Articles by Gear Diary Staff

Reviews March 27, 2007

The Power Docking Station Review – De-Clutter Your Desktop

We all love our gear – MP3 players, cell phones, portable gaming consoles, PDA’s, cameras, laptops, which all demand the use of electricity accompanied by the associated wires, cords and chargers that supply the lifeline needed to power our gear. When I go to a concert and see miles of cable strung across the stage, it’s a wonder musicians don’t trip over them. Unfortunately, seeing a miniature version of cluttered wires strung out across my work surfaces and hanging over the backside of my desk like some ugly artsy waterfall of wires mentally trips me out. Digital Innovations has come…

Reviews March 26, 2007

The Axion 632 GPS Receiver Review

If you’ve been following my GPS reviews at pocketnow.com, you’ll remember that I can’t find my way out a wet paper bag with a fork and a flashlight.? I have a really horrible sense of direction.? Its shameful… it truly is.? But whaddya gonna do? It is what it is. A little while ago, I got a press release for a brand new GPS receiver, from a company called Axion.? The receiver, the AxionGeo 632, is a stand alone GPS receiver. Its not a PDA, which is new for me.? I’m used to reviewing devices that have a GPS receiver…

Reviews March 25, 2007

The HobbyTron RC AH-64 Apache RTF 4 CH Electric Helicopter Review

RC (radio controlled) vehicles are a very cool thing. I have owned many ready to drive RC cars, big ones to the tiny micro ones. Those RC cars are lots of fun, but when you’ve got an RC vehicle that can fly… it is an extreme world of difference, being much more cool and more fun.

Reviews March 21, 2007

Express thyself! The Kiwali iPod Skins Review

With the proliferation of iPods, we enjoy carrying our music, videos and photos that express our tastes. What?s lacking from the run of the mill white and black Apple iPod casings are designs that say, ?this is me!? Kiwali – pronounced Kee-Wah-Lee (the forgotten Hawaiian goddess of creativity and good design) is a company producing a line of unique skins for the iPod line.

Reviews March 20, 2007

The Archos 604 WiFi Review

Rounding off my list of the three personal media players (PMPs) that I plan to review–I’ve already done the Cowon A2 and the Creative Zen Vision W–it’s time for the Archos 604 WiFi. (I didn’t do an unboxing on this one, kids; sorry, I’ve just been too durn busy with “real” work.) The Archos has specs very similar to that of the Zen Vision and the Cowon A2: 10.23 oz (290g) 4.3″, 480×272 screen 133mm (wide) x 78mm (high) x 18mm (thick) 30 GB hard disk space 5 hours rated of battery time built-in mic built-in external speaker A/V port…

Reviews March 20, 2007

The Energizer – Energi To Go Review

The Energizer “Energi To Go” emergency charger for mobile devices and cellular phones is a gadget falls into the “When I need it, I really need it!” category. The premise is simple: Load the device with two AA batteries (Energizer recommends their Lithium batteries, but it works with any type of AA), plug in their cable, then attach to your mobile phone or PDA, and voila! The LED lights up, and you’re charging. (The speed and quantity of power charging will depend on the type of AA battery used.)

Reviews March 19, 2007

The Tornado File Transfer Tool Review

In my day job as a computer technician… one of the things I work with is computer data, moving files from one place to another. Depending on the situation, there is more than one way to move said data.? It could involve using, USB flash drives, making DVD-R’s, USB external hard drives, taking apart the computer and removing the hard drive to connect to another computer as a secondary hard drive. All these methods vary in length of time needed to complete the transfer. And as always, a direct A to B is the quickest way to get it done….

Reviews March 14, 2007

The APIOTEK VP-0002 USB Skype Phone Review

As a VoIP phone, the APIOTEK VP-0002 could be the thinnest in the world with only 7.5mm thickness; it has been 100% developed for?use with?Skype. Unlike other regular Skype phone handsets, the APIOTEK VP-0002 has a shiny, elegant design?due to its stainless metal back casing. It reminds me of?the Apple iPod and Nokia 8810 GSM cell phone. The APIOTEK VP-0002 Skype USB Phone is a product from Taiwan. An official link of the product is here for reference. Functions and specifications are shown outside the box. The package contains a USB handset, USB cable, user guide and driver CD. Feature:…

Reviews March 14, 2007

The Scala-700 VoIP Headset Review: changing perceptions

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, using a Bluetooth headset is the perfect companion when it comes to using a cell phone. I personally ONLY use a headset when driving or sitting at my desk conversing with clients via my smartphone or Skype. I really don’t need the Captain Picard references or the need to look “fashionable” with a blinking blue light in my ear dining at a restaurant while worrying if my “ear roach” will fall in my salad plate (which I did see happen one time!) But I’m not here to talk about the Five Rules of Bluetooth Headset…

Reviews March 10, 2007

The Slim-Line Presenter PLUS Review: Unlocking PowerPoint prison

With apologies to Bob Dylan, have you ever felt like you were stuck in PowerPoint prison with the presentation blues again?* Most us have seen the overabundance of slides, with 9 point type, variable mix of fonts, sound effects and motivational video clips to fly like an eagle? Then again, for every 100 misuses of PowerPoint, there is that one person who understands their audience and is all about conveying their PowerPoint message in a clear, concise and compelling manner. These presentation warriors in the old days (post Kodak Carousel slide tray era) used to trudge through airports carrying the…

eBooks, Reviews March 6, 2007

The Sony Reader Review

If you read my intro to eBooks, you’ll know that I’m a big eBook fan. So I was really excited to get a look at the new Sony Reader, a dedicated eBook reader that uses the (new! revolutionary!) e-ink technology. Look, I don’t know how revolutionary the e-ink technology is, honestly. I’ve been in the online doc game for a long time, and I’ve heard proselytizers try to sell me on e-ink, and I’ve never been very convinced. Maybe sometime, when they’ve got it working in color, and they’ve gotten it to be a little brighter, and you can use…

eBooks, Reviews March 5, 2007

eBooks and eReaders–a Short Overview

Soon I will be lucky enough to review Sony’s Reader, an eBook reader by Sony. But before I do and give y’all a review, I thought it might be nice to give folks a brief overview of eBooks, both on devoted devices and PDAs. I’ve been in the online documentation game for a long time.? A long time.? I was writing online doc back in 1991, before the Web even got going, back when Acrobat wasn’t even a twinkle in Adobe’s eye.? So I have some pretty (ahem) strong views on online doc, eBooks, eBook readers, and what makes for…

