Dan Cohen | Gear Diary

In 2013 Take Better Notes and Be More Organized

From now until 2013, we’re going to take a look at some New Year’s Resolutions and a Gear Diary way to help you keep them. New Year Resolution: Take Better Notes, Be More Organized and Use Less Paper I am loving my Livescribe Sky Smartpen. The Livescribe Sky finally lets me get all the benefits of a Livescribe Smartpen without having to physically plug the pen into a computer to electronically recreate and share notes. (Here’s my review of the Sky Smartpen.) There are, however, times when I don’t want to carry and use the large, rechargeable smartpen- times when…

Gear Bits

Adding Money to Your Bluebird Account Directly from Your Bank Account

This is the next in our series of sponsored posts about Bluebird, the new joint venture between Walmart and American Express. Bluebird is a system that “allows you to have a card with minimal or no transaction fees coupled with the convenience of a debit card backed by all of the protection offered by American Express”. The first post was a brief overview. The second delved more deeply into the features. The most recent walked through the process of adding money to a Bluebird account using cash at a local Walmart. In this post we’ll walk through the process of…

Reviews

Tom Bihn Zephyr Briefcase Video Review

If you are looking for a serious briefcase that is tough, carries a ton, and has plenty of organizational pockets — but nimbly avoids the pitfall of looking like the stuffy, square briefcase your father carried — then you’ll want to check out the Tom Bihn Zephyr. The Zephyr is built with the quality we have come to know and expect from Tom Bihn. Materials are stellar; the design takes into account the varied ways people use their bags, and the build-quality is second to none. Oh, and as is always the case with Tom Bihn bags, the Zephyr is…

Gear Bits

Keep Your Data Safe in 2013 with Dropbox’s Packrat Feature

From now until 2013, we’re taking a look at some New Year’s Resolutions and Gear Diary ways to help keep them. New Year Resolution: Protect Your Data in 2013 This is one of those lessons you learn, forget, and then learn again once a data-loss disaster strikes. Here’s my story, and why DropBox’s PackRat feature is my new best friend. I have spent the last year on and off creating an interactive iBook that can be used by all my Bar Mitzvah students to help them study toward becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. The iBook has the prayers the…

Gear Bits

Bluebird Lets You Add Cash to Your Account at Any Walmart

Last week we begin a series of review posts regarding the new joint venture between Walmart and American Express. Bluebird is a system that allows you to have a card with minimal or no transaction fees coupled with the convenience of a debit card backed by all of the protection offered by American Express. The first post was a brief overview of the bluebird system. (Read the post.) The second post went a bit more deeply into the features Bluebird offers and the specifics that make this card unique. (Read the post.) In this third sponsored post, we’ll begin looking…

Reviews

Aranez Flip iPhone 5 Leather Case Review

Stacey just did a review of the Aranez Aquila iPhone 5 Leather Case. (Read it here.) She liked it. Mike reviewed the Aranez Book Samsung Galaxy S3 Leather Case. (Read Mike’s review.) He liked it too! Let’s go for the trifecta and look at the Aranez Flip iPhone 5 Leather Case. More accurately, let’s let my father-in-law Mark go on camera and talk about it. Mark Down South… WAY Down South When last my father-in-law (aka Gear Diary’s Grumpy Old Man) appeared on the site, he was discussing why he was finally taking the leap and getting an iPhone 5….

Gear Bits

Monitor2Go and iPad 3, a Gear Diary Video Look

A year and a half ago, I had the opportunity to review an incredibly useful mobile device that quickly and easily doubles your screen real-estate. The FieldMonitorPro is a large screen that, right out of the box, extends your computer to give you additional screen space or allows someone/s to look at your computer screen without having to crowd in next to you. It is terrific for on-the-go demonstrations. While reviewing the device, I was covering an Apple keynote and found my MacBook air to be too small for watching the video, checking feeds, and writing the post. I pulled…

Reviews

Save Money on Talk, Text, and Data in 2012 with Republic Wireless

From now until 2013, we’re going to take a look at some New Year’s Resolutions and a Gear Diary way to help you keep them. First up… New Year Resolution: Spend Less on Cellular in 2013 republic wireless offers one single handset. If you want more choices you need to go somewhere else. republic wireless offers a handset with just a 3.7″ screen. If you want something larger go somewhere else. republic wireless offers a handset running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. If you want something newer go somewhere else. While it might seem that republic wireless is the worst cellular option…

Reviews

Incipio Stashback for iPhone 5 Review

This is the third of three Incipio iPhone 5 case reviews. This time out we are looking at the STASHBACK Dockable Credit Card Case. This case looks like a simple shell style iPhone 5 case but it doubles as a wallet. Better yet, it is not apparent to anyone looking at the case that it holds credit cards, ID or cash. That’s a great benefit if you want to go out for the day carrying just your iPhone. Let’s face it, we all left the house without our wallet at some time or another (some people even go to the…

Reviews

LifeProof fr? for iPhone 5 Review – Helps Keep Your iPhone Safe and Secure

I was blown away earlier this month when I went snorkeling and used my 4th generation iPod touch as my underwater camera. I expected the LifeProof case I put on would keep it dry, and it did. What I didn’t expect was how amazing the video I shot with it underwater would be. I mean, take a look at this footage shot underwater with an iPod touch!! And if that is the quality you can get with a last generation iPod touch, then just imagine how amazing the images and videos would be if taken with an iPhone 5! Fortunately LifeProof…

Reviews

Incipio Stowaway for iPhone 5 Video Review

This is the second of three Incipio iPhone five case reviews we have going up. The first case was a simple slider case that didn’t offer much excitement. This time out we’re taking a look at the Incipio Stowaway for iPhone 5. It is a far more compelling case thanks to two unique features hidden away in its seemingly simple design. First, this case can also function as a wallet. It will hold three credit or ID cards. Second, the door of the “wallet” can double as a stand for viewing the iPhone in landscape. Here’s a look. Features: Rigid…

