Reviews

DBest Solo Bluetooth Mini Speaker Review

Reviews

DBest Solo Bluetooth Mini Speaker Review

Since getting my JawBone JamBox some months ago I’ve had a “thing” for small Bluetooth speakers. Most recently I’ve been using two offerings from DBest. Here’s what DBest has to say about their products: The most important thing in music are not the lyrics, but the way of recieving. The way music is transferred determines how much we like our music. To be short: the better the quality of our speakers, the better we can enjoy music! DBest speakers provide premium sound quality that is considered the finest in the world. This way they can give you maximum pleasure listening…

'Murder by Proxy: How America Went Postal' is an Idea Worth Contemplating, a Documentary Worth Seeing

Editorials, Reviews

‘Murder by Proxy: How America Went Postal’ is an Idea Worth Contemplating, a Documentary Worth Seeing

The phrase ‘going postal’ has become such an entrenched part of our cultural identity that it faces the possibility of losing any real meaning. Case in point: my son mentioned that his best friend’s girlfriend had broken up with him, and he ‘totally went postal’ in the locker room – which to him just meant that he flipped out. But for those of us who have been around longer, the phrase has a more specific meaning tied to workplace violence in which someone unleashes a murderous rampage. It started in the mid-1980s in a string of Post Office shootings, but…

Voxer Walkie-Talkie PTT For iPhone/Touch

Reviews

Voxer Walkie-Talkie PTT For iPhone/Touch

I am sure, like me, few of you are ever without your phone. Basically, we have all come to rely on the ability to contact each other 24 hours a day. Texting is probably the easiest since a quick message can easily be sent with the understanding that the receiver will answer at fist convenience. Sometimes a text just does not convey a message that requires a certain tone. A small group of my hunting buddies like to communicate via voice messages. It is not always convenient to call and leave the message, so we rely on phone apps. After…

JustMobile Encore for iPad and Other Tablets Review

Reviews

JustMobile Encore for iPad and Other Tablets Review

We’ve become big fans of JustMobile’s offerings. The company has a great way of merging sleek aesthetics with a high degree of functionality. This time out we are taking a look at the JustMobile Encore stand for iPad and other tablets. Let’s take a look.

Eton Axis Self-Powered Radio Review

Reviews

Eton Axis Self-Powered Radio Review

This past year Sarah and I have been very lucky. While our town did flood, it only necessitated the power being out for around 15 hours. Many of my coworkers and friends north of us had it much worse, with power outages lasting anywhere from 24 hours to 5 days! Unfortunately, the modern world isn’t really conducive to going off-grid. Cell phones need juice, you need access to the news, a clock to see what time it is, and of course, an alarm clock if you plan on heading to work! That’s where having a radio like the Eton Axis…

Music Diary Notes: My 'Baker's Dozen' Best New Jazz Albums of 2011

Music Diary, News & Features, Reviews

Music Diary Notes: My ‘Baker’s Dozen’ Best New Jazz Albums of 2011

For as long as I can recall something about music has been dying – I remember hearing ‘Long Live Rock’ as a kid on the radio when rock was more vibrant than ever; lived through the death of disco and the crash & burn of punk, new wave, new age, retro-50’s, retro-60’s, retro-70’s and now retro-80’s, grunge, glam-rock, hair-metal, screamo, and on and on and on. Yet music never really dies – listening to Skrillex I hear so many of the traditions of techno and dance music from well before Sonny Moore was born reflected through his creations. The same…

Fly with Me for iPhone/Touch

Game Diary, Reviews

Fly with Me for iPhone/Touch

  We have all flung birds at enemy pigs and used our tiny wings to navigate the hills of an unknown world but how many of us actually get to fly on our iOS device? Do not ask me to explain it, but bird games seem to be fun. As I was scouring the Appstore trying to bring you the best of the bargain apps, Fly With Me jumped at me. I knew being from EA and having a bird as the main character I could not go wrong. The app is actually free as of this writing, on sale…

Metalix Snap-On Cover for iPhone 4S

Reviews

Metalix Snap-On Cover for iPhone 4S

Qmadix was kind enough to send three of their new iPhone cases for review. I thought we might take a quick look at each one. Here in Part 2 we’ll look at the Metalix Snap-On Cover for iPhone 4S. If you like the look of a metal case but also like the grip offered by a textured rubber case this just might be the iPhone protection for you.

Qmadix Bezel for Apple iPhone 4S

Reviews

Qmadix Bezel for Apple iPhone 4S

Updated DISCLAIMER: Before we even begin this review let me offer the bottom line on this case. It killed my reception and I found the same thing occurring when I tried it with other people’s iPhones. It is for that reason that we cannot recommend this case.   Qmadix was kind enough to send three of their new iPhone cases for review and we are taking a quick look at each. Here in Part 3 we’ll look at the Bezel for Apple iPhone 4/4S. If you like the look of a metal frame-style case and are looking for an unusual design…

Twelve South HoverBar Is a Mac Accessory You are Going to Want

Reviews

Twelve South HoverBar Is a Mac Accessory You are Going to Want

Impress friends and office mates with a jaw-dropping, super futuristic, straight out of Hollywood Mac setup. HoverBar hangs iPad 2 beside your Mac, letting you use iPad as a secondary, touchscreen computer. The flexible HoverBar arm positions iPad in a place where you can keep tabs on Twitter, stocks or partake in a FaceTime chat. As a bonus, you can use HoverBar separately to float iPad 2 as a micro workstation, a handy kitchen mount or as a tool that elevates iPad, creating a whole new way to interact with apps. That’s how Twelve South introduces their new HoverBar accessory….

