See the device sitting in between the two iPhones? That’s actually the world’s smallest standalone projector. It is tiny but the picture is great. The product isn’t out yet but it is coming… And soon. And it is powered by Texas Industries DLP Pico chip. It is amazing! (This post and many more being brought to you from CES-stay tuned to Gear Diary for more great coverage all week!)
Android people have long been without a great speaker dock solution. Usually you ended up just plugging your phone into desktop speakers and pressing play on the phone. Remote control? No way. Gear Diary’s own Bryan lamented about this lack of accessories just a few weeks ago! Well at CES 2012, Digital Innovations has brought out their Universal Speaker dock for Android! Android users rejoice as you can pause and alter the volume of the music from across the room with a remote just like iPhone users have been able to do for quite some time now. What is even…
Since I am one of Gear Diary’s cooking and kitchen gadget reviewers and also write about food for a few other publications, it’s all I can do to keep myself anywhere near fighting weight. One of my favorite exercise regimens as part of the battle of the bulge is cycling, both on the road and in the gym. So that’s why I was excited to see the latest announcement from Velocomp that they have developed an iOS-based cycling computer that interfaces with iPhones and iPods. I usually ride with my iPhone anyway, for safety on the road and for entertainment…
There are some who have already declared this the ‘year of the Ultrabook’. So what is an Ultrabook? Think a Macbook Air … but by PC makers and running Windows. Basically it is a solid-performance ultraportable that eliminates internal optical disks and makes for a thin and light experience with mega-fast boot and wake times and battery life that challenges tablets. What most probably didn’t expect was that HP would walk into CES with a ‘premium Ultrabook’ with some stunning design features … and a price to go along with it! Here are some details from HP: Tough yet beautiful,…
It is time for a health-gadget Faceoff. Let’s meet our contenders. In this corner… Weighing in at an MSRP of $99.95 we have the veteran. The Fitbit Ultra measures your step, calculates the calories you have burned, the hours you have slept and more. You can track online or on your iPhone. It is proven technology that has seen increasing popularity since its initial release. It is cute. It is simple. It has a splash of purple. And in this corner… Weighing in at an MSRP of $99 we have the newcomer. The Striiv seeks to motivate you as it…
I reviewed Tiny Token Empires on the Mac a couple of months ago, and found it a wonderful game that easily earned its $25 price tag. Now it has moved to the iPad and after a chance to play it through again, I can confirm that it is well worth the $9 price of admission. Let’s take a look! The Hype: Tiny Token Empires is an amazing mix-it’s a puzzle game, « Match 3 » game and turn-based strategy game. The player plays one of the five major ancient empires: Rome, Greece, Egypt, Persia, or Carthage. By developing cities and…
We’ve become a fan of Native Union products. The extend the reach of mobile devices with a special emphasis on iOs gear such as iPhones and iPads. Last month we reviewed the MMo3i and liked it. It is currently serving me well and one of the company’s MMo3 Bluetooth handset is currently performing well in Judie’s home. Digital Experience, an annual CES Press event we had a chance to see the company’s latest offerings. There isn’t anything revolutionary here but they are next generation accessories and once you see them you will understand why we are looking forward to…
I recently reviewed the iMainGoXP by Portable Sound Labs, and found it to be an excellent solution for portable audio for my iPad and Kindle Fire. Now they are introducing a whole portable speaker line-up including some based on BlueTooth wireless communications! Here are some of what they are introducing at CES this week! PSL PipeLine: The device features a stellar base unit with two 2” subwoofers and two detachable speakers. For more sound “Drops” (separate PSL device) can be added, which can be synched to media device and carry sound throughout a home or provide killer surround sound. PSL…
If you search around the internet based on the images in this post you will find loads of prognostication – Android fans calling it meaningless (despite foretelling the death of iOS with each percentage Android gains at the expense of RIM), iOS fans calling it the ‘Android plummet’ (in spite of arguing that short term shifts are meaningless), and so on. What I see – particularly when I look at the next image – is a market that is moving more rapidly than ever before. Smartphones accounted for over TWO THIRDS of all mobile phone sales in October and November…
When the rumors came across last week of Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu coming to CES, I thought ‘Why?’. What could they be introducing that could be worthy of a booth at CES? Well all across the internet today Canonical has introduced their new Ubuntu TV product. Ubuntu TV, based on the new Unity interface is what Canonical wants TV makers and content providers to consider for integration in their TV’s. They also promise apps for Android, iOS and Ubuntu itself for interfacing with your Ubuntu TV. While it really looks nice, I am not so sure how this will…
