Articles by Dan Cohen

Can You Hear Me OW!?! AT&T Continuing Their Heavy-Handed Assault on Unlimited Data Plans

Editorials

Can You Hear Me OW!?! AT&T Continuing Their Heavy-Handed Assault on Unlimited Data Plans

Much has been written about AT&T now warning the “top 5% of iPhone data users” on unlimited plans that they would begin seeing their data speeds slowed because of their adverse affect on the network as a whole. At first pass most would think that meant individuals streaming video constantly and using up tens of gigabytes of data. That isn’t the case. In a month where I have been switching on and off between the iPhone 4S and the Titan (in other words using my iPhone far LESS than normal), I got the above warning. “Uh Oh!” I thought to…

No Picture

Editorials

Gear Chat 2012 Episode 3; Hear the Mountain Lion Roar

We’re back with Episode 3 of Gear Chat 2012. This time out we’ll talk about OS X Mountain Lion, iPad 3 rumors, Evernote Hello, iPhone case fails and more. In addition, Carly will bring the latest in eBook news and Mike will let us know what is new in the world of gaming.

When It Comes to Streaming Movie Purchases; Measure Twice, Cut Once

Gear Bits

When It Comes to Streaming Movie Purchases; Measure Twice, Cut Once

My father-in-law Mark is a contractor (yup, he is a Jewish carpenter) and he lives by the maxim “Measure Twice, Cut Once”. After all, once you cut a board there is no going back so it makes sense to double-check the before you saw. It is good advice when cutting wood, but it also applies if you have a subscription to Hulu+ or Netflix. Here’s why …

The Phosphor World Time Sport Watch Review

News & Features

The Phosphor World Time Sport Watch Review

We’ve reviewed a number of E Ink watches from phosphor. There have also been several blinged out Phosphor Appear watches that Judie has reviewed and, more recently, the Phosphor Appear Rose Gold Crystal Watch with Clear Nylon Bracelet. I had a chance to review the Phosphor E Ink Digital Hour Clock Watch with Black Leather Band which, while far less shiny than the ones Judie reviewed, was a bit on the formal side. But what if you want the cool E Ink technology in a watch that is less formal than the one I reviewed and far more understated than the…

OS X Mountain Lion; Yeah, It's a Big Deal

Editorials

OS X Mountain Lion; Yeah, It’s a Big Deal

Mike posted word the other day that Apple outed their next operating system, OS X Mountain Lion and gave it a late summer arrival date. Yes, just as Apple Computer lost the “Computer” from its name as it began to shift its company positioning, they have now dropped the “Mac” from Mac OS X. Mountain Lion is, in my opinion a bit of good news and a bit more good news. The good news is that they are continuing to bring OS X into line with iOS. The additional good news is that they are doing it in a manner…

Twelve South HoverBar Is a Mac Accessory You are Going to Want

Reviews

Twelve South HoverBar Is a Mac Accessory You are Going to Want

Impress friends and office mates with a jaw-dropping, super futuristic, straight out of Hollywood Mac setup. HoverBar hangs iPad 2 beside your Mac, letting you use iPad as a secondary, touchscreen computer. The flexible HoverBar arm positions iPad in a place where you can keep tabs on Twitter, stocks or partake in a FaceTime chat. As a bonus, you can use HoverBar separately to float iPad 2 as a micro workstation, a handy kitchen mount or as a tool that elevates iPad, creating a whole new way to interact with apps. That’s how Twelve South introduces their new HoverBar accessory….

SoundHound, the Awesome iOS App of the Day

Gear Bits

SoundHound, the Awesome iOS App of the Day

I was driving in the car and a tune came on that was awesome. It wasn’t familiar and I wanted to make sure I could hear it again so… at the stop sign of course, I pulled out my iPad, fired up SoundHound, and I searched for the song.

Plantronics Marque M155 Bluetooth Headset Review

Reviews, Travel

Plantronics Marque M155 Bluetooth Headset Review

It is not uncommon for us to have an item or two as part of a giveaway but to have four of the same item ready to send to four lucky Gear Diary readers… that IS unusual. The giveaway item is, as Judie posted the other day, the Plantronics Marque M155 Bluetooth headset. Yes, we have two of the M155s in white and two in black to give away and the contest doesn’t end until Sunday. At an MSRP of $59.99 (you can get it for less if you price check on the internet) it is one of the less…

A Quick Look at the Bones Link II iPhone Adapter

Gear Bits

A Quick Look at the Bones Link II iPhone Adapter

Sometimes it is the little things that make all the difference. That’s the case with the Bones Link II. Let me back up a bit. The other day I ordered a 16GB RAM upgrade from Crucial for my new iMac. At under $100 it was a great deal. When I went to check out I was offered the opportunity to buy the Bones Link II iPod/iPhone adapter at half price since I had purchased RAM. Normally it is $11.99 so at half that I figured why not and ordered one. The adapter  is described this way … Here’s a great way to…

Yes, I Can Hear You Now; Thanks to Vonage Mobile

Gear Bits, Travel

Yes, I Can Hear You Now; Thanks to Vonage Mobile

This is a sponsored post, all opinions written here  are mine. Make Calls, Save Money Have you tried Vonage’s new mobile app? It lets you make free calls to other people using the Vonage app. It lets you save 70% over the major mobile carriers and 30% over Skype’s rates. It works over WiFi, 3G and 4G wireless data networks worldwide, with WiFi being the most economical method of all. And it is simple. The interface is familiar, you can add calling credit right on the device itself themselves in increments of $4.99 and $9.99 and the call quality is…

The Incipio Stowaway for iPhone 4 and 4S Review

Reviews

The Incipio Stowaway for iPhone 4 and 4S Review

While questions remain about the security of Google Wallet (can you say “hackable??” I knew you could!!), the search for the perfect “iPhone case as wallet” continues. We’ve looked at a number of them and all had their positive attributes. Sadly, all were also hampered by some significant flaws. Has the Incipio Stowaway made the right design decisions? Is this the perfect everyday iPhone case as wallet? Let’s take a closer look.

