Articles by Dan Cohen

40 Years Ago We Emerged From the Desert of Disconnect

The Jewish festival of Passover ended earlier this week and with it members of the Jewish community returned to eating leavened products known as chametz in Hebrew. (Most people I know end the holiday with the Jewish delicacy known as pizza.) According to tradition the Exodus from Egypt introduced a 40 year period when the Israelites wandered in the Sinai desert. (Three cheers for living in an era of GPS!) Having spent a few weeks hiking and camping in the Sinai I can only begin to imagine what 40 years (were the story historically accurate) must have been like. I…

News & Features

LifeProof Launches Total Water Protection Program for iPhone and iPad

I got my hands on a LifeProof case for the iPhone shortly after the line launched. I was impressed by how great the LifeProof case was at keeping my smartphone safe. In fact, shortly after I got the LifeProof case I was in a T-Mobile store buying a hotspot sim card. Someone asked me if it was one of those new LifeProof cases. I threw my iPhone across the store and while it was in mid air I said, “I certainly hope so.” I was THAT confident the phone would be fine. It was. At the time, however, I was…

News & Features

Pelican ProGear Cases for the iPhone 5 Now Shipping

Judie and I spent time at the Pelican Booth during CES 2013 back in January. While there we saw their assortment of heavy-duty coolers, their line of Pelican ProGear backpacks and their upcoming Pelican ProGear Cases for the iPhone 5. The Pelican ProGear Cases are now shipping and offer a great addition to the growing number of tough cases available for Apple’s current smartphone offering. The first of the Pelican ProGear Cases for the iPhone 5 is the Pelican ProGear Vault. The ProGear Vault is super-tough and adds great protection from the elements. In addition it offers “insulating elastomeric shock…

Reviews

Noreve Tradition D for iPhone 5 Case Review

Noreve offers some of the most beautiful leather device cases available. Their Tradition D case for the Apple iPhone 5 is no exception. Made from “top quality handcrafted leather”, the Noreve Tradition D has a thermoplastic polymer inner structure to hold your iPhone in place while the leather provides a soft, classy look and feel. That means you get all the protection you want without fear of any signal interference. The Noreve Tradition D for iPhone 5 has an “easy-to-close” cover that stays shut without the need for a magnetic or snap closure. If you have used a case with…

Reviews

Inventio HD 720P Video Sunglasses Review

A number of months ago I reviewed the PivotHead Video Sunglasses. (Read the review.) I used them in Aruba (watch the video) and then again in Cuba (watch the video). I really enjoyed using the glasses and was bummed when the time came to return the sample I was using. I sent them back and planned to shoot future video “the old-fashioned way”… with my iPhone. That’s when I was offered a pair of Inventio HD 720P Video Sunglasses to review. “Another pair of video sunglasses to review?” I thought, “Why not.” The Inventio HD 720P Video Sunglasses came a few…

Health and Fitness, Yum Log

Healthy Delicious Lemonade in Seconds

It’s summer, and that means it is time for lemonade. (Actually, I love lemonade, so all year long is lemonade time.) The problem is that lemonade is made with sugar, and more and more studies are suggesting that sugar is not only addictive but is a toxic poison. (Yeah, I know the words “addictive”, “toxic” and “poison” are strong, but I’m just referencing the words used in places such as here and here.) I even spoke about it last fall during the Jewish Holy Days and encouraged my community to begin taking their health more seriously. (Read it.) (According to…

News & Features

Just Mobile AluCup and AluFrame for iPhone 5

We’re fans of Just Mobiles iPhone, iPad and Mac accessories and enjoyed spending time with them during CES 2013. During that meeting the company was kind enough to give us a look at some of their upcoming products- the Just Mobile AluCup and AluFrame. The Just Mobile AluCup and the AluFrame have now been formally released and are currently shipping. Let’s take a quick look at them. The Just Mobile AluCup is described as a multi-purpose desktop stand for iPhone and iPad Mini. As is the case with almost all of Just Mobile’s products, the AluCup is made from a single…

