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eBooks, Reviews April 13, 2010

Books on the iPad: Comparing the Printed Page to ePub and PDFs

PDF. ePub. Kindle. iBooks. eBooks. Nook. eInk. Web Browser. Laptop. Audiobooks. For over 10 years, I have been trying to move to an all-electronic workflow for reading and consuming books, especially technical books. It started when I was a consultant traveling in planes to a variety of locations all over the US and internationally. Even when I was working locally, I had a 3+ hour commute daily for a number of years. One of the first things I did was switch to listening to audiobooks (via Audible) for my long daily commute via car. It not only kept me more…

How to Do It Yourself! April 12, 2010

How To View PDF Files on iPad

When Apple announced the iPad, I immediately imagined that it would be a superior way to read PDF books in a tablet-style format. On the Apple iPad Specs page, there is a single mention of PDF support for the iPad – in the Mail application as an attachment. However, there must be a way to view PDF files on the iPad natively, right? Let’s walk through two main ways currently available to view PDF files on the iPad. Built-In PDF Viewing Mail Application – The iPad supports viewing PDF files that are sent as attachments via email in the Mail…

News & Features April 12, 2010

Vertu Constellation Ayxta Update! It’s Broken!

Vertu Constellation Ayxta If you noticed last week, we did an unboxing on the Vertu Constellation Ayxta. A gorgeous new flip phone that costs oodles and oodles.. Well this week its broken! I put one of my 3 SIMs in it to start using it and absorbing it into my daily repertoire. And then it started happening! I had synched the phone to my PC (Ok Mac Book Pro running Windows XP) and loaded my contacts and a few pertinent pics and was very excited to get started! I turned it on and the screen clock on the inside started…

How to Do It Yourself! April 11, 2010

So How DO You Actually Load Your Own Documents onto the iPad?

Having been one of the people in my social circle to have an iPad, I have been answering a lot of questions for others who don’t have an iPad, or that can’t be answered by playing with one directly. One of the most frequent questions I get is “How do you load PDFs (and other personal documents) onto the iPad?” If you look at the iPad by itself without a computer running iTunes, you can only explain this verbally. And it’s not the most intuitive process (in fact, not very Apple-like). So, rather than re-answer the same question multiple times,…

Reviews April 9, 2010

Review of the Google Nexus One Car Dock Kit

I was very excited when I found out that the Google Nexus One Car Dock was available. As I mentioned during my review of the desktop dock, I thought that it was very well designed. In fact, I liked it enough that I bought another one for work. I was hoping that the car dock would be just as useful to me. I will make some comparisons with the TomTom car kit for the iPod Touch, which I currently use. Read on for my impressions of the car dock after its paces over the past couple of days. As soon…

Reviews April 9, 2010

Keyport Review: Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

The saga that is the Keyport key fob has finally come to a conclusion; and yes, it’s a successful conclusion at that. After months — years, actually — of waiting, several revisions, updated philosophy and updated direction, Keyport launched its brand new web site today, and most importantly is ready to begin accepting orders for their key fob. If you need some back story on what Keyport’s gone through over the last 3 years to get to where they are today, head here. I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a select group of individuals who were included in…

Reviews April 8, 2010

Beats By Dr. Dre Solo HD Red Review

We all love buying new gear. That’s why we’re here right? But when is the last time you bought an amazing gadget and made a donation to a worthy charity at the same time? The Beats By Dr. Dre Solo HD Red headphones not only look and sound great (we’ll get to that in the review), but a portion of the profits from every pair of headphones sold goes directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. These headphones are made from a proprietary titanium coated driver technology ensures they preserve every “bit of the lush bass and…

Reviews April 7, 2010

Clear Coat for iPad Professional Install

As Dan so eloquently pointed out to the entire Internet earlier today, I cracked. Yes, I ordered a iPad 3G, and yes I made fun of Dan who ordered both a WiFi version and a 3G version because he could not wait the 3-4 weeks for the release of the 3G. Well I lasted all of about 48 hours waiting, and today I went out and picked myself a WiFi version of the iPad. I simply could not sit idly by while Judie and Dan had all the fun. The first place I went after picking up the device was…

Editorials April 6, 2010

HP Offers A Slate/Tablet Option That Doesn’t Begin With the Letter “i”

Image courtesy of laptopmag If you follow any kind a social networking than you probably heard already of the announcement of HP’s new slate. They have been teasing us with video snippets over the past few months after a quick preview at the Microsoft CES keynote. Engadget mysteriously happened to get their hands on some HP company documents just in time to take some of the fire out of Apple’s new iPad. Unfortunately, the specs would say otherwise. The slate looks like they took the internals out of an HP netbook and put them all back together in a sleeker…

News & Features April 6, 2010

Got A New iPad? Sock It.

Remember those funny colored socks that Apple sold for older iPod models? Remember how they did a good job of protecting your device from scratches without adding bulk? Remember how for $30 you could get 6 of them, but at least 3 of them were in colors you wouldn’t use? Well, now there is a similar option for your new iPad from iPadSock.net. Like their smaller cousins, these will protect your iPad from scratches without adding bulk. Even better, you get to pick from a range of color combinations, so you will get a color that you’ll actually use. Order them…

Reviews April 4, 2010

Unboxing the Vertu Constellation Ayxta

Vertu, the high-end Nokia luxury handset company, released a flip version of their phone towards the end of 2009 and I finally got my hands on one! So this is the unboxing view, and I’ll come back in a few weeks and do a proper review of the phone whilst in use. I purchased the unit from one of the jewellery stores here in Sydney after much haggling, and carried my plain brown box through the city back to the train stop. I found it a bit odd to carry a large shopping bag from a fine jewellery store through…

