2012

Epson Expression Photo XP-850 Small-In-One Review

We recently reviewed Epson’s Expression Premium XP-800 Small-in-One Printer. (Read the review.) I was impressed. Judie and I came back from Aruba having taken a huge number of pictures. Many of them can be seen in this post on “Amazing Aruba“. Some of them are so good that I wanted to print and frame them for my home and office. A good quality photo printer is quite handy for doing just that, and while I could have used the XP-800, this presented a perfect time to test out the XP-800’s big brother the XP-850. The Epson Expression Photo XP-850 Small-In-One…


Oberon Design iPad mini Cover Review

I’ve been a fan of Oberon Design’s products for several years, and it seems to go without saying (at least in my home) that if you have a new iPad or Kindle, you’ll probably want an Oberon Design cover to go with it. Kev has the Celtic Hounds cover in wine on his iPad 3, and I have the Van Gogh Sky cover in sky blue on my Kindle touch. I have found that there is no better leather cover available if you want to keep your device a book-style case. I was sent the latest Oberon Design cover for…


Stay Connected to Family in 2013 with Sony’s Camera and Microphone for Skype

I’ve become increasingly enamored of video chatting. It is handy, convenient and it works well; it also saves gas and time. For example, I do most of my High Holy Day sermon writing with my friend Lawrence. We bounce ideas around, rip initial drafts apart, and share illustrations. In prior years we would get together two or three times and have marathon writing sessions together. This year we didn’t get together once; instead we used FaceTime and Skype. We didn’t need to travel, and we were able to “meet” far more times than we could have in the past. Similarly,…


Twelve South BookBook for iPad mini Review

We are huge fans of Twelve South’s products. The company has a relatively limited — but rapidly growing — portfolio, and their entire line is specifically designed with us Apple-fans in mind. A quick search on Gear Diary will reveal reviews of almost all of their lineup. One of the Twelve South offerings that has been among the biggest hit with us is the Twelve South BookBook line of MacBook and iOS device cases. The BookBook line looks and feels like a classically bound book, but it protects your precious device. I reviewed the first version of the BookBook for iPad, but…


Doctors Look at the REAL Damage Done to the Crooks in Home Alone!

This is just a fun one – Home Alone is set at Christmas, making it a classic for the season. As everyone knows Macaulay Culkin gets left behind as his extended family takes a big trip, and takes on home invaders Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci. What starts as a tale of a kid who is overlooked and is a bit of a screw-up who can’t seem to figure out a way to fit in ends up as a story about growth and self-discovery. But as anyone who has seen it knows, Stern and Pesci take a load of abuse…


Apple Killing the Kickstarter ‘POP’ Project Reminds Us of Why Closed ‘Standards’ Suck

UPDATE: According to ArsTechnica, Apple has replied stating the POP didn’t meet the standards for the ‘Made for iPod’ program, but has approved the device for side-by-side (by side) Lightning/30-pin (/USB) charging. OK, first of all, the title is imprecise; Apple did NOT kill anything. However, because they hold the patents – and therefore the decision to license or not license – the Lightning connector, they effectively held the final decision-making power about whether or not the POP portable power station would be a worthwhile product. Did you know about the POP portable power station project on Kickstarter?  A cool…


2013 Volvo S60 R-Design AWD

When looking back on cars I have driven this year there are a few that resonate driving enjoyment and would be nameplates I would like to see in my own driveway permanently. One of the biggest surprises was a Volvo – yes, I said Volvo. The S60 sedan, delivered to me in funky Rebel Blue R-Design form, stood out enough to best the likes of BMW 3-series’ and Infiniti G. And while delivering one of the best-looking products in quite a long time, safety does not take a back seat with the new model. As Volvo has slowly evolved its…


‘This is One Serving’ Holiday Party Snack Edition

Remember how we posted about a cool article at the Greatist that broke down the traditional Thanksgiving meal by showing the approximate size of a single serving of our favorite dishes? Well, for many of us the entire month of December seems like one long binge-fest of appetizers, cookie-swaps, pass-a-pot luncheons, and so on. So naturally the folks at the Greatist have come up with a NEW visual guide to remind you of just how badly you are overeating at those holiday events. Here is a sample: Egg Nog Serving Size Equivalent: A three-ounce espresso cup 143 calories, 6 grams…


Bike Baron for iPhone Review

Even though I have very little free time during football season, everyone needs something to ease their mind and take a short break. As of late, I have enjoyed a few iPhone games that seem to follow the common theme of driving. There is not any particular reason every game I am currently playing involves driving, jumping and trying not to crash, but it has been bringing me some much needed relief and entertainment. My latest craze is Bike Baron. Let’s take a quick look. MASTER over 100 different tracks, beat more than 300 unbelievable challenges and learn the secrets…


Pocket Informant Continues to Shine and Adds New Updates and Bug Fixes

I am about to head to my first CES experience in just a few short weeks, and already I have learned something very important: the schedule is an absolute beast. Everyone wants to meet, there are only a few short days, and juggling all those commitments is going to be rough. Luckily, I am not leaning on the anemic iOS calendar to handle all this, but I have the always amazing Pocket Informant to help me out! There are a few reasons why I recommend Pocket Informant as a more robust calendar and tasks option. One, it’s far, far easier…


