Dan Cohen | Gear Diary

Going Bananas for Banana TV

Apple’s AirPlay is getting a lot of use in our home these days. I have a number of Airport Express units around the house and each is attached to a set of speakers. With them I can now start music playing anywhere I want from any iOS device by simply starting the music and selecting that room’s AirPort Express from the AirPlay menu. It is simple, it is quick and it makes great use of our WiFi network. That’s why I jumped at the chance to buy the new program, Banana TV. What is Banana TV, and why am I…

Reviews

Power Support Air Jacket for iPhone 4 Review

I have a new favorite case for my iPhone 4. Actually, I have two new favorite cases for my iPhone . And no, neither of them are the Hello Kitty iPhone cases that are depicted above. (Those cases are of the same design as my “new faves” and we will be giving them away so read on.) My new favorite iPhone cases come from Power Support. Judie met the folks from Power Support while she was in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress and was impressed by their story and their products. Upon her return she reached out to them and…

Reviews

Review: TuneLink Auto Direct Connect Audio Solution for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

Every now and then you come across a device or an accessory that does exactly what you want it to do or solves a problem you have been looking to solve. That is the case with the TuneLink Auto. I have been looking for something like this for quite a while without much success. The TuneLink auto not only does what I was hoping, but goes a good many steps further. I was about to buy one when the company was kind enough to put a review sample in the mail. Let’s take a look at this awesome new gadget…

Gear Bits

Tweet Like a Pro, Chip Chick Shows You How

Twitter, so young and unassuming not long ago, is all grown up. Now it has millions of followers, has help start revolutions, has kept people in touch during disasters and more. Yup, Twitter is no longer just about “OMG, I just had the most delicious ribs at Outback Steakhouse”. Yes, Twitter has matured and so have the apps that let you use it. There are lots and lots of offerings out there but which are best? Our friend Zara from ChipChick has some great suggestions. Some, like TweetDeck are likely familiar while others, such as twunfollow and Twistory may be…

News & Features

Antec Enters the Home Audio Business with SoundScience rockus 3D | 2.1 Speaker System

3D TV is all the rage right now but what about 3D sound? That’s where Antec’s new SoundScience ruckus 3D/2.1 speaker system comes in. The rockus™ 3D | 2.1 speaker system creates a personal home theater experience that brings the power and realism of 3D audio together with the clarity and accuracy of high-fidelity music. 3Dsst™, soundscience’s 3D technology, actively analyzes incoming stereo audio signals and intelligently places them into a 3D sound field. The results are a personal theater experience with realistic, immersive 3D sound for your movies and games from 2.1 speakers – whether it’s the impact of…

Reviews

SCOTTEVEST SeV XAE – 10th Anniversary Edition Leather Jacket Review

This jacket came as a gift from some friends and I have been dying for it to get a bit warmer so I could start wearing it. It did and I have. So what do I think of the SCOTTEVEST XAE – 10th Anniversary Edition Leather Jacket? Check out this video look to find out. X-Ray View of the XAE – 10th Anniversary Edition Leather Jacket Here’s what the SeV site has to say about the XAE – 10th Anniversary Edition Leather Jacket- Some things get better with age, like great wines and meticulously-maintained classic cars. In honor of SCOTTEVEST’s 10th…

Editorials

iPad is Apple’s Third Post-PC Device? Try “Apple’s Third Totally Reliant on the PC Blockbuster”!

Apple detractors love to talk about the “Steve Jobs distortion field”. I have never much bought into that. Sure, Steve jobs is a master showman. And yes, he is most likely among the more arrogant people living today. And yes, he does like to build hype when he brings out a new product or service. And, I will admit, he has been somewhat into overstatement at times. But then again, he’s got the stuff to back it up. There is an old saying from here in suburban New Jersey that there are people who “have no cattle but a big…

News & Features

U-Bar- Mounts Your iPad 2 on the Wall and a Whole Lot More

One of the reasons I considered keeping my first generation iPad now that I have an iPad 2 in hand is the fact that I have a host of different methods for securing the original iPad to the wall, on my treadmill and more. The range of accessories I have at my disposal for the first generation device add a tremendous degree of useful functionality to it. While I have no doubt the same options will be available for the iPad 2 they currently aren’t on the market. No surprise since the new version only became available last week. Well,…

Gear Bits

Building the Perfect Drink Just Got Easier with Palette Coasters

When we are up in the country we all have our “roles”. Elana is the “food maven”. Her dad, when he is up, is the “grill master”. As for me… well I tend bar. 🙂 Over the years I’ve collected a nice selection of different barware. Margaritas have their glasses, martinis have theirs and the list goes on. Having the right glass for the right drink just makes everything a bit more festive. Same goes for the coaster the glass sits on. And these “palette coasters”… They look kinda fun. Yes, these simple but amusing coasters do their job but…

Reviews

Review- Power Support Sleeve: Designed for the iPad 1, Works Great with the iPad 2!