I have been fairly happy with the quality and volume of the speakers in my iPad 2, but I wouldn’t begin to pretend that they can fill a room or substitute for an external speaker system. I will typically hook up to a home setup somewhere in the house, something like the Orb Audio setup I recently reviewed. But that isn’t a portable solution, so when I got the chance to look at the iMainGo XP iPad speaker case I jumped at the offer! So let’s take a look and see how it performs! The Hype: iMainGo XP is an…
The Avengers Superhero media assault begins with a preview video for the new upcoming Facebook game, Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
Kev and I have a Withings WiFi connected scale and blood-pressure cuff. My favorite feature of both is that our results are automatically exported to both a password-protected personal page on the Withings site as well as an app on our iPhone or iPad. We are able to monitor our own numbers and when the mood strikes — peek at each others. Withings has just introduced a brilliant product with the same capabilities that should make every new parent happy — their Smart Baby Scale. By using the Withings Smart Baby Scale, parents can access their child’s weight readings from…
If you are looking for a smartphone or tablet stand that isn’t a “me too” accessory Hub Innovations may have the right one for you. The comany’s PRIZM stand is a universal travel stand for smartphones, tablets, notepads, books and more. It is a sleek architectural masterpiece, made from aluminum alloys and precious metals. Comprised of two identical parts, no thicker than a pencil, this stand slides together and creates the most versatile stand on the market. Available in two sizes, this universal stand can hold anything from iPads and tablets, books and notepads to smartphones and MP3 players. This…
Telenav has just launched Scout, an iPhone app which they are calling the “first daily personal navigator that seamlessly works across the web, smartphones, and in-car systems – offering users an easy and consistent experience no matter where they are. As Telenav explains, Most people still start their searches from their home or office. In fact, according to the same Telenav survey, 75 percent of respondents prefer to use a personal computer over other options to begin their search for local businesses, and 65 percent turn to a personal computer rather than a mobile device to find navigation information. To…
I already reviewed the iPad and Android versions of Special Enquiry Detail: The Hand that Feeds and absolutely loved it … now that the Mac version is out and I have played it, let’s take a look and see how it compares! The Hype: Try your hand at investigating a crime, crack the case and catch the criminal in this perplexing hidden-object game! Detectives Turino and Lamonte have been assigned to a new investigative unit: Special Enquiry Detail. Their first case is the shocking death of the daughter of wealthy benefactors. Under pressure from the Captain and the Mayor to…
Whether or not you use or have used an iPhone, like or hate Apple, liked or disliked Steve Jobs, there is one reality that is self-evident: smartphone history is entirely divided into the pre-iPhone and post-iPhone era. And while the actual product didn’t reach customer hands until June 29th, it was on January 9th, 2007 that Steve Jobs stood up at the Macworld convention and changed the course of smartphone history. For the general public, the iPhone introduced a multi-touch interface that has since become the industry standard. While some changes took time to see, others were evident from the…
Steve Lacy – The Wire When I first thought about doing a ‘Vinyl Revisions’ series, there were three records that came to mind: Anthony Braxton’s Five Pieces 1975, The Art Ensemble of Chicago’s Reese & The Smooth Ones, and this record. I already looked back at the Braxton record, and will soon finish my look at the AEC record, but both of those share something missing from this record – a digital release! That is right, Braxton’s record was released as part of a massive collection a few years ago, and the AEC record appeared for a very short time…
OK, so I admit I have been a bit on the serious front with my concerns about the erosion of freedoms in our country. I do think it is important, and too easy to just let our freedoms disappear in the name of ‘security’. However, sometimes it is funny to look at something that is at once satirical and in some ways hits a bit close to the truth. Enjoy the image! The quote from the bottom of the image is worth sharing: “The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it’s profitable to continue the illusion. At the…
I tried Line2 when it first came out and didn’t continue after my trial period. Then Line2 came out with a fantastic iPad app and I tried it again. This time I immediately signed up for the upper lever service for a year. Ever since I have been using it to turn my iPad into a speaker phone. It works great and is one of those apps I use daily. I had a chance to stop by the Line2 table and meet one of their representatives. She asked if I wanted a trial and I explained that I was already…
Big news from B&N today! They’re looking to push down the price of the NOOK and drive more subscription services, so they’ve combined the two! You can get a free NOOK Simple Touch or a $99 NOOKcolor with a subscription to the New York Times through B&N ($19.99/month). Alternately, if you are more of the entertainment news type, there’s always a $199 NOOK Tablet with a subscription to People! This is potentially huge for the ebook industry. It turns the reader hardware into a commodity, not the main show. It also pushes prices down while also lining up ongoing cash…