Reviews

Incipio EDGE PRO for iPhone 5 Video Review

Incipio has released a wide range of different cases for the iPhone 5. A few months ago we reviewed a number of them. Now we’ve got a look at three more. First up, is the Incipio EDGE PRO Co-molded Hard-Shell Slider Case. This is a simple slider case with a unique design. Here’s a look. Rigid Plextonium™ shell with impact resistant core Superior Protection Two-part sliding design for easy docking Access to all controls Here’s a video look with additional images in the gallery below. What’s Inside: (1) Clear Screen Protector Microfiber Cleaning Cloth Applicator Card I’m not overly…

Reviews

SGP Slim Armor Case for the iPhone 5 Video Review

I’m a fan of SPIGEN SGP’s products. From the GLAS.t screen protector (read the review) to the Hardbook Case for the iPad mini (read the review) their products never fail to impress me. So when our contact at the company emailed me that a new case was on the way and he described it as his favorite “my favorite iPhone 5 case” I couldn’t help but be curious. Turns out it is one of my favorite cases thus far as well. Better still, it is a remarkable value. Let’s take a looks at the SGP Slim Armor for iPhone 5….

Reviews

Epson Expression Photo XP-850 Small-In-One Review

We recently reviewed Epson’s Expression Premium XP-800 Small-in-One Printer. (Read the review.) I was impressed. Judie and I came back from Aruba having taken a huge number of pictures. Many of them can be seen in this post on “Amazing Aruba“. Some of them are so good that I wanted to print and frame them for my home and office. A good quality photo printer is quite handy for doing just that, and while I could have used the XP-800, this presented a perfect time to test out the XP-800’s big brother the XP-850. The Epson Expression Photo XP-850 Small-In-One…

Reviews

Stay Connected to Family in 2013 with Sony’s Camera and Microphone for Skype

I’ve become increasingly enamored of video chatting. It is handy, convenient and it works well; it also saves gas and time. For example, I do most of my High Holy Day sermon writing with my friend Lawrence. We bounce ideas around, rip initial drafts apart, and share illustrations. In prior years we would get together two or three times and have marathon writing sessions together. This year we didn’t get together once; instead we used FaceTime and Skype. We didn’t need to travel, and we were able to “meet” far more times than we could have in the past. Similarly,…

Reviews

Twelve South BookBook for iPad mini Review

We are huge fans of Twelve South’s products. The company has a relatively limited — but rapidly growing — portfolio, and their entire line is specifically designed with us Apple-fans in mind. A quick search on Gear Diary will reveal reviews of almost all of their lineup. One of the Twelve South offerings that has been among the biggest hit with us is the Twelve South BookBook line of MacBook and iOS device cases. The BookBook line looks and feels like a classically bound book, but it protects your precious device. I reviewed the first version of the BookBook for iPad, but…

Reviews

Spigen SGP Linear Metal Crystal Case for iPhone 5 Review

Yesterday we took a look at the SPIGEN SGP Neo Hybrid EX Case for iPhone 5. (Read the review.) It is a nice bumper-style case that gets the job of protecting the iPhone 5 done without adding too much bulk or breaking the bank. Today we’re taking a look at another iPhone 5 case from Spigen SGP. The Linear Metal Crystal Case for the iPhone 5 has a different design approach than the Neo Hybrid EX but offers the same degree of protection and value we’ve come to expect from the company. Let’s take a look. I’m rather impressed with…

Events, Reviews

Just Mobile Gum Max Backup Battery Review

In the first post of this two-part series, we looked at the Just Mobile Gum Plus backup battery. (Read the review, here.) It provides 5200 mAh of battery life and lets you charge your iPhone a number of times. The Gum Plus is small and light enough for you to easily throw the battery into your gadget bag and carry it all the time. But what if you REALLY need extra battery life? What if you have an iPhone and an iPad you need to keep charged? What if you can’t be sure you’ll be near an outlet at all…

Reviews

SPIGEN SGP Neo Hybrid EX Case for iPhone 5 Review

You love the iPhone 5’s thin, sleek design. You love its refined look. You value the fact that it is even lighter than the iPhone 4S. All that being the case, why in the world would you want to add tons of extra weight and bulk to it? The short answer is, of course, you wouldn’t. Still, the iPhone 5 is a fairly delicate piece of electronics that needs to be protected. And as far too many of us have learned, the phone’s sides scratch far too easily. Enter the SPIGEN SGP Neo Hybrid EX Case for iPhone 5 and…

Reviews

Just Mobile Gum Plus Back Up Battery Review

One of the main challenges for those of us who attend CES, is making sure our mobile devices stay charged. Year after year we find that, half way through the day, we are scrambling to find somewhere to plug in and repower. Not. This. Year. No, this year is going to be different; this year we are going to carry enough backup batteries to easily make it through the day. (Yeah, I know we said that last year but, this year, we mean it.) I reached out to our friends at Just Mobile, and asked if they might be willing…

Gear Bits

What Makes Bluebird from American Express and Walmart Different?

????? ‘Tis The Season to Spend Money, fah lah lah lah, lah lah lah lah… ????? The other day we brought word about Bluebird, a new joint initiative between American Express and Walmart. Bluebird lets you make direct deposits, pay bills online, deposit checks with your iPhone or Android device, set up Sub-Accounts, and more. As I noted in that first post, we were invited to open an account and try out the service. This is a sponsored series of posts, but the observations and experiences I’ll be documenting in the coming weeks are mine and mine alone. In this…

Articles by Dan Cohen