2012

Atari Celebrates 40 Years of Pong with Free Pong World for iOS Review

I have always loved that picture of my brother and me playing Pong at our aunt’s house one Thanksgiving back in the 70s. For those of us born in the 60s, Pong represented a revolution – a video game system that we could hook to our TV. By the time the 80s were in full swing Pong was an anachronism, yet there is something fun about the simplicity of the gameplay, the challenge of the head-to-head fun. Now you can get a revamped Pong game made as part of the PONG Indie Developer Challenge for free in celebration of the…

Game Diary, News

Murim Wars Massively Multiplayer RPG for iOS and Android Coming in December!

As more and more mobile gamers are connected to high speed networks and are looking beyond simple puzzle games, genres previously tied to computers and consoles have sprung up on mobile devices. Of course, having the graphics capability to run those apps is also a big bonus! It seems that every few months we see a new game that expands the realm of possibilities for online interaction in a mobile setting. In just a couple of weeks we will see a new MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) for mobile devices – this is a genre previously restricted to…

Reviews

Oberon Design Large Smartphone Sleeve Review

It wasn’t so long ago that I reviewed the Oberon Design cellphone sleeve, and while that case was perfect for the iPhone and other similarly sized mobile devices, it isn’t quite big enough for all of the larger-screened mobile devices that are now so popular. I’ve got the new Nokia Lumia 920, which has a 4.5″ screen and measures 5.13″ tall x 2.79″ wide x 0.42″ thick; it is simply too large for the original sleeve. Luckily, I was soon to receive the new Oberon Design Large Smartphone Sleeve. This larger sleeve measures 6.25″ tall x 4″ wide; these measurements…

Gear Bits, News

New Sleek, Functional Designs From Tablet-Case Creator ‘Solid Gray’

I probably won’t be the first to admit that we don’t need anymore tablet or phone cases. There are already thousands of competitive products available in this category, many of them priced very reasonably. Walking into Best Buy, Verizon, or even Five Below becomes a sensory assault of competing, well-designed cases. As you know, the editors here at Gear Diary are prepared to handpick the best and most interesting products for inclusion on the site. So check out the latest from Netherlands-based design firm Solid Gray. While the studio’s earlier productions focused on creating unique, functional backpacks, it’s newest creation…

Reviews

ZAGGsparq 6000 Portable Power Station Review

CES 2013 is coming up fast, which means we are already thinking about the gear that will help us best cover the show. This year I expect Judie’s and my iPad minis will play a big role. I’ll also be using my Canon T3i to grab better photos and video than I have previously. And Carly, Carly will be getting her first taste of the gadget-craziness that is the Consumer Electronics Show. Each year Judie and I have talked through what gear would best help us keep our gadgets charged and, each year, we have found ourselves running on vapors…

Gear Bits

The Importance of Reading Customer Reviews

Sarah and I are staying with my parents temporarily, and overall it is working out well. However, there is one issue that makes life difficult: the WiFi reception in my parents’ home is terrible. The router sits all the way on one side of the house, and picking up signal in our room (downstairs and on the opposite end) is very dicey. I needed a simple, cheap way to extend the signal, and Joel suggested the TP-Link mini router he had reviewed. After I read Joel’s review thoroughly, I headed to Amazon to check out the device. The price was…

Reviews

Think Tank Photo CityWalker 20 Camera Messenger Review

I’m a fan of messenger-style gear bags. I find them to be comfortable, flexible and, well, I like the way they look. My appreciation of messenger bags extends to camera bags as well. And when a camera messenger bag can easily convert into a standard gear messenger, I’m interested. Think Tank Photos new CityWalker is just that kind of messenger back. The company was kind enough to send one for review, and I have to say I think it is one of my favorites. The bag is light, well-built, feature-rich, and it looks great. Let’s hear what Think Tank has…

Reviews

Audyssey Wireless Speakers Review

Hi, Captain Obvious here with a thought that is… well, obvious. Today’s totally obvious thought? No matter how good tech gets, there will always be pros and cons to any and every device. This holds for computers, it holds for tablets, and it holds for audio systems; let’s focus on audio system. I LOVE my Sonos system. It works perfectly for me, thanks to its connection with my home WiFi network and the terrific Sonos app that works on any and all my devices. And since I subscribe to Spotify, I can have all my music anywhere there is a…

News

Look at How Much the Galaxy Market Push Is Costing Samsung

This year has been pretty awesome for Samsung – they have seen huge success with the Galaxy SIII, surprise success with the Galaxy Note and Note II, as well as big wins in all of their other businesses. And as I have said, the Samsung Galaxy SIII is one of the best phones I have ever touched and deserves the accolades … and my wife says I will pry it from her cold dead hands! We have also often talked about ads – Apple, Samsung and others (but mostly Apple and Samsung). Apple does loads of advertising, and has created…

Music Diary, News

AC/DC Finally Comes to iTunes, Posts Big Sales in First Week

I remember that with the rock band I played with in high school, one of the first songs we learned was the (new at the time) Highway to Hell by AC/DC. The following year AC/DC really exploded with their greatest album – Back In Black, with a load of classic rock songs that most people would recognize. It was a solid record with little ‘filler’, but AC/DC was really a singles rock band in an ‘AOR’ (album oriented rock) time. Why do I mention this? Because AC/DC has been a hold out in terms of getting their stuff digitally on…

Reviews

Eemov Nano Stabilizer Arm Review

Smartphone cameras and camcorder abilities have improved by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and that means that more and more they are becoming our go-to devices to record precious memories and important events. Where you used to see someone carrying anything from a point and shoot to a full DSLR, you now see people whipping out their iPhones or Android devices (and sometimes even iPads!) As a result, the camera accessories people used to use with their dedicated cameras are now being reinvented as smartphone compatible. I had the opportunity to review one such device, the Eemov…

Crowdfunding, Game Diary, News

Sinister Design Launches a Telepath Tactics Kickstarter!