When Judie was in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress she met the folks behind the Apple accessory company Power Support. (Theirs is a great, inspirational story and we look forward to sharing it with you soon.) The company was kind enough to forward a number of their products so that I might take a closer look. Among the items they sent was their Black Sleeve for the iPad 1. They describe the leather sleeve this way- Constructed with premium quality leather, this sleeve protects while complimenting the amazing aesthetics of the iPad. The sleeve’s soft inner lining prevents scratching while using…

Gear Bits, News & Features

GD Quickie- A Public Service Announcement Regarding the iPad 1

Do you have an iPad 1 and plan to stick with it even though the iPad 2 has arrived? If so, we have a brief Public Service Announcement for you. Consider this your first, and final, warning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ur7b3Hmcx2c

Editorials

Adventures in Customer Service- Zinio Edition

When the term “customer service” seems more like “customer lack-of-service” we like to call the company in question out. We did so with regard to AT&T Wireless. We did so with Amazon’s Kindle policy too. We’ve even done so with Apple. (Although, to be fair, both Apple and Amazon are usually amazing in the Customer Service arena.) Yes, when a company lets us down we aren’t shy about saying so. We WANT others to know! But what happens when a company goes above and beyond? What happens when a company has a glitch and, rather than trying to ignore it…

Reviews

iPad Accessory Review: Powis iCase

We are huge fans of companies that take the time to thoughtfully design beautiful, elegant and functional device accessories. We’re even bigger fans, however, of those companies who take the time to thoughtfully designed beautiful, elegant and functional device accessories and then are open to going back and further refining their product even after it is out on the market; that is exactly what happened with the Powis iCase for the first-generation iPad. Judie received one of the early samples of this incredibly functional case at the end of 2010. She began the review and then was notified by the…

Reviews

11″ MacBook Air Accessory Review: Waterfield’s MacBook Air Wallet

My wife Elana is not a gadget person, not in the least. She would prefer to read a physical magazine or book and spends as little time working on a computer as she can. Don’t get me wrong, she’s not averse to technology but she doesn’t get excited by it the way some *cough cough* do. That noted, she has now had her 11″ MacBook Air for about 2 1/2 months, and she continues to gush about it. She loves it and describes it as “the best computer she has ever used”. The 11″ MBA is an amazing computer, and…

Editorials, Gear Bits

On the Eve of iPad 2…

Posted January 29, 2010 So here we are on the eve of the iPad 2 release. The anticipation of the release of the iPad 2 prompted me to go back and look at some early posts we did on the iPad over a year ago. I hate to say it, but I think we largely nailed it early on. (OK, actually I don’t hate to say it… We pretty much nailed it early on! Yes, we knew this was going to be an amazing device from the moment El Jobso introduced it.) At the time of the initial announcement, we…

Reviews

iPod Touch 4th Generation Accessory Review: Infinity Carbon Texalium Silver Case

Judie recently reviewed the Infinity Carbon 2×2 Carbon Fiber Twill Case. She loves it. The review started with this: We spend a fair amount of time reviewing accessories here on Gear Diary because all of us enjoy using products that enhance our gear experience. When I buy a new smart phone or tablet, the first thing I generally do is order an anti-glare screen protector for it … and immediately afterward I start looking at cases. The screen protector serves two purposes: much as wide tape placed across a window will help strengthen it during hurricane, I’ve learned through experience…

News & Features, Travel

Aligata Leather Releases New Premium Leather Products to Protect Your Gear in Style

One of the best things about being involved in this blogging community is that you never know who you are going to meet along the way. That is certainly the case with our friend Tom from Aligata leather. Shortly after the iPad was released, I did a review of a number of iPad folio cases. Shortly thereafter we received an email from Tom. He told us he was designing a simple but premium leather folio for the iPad, and he wanted to know if we wanted to take a look. Shortly thereafter Judie and I received sample of them. We…

Reviews

iPhone Headset and Case Review: Mogo Talk XD2 for iPhone 4

Just after CES we reviewed the Mogo Talk XD for iPhone 4. The Mogo Talk HD is an iPhone case plus Bluetooth headset in one. When I had first seen the product released I thought it was a bit silly, but after trying one for myself I was sold. The case is decent enough and the convenience of always having a good, comfortable BlueTooth headset around is fantastic. Well ID8Mobile, the company behind the product, has now released the Mogo Talk HD2 for iPhone 4 and we’ve got a quick look at one. . What’s in the Box: MoGo Talk…

Gear Bits

Proven True! Lightning Doesn’t Strike the Same Place Twice

photo credit: Kuzeytac You know the old saying that lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice? Well, now I have definitive proof that this is absolutely true. Yup, Lightning Does Not Strike The Same Place Twice! Years ago our house in the mountains suffered a direct lightning strike. How do I know that is the case? I know because it was the middle of the afternoon on Saturday and a huge storm front was coming through. Our golden retriever (she was still with us) and I were taking an afternoon siesta in the den; I LOVE afternoon naps when a…

Gear Bits

GD Quickie: Old School Meets iTech with the iPhone Wallet

This takes the idea of the iPhone/Wallet combination to an entirely new level. Called the “iPhone RETRO MODERN leather wallet sleeve” the antiqued leather case has space for your iPhone 4, some credit card and some cash. It looks neat and is a great way to carry all the stuff you need in a cool looking, retro package. Just don’t put it in your back pocket and sit down! You can grab one HERE for $79. Via WERD

Reviews

Review- NIX 8″ Hu-Motion Digital Picture Frame with Motion Detection Sensor and Rechargeable Battery

I have a tremendous number of photographs sitting on my MacBook air. They range back more than 15 years and have various members of my community involved in many different activities. The problem is they sit there and they don’t get enjoyed by the community at large. Yes, I’ve taken to putting series of slide shows up on the synagogue website but people still need to go to the website in order to see them. As a result I’ve been looking around to try to find the right digital frame solution so that I could put the frame in my…

Articles by Dan Cohen