen Transit Issue Smartphone Wallet iPhone 4 Case Review

Companies like Apolis don’t come around very often. After I had agreed to review their latest offering, a wallet style case for the iPhone 4, I went to read up and learn more about the brand. What I read really made me stand up and take notice. Work conditions at the Chinese factory that produces the iPhone have been all over the news of late and details on the numerous suicides by the Chinese workers are shocking. We’ve all read the stories about the less than stellar work conditions in factories that product sneakers and other brand named clothing too….

News

Reminder: Don’t Forget About Veterans on November 12th

Yesterday was Veteran’s Day across the US, and everywhere you went there were special events, giveaways, speeches, and so on to commemorate the event. And that is a very good thing – I remember well the era when individual soldiers were lumped with politicians and others in terms of getting blamed for Vietnam and everything else that was wrong with the country throughout the 1970’s. And while I have significant concerns about many of the restrictions to our freedoms and ability to dissent in our post-9/11 reality, I think it is a wonderful change for the good in our country…

Reviews

iPad Accessory Review: Saddleback Leather Company iPad Sleeve / Large Gadget Pouch

There aren’t many materials that are more long-lasting, beautiful or more protective than thick, full-grain leather; Saddleback Leather Company is one of the few companies that takes advantage of that fact. I recently received their iPad Sleeve / Large Gadget Pouch, and have since had a chance to put it under the microscope (figuratively, of course).

Reviews

SCOTTEVEST SeV Travel Boxers Review

I know this is going to come as a shock to those of who you frequent the site but… I love SCOTTEVEST clothing. I wear one of their jackets pretty much every day, I love my SeV hoodie and, recently, I got some of their Q-Zip and performance t-shirts which I pretty much live in when I’m not in a suit. So it should be no huge surprise that I was intrigued when they pulled the curtain back on their latest product- the SeV Travel Boxers. Well, I’m not a boxer kinda guy (yeah, yeah… TMI…) but these just might change…

Reviews

Mobile Phone Gear Review: iPazzPort Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard

One reason people tell me they do not choose to use an iPhone is that they would rather have a phone with a hardware keyboard. Apple, among other companies, have produced Bluetooth keyboards that can be used with iPhones and iPads, but they are almost all full-sized offerings. EFO Gadget Shop recently sent me the iPazzPort Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard to review with my IOS devices. Lets take a look. The iPazzPort is a Mini Bluetooth wireless keyboard for iPad, iPhone and a host of smartphones including Windows Mobile and Nokia operating systems. Unfortunately Android is not compatible with this device. …

Reviews

iPod touch Case Review: Fitted for 4th Generation iPod touch

When the 4th generation iPod touch came out I broke one of my cardinal rules… I began using it before a case was released for it. I NEVER do that. Ever. Keeping my iDevices pristine is too important for me and the shiny metal back of the touch scratches far too easily. Unfortunately cases for the new iPod touch were a few weeks off. I immediately began using my touch and… as expected… within a few days the back was a bit scratched up. It is too late for me to keep my touch in perfect shape but if you…

News

Gear Games News: Nintendo (tries to) Trademark “It’s On Like Donkey Kong”

I am not sure what I would file this email I got today under … corporate hubris? Trying to cash in on a decade old saying? Misguided legalistic idiocy? I’m just really not sure – please help me out in the comments! Anyway, today we get word that Nintendo has filed a trademark claim on a phrase they didn’t make up, didn’t attempt to control, and have let enter the popular lexicon for nearly two decades … because it uses one of their trademarked properties. Here is the email I got this morning: Nintendo Files Official Trademark for Catchphrase ‘It’s…

News

iPad Bluetooth Keyboard With Folding Leather Protective Case Released

I love my iPad, but have yet to use it for heavy work, including writing my Gear Diary posts. Typing on the MacBook is just so much faster because of its full-size keyboard. Later today I will post a review for a credit card size Bluetooth keyboard that works with the iPhone and iPad. Although that keyboard works really well, I have a hard time using a phone sized qwerty keyboard. The same company, EFO has recently released an iPad case that contains a full size Bluetooth keyboard. Now, you can easily carry your iPad, flip it open and type…