Reviews March 3, 2007

The QuickSeals Review

Now available on the market are QuickSeals from Neese Products, LLC. This innovative product is a plastic pouch with a zip slider on top and two adhesive strips on the bottom. QuickSeals are pouches that affix to any food bag or box to add a zip closure to seal in freshness and prevent spillage. Betsy Scherzer contacted Gear Diary to conduct a product review; she sent 32 samples and I found myself quickly using them every day.

Reviews February 18, 2007

The Cingular Palm Treo 750 Review

Treo at Last (and I’ll Never Go Hungry Again..!) Some of the best things come in small packages. I’ve been looking at a number of different mobile devices over the past few months. Right now, I’ve got 5 WM PDA Phones, and 2 WM Smartphones. The PDA phones are mostly locked to specific carriers. I’ve got an HP 6945 and ETEN M700 that are both unlocked, Quad Band GSM phones that support EDGE. I’ve got a Siemens SX66 (Cingular/ATT) and Palm Treo 700wx (Sprint). I’ve got an Audiovox SMT5600 (Cingular/ATT) and Cingular 3125 that are both Smartphones. However, one of…

Gear Bits, How to Do It Yourself! February 16, 2007

A Palm Treo cradle – LEGO style

I was looking around for a charging cradle that would allow me to store my Palm Treo 650 or 680 in an upright position. Most of the ones that I’ve seen advertised range in price from $29 to $49 USD. While esthetically useful, the practicality of obtaining a cradle meant having yet another spare power cable and sync cable stored away in a shoebox of miscellaneous wires and USB cables. The ancient Greek phillospher Plato is quoted as saying Necessity is the mother of invention, which means that a need or problem encourages creative efforts to meet the need or…

Reviews February 14, 2007

The Cheeky Chick by okiedog Review

Are you looking for an innovative toy for the kid in your life? Whether it is for your niece, friend’s son, or your own child, okiedog has created two foldable tricycles for you. Both designs are for specific age groups and offer varying benefits. The G-Force is the 21st Century’s answer to the much-loved Original Big Wheel. It provides fast-paced riding and spinning through a sleek design. It is specifically for kids 7 years and older. The Cheeky Chick is the toddler version without the propulsion power. According to the site, the Cheeky Chick is a foot-to-floor ride-on transformable tricycle….

Reviews February 9, 2007

The NeatReceipts Scanalizer Review

Besides rearing three rowdy (I mean precious) children, I am an independent contractor. What does that mean? I fat-finger expenses into Microsoft Excel and store piles of receipts, reports, business cards, and 1099s, just so I can claim my earnings/losses.At the beginning of each year, I start formulating my spreadsheet and calculate my profit/gains. If I need to recall a paycheck, I just quickly reference my spreadsheet. But, if I need the actual receipt, I gotta dig through piles of paper. To make my life easier, Judie discovered the NeatReceipts Scanalizer while attending Showstoppers at CES, and passed it my…

Reviews February 1, 2007

The Targus 15.4″ Trademark Backpack Review

[Ed. note: Larry originally wrote this review for the Palm Is Life forum, but he has also translated it for Gear Diary.] As my travel gear and gadgets are getting more and more heavy, I need a backpack to balance the load on my shoulders rather than try to use a side pack which I?find uncomfortable and?might even hurt me. Last week, I got a Targus 15.4″ Trademark Backpack from Targus Taiwan; let’s see what it claims to do for you.

Reviews January 22, 2007

The Mathmos Thaw Review

When I heard about fire and ice coexisting together in the form of the Thaw made by Mathmos and sold by ThinkGeek, I was very curious as to what really goes on inside the shiny silver casing of the Thaw. Up until now, I never heard of putting fire and ice together in any form. I though to myself that the fire will most certainly melt the ice right away. Well, turns out that I am wrong in thinking that, as a search of the Internet turns up lots of details of people making ice candles and they appear to…

Reviews January 21, 2007

The Creative Zen Vision W Review

After my recent, somewhat disappointing experience with the Cowon A2 –and yup, I did in fact return the device–it was time to move on and try another of the available personal media players (PMPs) out on the market. This time, it’s the Creative Zen Vision W. (If you’re into unboxings, take a look at my unboxing on the Vision W.) I’ve been very much looking forward to trying out the Vision W, as in addition to having the standard movie/music/document viewer software, the underlying OS is based on Windows (rather than, say, the modified and proprietary version of Linux that…

How to Do It Yourself! January 16, 2007

Pimping my Mac (Aquarium)

This past August in Nashville, Tennessee it was too hot to be outside to do any yard work, so I decided to work on a project in the comfort of air conditioning. Everything I do or build is a mentally consuming exercise. I Google for ideas, pictures and documentation. Later I sketch, process and make the commitment to get it done. But I’m such a perfectionist when it comes to building things, so I have to manage my time. I’m taking a break from Legos and anything lumber related to try my hand on something totally different. I’ve got the…

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