News & Features April 3, 2010

uGive iPhone App Makes Mobile Giving Easier

Giving to a charity is something that has probably been on the minds of a lot of folks recently, whether due to natural disasters such as the earthquakes in Haiti, or the general state of the economy and the desire to help others who may be less fortunate. MobileCause, whose staff consists of non-profit and mobile industry professionals, is on a mission to help make charitable giving easier and raise awareness for non-profit organizations. They have just released a new iPhone app, uGive, that allows participating charities to use the iPhone as a means to solicit support. By registering with MobileCause, charities…

Editorials April 2, 2010

Entrustet: Caring For Your Digital Assets When You’re Gone

Having a will is important. A will is a device that lets you tell the world whom you want to get your assets. Die without one, and the state decides who gets what, without regard to your wishes or your heirs’ needs. Wills generally cover your personal property, investments, cash and other assets. But what happens to your digital assets when you die? I realize it’s not the most pleasant thought in the world, but if you’re like me then you probably have a ton of media and other information stored in the “cloud” at one or more online service…

News & Features April 1, 2010

iPad Apps From Shape Services That Are On the Way

We don’t mean to add to your high-tech frenzy but some of our favorite applications (and some new soon-to-be-favorites) are going to be coming to the iPad. We just got word of three that are coming from our friends at ShapeServices And they all look AWESOME! What applications are talking about? Let’s see now — IM+: All-in-One Messenger The Award winning instant messenger for iPhone/iPod Touch that lets you chat within MSN, Yahoo!, Google Talk, AIM, Jabber, ICQ, Facebook, MySpace, Skype and Twitter is coming to the iPad. STATUS- APPROVED!!! iDisplay Turns your iPad / iPhone into a convenient side…

Reviews March 31, 2010

SmallTalk Mini Bluetooth Headset Review

Bluetooth headsets, although very practical , still, in my opinion, haven’t received the widespread acceptance they deserve. Perhaps it’s the fact that they’re just another battery that needs charging, perhaps people just forget them or perhaps it’s there size. With many states introducing laws that require drivers to use some sort of hands free device when using their phone in their car it’s time people got behind owning and using a Bluetooth headset. If size is one of the issues that’s been keeping you from using one the SmallTalk Mini Bluetooth Headset from Mobile Fun is just what you’ve been…

Reviews March 30, 2010

BugMe for iPhone Review: It Does (But in a Good Way)

It’s times like this that are hard to write a lead-in for a review. Anyone who has been interested in handheld gadgets since the days of the original Palm devices are going to recognize the name BugMe! So, it’s hard not to start off by talking about how much I liked BugMe! back in the days when I used a Palm, and how pleased I was when Electric Pocket finally released it for Windows Mobile, and now the iPhone, blah, blah, blah… So, let’s presume that you, the reader, are not someone who has been using handhelds for the past…

Editorials March 30, 2010

$899 iPhone Application and No Refunds?

We all know how easy it is to purchase applications in the iTunes App. Store. Once you have a credit card on file you simply “click” once or twice and bam! Your new application is automatically downloaded to your iTunes library. Even 99¢ applications add up over time. Apple has made it so easy to spend money in their App Store, that often times I find that I don’t even think about purchases when I’m making them. “Hey, it’s only 99¢, no big deal.” Then my monthly bill comes; I find I clicked on thirty .99¢ apps, and $30 is…

Reviews March 29, 2010

Gear Diary Deal or Dud: Bottle Tops

Bottle Tops are another invention from the “As Seen on TV” folks. Meant to work with most size cans, the snap-on tops are said to create an air-tight seal which prevents spills and allows you to keep your carbonated beverage fizzy for longer. The Bottle Tops also prevent “things” from crawling into your drinks on hot summer days when you’re outside. I recently picked up a set of 12 Bottle Tops for $9.99. Are the Bottle Tops a Deal or a Dud? You’ll have to watch for yourself to find out. Bottle tops are available on the “As Seen on…

Reviews March 25, 2010

Rad Blaster Review: Don’t Always Believe the Hype

As bloggers we’re all guilty of it. We see some really cool gadget over the internet, or we’re sent a random press release on what’s described as the next, greatest widget to hit since the invention of the cell phone. Usually we spot some fancy press release picture along with it which only serves to further peak our interest. So what do we do? We post about it. Sometimes we even offer our opinion on how “cool” the thing looks. Or the fact that we’d love to have one. But guess what? We’ve never even held it once, never tested…

Reviews March 24, 2010

NeatDesk Review

From The Neat Company….. “The NeatDesk is a high-speed desktop scanner and digital filing system that will quickly turn all the paper on your desk into organized, digital files. More than just a great scanner, NeatDesk also includes patented NeatWorks software to identify and extract key information from your paper files, then automatically organizes it in the easy to use database.” I’ve tried a bunch of systems to manage my receipts, business cards and paper but I just can’t seem to find one that works the way I want it to. Previously I was using Evernote to manage my business cards but that meant…

Reviews March 22, 2010

Larry G. returns to Review the Tucker & Bloom East to West

Tucker and Bloom has been in the business of making bags for over thirty years. Their products focus on organizing your gear while maintaining a clean and stylized design. Their design philosophy comes straight to the point. “Tucker and Bloom designs aim to organize people with a need to look professional while providing an alternative to the norm.” When Judie described the bag she was sending me for review as the “hairy bag”, I was nothing if not curious at seeing it up close and in person. The East to West Messenger Bag is a classic bike style messenger bag…

Articles by Gear Diary Staff