Reviews

Casio Edifice Watch Review: Yep, I Said Casio

I have a pretty extensive watch collection which includes time pieces that range in price from very low to very high. While I do posses several “high-end” watches I find that I wear a digital watch most often. Part of the reason is my line of work – I just am too hard on anything I wear to worry about a pricey wrist accessory and part of it is the functionality a digital watch offers. A few weeks ago I took off my trusty Casio G-Shock while at the mall and gave it to my wife to hold. When we…

Reviews

Gear Review- MOBiLE CLOTH High Tech Split Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

Touchscreens are awesome but they are also fingerprint magnets. As the above image shows, try as I might, I can’t seem to keep my screen pristine. And that’s just the aesthetic issue. Recent studies have shown that touchscreens tend to collect lots and lots of germs. That’s especially problematic now that it is flu season. Seriously… it is gross to think about what is squirming around on this screen. Yuck! That’s why I was intrigued when we received an e-mail from a new company, MOBiLE CLOTH. They wrote to tell us about their product which is specially designed to remove…

Game Diary, Reviews

Fruit Ninja for iPhone/Touch Review

I have developed a few preferences while gaming on my iPhone. First, the games have to obviously be fun, but also something I can play in short spurts. My life has become much too busy to sit around and work through levels and play for long periods of time. About all the time available now is a minute here or two minutes there. The IOS as a gaming platform is perfect for these types of games. Another preference is that the games utilize Game Center. A group of my football players have began competing pretty heavily with our Game Center…

Editorials, Game Diary

How Much Gaming Should $1 Get You?

I recently did a review of a series of $1 iPhone Apps, and in that article I struggled a bit with assessing the value proposition of those games. After all, over the last decade iTunes has successfully trained us that $1 is pretty much a throw-away in terms of value. You are lucky to find a song for that much at iTunes or Amazon, most stuff in the vending machines at my work costs more, and forget about getting a cup of even basic coffee for $1 anymore! But still I was concerned … just what is fair to expect…

Editorials

Is Slamming Your Boss on Facebook a “Protected Activity”?

If you work for a major company, there’s a good shot somewhere in your employee handbook is a prohibition against blogging, Facebooking or Twittering about your employer. Most companies take a dim view of employees taking their internal grievances to the masses, no doubt distrusting how quickly viral news spreads around the web. Of course, the flip side is that what employees do on their own time with their own computer is free speech, and that’s the heart of a major employee rights case before the courts. According to the New York Times, an employee at an ambulance company had…

News

Cervantes Mobile Releases Portable Bluetooth keyboard for iPhone, iPad and Android devices

Cervantes Mobile has released a new portable bluetooth keyboard designed specifically for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices. The Jorno keyboard… …folds down to a compact size to easily fit in your pocket or bag, and includes a detachable cradle to hold your device in either portrait or landscape orientation. Bluetooth connectivity allows you to pair the keyboard to your mobile device and position the keyboard anywhere you like. The keyboard is also rigid when unfolded, allowing placement in your lap. With the Jorno Bluetooth Keyboard, you can write emails, take notes and enjoy an efficient, portable way to type…

Reviews

Speck Pixel Skin HD iPod Touch 4G Case Review

TPU and silicone style cases for the iPod Touch and the iPhone are a dime a dozen. If you’re going to impress me with a soft case you’ve got to stand out from the crowd. And that’s exactly what the Pixel Skin HD from Speck Products does. This TPU style case features 6 DPI of high-definition grip in four stylish colors. The Pixel Skin HD is offered in Black, Yellow, Bright Red and Purple. The case doesn’t come with a screen shield. Speck isn’t offering their ShieldView for the 4th generation Touch just yet, so if you need a screen…

Music Diary, Reviews

Music Diary Retrospective: A Magical Mystery Tour of the Beatles Catalog

It is hard to believe (well, for me anyway), but we are fast approaching the 30th anniversary of the assassination of John Lennon, after just recently passing the 70th anniversary of his birth. We are also 40 years since the break-up of the Beatles, so in honor of all of these anniversaries going on I decided to take a walk through the Beatles official release catalog. The entire set was released just over a year ago fully remastered, and it is those versions I will revisit. This means that my brother’s copy of Meet the Beatles will be left unaddressed….