News & Features

Martian Watch Gets Smarter with iOS App

For us, one of the CES 2013 hits was the rapidly emerging smart watch category. During the Electronics Show Judie attended a media event from the makers of the Pebble smart watch, we saw many wearing the I’m Watch as the company tried to stealth promote their (mostly disappointing) offering, and we spent over an hour in a private meeting with the key players at Martian Watch. (Read the post.) Judie and I both walked away with watches, and I’m glad we did. You see, for my money, the Martian Watch is currently at the top of the smart watch…

News & Features

Gomadic SunVolt Portable Solar Power Station Review

Last year my congregation became the first Reform synagogue in the country to attain certification in environmental leadership from GreenFaith, a nationally recognized interfaith environmental coalition. This winter our Pre-School completed a nationally certified outdoor classroom. The goal is to help kids, and parents, better balance “screen time” and “green time”. It should be no surprise then, that I love the idea of using the sun to charge and run my many mobile devices. After all, if the sun can fuel plants, then why not have it fuel my iPhone, iPod touch and various accessories? That’s where the Gomadic SunVolt…

News & Features

Jabra Revo Wired Headphones Review

Jabra has finally released their Jabra Music line of headphones. As the company explains, the headphones combine “state-of-the-art design with excellence in sound quality and ultimate durability”. I am loving the $249.99 Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones, and they have been going everywhere with me. The sound, durability, comfort and overall execution of the wireless headphones is a home run. Now, however, the Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones have some competition in the form of the Jabra Revo Wired Headphones. The Jabra Revo Wired Headphones are the corded version of the line, and they come in at $50 less. Is the savings of…

Reviews

Eton Blackout Buddy Should Be in Every Home

The television show Revolution made its return to Prime Time last night. When it first aired in the fall, the show about a world without power struck a bit too close to home; a few episodes into it, SuperStorm Sandy plunged much of the East Coast into darkness. I’m not sure if it was art imitating life, or life imitating art, but either way there was a good bit of irony in the juxtaposition of the two events. After spending that week without power, water or telephone, I’ve slowly been equipping the house with the items that will make the…

News & Features

Jabra Motion Bluetooth Headset Review

The Jabra Motion Bluetooth Headset is the latest and greatest Bluetooth headset from one of the true pioneers in wireless accessories. Using it for this review made me remember my very first Bluetooth headset; it also came from Jabra and, like the Jabra Motion Bluetooth Headset, it also wrapped around my ear with the microphone extending toward my mouth. This first Bluetooth headset required a dongle connected to the phone’s 3.5mm headphone jack. Why? Because my Motorola flip phone didn’t have Bluetooth built into it! Yes, it was the dark ages, and in order to get Bluetooth functionality I had…

Reviews

PhoneSuit Lightplay Media Projector with Android Review, Part 1

This is part one of a two-part review of the PhoneSuit Lightplay Media Projector.In this post we’ll look at the actual hardware included in the PhoneSuit Lightplay Media Projector box. In the second post we’ll delve more deeply into the actual functionality of the PhoneSuit Lightplay Media Projector . About here and a half ago, Judie and I used the BenQ GP2 Projector. We were amazed that something so small and light could push out such a large, clear image. Watch our videos… Bringing the BenQ Joybee GP2 to Aruba? Why Not! Benq Joybee GP2 Saves the Day When Rain…

Reviews

Spigen SGP Leinwand Leather Case for Apple iPad mini Review

The Spigen SGP Leinwand Leather Case for Apple iPad mini is the company’s high-end case for the iPad mini. Made from gorgeous full grain leather, it is constructed without any sewing, it is handmade, and it has a soft microfiber interior to keep your iPad mini safe and secure. The Spigen SGP Leinwand Leather Case for Apple iPad mini comes in three colors, and has an MSRP of under $75. Let’s take a close look at the case in both pictures and on video so you can decide if this is the best case for your iPad mini. The full…

