Happy Halloween! Some of you may be heading out to go trick or treating this afternoon. Oothers may simply be hanging out and enjoying this last day of October. We thought we might do a bit of trick or treating ourselves here on Gear Diary; we’ve turned on our porch light, and we are ready to hand out some treats!
I’d recently written that if Apple upgraded their iPad mini with retina and 128GB, I’d be buying one, so when the announcement came that my hoped for upgrades were imminent, I had a decision to make: what would become of my “old” iPad mini? Thanks to eBay’s new Simple Flow listing interface, it will soon become money in my pocket.
Have you ever received a dollar bill with a stamp that said “Track me at www.wheresgeorge.com“? One of the dollar bills that my stepdaughter got for losing a tooth had that stamp on it, so the first thing we did this morning was check to see what the site Where’s George was all about.
The day the new Waterfield Staad backpack was announced, Dan and I placed our orders. Yesterday I received my Stout Staad in black on black; Dan had received his Stout in brown on black the day before. Does the Staad live up to our expectations? It’s too soon for a full review, but we thought you’d enjoy some initial impressions.
Travelteq makes excellent laptop bags, iPhone and iPad cases, and travel clothing; I own their Mirjam leather shopper bag, and I like it so much that I often carry it as a purse even when I’m not toting my laptop. Their accessories are top-notch, and the current collection is 20% off with the code fall2013.
It’s not often that a press release can make my jaw drop (and my eyes go googly), but that’s exactly what happened when I opened the email from Calypso Crystal. Their new Furry Fury Collection has to include some of the most hideous examples of fashionista excess that I have ever seen. And the prices! Let’s look, shall we?
If you practice Yoga anywhere other than at home, then you’ll need a bag for carrying your mat, towel, water, and clothes. Hotdog Yoga’s Rollpack manages all that and more; its exclusive design “packs like a gym bag, hangs like a garment bag, and carries like a mat bag”. It’s already available in onyx, and amethyst is coming soon.
Since I was old enough to understand the full story behind Christopher Columbus “discovering” America, I have wondered why a holiday was celebrated in his honor. The Oatmeal has succinctly shown why Columbus was not a man worthy of any nation’s remembrance, and in the process introduces Bartolomé, perhaps a more deserving candidate for clothing sales and bankers’ days off.
I like Fitbit clip-on trackers because they measure sleep, steps, floors climbed, and they integrate well with Android and iOS fitness apps. But after losing two to the washing machine, I’d given up and moved to more convenient bracelet-style trackers. As an early adopter of Fitbit’s Flex bracelet-style tracker, I feel cheated by today’s release of the Force. Here’s why.
If everything in life were only so simple! A new release from the University of Florida says that in those with Alzheimer’s, the ability to smell from “the left nostril is significantly more impaired than the right.” So cover your nostrils and breathe deep from an open jar of peanut butter, a “pure odorant”. How did you do?
A Beautiful Smoke & CO2 Detector?! That’s certainly not a phrase that I ever thought I would find myself writing! I have a first generation Nest Thermostat — which I love. Based on how well it has performed in my house, I anticipate nothing but good from the Nest Protect, available soon in black or white, wired or wireless for $129.
I’m so picky about my backpacks, that for the longest I didn’t carry one. I had finally found one I liked well enough, but it’s not the one. I had just about admitted defeat and given up on backpacks, but now there’s no need. Say hello to the Staad, Waterfield’s perfect backpack available in two sizes and multiple color combinations.
If you thought the gold iPhone was a bit much, then you might want to avert your eyes from the 18K shine coming off of the £2,750 Gold HTC One that is one of only five. This is the most exclusive and expensive HTC ever, and chances are you won’t ever see one in person. Good thing? See more here.
Have you seen this video yet? I just did, and it’s a good reminder that freaky, unexpected, and potentially scary things can happen without warning. It takes a minute to get to the meat, but once you are there, you may have to watch it again. Have you ever seen anything like this? Stay vigilant, my friends. 😉 via LiveLeak
The first Kia Soul model was sold in 2010. Since then, the Soul has become a favorite of everyone from urban dwellers looking for a fuel-efficient compact with personality, to those who appreciate its low profile with easy trunk and rider access. 2014 brings its first major redesign since 2010, and it quite the transformation. The Soul is known for its funky boxy design; Kia’s priority was to stay true to that while making their 2014 model unique and special but obviously evolved. They succeeded. The 2014 Kia has improved dynamics; it draws inspiration from a wild boar, as seen by its…
Online privacy is an illusion; anything you wouldn’t want your boss, friends, relatives, present or future significant others (or anyone else important to you) to see should never be posted, texted, emailed, tweeted, or liked. And now it appears that our own government is the party most interested in our social connections and interactions. How bothered should we be? I began writing reviews on the internet in 1999, and at that time I accepted that a certain loss of privacy came with the territory. I have lived my online life as transparently as possible, because I believed that I had nothing…
Have you been looking for a tote that could work as a purse but also function as a stylish gear bag? If so, the Oberon Design Everyday Tote may be perfect! I received mine just before our vacation, and it soon became a favorite. At $195, it is not inexpensive, but it is well made and should last for years. The Everyday Tote is composed of bench crafted waxed canvas and leather; it measures approximately 12” tall x 17.5” wide x 6.5” deep, and it weighs 1.75 pounds empty. The majority of the bag is waxed canvas, which I have learned…
If you are considering a prepaid mobile plan, and you are interested in keeping your hardware costs down, but you don’t want a budget phone, then Boost Mobile has some news that should pique your interest. Today they are releasing the Boost Warp 4G LTE, their $199.99 Android-powered smartphone that has a 4.5″ display and an 8 megapixel camera. The Boost Warp 4G comes with • Android™ 4.1, Jelly Bean OS • Dual Mode 3G/4G LTE • 4.5inch HD IPS touchscreen display with durable glass • 8-megapixel camera with 1-megapixel front-facing camera • 1.2GHZ dual core processor • Wi-Fi & GPS enabled • Stereo Bluetooth 4.0 • Visual Voicemail • Services: Boost…
Is it time to replace your leaky old showerhead and bring your bathroom into the 21st century? Then you should check out the Kohler Moxie Showerhead + Wireless Speaker. This clever design includes a removable Bluetooth speaker that magnetically inserts into the middle of a 2.5 gpm showerhead with 60 nozzles; its style will look great in any bathroom’s decor. When I was offered the chance to review the Kohler Moxie, there were two things that immediately went through my mind: the first was that I needed to replace the leaking showerhead in our master bathroom anyway, and the second…
Anyone who owns a smartphone and tablet knows that charging can become a juggling act between cables and plugs. Multiply those devices by a couple of owners, and suddenly a better storage and charging solution becomes a necessity; that’s where the Griffin PowerDock 5 Charging Station comes in. It efficiently stores, charges, and organizes up to five of different devices.
Last night JBL and Harman International formally introduced their new JBL Synchros line of headphones in a rather unusual way. They had the amazing performer Trixie Whitley offer up a small, intimate concert with Trixie, her keyboardist, and all in attendance wearing the new flagship S700 headphones. The sound was amazing, and the music was too. Here’s a look … Here’s a bit of Trixie performing in the S700 headphones and then some details on each … JBL Synchros S700 are the top of the Synchros line. These premium powered over-ear stereo headphones are “built for those who know…