Articles by Gear Diary Staff

Adventures in Customer Support: AT&T

Editorials

Adventures in Customer Support: AT&T

Guess which Stooge is Doug in this little scenario It all began back in January . . . See, here’s the deal:  for the kids’ “big holiday gift,” I got them both iPhone 4s.  Alas, now you have to get limited data plans.  But these are good kids, and I knew that if I got the lowest plan and threatened them with severe consequences–and then had to actually dole out punishment one time–they would stay on WiFi, not download games and music over the cell network, and otherwise avoid non-WiFi data. So yes, one month they both went over.  I…

When Is an eReader an Impulse Buy?

eBooks, Editorials

When Is an eReader an Impulse Buy?

Amazon started selling the Kindle 3G With Special Offers (“Kindeal 3G) in May, for $164 – a drop of 25 from the full non-ad-supported version. Two weeks ago, they dropped that price further, to $139. This week, they have started selling the refurbished Kindle WiFi for $100 and the refurb Kindle 3G for $130. These are not ad-supported versions of the device, but the full versions that sell for $139 and $189 respectively, in their non-refurb models. This sure looks like the typical inventory-clearing moves of a manufacturer about to introduce a new model. The current generation was introduced right around one year ago, and speculation…

Why I Hate Compact Florescent Lightbulbs

Editorials

Why I Hate Compact Florescent Lightbulbs

Okay, look:  there’s no question that ordinary incandescent light bulbs are on the way out.  Another few years, and they’re going to be as rare as candles.  I’m okay with that; they’re a 150-year old technology, they put out most of their energy as heat rather than light, they’re inefficient.  With more and more people crowding our poor planet, and more need to make the best of the resources we have, I can dig it.  I’m okay with it. But I’m pretty convinced the CF light bulbs are not the way to go.  Yes, they’re definitely more efficient.  Other than…

Plasticity and the Next Generation

Editorials

Plasticity and the Next Generation

(Image courtesy of Wikipedia) While reading Carly’s post about eBooks and Children, I was reminded of a discussion I had with my parents about technology and the ease with which children learn to use new devices and, conversely, the relative difficulty of the older generation to learn to use the same devices.  One could fall back on the adage, “It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks” but this is both patronizing and overly simplistic. Personally, I like to analyze this “situation” by first examining children’s relationship with technology.  I think that most people would agree that children’s ability to…

Hex Launches New Collection of Tech-Friendly Bags and Cases

News & Features

Hex Launches New Collection of Tech-Friendly Bags and Cases

The seemingly everlasting style conundrum – fashion vs. function, might finally have a solution. According to Hex, makers of those stylish iPod Nano watchbands, you can have your cake and eat it too. Having recently released a brand-new Fall/ Winter bag collection, the Oxnard, California-based trend-setters are banking on the dual appeal of fashion and function. Currently available for pre-order, the tech-friendly bags feature a versatile combination of pockets, padded pouches, compartment separations, organizers and adjustable straps. If you’ve been hunting for a more fashionable way to carry your laptop or iPad, this seems like a pretty straightforward solution. Hex,…

Paper Camera iOS App Review

Reviews

Paper Camera iOS App Review

I’m the farthest thing from a professional or even amateur photographer, but I have a developing (analog pun intended!) obsession with apps that augment my phone’s camera.  My latest find is Paper Camera, which I happily purchased for my iPhone and iPad.  At the time of this writing, it’s on sale for $.99, which is 66% off of the regular price.  JFDP‘s (the developer) blurb: Seeing the world through the stylish and artistic lens of Paper Camera transforms your ordinary world into a magical experience. No boring post-process needed!! What if you could see your everyday life, your house, your…

Victorinox Swiss Army Releases Innovative Luxury USB Line

News & Features

Victorinox Swiss Army Releases Innovative Luxury USB Line

Need an expensive and colorful device to store your extremely important personal or professional data? Want a USB stick with a self-destruct function? Look no further. Consumers may be surprised to learn that Victorinox Swiss Army’s latest products, the Slim and Slim Duo USB lines, have just one function. Marketed as an innovative and decidedly “Bond-esque” luxury flash drive, the new Swiss Army USBs are ready for anything, that is, unless you need a can opener or knife. Buyers can now not only store their personal data, but also keep it protected via passwords and a vaguely described “unhackable” feature….

Win up to $10,000 with Verizon's 4G LTE Field Tester's Challenge

News & Features

Win up to $10,000 with Verizon’s 4G LTE Field Tester’s Challenge

    Are you an aspiring filmmaker? A smartphone owner? If so, it might be time to get down to business making a 60 – second video for Verizon Wireless’ new Field Tester’s Challenge. The premise is simple: create a unique video short showcasing a field test of Verizon’s 4G LTE network. In other words, you’re making an advertisement. Although the video needs a runtime of just a minute, there really aren’t many other restrictions on entries. The full rules and regulations can be found here, though participants may want to get a head start on the project before the…

Sony Tries to Get in Shape for Selling Tablets, but Will You Buy its New Bod?

