2014 | Gear Diary

Track Your Domino’s Pizza Order from Your Pebble Watch

So you’ve placed your dinner order from your mobile device’s Domino’s Pizza app, but picking your phone or tablet up to check the status every few minutes is just so hard. No worries; leave your device lying there, and look at the Pebble Watch on your wrist, instead. Because you can. A good looking watch with an even better looking display. Mmm. Introducing Domino’s Tracker® for Pebble Watch. A photo posted by Domino’s Pizza (@dominos) on Nov 11, 2014 at 11:20am PST

Reviews

VisionTek USB 3.0 120GB Solid State Drive Review: Portable Convenience

My otherwise excellent 500GB MacBook Pro r serves as my desktop computer, but I wish it had a larger SSD. To compensate, I’ve perfected the art of juggling media around via a collection of external SSD devices of various shapes, sizes, and purposes; the VisionTek USB 3.0 120GB solid state drive (SSD) is the latest tool in my arsenal.

Music Diary, News & Features

Apollo-M Delivers Unlimited Music Lessons to Musicians for $4.95 Per Month

When I was a kid, learning guitar meant finding a local teacher and getting weekly lessons – which is still the most popular method. More recently you can buy DVDs and watch YouTube instructions to help you along. And now Apollo-M introduces subscription music instruction which they describe as ‘Netflix for music learning’, giving you a la carte lesson access!

News & Features

Verizon’s Connection Day Will Celebrate Your Mobile Gear

On November 26, Verizon will celebrate Connection Day, offering free holiday tech gifts to everyone to connect people to their smartphone content including apps, in-flight Wi-Fi access, book downloads, magazine digital edition downloads, and music service trials. MORE Everything customers who register will also get “one-time”1GB sharable data gifts plus an additional 1GB on their next billing cycle.

News & Features

So You Think You Can Dance, but Can You Attract a Mate?

According to a group of evolutionary biologists at Northumbria University, there are the dance movements that will catch a woman’s eye; in other words, these are the movements that will attract a mate. Can you do them? If not, you’d better get busy. If you nail the moves, we’d love to see your videos. 😉 The biggest difference I see is that the “good” dancer has his head up and he is working his legs and torso; such confidence! Obviously he is an excellent hunter-gatherer who will provide for his prospective spouse and his future family. The “bad” dancer is stuck in…

News & Features

Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition Coming in December!

Have you heard about the Oculus Rift? Over the past 12 months the virtual reality company has been collaborating with Samsung, and the result is the new Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition which creates a virtual reality experience driven by the Galaxy Note 4, and it will be ready in early December. Why should you care?

Reviews

Divoom Airbeat-10 Water-Resistant Bicycle and Shower Bluetooth Speaker

In an ever-more-crowded marketplace it is difficult for companies to make their small portable Bluetooth speakers stand out, but that doesn’t mean manufacturers aren’t trying to do just that. In the case of the Divoom Airbeat-10, they have pretty much succeeded. This isn’t an audiophile-grade speaker, but if you want your music on-the-go it is a great little option.

Reviews

Alcohoot Puts Police Grade Breathalyzer Technology in Your Hand

It is a simple formula… or should be… if you are going out for the night and planning to drink you shouldn’t drive. It isn’t just about avoiding a ticket or jail time, it is about keeping yourself and other safe. That’s where the Alcohoot can come in handy. It, “puts the power of police grade technology in your hand.”

Reviews

X-Doria Engage Folio for iPhone 6 Plus Review

We recently took a look at an inexpensive folio case for the iPhone 6 Plus. This time out we are looking at a similar case with a nice design twist. The X-Doria Engage Folio for iPhone 6 Plus is remarkably thin and nicely protective. It also lets the great looks of the Apple Phablet shine through.

Music Diary, News & Features

IK Multimedia Announces Amplitube and iRigHD-A for Some Samsung Devices!

At the top of my ‘criticism of Android’ list for literally four years now is the abysmal audio support, leading Android music apps to be at best toys while iOS supports full studio production and mastering tools. Android isn’t there yet, but Samsung has led with audio support and IK Multimedia is taking full advantage with AmpliTube and iRig HD-A!