Squrl for iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch

Reviews

Squrl for iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch

That’s right, its baaaack! After a short hiatus, the Blue Plate Special is back! I will be tweaking the format a bit to hopefully bring you more applications more often. Some of the apps may be on sale and require immediate download for the low price and some posts may contain several apps. Get your phones, iPads and iPod touches ready and check back often for the best deals in the app store! Without further ado, let’s get to saving! There are tons of options for everyone to get news and blog posts on a daily basis. Just look up…

Snowtrax 2 Slip-on Cleats Gave Me Plenty of Traction on Dicey, Icy Day

Gear Bits, Reviews

Snowtrax 2 Slip-on Cleats Gave Me Plenty of Traction on Dicey, Icy Day

Admittedly, this winter for Ohio has been a bust where snow is concerned. However, living where I do winter inhabitants are occasionally bedeviled by ice storms or significant ice accumulation. Late January for me was one such episode where we received between 0.25″ to 0.5″ of ice accumulation and a dusting of freezing sleet. Walking in such weather on untreated or partially treated surfaces can be very tricky. Fortunately for me as a Christmas gift I received two pairs of Snowtrax 2 slip-on cleats that made all the difference on that treacherous day.

The Startech USB 3.0/eSATA Quad Bay Docking Station Review

Reviews

The Startech USB 3.0/eSATA Quad Bay Docking Station Review

  Image courtesy of StarTech Those of us in the IT business know that you simply can’t have enough tools to get the job done. Anything to make life easier, and give you more time to for other things is usually worth it’s weight in gold. StarTech makes some of the coolest and hard to find computing equipment on the market. Almost everything I have used from them works exactly as they said it would and stands up to the harshness of the IT worker lifestyle. Today we are taking a look at one of my favorite products from StarTech,…

Plantronics Marque M155 Bluetooth Headset Review

Reviews, Travel

Plantronics Marque M155 Bluetooth Headset Review

It is not uncommon for us to have an item or two as part of a giveaway but to have four of the same item ready to send to four lucky Gear Diary readers… that IS unusual. The giveaway item is, as Judie posted the other day, the Plantronics Marque M155 Bluetooth headset. Yes, we have two of the M155s in white and two in black to give away and the contest doesn’t end until Sunday. At an MSRP of $59.99 (you can get it for less if you price check on the internet) it is one of the less…

Just Chill Out with Bottle on Ice Wine Cooler

Reviews, Yum Log

Just Chill Out with Bottle on Ice Wine Cooler

Contrary to popular belief, you’re not supposed to drink red wine at room temperature or white wine straight out of the refrigerator. Most whites taste best after being allowed to warm up about twenty minutes after being removed from the fridge, and your better Chardonnays and White Burgundies really shine at cellar temperature, which is about 55°. Red wines generally drink best at close to 65°, which unless you live in my grandparents’ old house, probably is a bit colder than room temperature. So the easy rule of thumb is to take white wine out of the refrigerator twenty minutes…

Hands-On Review of the Republic Wireless $19 'Unlimited' Cell Phone Plan

Reviews

Hands-On Review of the Republic Wireless $19 ‘Unlimited’ Cell Phone Plan

Back in early November I wrote about Republic Wireless, a company offering a compelling $19 a month unlimited plan with no contract. I ordered a phone the same day, and it arrived late in December. Let’s take a quick look at what they have to offer! The Hype: Newsflash: anything a cell network can do, the Internet can do better and cheaper. So we think a truly smart smartphone should make a habit of using Wi-Fi for everything. Surfing. Texting. Sharing. And, yes, even talking. There isn’t an app for this. And you definitely shouldn’t have to download any special…

The Incipio Stowaway for iPhone 4 and 4S Review

Reviews

The Incipio Stowaway for iPhone 4 and 4S Review

While questions remain about the security of Google Wallet (can you say “hackable??” I knew you could!!), the search for the perfect “iPhone case as wallet” continues. We’ve looked at a number of them and all had their positive attributes. Sadly, all were also hampered by some significant flaws. Has the Incipio Stowaway made the right design decisions? Is this the perfect everyday iPhone case as wallet? Let’s take a closer look.

Where Can the Case-Mate Phantom Travel? Just About Anywhere!

Reviews

Where Can the Case-Mate Phantom Travel? Just About Anywhere!

I have just returned from a weeklong cruise along Costa Rica and Panama, and of course, my trusty iPhone came with me. It was safely swaddled in a Case-Mate Phantom Case, which I’ve had for a few weeks. My intention was to write-up the full review when I returned, but as the trip played out this review took on a bit of a different turn, so read on for more!

Sena Messenger Bag for Tablets Video Review

Reviews, Travel

Sena Messenger Bag for Tablets Video Review

I carry my iPad with me pretty much all the time. And, increasingly I find myself carrying ONLY my iPad and my smartphone during the day. I don’t carry my laptop. I don’t carry a pen or even my Livescribe Echo SmartPen. I don’t even carry an external keyboard for the iPad. And if I am going to go light I might as well carry a small, light bag. I’ve been on the hunt for something small and light that also had some style to it. So when I saw the Messenger Bag for Tablets on Sena’s website I took…