March 2019 | Gear Diary

AirPower Disappears into VaporPower as Apple Cancels It Quietly

Bad news for the six people still holding out hope: AirPower is dead. Apple announced today that the iPhone/Watch/AirPod charging mat could not be made into a viable product. Also, they needed the manpower to get Apple Card up and running-those chamfered titanium edges don’t design themselves. If you were holding out and now need a wireless charging dock, Gear Diary has reviewed devices from Scosche, Satechi, TwelveSouth, Nomad, and many others. It may sting to know that you won’t be able to charge your headphones, watch AND phone all in a perfect, Apple-designed row, but at least there are…

News & Features

Celebrate Spring with the Master & Dynamic MW07 Cherry Blossom Special Edition

One of the best sets of wireless headphones to come out of CES this year was the Master & Dynamic MW07 True Wireless Earphones, which Greg recently reviewed. If you’re ready to put away winter’s darker colors, enjoy fabulous sounding audio, and to celebrate the cherry blossom festivals occurring worldwide, the new MW07 cherry blossom special edition should do the trick.

Reviews

JBL LIVE 650BTNC Are Impressive Wireless Headphones with ANC and Voice Services for Under $200

I’ve long been a fan of JBL’s headphones. They’re well priced, sound great and offer the features many of us most want. The JBL LIVE 650BTNC is no exception. For under $200 you get excellent sound, effective noise cancellation, and access to Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. I think they’re great; you will too.

News & Features

Speck Presidio for Samsung GALAXY S10 Line

We know Speck makes some of the most protective cases on the market; we know Speck has cases for pretty much every device currently available, and we know Speck rolled out cases for each of the new Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones.

Editorials

The Ennui of the Current Tech Cycle

Technology runs in cycles. We all know that, but it seems lately like we’ve hit the low end of our current cycle, and whatever the “next big thing” is, we’re spinning our wheels until it gets here.

Reviews

The Surface Pro 6 Isn’t Perfect, but It’s The Best 2-in-1 I’ve Ever Used

I used to be a fan of netbooks back when they were a thing. However when you travel for work, you often have downtime and I like to keep work and private life as separate as possible. So I went looking for a small laptop that could also do some video editing, and the Surface Pro 6 fits the bill nicely.

News & Features

Apple’s Event Recap: If Google Is Skynet, Then Apple Is…?

Unless you live under a rock, chances are you heard about Apple’s keynote Event live from the Steve Jobs Theatre on Monday morning. There were a few things announced that we can certainly get excited about, but there were more than a few that left me scratching my head, asking “why?”

Music Diary, News & Features

Yesterday Promises Great Music and a Unique Storyline

I am in no way a movie buff, and it takes something pretty unique to pique my interest. The trailer for Yesterday immediately caught my attention as a unique story coupled with Beatles music. Directed by Danny Boyle, the movie is about a struggling musician who after an accident realizes he is the only person who remembers the Beatles.

Reviews

Recteq Wood Pellet Grills Bring the Heat for Your Summer BBQs

Update: In 2020, REC TEC changed its name to recteq; we have updated this review to show the name change with updated links to current products on the new site. Now that spring has sprung and dreams of summer BBQs fill our heads, it’s time to upgrade your BBQ arsenal. Recteq Grills has a lineup of pellet grills that are worthy of investment. Featuring high-quality, durable construction, a super-accurate PID temperature controller with Smart Grill Technology, and Wi-Pellet Wi-Fi connectivity, recteq offers the best value on the market.

Reviews

Just Mobile AluBase Wireless: Up to 10W of High-Speed Charging Depending on Your Device

If you have an Android phone, you’ll generally know when fast charging is occurring because an on-screen message lets you know. On the iPhone, the only way to tell that fast wireless charging is occurring is to observe how quickly your phone charges during a time period (no, really). Apple fast wireless charging happens at 7.5W and Samsung’s happens at 10W; the Just Mobile AluBase Wireless can handle both.

News & Features

Latest Nomad Products Will Outfit Your New Airpods

If you’re planning on picking up a new pair of Airpods, be it the original Airpods, or the newly released Airpods 2, you should check out these two products from Nomad.

Crowdfunding, News & Features

Artisan Revere Chef Knife Slices Through Their Kickstarter Goal

Have you ever heard of Super Steel? Well, me either, but supposedly it makes for amazing kitchen knives! Artisan Revere has crafted a chef knife using Elmax Super Steel that was designed and manufactured in the USA and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. The Artisan Revere Chef Knife has already surpassed its Kickstarter funding goal!

Reviews

Kobo’s Forma Is My Favorite eReader

A good eReader is hard to find, and if you’re in the market for one that isn’t an Amazon Kindle, one that will give you more flexibility in the books you decide to read, you should check out the Kobo Forma.

Crowdfunding, News & Features

LapDogg Is a Nearly NSFW Phone Stand on Kickstarter

Kickstarter is sort of like the internet’s science fair. You wade through a lot of random stuff to find some cool ideas, but every once in a blue moon you see a project and think “Was no one around to intervene here?” That’s my take on the LapDogg, and not just because it has a weird extra G.

Crowdfunding

7 Wireless Chargers for Workspace Functionality

You can change your mindset and your workflow in numerous ways to improve productivity. Sometimes, though, having the right gear makes the biggest difference. A wireless charger is an excellent example; they’re also called “Qi chargers” because Qi is the current wireless standard.

Reviews

Find Your Family and Friends Anywhere with the Republic Wireless Relay

I’m one of the fortunate few who get to call Vail, Colorado home. For those that ski or snowboard, you know exactly where I live and either A) will not read the rest of this review (but I hope you do) or B) hate me and my life (don’t judge).

Crowdfunding, News & Features

Stealth Labs Puts a Backpack on Top of Your Speakers

Consolidation has always been all the rage in the tech industry. Why carry many things when you carry one that does it all? In this vein, Stealth Labs is launching a speaker backpack that they claim doesn’t compromise on either the backpack or the speaker part of the equation.

Reviews

Poly Studio Turns Any Space Into a Video Conferencing Center

Poly describes their new Studio USB Video Bar as “built for small rooms and big ideas.” The Poly Studio is a relatively small video conferencing bar that’s packed with tech. It brings surprisingly powerful conferencing tools to any room that has a monitor/tv and a computer. Under $1000, it’s an excellent solution for any organization needing access to video conferencing.

Reviews

Nanoleaf Canvas Is Gorgeous Kinetic Art That Adds Brilliance to Any Space

Nanoleaf made a name for themselves with their color-changing triangular-shaped Light Panels back in 2016. Now they’ve upped the ante with the Nanoleaf Canvas; light squares with edge-to-edge illumination, built-in sound reactivity, touch sensitivity, and a whole lot more. Canvas is a beautiful piece of kinetic artwork that adds brilliant light and a sense of playfulness to any space.

Reviews

Calphalon’s Quartz Heat Countertop Oven Saves Energy & Cooks Quickly

If you live in a small space, or don’t want to use your full-sized oven for smaller items, you should certainly check out Calphalon’s Quartz Heat Countertop Oven. I’ve had a chance to check it out over the last few months, and not only is it a mainstay in my kitchen, but its do-all approach allows you to do a bit more cooking, faster.

News & Features

Traeger Debuts an Exciting New Line-Up of Tech-Enhanced Grills

Traeger Grills unveiled a sweet new lineup of innovative grills today in Salt Lake City. Each of the new grills features Traeger’s WiFIRE technology and D2 Direct Drive, which purportedly allows users to cook faster, smarter, and with more wood-fired flavor. The Pro Series and Timberline Series get tech updates while a new pill-shaped Ironwood Series is revealed.