Events

Sony Tries to Get in Shape for Selling Tablets, but Will You Buy its New Bod?

When Sony provided a sneak peek last week of the two new tablets it plans to launch later this year, it also offered a glimpse into the unspoken imperative it faces: Because it’s late to the game, trailing Apple by, um, years, and others, like Samsung, by months, its biggest hope to gain a toehold in the ever crowded field of similar devices is to do something different — really different. And different it’s done, as least so far as the second of its tablets is concerned — the one code-named Sony Tablet S2, a dual-screen clamshell device that bears…

Netflix Changes Pricing Model--Are You Outraged, or Resigned?

Editorials

Netflix Changes Pricing Model–Are You Outraged, or Resigned?

  Image courtesy of Gawker.com I guess it’s like the old truism: it depends on how you look at it. Yesterday, Netflix announcing a new pricing plan.  Here’s how the Netflix marketing folks put it to me in an email: We are separating unlimited DVDs by mail and unlimited streaming into two separate plans to better reflect the costs of each. Now our members have a choice: a streaming only plan, a DVD only plan, or both. Your current $17.99 a month membership for unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs (including Blu-ray access) will be split into 2 distinct plans: Plan…

Your AT&T iPhone Data Usage Is Unusually High? Maybe This Is Why

Editorials

Your AT&T iPhone Data Usage Is Unusually High? Maybe This Is Why

Image courtesy of Productivity 501 We all have iPhones in our house. For the kids and Sami, I got the lowest data plans, because they’re all on the wifi all the time. But weirdly, every month, Maggie’s phone was approaching and going over the limit. At first, after talking with the AT&T support folks, it seemed that it was just because she was going outside the range of our WiFi modem–which is not that tough, honestly; it’s only a little 2Wire job–and so the phone was flipping her requests to the 3G network. So I disabled 3G on her phone. But…

LG G2X Screen Bleeding Issues Continue; No More Returns Accepted at T-Mobile

Editorials

LG G2X Screen Bleeding Issues Continue; No More Returns Accepted at T-Mobile

(If you aren’t familiar with the ongoing issues Francis has had with his G2X, be sure to see his initial explanation here: Original G2X Screen Bleed Article) Last week I wrote up a quick post about sending in my G2X to T-Mobile due to excessive screen bleeding issues. After receiving a new phone, returning a phone, and two more chats with T-Mobile representatives I’m sitting here with the same phone I started out with. If you are unaware of the screen bleeding issues check out my post here, or pretty much any G2X forum anywhere on the web and you are…

Toshiba Thrive Tablet Gets a "Special" Sneak Peek Unboxing via YouTube

Gear Bits

Toshiba Thrive Tablet Gets a “Special” Sneak Peek Unboxing via YouTube

Image courtesy of Gizmodo If you’ve seen one unboxing video, then you’ve seen well….Unboxing videos are a great first look at a device but Toshiba is stepping it up with their latest Sneak Peek. I saw this first on my twitter timeline and after a few dozen RT’s I figured it was worth a look. The video steps out of the normal boundaries of unboxing and adds some serious creativity. Even though The actual device is not even shown in the video, it’s definitely worth two minutes of your life. The Thrive is Toshiba’s first Android tablet, and it has a…

Logitech Alert Review: Makes Your iPad a Home Security Solution

Reviews

Logitech Alert Review: Makes Your iPad a Home Security Solution

Now  that summer is here, you’re probably gearing up to enjoy some much-needed vacation time.   Before packing up and hitting the road, one thing none of us likes to stop and really think about is how to keep watch over our home or business while away.   Luckily, Logitech has come to the rescue with an easy and portable solution that doesn’t require us to own a private jet to maintain digital home security. Does it do the trick?  Can Logitech Al turn an iPad into your private watch dog?  Let’s jump right in and see.

New Story/Study: iPhone Owning Parents & Social Media

Editorials

New Story/Study: iPhone Owning Parents & Social Media

I’m not one of those parents who is totally panicked by the idea of all the kinds of scary things that are made available by new tech like cell phones, social media, and the like.  Yes, there are a lot of scary things kids can access or be sucked into via new technology.  But as a guy who spent his childhood in the late 60s and 70s, it’s not like it was a non-stop, safe party for us, either.   Yup, you can get talked into stuff by strangers over your cell phone, or via Facebook, or Yahoo IM, or…