Editorials

Google Reader and Google Keep, You Get What You Pay For

Google Reader and Google Keep are two different services, but when placed side by side they offer a cautionary tale for anyone using the web. There has been a good deal of chat among the Gear Diary team on our backchannel, and Judie, Mike, Carly and I have been further discussing the demise of Reader and the introduction of Google Keep among the four of us quite a bit. Here’s some of what we have to say… As Joel posted Wednesday, Google has just rolled out Keep, their Evernote and OneNote competitor. Evernote, as you likely know, offers users a…

Reviews

Newer Technology Power2U AC/USB Wall Outlet Review

Yesterday I posted the first in a series of posts on the “Aftermarket Smart Home”. In this series of posts we will look at some of the current offerings that let you add smart home functionality to your abode without hard-wiring permanent solutions into the walls. In this post we’ll look at an item that, while not a smart home product, does help your home become a bit “smarter”. This is especially important since anything that goes into an aftermarket smart home may not require hard-wiring, but it will require power. The focus of today’s review — the Newer Technology Power2U AC/USB…

Reviews

Twelve South BookArc for iPad and iPad Mini Video Review

Twelve South’s tagline is “We’re not just Mac friendly– we’re Mac only!”. They mean it. Each and every one of their products is designed to work with a specific product or family of products from Cupertino. That, in turn, means that each and every time Apple releases a new product line, you can expect to see new products added to Twelve South’s ever-growing portfolio. Case in point — the iPad mini. The release of the iPad mini meant the company began offering scaled-down versions of their iPad products. That’s why they released the BookBook for iPad mini, and it is why…

How to Do It Yourself!

The Aftermarket Smart Home – a Gear Diary Journey

While we were attending CES 2013, friends in the congregation emailed me and said, “Dan, as you know we are building a new home. We know you are at CES and would appreciate it if you would keep an eye out for any home automation that looks cool. We really want to build some “smarts” into the house.” I did keep my eyes out for new smart home technology, and when I met with them last week I had something to share with them. My recommendation was that they not wire anything into their smart home, and that they should only…

Reviews

HEX Cabana Sonic Backpack Review – Lets You Carry Your Gear in Style

A few weeks ago we looked at the HEX Cabana Messenger Bag. (Read the review.) It offered an unusual pocket for accessing your iPad on the go, and it mixed purposeful gear transportation with casual style. It was a nice bag that, while not my style, I could see many others enjoy using. (Keep an eye out for our upcoming “bag-a-day giveaway”; the HEX Cabana Messenger Bag will be one of the bags we offer up!) This time out, we are looking at another member of the HEX Cabana Collection. The HEX Cabana Sonic Backpack is a light, casual backpack…

News & Features

HiddenRadio LE Metallic Red Speaker Stands Out

It is small, it hides in plain view and it packs a punch. And now the HiddenRadio comes as a limited edition Metallic Red speaker. How limited is it? The company is producing just 500 of these units. Let’s talk about the HiddenRadio itself, and then return to this limited edition. The HiddenRadio is a compact wireless speaker that also includes a built-in FM radio. Good at home or on the go this all-in-one speaker is designed to enhance your listening enjoyment. The HiddenRadio is a Bluetooth speaker/amplifier with a built-in FM radio. Thanks to the Bluetooth connectivity it works…

Reviews

Jabra Vox Earbuds Review

Last week we reviewed Jabra’s new Revo Wireless Headphones. (Read the review.) These on-the-ear headphones are comfortable, durable and sound terrific. Jabra is also releasing a corded version of the Revo headphones as well as the upcoming Jabra Vox in-ear corded earphones. For those who prefer headphones that sit in your ear rather than on or around them, the Jabra Vox earbuds may be a terrific option. Let’s take a closer look. The Jabra Vox earbuds come in a yellow and black box, which presents the Jabra Vox earbuds in a nice, albeit not terribly high-end, manner. Inside the box…

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