October 2017

Take a Shower with JBL's LINK Speakers and Google Assistant

News

Take a Shower with JBL’s LINK Speakers and Google Assistant

Google has their sights set on taking on Alexa this holiday season, and they have teamed up with JBL to produce three Google Assistant enabled speakers in the form of the JBL LINK 10, 20 and 300. All three of these speakers lets you interact with Google Assistant, so you can tell the speakers do things like play tracks on Spotify, set reminders, ask about the weather, or what’s on your calendar schedule that day. Of the three speakers, the JBL LINK 10 is the smallest and the most portable with a 5 hour battery life. The JBL 20 is…

Waterfield Camera Bag Keeps Your Cameraphone and Gear Within Reach

Reviews

Waterfield Camera Bag Keeps Your Cameraphone and Gear Within Reach

I had a DSLR. It was great, but I sold it. I had a small, mirrorless camera. It was awesome, but I sold it. Honestly, as a blogger and casual photographer, the iPhone’s camera is more than enough for my needs. To get the most out of iPhone-ography, however, you need to carry some accessories. Enter the Waterfield Camera Bag.

Kids Will Absolutely Hate This ‘Pause Feature’ from Comcast

News

Kids Will Absolutely Hate This ‘Pause Feature’ from Comcast

If you believe that disconnecting from your device during meal-time improves family bonding, then you aren’t alone. 98% of the parents surveyed by Wakefield Research agreed that “disconnecting from devices during mealtime improves family bonding”, but 42% said they couldn’t remember the last time that their family had a device-free meal. That’s messed up.

Reduce Clutter & Keep Organized with ATailorBird Products

Reviews

Reduce Clutter & Keep Organized with ATailorBird Products

If you are a huge fan of carrying your MacBook Pro around on a daily basis, chances are you may be without one accessory that is truly a must-have in every situation: A carrying case. If this sounds like you, then you should check out the Laptop Sleeve Bag by ATailorBird.

Keep Your Cat Healthy with Doc & Phoebe's Indoor No-Bowl Cat Feeders

News

Keep Your Cat Healthy with Doc & Phoebe’s Indoor No-Bowl Cat Feeders

Cat’s love to hunt; it’s in their basic nature, but this is something that indoor cats don’t get to take advantage of. If your cat never goes outside, how can you allow him (or her) to do one of the most basic things cats need to thrive? You might consider using Doc & Phoebe’s Indoor No-Bowl Cat Feeders.

Be Free with Optoma's New BE Free8 Wireless Earbuds

Reviews

Be Free with Optoma’s New BE Free8 Wireless Earbuds

Just a few short weeks ago, we covered Optoma’s NuForce’s latest BE2 wireless headphones, with a few constructive criticisms about things that could use a bit of improvement. And in the blink of an eye, NuForce releases their BE Free8, a new product that is not only better in every way, but they are true to their name.

eBook Readers, Check Your Amazon Accounts!

eBooks

eBook Readers, Check Your Amazon Accounts!

The Apple/Amazon ebook feud was settled several years ago, and last year big credits started hitting people’s accounts. These were reimbursements for overpaying for ebooks at the time, determined by the price fixing contracts that had gone on between the publishers and the ebook sellers. Apparently there’s been a recalculation, because several of us at Gear Diary received an additional amount in settlement credits! These credits work just like the last ones; you can buy anything you want at Amazon, and the credit is good for six months. There’s been a few versions of the credits, from ebook-specific credits to…

ZTE Axon M: The Dual Screen Foldable Phone I've Been Wishing For?

News

ZTE Axon M: The Dual Screen Foldable Phone I’ve Been Wishing For?

Two weeks ago, I was telling a friend that I see today’s phones as more evolutionary rather than revolutionary. She asked what I’d consider revolutionary, and I said I’d like to see a phone company create a dual-screen device that could fold into either a phone or a tablet. Would you believe that ZTE has gone and done just that?!

Kids Don't Need High-Tech to Have Fun!

News

Kids Don’t Need High-Tech to Have Fun!

This weekend, I bought my son a toy that he has declared is “the greatest toy of all time, ever!” He spent hours with it, told everyone he saw about it, and pretty much played nonstop. It was educational, it sparked his imagination, and it cost me $1.50, because it was just an egg full of Silly Putty.

OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock Has 13 Blissful Ports for Amazing Connectivity

Reviews

OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock Has 13 Blissful Ports for Amazing Connectivity

My new MacBook Pro is thin and light and, with just two USB-C ports, is lacking in ports. My iMac does better but still lacks the degree of port-related connectivity I used to have. That’s why the $299 OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock is a perfect fit; it offers a ton of ports and speeds that were unimaginable a few years ago.

Quip Makes Toothbrushing As Simple As Checking Your Mail

Reviews

Quip Makes Toothbrushing As Simple As Checking Your Mail

When we received the pitch to review Quip, I immediately volunteered while thinking, “These guys are way too excited about toothbrushes!” Now that I’ve spent some time with Quip, I still stand by that — they’re way too excited about toothbrushes — but the bright spot here is that their excitement has created a truly excellent product and ecosystem!

Stranger Things Game Will Get You Lost in the Upside Down

Game Diary

Stranger Things Game Will Get You Lost in the Upside Down

Stranger Things is coming in just a few weeks! If you live under a rock, “Stranger Things” is a horror-ish drama from Netflix that is an homage to the 1980s. It has evil scientists, parallel dimensions, plucky pre-teen heroes, and Winona Ryder screaming at Christmas lights. Now it also has a companion game, and it is incredibly addictive!

LG TV Cinema House Pop-Up Tour Offers Exclusive Stranger Things 2 Sneak Peak

News

LG TV Cinema House Pop-Up Tour Offers Exclusive Stranger Things 2 Sneak Peak

If you’ve ever wanted to experience the ultimate home theater set up, now is your chance. LG and Dolby are going on a roadshow with stops around the country. The roadshow starts today in New York City, just outside of Madison Square Garden. Visitors get to take a break from the hustle and bustle of New York city’s busy midtown area while experiencing a truly immersive home theater experience.

Huawei: More Than Mobile Phones and Bigger Than China

Events

Huawei: More Than Mobile Phones and Bigger Than China

I like to know how things are made, and I get a special thrill when I’m invited to take a behind-the-scenes look at a product — especially something that I regularly use — being made from start to finish. Recently, along with a small group of writers, I went to Shenzhen and Beijing, China for a behind-the-scenes look at Huawei.

4 Tech Gadgets You Need to Keep Your Home Secure

Gear Bits

4 Tech Gadgets You Need to Keep Your Home Secure

Your home is supposed to be your little sliver of privacy and comfort in an increasingly hostile world. It’s a place where you have the luxury of retreating and relaxing. Unfortunately, criminals don’t always respect this privacy and encroach on safety for their own personal benefit. How you defend your home will determine the safety and security of your property.