Sena Messenger Bag for Tablets Video Review

Reviews, Travel

Sena Messenger Bag for Tablets Video Review

I carry my iPad with me pretty much all the time. And, increasingly I find myself carrying ONLY my iPad and my smartphone during the day. I don’t carry my laptop. I don’t carry a pen or even my Livescribe Echo SmartPen. I don’t even carry an external keyboard for the iPad. And if I am going to go light I might as well carry a small, light bag. I’ve been on the hunt for something small and light that also had some style to it. So when I saw the Messenger Bag for Tablets on Sena’s website I took…

Is the iPad 3 in Your Future? A Gear Chat

Editorials

Is the iPad 3 in Your Future? A Gear Chat

Yes, it is that time of year. The annual iPad announcement and release is likely on the way and, with it, the flurry of rumors are in full force. Moreover, as we have seen in recent year, these rumors are often accompanied by slightly blurry spy shots of various components. We saw a supposed back plate for the iPad 3 and today the supposed hi-res display has emerged. We do our best to stay away from rumor and innuendo (although sometimes we just can’t resist) but that does not mean we aren’t thinking about what we want in the iPad…

There's an App for That, the Adele Version

News & Features

There’s an App for That, the Adele Version

As Mike recently pointed out, Adele is a phenomena who popularity exploded this year because… she has a great voice and the songs are great! She’s had a rough time lately however thanks to throat surgery and a silent recovery. After a polyp was removed Adele was told not to speak for a month. According to an upcoming interview on 60 Minutes, Adele, who loves to talk, found the silence more difficult than the actual surgery. Fortunately for her she lives in the era of smartphone apps. As she explained, I had an application on my phone that you type…

A Real Time With Bill Maher Oops Moment

News & Features

A Real Time With Bill Maher Oops Moment

Tonight on Bill Maher’s Real Time program on HBO he did a cute shtick with Siri and Valentines Day. (The bit talked about gifts for certain kinds of favors and the cynical aspects of the V-Day and was a bit amusing.) Apparently Maher doesn’t actually use an iPhone because… It was upside down. (Just look at where the print is.) “Siri, is everything alright?” “Bill, would you please stop holding me upside down? I’m getting dizzy.”

Vonage's New Mobile App is Easy to Use, and It Saves You Money

News & Features

Vonage’s New Mobile App is Easy to Use, and It Saves You Money

This is a sponsored post, all opinions here-in are mine. Make Calls, Save Money As crazy as it sounds, there are still people in the world who use their iPhones and Android handsets to …  make voice calls. I know, Crazy! Right? If you are one of them, and, especially, if you travel internationally, the cost of those calls can add up quickly. Vonage has been around for quite some time, but they’ve just released a new iPhone and Android calling application that is pretty impressive.  I’m already using it for calls when I’m in a WiFi network; although the…

Sena Creativo Pouch for the iPhone 4S review

Reviews

Sena Creativo Pouch for the iPhone 4S review

I have never been a huge fan of smartphone pouches preferring, instead, cases that protect the device full-time. After all, at the moment you pull a phone from its pouch you remove it from its protective enclosure and suddenly face the possibility that the now-exposed device will tumble to the ground. Kind of defeats the purpose doesn’t it? But what if you had a pouch that was (a) so nice you wanted to find a way to use it and (b) was designed in such a manner as to reduce the frequency of having to remove the phone in the…

From Evernote Hello to Evernote, Hell No!!

Editorials

From Evernote Hello to Evernote, Hell No!!

  Update #2 by Dan: We reached out to Evernote CEO Phil Libin to bring this to his attention. He let us know that the feature is supposed to be off by default when you add a person manually AND, if you change the settings the app is supposed to remember the settings. Currently it is on by default aND it doesn’t remember changed settings but that is a bug that will be addressed ASAP. That’s great news. I also hope Evernote will highlight this functionality in the future so people know it is there in the first place. Update #1 by Judie:…

Unhappy Inside and Out, the BBC Tracks Down an Internet Troll

Editorials

Unhappy Inside and Out, the BBC Tracks Down an Internet Troll

If you look at post comments here on Gear Diary you’ll see some that correct mistakes we made and others that outright disagree with us. You’ll see perspectives that differ, Judie teased for “just happening to carry a micro-sim adapter” with her at all times and, sometimes, a suggestion about something we missed. All of that is fair game and, in fact, we welcome it. What you will not see however, are rude, offensive, gratuitously nasty comments. The reason for that is simple, such comments immediately get yanked. You see, we have a zero tolerance for trolls on Gear Diary….