Articles by Gear Diary Staff

Silicon Power Armor A80 Waterproof & Shockproof Hard Drive Review

If you’re anything like me keeping your data safe and secure is of the utmost importance. I’m talking about keeping it safe from hackers though. Sure that’s important but what I’m talking about it keeping it safe from life. With three kids at home I’ve got thousands and thousands of memories, in the form of digital pictures, stored on various hard drives. From time to time I take one of the portable hard drives with me, to a family members house, or on the road. Life has a tendency to throw bumps and bruises our way from time to time…


JAVOedge Editor Axis iPad Case Review

I reviewed the JAVOedge Axis case for the iPad back in July of this year. The case, which allows the user to view their iPad’s screen in either the portrait or the landscape position, is still one of the more unique designs on the market. The newly released Editor Axis Case builds on the original design and adds a few welcomed changes as well. The Editor Axis case is made from a synthetic leather that’s pebbled. In addition to looking good the pebbled texture offers a nice feel and added grip. It features a magnetic closure flap that secures the…


Tethering Data with Your Phone; How Much Is It Worth to You?

To tether or not to tether, what to do? There has been a long-standing debate and rather good argument over whether tethering your phone is legal, ethical, or financially worth it. Most platforms today have programs available that allow you to tether a wired or wireless device to you phone without buying another data plan. Most wireless carriers do offer tethering at an additional cost, but even then they limit you data speed and connection options. These days almost everyone that has a phone capable of tethering and has an additional device or two that could benefit from sharing their…


Ingear Hybrid Shell iPhone 4 Case Review

Hybrid cases are amongst the most popular style for the iPhone 4. And I understand why. The combination of silicone and plastic that they provide offers the end user both grip and protection in what’s usually a pretty cool looking package. The Hybrid Shell case from ingear is no exception. The case, which offers maximum protection by providing a hard front frame along with a softer back is available in five different color options. The back portion of the case remains the same gray color no matter which you choose. But what does change is the frame. In addition to…


Ingear Slim Nylon iPad Case Review

Do you like to use your iPad in its out of the box, naked form factor? Or do you choose to protect your Apple tablet with something as slim as just a full body skin? Even if you answered yes to either of those questions you probably still want some sort of case to protect your device while transporting it though. The ingear Slim Nylon case for the iPad is just about the slimmest, sleekest, case I’ve seen. The Slim Nylon Case includes a screen protector and installation card. A rare but very welcomed addition with iPad cases. This horizontal…


GloveTips Review: Make Any Pair Of Gloves Touch Screen Compatible

In the North East, during winter, using our touchscreen enabled devices outside becomes difficult. No, not because the screens don’t function well in cold temperatures. Because we are often times wearing gloves! Imagine the situation. Your iPhone is buried deep in your pocket. A call comes in. You fumble for your phone and try to “slide to unlock” with your gloved hand but the screen doesn’t recognize your finger’s movement. Sure you could take your glove off but do you really want to do that when it’s 20 degrees out? There’s got to be a better way right? We’ve all…


Now Your iPhone Nags You More Specifically

Electric Pocket seems to be on an updating roll.  Earlier this week, Doug posted about the new universal version of Electric Pocket’s BugMe! app for iPhone and iPad. Now, it seems that another one of their iOS apps, Nag, has also received an update.   A few weeks back I did a quick review of Nag and liked it for its simplicity. Now, Nag has been updated to include a feature that adds a new customization option.  With the update, users can now change the alarm message and add text to remind you specifically why you’re being nagged.   Nice! You…


Ingear Jazzy Case iPhone 4 Case Review

The Jazzy Case from ingear is a stylish TPU (thermoplastic) style case for the iPhone that combines a good amount of shock and impact protection along with a sophisticated pattern printed on the back. Roll all that into a price tag that’s under $15 and you’ve got another WIN from ingear. The Jazzy Case comes packaged with a front screen shield for your iPhone. It also includes a small cleaning cloth and a card to help you install the screen shield. The case is available in four color variations. Black: Blue: Pink: Orange: The TPU material allows the case to…


Fusionwerkz RAW iPhone 4 Case Review

When Fusionwerkz reached out to us at Gear Diary to see if we’d be interested in reviewing their RAW case for the iPhone 4 I was admittedly a little hesitant. After our experience with the Element Vapor Case I was worried about how the RAW, which is also an all aluminum case, would affect the iPhone 4’s reception. The case arrived a few days ago and I’ve been using it ever since. The RAW is made completely in the USA and crafted from 6061 T4 aluminum. That’s “Greek” to me but I do know this – it’s super light weight…


SmirkAbout Skins Will Bring a Smile to Your Face

I recall seeing an interview with Penn Gillette one time during which they happened to show his laptop, which was covered with stickers.  All sorts of stickers.  It was garish, but yet it fascinated me in a way because it was so individual in appearance. While I usually just use a clear, protective skin on my devices (’cause I’m just boring that way), I appreciate decorative skins that allow the owner to really show off their personality and distinguish their gadget from all of the others around them.  SmirkAbout, an Australian company, is one of the newer companies putting out…


iPhone 4 Case Review: ingear Flexi Grip Edge

ingear is an iPhone case company that I hadn’t heard of until they reached out to us at Gear Diary to see if we’d be interested in reviewing some of their cases. I happily accepted and in a short time a giant box filled with iPhone and iPad cases arrived on my doorstep. Based in Singapore, ingear manufacturers accessories for a variety of mobile devices throughout Asia. The company does so with a three-pronged approach. Their goal is to create a product which looks good, functions well and is affordable all at the same time. They were kind enough to…