Building a Budget-Friendly Home Theater PC

Hello again, friends and tech-lovers.  Today we are going to talk about building a Home Theater PC or HTPC for short.  More importantly, building a budget-friendly HTPC.  In one of my previous posts, I talked about the Ceton inifiniTV 4 tuner, a great way to turn your PC into a set-top box for your cable TV.  But, what if you don’t have a PC lying around to use?  What if you don’t want to spend a bunch of money to buy a PC?  I’m going to show you how you can build an HTPC for around $300. Why build an…


Spigen SGP Linear Metal Crystal Case for iPhone 5 Review

Yesterday we took a look at the SPIGEN SGP Neo Hybrid EX Case for iPhone 5. (Read the review.) It is a nice bumper-style case that gets the job of protecting the iPhone 5 done without adding too much bulk or breaking the bank. Today we’re taking a look at another iPhone 5 case from Spigen SGP. The Linear Metal Crystal Case for the iPhone 5 has a different design approach than the Neo Hybrid EX but offers the same degree of protection and value we’ve come to expect from the company. Let’s take a look. I’m rather impressed with…


Barnes and Noble’s Very Clever eBook Gifting Promotion

I’ve said for a long time that Barnes and Noble’s key to success in the ebook world was through their retail channels. The more they find ways to leverage the advantage of being both the neighborhood store AND an instant gratification web presence, the better they will be able to compete with Amazon. It looks like they are looking for creative ways to do that, and their latest one is actually pretty clever. This newest promotion is called “Buy One NOOK Book, Gift One NOOK Book for Free“. The concept is pretty great all by itself; buy one qualifying ebook,…


Parents, Check Out These 12 Myths of Protecting Your Kids Online

This holiday season millions of kids will be getting an iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet, Kindle Fire, Nook and so on … and maybe a few will get a traditional PC or Mac. One of the first things they will do with it is get online. Maybe just for email, but if they are under 30 probably not. For most kids getting online involves Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr and so on … but also web chat areas, Homestuck and other fandoms, and so on. Bottom line – kids are used to an always-online world … and predators are adapting…


Just Mobile Gum Max Backup Battery Review

In the first post of this two-part series, we looked at the Just Mobile Gum Plus backup battery. (Read the review, here.) It provides 5200 mAh of battery life and lets you charge your iPhone a number of times. The Gum Plus is small and light enough for you to easily throw the battery into your gadget bag and carry it all the time. But what if you REALLY need extra battery life? What if you have an iPhone and an iPad you need to keep charged? What if you can’t be sure you’ll be near an outlet at all…


Set Top Boxes, a Gear Chat

Over the years writing for Gear Diary, we often have chats behind the scenes about all sorts of issues.  Some are private and will never see the light of day, but many times what is said ends up in a long string of comments that would make a great post.  This one all started by a gift I received from a friend — a brand new Roku 2 XS — which I love a lot.  I posted in our back channel about it, and off we went.  Joel: Received a Roku 2 XS from a friend of mine. Best thing ever. First…


Heroes of Ruin Video Game Review on Nintendo 3DS

This extensive adventure game puts the genre right in the palm of your hands with an engaging, action experience bolstered by a user-friendly, touch-controlled inventory system and consistent new downloadable content. This Nintendo 3DS exclusive game impresses with an in-depth role-playing game (RPG)/dungeon crawling experiences with a wide array of game modes and online options. The multiplayer and cooperative gameplay options encourage coordination and friendships as online connection expand the game beyond the in-depth “off-line” single-player mode. Up to three other players (friends or any worldwide participants) can jump in the “drop in and out” cooperative multiplayer with complete with…


Pique your [P]Interest

Did you know that if you run out of AA batteries, you can use AAA ones and fill the gap with foil?  Did you know adding baking powder into your baby’s bath can help relieve diaper rash?  Do you want to learn how to make homemade gel ice packs?  Do you want a recipe for garlic cheese bread?  Do you enjoy looking at cute pictures of fluffy animals?  Are you interested in learning how to make an eternity scarf?  These are just a few things that Pinterest has to offer. Pinterest is like Facebook, Twitter, and Evernote all in one…


All Those Junk Emails Are No Accident!

 (image courtesy TLC) My morning routine during November and December is pretty simple; wake up, throw on warm clothes, grapple the dog into his leash, start our walk, and use my iPhone to begin the mass deletion of every “ONE DAY SALE” email that’s hit overnight. I don’t even read most of the subject lines, I just skim and delete. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what all those retailers don’t want…and there’s more to their strategy than just gunking up our inboxes. The Wall Street Journal has an utterly fascinating article on how email marketing works, and what retailers aim to accomplish…


SPIGEN SGP Neo Hybrid EX Case for iPhone 5 Review

You love the iPhone 5’s thin, sleek design. You love its refined look. You value the fact that it is even lighter than the iPhone 4S. All that being the case, why in the world would you want to add tons of extra weight and bulk to it? The short answer is, of course, you wouldn’t. Still, the iPhone 5 is a fairly delicate piece of electronics that needs to be protected. And as far too many of us have learned, the phone’s sides scratch far too easily. Enter the SPIGEN SGP Neo Hybrid EX Case for iPhone 5 and…


Just Mobile Gum Plus Back Up Battery Review

One of the main challenges for those of us who attend CES, is making sure our mobile devices stay charged. Year after year we find that, half way through the day, we are scrambling to find somewhere to plug in and repower. Not. This. Year. No, this year is going to be different; this year we are going to carry enough backup batteries to easily make it through the day. (Yeah, I know we said that last year but, this year, we mean it.) I reached out to our friends at Just Mobile, and asked if they might be willing…