News & Features

OlloClip Selfie 3-in-1 Photo LensExpress

I love OlloClip products and the new OlloClip Selfie 3-in-1 Photo LensExpress is one of the most innovative they have offered. The multifunction photo accessory includes a fisheye, a wide-angle and a macro lens. Add in the fact that it is wearable, and you have the OlloClip made for the iPhone photographer on-the-go.

Vehicles & Gear

2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Is a Pleasant Surprise

This review is on the new 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander crossover utility. Yes, Mitsubishi still makes vehicles for the U.S. market, it was Suzuki that left a couple years back. And while pickings are few in a Mitsubishi showroom, the seven-passenger Outlander CUV is a model not to be overlooked when shopping this segment (looking at you, soccer moms).

Reviews

See and Protect with the X-Doria Scene for iPhone 6 Plus

If you are into having as minimalist a case as possible on your iPhone while still actually HAVING a case on it you will want to check out the X-Doria Scene for iPhone 6 Plus. At under $20 this case is thin and light. It protects but doesn’t hide the iPhone behind a wall of black plastic or brown leather.

Editorials

Software Defined Radios Are the Future

Software defined radios are radios that are defined, primarily, with software. What does this mean? That means instead of needing a circuit to do the job, a portion of what the radio normally would do has been replaced by software. Want a different mode or even a frequency? Update the software. This has forever changed how radios are built.

News & Features

Finally – Apple Introduces Online iMessage Deregistration Tool

It took a little over 3 years, but Apple has introduced an iMessage deregistration tool allowing iPhone users who’ve moved away from iOS the ability to deregister their number from being connected to iMessage within Apple’s servers. If you’ve gone from iPhone to Android (or any other platform), you might’ve encountered problems continuing to receive text messages from iPhone friends.

Reviews

Magnetic Organizational System (MOS) Review: Fab Cables That Stay in Place

I’ve made no bones about my disdain for OEM Apple cables, but I’ll reiterate: they are cheaply made, they fray, they fail, and they are not inexpensive. That’s why I love quality aftermarket cables, and right now I am really digging the Magnetic Organizational System (MOS) I was recently sent. Their quality is outstanding, and the work perfectly.

Reviews

X-Doria Dash Folio One for iPhone 6 Plus Review

Over the next few days we will be looking at a few different offerings from X-Doria that are designed to help protect the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. First up is the X-Doria Dash Folio One for the iPhone 6 Plus. At just under $30 it’s a surprisingly nice folio case, and it even doubles as a viewing stand!

Reviews

Alpine Over-the-Ear Headphones Keep the Music Going

We’ve reviewed a number of impressive pair of headphones over the course of 2014, but none that pack the special sauce found in the new Alpine Over-the-Ear headphones. Alpine claims these $300 headphones let you “feel the music.” They do, and that’s just one small part of the reason these headphones are standouts in an ever-more-crowded market. Let’s dig deeper.

Reviews

ZAGG Rugged Folio Keyboard Case for the iPad Air

When I first pulled the Zagg Rugged Folio Keyboard Case for the iPad Air out of its box I was unimpressed. It is thick. It is heavy. It is bulky. It takes the thin, light iPad Air and makes it totally unAiry. Then I started using it. It is thick, heavy and bulky but it is also pretty great.

Reviews

7″ Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet: Not Ready for Prime Time

When the Amazon Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet was announced, I was intrigued by the “Everything Kids love. Everything Parents Want.” tagline, and I immediately preordered. These 6″ and 7″ HD Fire tablets come with a 2-Year Guarantee, a kid-proof protective case, and the setup seemed perfect for a child’s first tablet. After fiddling with one, I’m not convinced.

Game Diary, News & Features

Assassin’s Creed Unity/Rogue Pre-Release Guide

This year the historical action/adventure-filled Assassin’s Creed game series gives players two comprehensive experience based on different consoles on Tuesday, November 11. Assassin’s Creed Unity will release on the “next-gen” PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Assassin’s Creed Rogue on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, which will likely be the last Creed installment on these consoles.