As expected, Amazon announced its very first phone this afternoon. Much about the Fire Phone had been leaked, but there were a few interesting surprises along the way. Many of us have Amazon Prime, so we were excited to see what Bezos would present, and how they would differentiate the Amazon Fire Phone. Here’s what we now know…
The biggest challenge with televisions these days, at least in most cases, is the lousy sound they offer. A huge television with a beautiful big screen and smart functionality may be great, but if the speakers stink watching it won’t be enjoyable. The ZVOX SOUNDBASE.420 fixes that for surprisingly little money, and it’s simple to set up.
My “desktop computer” is actually a 15″ MacBook Pro with Retina Display that is connected to a 27″ iMac. Each time I dock the laptop I need to individually plug in a series of cables; it is a pain. Thankfully, Henge Docks is getting ready to ship a docking station specifically designed for the MacBook Pro with Retina Display.
My search for an iPad mini case that strikes the right balance between style, protection, and bulk brought me to the Speck DuraFolio for iPad Mini. It offers unique styling, food protection and despite initially looking a bit bulky, it is surprisingly svelte. Would it become my daily driver and go-to case for my iPad mini? Only time would tell.
My search for a case for the Sony Xperia Z2 led me to the Poetic FlipBook. I was initially skeptical. After all, the case has an MSRP of just $14.95. Still, for that price I figured it was worth checking it out. When the case arrived I was more than pleasantly surprised by what I discovered. Inexpensive doesn’t mean cheap.
The Sony SmartBand SWR10 is Sony’s current fitness band offering. Specifically designed to work with phones like my Xperia Z2, it also works with a number of other Android devices. Available in a variety of colors, the Smartband works in tandem with the Lifelog App to record your activity and much more. I got mine yesterday, and I’m already impressed.
Sync/charge cables are a reality of today’s mobile world. Apple includes USB to Lightning cables with each of their iOS devices but they are simple, boring white cables that eventually fail. Fortunately there are the new Belkin MIXITÓ Collection Premium Metallic Lightning Cables. These cables, from 6″ to 4′ and priced from $24.99 to $29.99 are anything but boring and cheap.
As more and more of us rely upon our mobile devices for all our online needs, having solid and fast mobile network is more important than ever. PC Mag hit the road to find out which networks perform fastest and where. The results aren’t as complete as we might like; still there is much to learn from them.
I was impressed by the Element Case Soft-Tec Ducati Folio for iPad Air when I reviewed it last month. The folio case, which sports the co-branding of Element Case and Ducati, looks great, offers terrific protection and includes an integrated stand. Thanks to Element Case we also had a chance to check out the version for the iPad Mini.
If you are looking for a folio-style case that looks good, protects well and won’t break the bank you’ll want to check out the Case Logic SnapView Folio for iPad Mini. This case, which combines a synthetic book-style cover and a protective polycarbonate shell, serves up just enough protection and functionality to make it worth consideration.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a powerful smartphone that has Samsung at the top of their game. A device this powerful and feature-packed deserves better than the cheap plastic case Samsung continues to insist upon using. The Toast Wood Covers for Samsung Galaxy S5 helps correct this shortcoming. It looks great and protects in the process.
Monster Products (aka Monster Headphones) make an assortment of fashionable headphones that actually sound great. The company now offers a number of speakers. The Monster Superstar High Definition Bluetooth Speaker is one such offering. It is a small, colorful speaker that actually sounds surprisingly good. Currently available for under $130, it lets you take Monster Music on the go.
2014 has definitely turned into the year of the “wearable” and the smartwatch has been leading the pack. Android Wear is on the way and Apple has yet to announce, let along release their offering. That means there’s much more to come this year. There are already some compelling options on the market and they have a range of prices.
If you are always on the go and love your music, the JBL Clip is the “ultra-portable rechargeable speaker” for you. At under $50 and sporting an integrated carabiner, it is an affordable way to enjoy your music anywhere you go. Whether connecting via Bluetooth or the integrated 3.5mm cable, you’ll be ready to rock on the go.
At this point the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is a bit “old”. Launched in April 2013, by Android standards it is an antique. And while we’ve seen many new Galaxy devices in the last 14 months, there’s been no new Note 8.0. The arrival of Android 4.4.2 KitKat on my WiFi version today made it a model worthy of 2014.
I’m setting up a home theater and, in the process, discovered how much I hate having multiple cables running from the back of my television. Still, when I connect an Apple TV, a gaming console etc each needs its own cable right? Wrong. The Kanto Link 3X HDMI Auto Switcher is one HDMI cable that connects three devices.
If you like the idea of an iPhone case that can double as a wallet, but also tend to prefer minimalist cases, the Incipio Watson Folio Wallet for iPhone 5S is the case for you. It is a functional wallet-style case that, within seconds, transforms into a minimalist case so you can go light, and it is under $45.
Apple’s WWDC- World Worldwide Developers Conference- is the first chance we get to see what will be coming in the next versions of iOS and OS X. As usual we expect to get updates on sales numbers, store performance and more. We might even see new hardware today but… Who knows. We’ll have a summary of the news and more.
Judie has reviewed a number of different offerings from Oberon Design and been impressed by them all. The gorgeous designs, quality leather, and impressive craftsmanship come together to create some beautiful cases and bags. This time out we are looking at the Oberon Design Samsung Galaxy S5 Leather Case. It is gorgeous, and at under $40, it is surprisingly affordable.
As you may have read here on Gear Diary, Speck was recently purchased by Samsonite. I’m curious to see what new products begin to appear as a result. Even before this happened however the lineup of Speck cases continued to increase. One of the newest cases is the Speck DuraFolio for iPad Air; it comes in five different color combinations.
If you are a fan of Element Case, you know their products are always impressive. And if you are into motorcycles, you likely know about the partnership between Element Case and Ducati. The two companies have been co-branding some amazing cases. The Element Case Ducati Soft-Tec Folio for Apple iPad Air is a great example of what they have created.