January 2017

The Nomad Carabiner Keeps Your Charging at Hand Wherever Life Takes You

The other day we took a look at Nomad’s impressive approach to sync/charge cables. I love the Universal Cable I reviewed and am ordering a few more. Nomad has also re-envisioned what I’ll refer to as the “short throw portable charging cable.” Many companies offer short cables but none come close to the awesomeness of the Nomad Carabiner.


Lyft is Out of Touch with the Suburban Driver

The cofounders of Lyft have an op-ed on Medium today suggesting that carpooling is the way to end traffic in America. They have some interesting ideas, and the plan they propose makes a great deal of sense in cities. Unfortunately, they seem to think because it might work for LA, it will work for everywhere, and that’s a terrible idea.



Nomad Universal Cable Is the Only Cable You Need

Charging cables are a simple fact of modern life. And while inexpensive cables abound- after all, pretty much every mobile device and accessory includes one- the right cable can make a huge difference. Nomad offers three different cables in their Ultra Rugged Cable Series, and one of them stands out as the only cable you will ever need.


2017 Volvo S90: The New Viking Flagship

I fibbed…a little. In my opening remarks in the last auto review, I stated that was my final rerun review for a while. Turns out, THIS is my last rerun review for a while. It is not a rerun for moi, but a rerun for GearDiary readers – the 2017 Volvo S90 sedan.


The NutSac Satchel Is a Man Bag You’ll Be Proud to Carry

OK guys, I’m going to be talking about a bag company named NutSac, so let’s get all the jokes out of your system. Good? Good. The NutSac Satchel is a high-quality bag made with Top Grain leather and waxed canvas and can hold a tablet up to 9.7” as well as accessories. You can grab your own NutSac for $129.



Braven 405 Wireless Waterproof Speaker: Feel Free to Bring It Along

Aren’t we getting spoiled by all of the portable Bluetooth speakers that are waterproof? The days of having to jealously protect your portable speaker while outdoors or at the pool are gone! If you still don’t have a speaker that you can bring along without second guessing yourself, take a look at the Braven 405 Wireless Waterproof Speaker.


Protect Yourself and Opt Out of FamilyTreeNow.com Now

I am an amateur genealogist, and as such, I’m used to using sites to try to find missing relatives and other connections. With that said, there is one site out there that calls itself a genealogy site, but it is basically a stalker enabler of the highest order: FamilyTreeNow.com. Try searching your name on there, go on … I’ll wait.


Libratone Q Adapt On-Ear Headphone with CITYMIX Put Control at Your Fingertips

Scandinavian furniture has clean lines and, too often, appear to sacrifice comfort in favor of minimalism and style. Sit in such furniture and… you will be pleasantly surprised. The Libratone Q Adapt On-Ear headphones reflect this same Scandinavian design language. The have clean lines and, like the furniture, appear to sacrifice comfort in favor of minimalism.


Will the Nintendo Switch Revolutionize the Way You Play?

After months of waiting, theories, and leaks, Nintendo finally announced further details on their new gaming console, the Nintendo Switch, at 11pm EST on Thursday, January 12th, 2017.  As part of a live stream from Tokyo, a whole slew of information was revealed about the Nintendo Switch, including release date, price, upcoming games, accessories, and more.


V-MODA Forza In-Ear Headphones Offer a Custom Look and Great Sound

V-MODA has consistently created some of my favorite headphones. That includes their over-the-ear, their on-the-ear and their in-the-ear models. It’s no small feat to succeed at all three approaches to headphones and yet V-MODA has done just that. It is no surprise then that I was excited to check out their Forza in-ear headphones. Do the extend V-MODA’s winning record?


3 Essential Personal Safety Devices for Travelers

If you live in a major city, you know that tourists are easy to spot. There’s something about their clothes, their behavior, the way they try to take in the sights and read the map on their phones all at once, that makes them stand out in a crowd. Unfortunately, there are people out there who try to take advantage of travelers; if someone isn’t careful, they may end up in a scary or dangerous situation. When you travel, it can be hard to hide your tourist side (though Reader’s Digest has a few tips on the subject). However, you…


Buyer Beware if You’re Being Offered Private Stocks

I am on the email marketing list for a niche product. It’s out of my price range right now, but I have enjoyed learning more about the company. Tonight I received an email from them that was technically legal but morally dubious: they were offering the chance to buy private shares of their company.


2017 Honda HR-V is a Quality Compact Cute Ute

The final vehicle in the recent round of rerun reviews is the  Honda HR-V. It launched just a little more than a year ago and we recently spent time behind the wheel of the 2017 EX-L AWD model with Navi that featured the only thing new for this year – the Lunar Silver Metallic paint job.




Speck Smartshell Plus for 9.7” iPad Pro Hits the Sweet Spot

The right case for your mobile device is a key part of maximizing its usefulness. In the case of my 9.7” iPad Pro that is especially true. It goes everywhere with me and I use it all the time. Thankfully, I finally found the right balance with the Speck Smartshell Plus for 9.7” iPad Pro and the Apple Smart Keyboard.


Lutron’s Caseta Wireless May Be the Solution Your Smart Home Needs

Lighting control pioneer Lutron Electronics, seems to be on a mission to make a completely seamless experience in terms of advancement of lighting control as well as making your smart home more connected by announcing three new products. Showcased last week at CES in Las Vegas, Lutron announced their super affordable and easy-to-install Caséta Wireless system, professionally installed RadioRA 2, and their HomeWorks QS total home control system, three products that will drive the connected home industry forward and make home dwellers lives better. The highlight of the three however had to be the Caseta Wireless, which was well-received at…



The Huawei MateBook Is a Jack of All Trades with Some Caveats

This review of the Huawei MateBook has been a long time coming. I like the MateBook a great deal, but I’ve been struggling to figure out exactly what this Windows 10 mobile device is. From the specs, it looks to be Huawei’s answer to the Microsoft Surface, but it is more complicated than that. Let’s take a look.