Gear Review: Mikey For iPod, Records Anything, Anywhere, Anytime

I was pretty excited when Blue Microphones announced the new version of their iPod microphone, the Mikey, at CES 2010. Unfortunately the product faced some considerable delays but as with many things good things come to those who wait. The all new Mikey 2 was released last week and I was lucky enough to receive one to review. Blue touts the Mikey 2 as the “perfect tool for mobile recording.” It features a 230-degree rotating design, two custom tuned Blue capsules which enable you to record in stereo and USB pass through. Perhaps most impressive is the Mikey’s three gain…


iPhone 4 Case Review: Case-Mate Bounce with Pong Radiation Reducing Technology

While at CES last year I had to chance to chat with the team from Pong. The Pong case for the iPhone was the first case which was designed with the goal of blocking the iPhone’s potentially harmful radiation from reaching your brain. Then a few weeks ago at the Pepcom Holiday Spectacular I ran into the gang from Case-Mate. They informed me that they had teamed up with Pong and were going to be releasing a new version of the Pong case very soon. Well the case has arrived and it’s called the Case-Mate Bounce. The Bounce case features…


Digging Deeper Into the Notion Ink Adam; Android Done Right or All Just a Dream?

Image courtesy of Notion Ink Time after time our hearts have been broken by empty promises for a newer better tablet. We all know NOTHING has even come close to comparing to the mighty iPad in terms of tablets and slates. The Samsung Galaxy Tab recently was released, and it is probably the only tablet in existence that someone could even compare to Apple’s offering. But as an Android enthusiast I can agree its refinement (so far) has proven less than worthy. We still have a few weeks yet to go this year and a whole bunch of promises to…


ioSafe SoloPRO Fire & Water Proof External Hard Drive Review

Our love of ioSafe‘s fire proof and water proof external hard drives is no secret. I mean how can one not love something that’s able to survive this, or this? I’d been using ioSafe’s original product, their Solo model, since I first tested it back in August of last year (they sent me a replacement after I’d burned the original up in the car.) So when they asked if I was interested in being upgraded to one of their newer Pro models I happily accepted. The SoloPRO is available with either eSATA/USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 connectivity and you can…


Case-Mate Fuel Lite & Max Review: Packing Serious Power for the Power User

I think those of us Gear Diary writers who own the iPhone 4 have been pretty impressed with its battery life. Unlike the iPhone 3G or 3Gs, on most days we’re able to make it through an entire day without a recharge. However, on days when we’re out and about for extended periods of time or just really relying on our phones recharging sometime during the day becomes a necessity. And for us specifically CES is fast approaching and that’s one week where an extra battery, or two, or three, for your phone becomes a must have. Case-Mate recently released…


Apolis Global Citizen Transit Issue Smartphone Wallet iPhone 4 Case Review

Companies like Apolis don’t come around very often.  After I had agreed to review their latest offering, a wallet style case for the iPhone 4, I went to read up and learn more about the brand.  What I read really made me stand up and take notice.  Work conditions at the Chinese factory that produces the iPhone have been all over the news of late and details on the numerous suicides by the Chinese workers are shocking.  We’ve all read the stories about the less than stellar work conditions in factories that product sneakers and other brand named clothing too….


Casio Edifice Watch Review: Yep, I Said Casio

I have a pretty extensive watch collection which includes time pieces that range in price from very low to very high. While I do posses several “high-end” watches I find that I wear a digital watch most often. Part of the reason is my line of work – I just am too hard on anything I wear to worry about a pricey wrist accessory and part of it is the functionality a digital watch offers. A few weeks ago I took off my trusty Casio G-Shock while at the mall and gave it to my wife to hold. When we…


Speck Pixel Skin HD iPod Touch 4G Case Review

TPU and silicone style cases for the iPod Touch and the iPhone are a dime a dozen. If you’re going to impress me with a soft case you’ve got to stand out from the crowd. And that’s exactly what the Pixel Skin HD from Speck Products does. This TPU style case features 6 DPI of high-definition grip in four stylish colors. The Pixel Skin HD is offered in Black, Yellow, Bright Red and Purple. The case doesn’t come with a screen shield. Speck isn’t offering their ShieldView for the 4th generation Touch just yet, so if you need a screen…


Speck Candy Shell iPod Touch 4G Case Review

It’s no secret. I’m a big fan of the cases Speck Products had been churning out for the entire iDevice lineup. One of their newest offerings, The Candy Shell for the iPod Touch 4G recently arrived on my door step and I was happy to welcome it. I’ve owned the Candy Shell for both the iPhone 3G/3Gs and the iPhone 4 and have come to appreciate the hybrid style hard case for all it has to offer. How does the iPod Touch 4G version of this case fare? Read on to find out. Speck was kind enough to send me…


The Primary Case Company Offers A Case For Your Case

Most iPhone users choose to protect their device with a case. A case not only offers a barrier between your phone and the outside elements but allows you to add your own personal design tastes to your mobile device. For me a protective case is only half of the equation though. How I carry my iPhone is just as important. I often choose to carry my phone in my front pants pocket but this can be uncomfortable. I’ve tested a few case/holster combinations but haven’t been particularly thrilled with any of them. The Primary Case Company recently released an entire…