I have written several times about the cool hybrid indie RPG ‘Telepath RPG: Servants of God’, and while I never finished the review I started, it remains a unique experience and one of the best indie games I have played this year. For a while now developer Craig Stern has been talking up the progress on his turn-based game Telepath Tactics – and now he has launched a Kickstarter effort in order to deliver a game with a robust single-player experience and more graphics content than the original simple turn-based multiplayer game he planned. Project Title: Telepath Tactics game for…

Game Diary, News

Battlefield 3 Expansion Pack Aftermath Releases

Battlefield 3: Aftermath, the fourth expansion pack which features a four new maps (Azadi Palace, Epicenter, Markaz Monolith, and Talah Market), three new vehicles (Barsuk, Phoenix, and Rhino) plus modified military and civilian vehicles. Players can also enjoy the new “XBOW” crossbow weapon, and a new “scavenger” mode where players search for weapons while starting with only a pistol. New assignments, dogtags, achievements, and trophies are also included. PlayStation 3 premium members can get this expansion pack now (associated Battlefield 3 game copy required) while it release for Xbox 360 and PC premium players on December 4. Players without premium…

Vehicles & Gear

First Drive of all-new 2013 Nissan Sentra

Our recent trip to California with Nissan was a two-part launch program. The first I already brought you in the form of the all-new, unibody-once-again, three-row Pathfinder. The second is the 2013 Sentra compact sedan. Nissan wants to be your sedan destination and part of that, a big part, is this seventh-generation model. The compact segment is now second in total vehicle sales overall, growing to more than 2 million units per year with much of the competition already launching new units or rolling them out soon. Nissan has sold more than 4.3 million Sentras over the past 30 years,…

Reviews

Hunter’s Universal Internet Thermostat Review

Every now and then I review a product that I quickly realize I’m not only going to continue using after the review but will likely purchase more for use elsewhere. That is the case with Hunter’s Universal Internet Thermostat. The thermostat is simple to install, uncomplicated to set up, and it works phenomenally well. In fact, just this morning, Elana said to me, “so before I even got out of bed, I used the iPhone application to make sure the temperature was going up in the kitchen and living room.” That’s enough for me to want to continue using it and…

Gear Bits

What Would a Nationwide Secession Really Look Like?

I have to admit, my main response to all those petitions to secede after the presidential election was to laugh, shrug, and move on with my day. However, one very creative author came up with a much more entertaining take on secession, turning into an alternate history account of what civil war would look like if every state fended for itself. Slate has the full tale, but here’s a taste: The first real occupation attempts happened when attempts were made to secure more assets. The Republic of Texas sought to gain strategic advantages in the Central United States. To do…

News

Apple’s Profit Compared to Everyone Else’s Profits

Everyone familiar with the tech world knows that Apple is insanely profitable … but have you ever wondered just HOW profitable? The folks at Statista took on the challenge and made a chart of Apple profits compared to other companies. But if you have looked at similar graphs in the past, you know that Apple is SO MUCH more profitable that there is a lack of perspective! So instead the graph stacks up groups of other companies and compares their cumulative profits to Apple. It is pretty amazing to look at the graph: Apple is more profitable than the combination…

Health and Fitness, News

Cool Story Behind a Great Picture

Chances are if you or anyone you know is into running, you have since the picture above this week. Running clubs and individuals have picked it up everywhere, but as so often happens it was done without attribution or a link to the original source. Today on my own local Facebook running group there was a link to the original source. In case the image isn’t clear, it says: 50 Fat Diabetic Ahead of you Turns out the picture was taken by a woman who blogs as the ‘T-Rex Runner’, and she tracked down the guy wearing the shirt and…

Crowdfunding, Game Diary, News

Legend of Dungeon Opens Up Kickstarter Effort, Launches Free Demo

I wrote about the teaser trailer for Legend of Dungeon last week, noting that the title sounded like a joke. Developer RobotLovesKitty got back to me and mentioned that it actually started as a joke – but then stuck! They also mentioned that they were launching a Kickstarter to fund even more features for the game – and offering a free demo! Project Title: Legend of Dungeon game for PC/Mac/Linux Status: Active Closing Date for Funding: 12/16/2012 URL of the Project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robotloveskitty/legend-of-dungeon From the Creatives: As you explore the sparsely lit dungeon, gather items and battle monsters you will no doubt…

Reviews

Sena Magia Wallet for iPhone 5 Review

We’ve been looking at a number of the cases Sena offers for the iPhone 5. This time out we are looking at the Sena Magia Wallet for iPhone 5. This wallet-style case protects your phone, holds a number of cards, and does so in as simple and stylish manner as I have seen. Let’s take a look. From Sena: Give your Apple iPhone 5 the sleek and versatile look it deserves . The Magia Wallet’s modern innovation clasps your smartphone in place and engulfs it with handcrafted premium leather. Features: Seamless luxurious slim design Magia Tape adhesive securely holds your…

Reviews

Build-A-Lot 4 Power Source HD for iPad Review

Type of app: Time Management Platform/where to buy: iPad (iPhone version, here); available in the App Store Developer: HipSoft / G5 Entertainment Description: Make your cities grow and glow in this energetic hit! You already know how to construct homes, malls and restaurants, right? Now it’s time to invest in green energy! Build solar towers, wind farms and even nuclear power plants to make your cities sustainable and prosperous for generations. Watch out for blackouts, though, as building too fast can result in a system overload. So take it slow, plan ahead and manage your energy resources carefully. Be ready…

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