Gear Bits

Quick Look: Belkin Travel Router

Events, Gear Bits, Reviews, Travel

Quick Look: Belkin Travel Router

This year Gear Diary’s CES base will be a suite at the MGM Grand. All of us will be bunking together which means we will be able to get even more writing done early in the morning or late at night. Of course that presumes we have the wireless connectivity to go online and post. 🙂  The suite comes with free internet connectivity. That SHOULD mean both wired and wireless connections will work, but we won’t really know until we get there. Add in the fact that during CES there is such a huge demand on wireless systems and… we…

Droid 4 Revealed - Like a Moto Razr with a Slide-Out QWERTY Keyboard

Gear Bits

Droid 4 Revealed – Like a Moto Razr with a Slide-Out QWERTY Keyboard

When it comes to mobile devices I tend to be fairly platform agnostic, owning Android phones, iPod Touches (well, iPods since the original one in 2001), and both iPads and Android Tablets. But there is one place where I have clear bias (well, aside from gaming performance), and that is my preference for physical keyboards. Listing the smartphones I have used over the last few years, there is the original Droid, Palm Pre, Palm Pixi, HTC Touch Pro 2, HTC 7 Pro, and Droid Pro. What do all of those phones have in common? A physical keyboard. I even stuck…

Siri Is Awesome but It's Not the AT&T iPhone 4S' Best Feature

Gear Bits, Outdoors

Siri Is Awesome but It’s Not the AT&T iPhone 4S’ Best Feature

I love Siri on the iPhone 4S. As I have written previously, it has changed the way I use my iPhone and, in fact, the way I do much of my writing. Thanks to Siri I’m better at consistently setting up reminders for myself. Thanks to Siri I’m able to make new appointments on the fly. And thanks to Siri I am rarely typing on my iPhone any longer. Yes, Siri’s voice recognition is so good that, so long as I speak clearly and slowly and follow the guidelines I have previously shared here on the site, I am now…

Technology Meets Tradition: Prague, a Bat Mitzvah and an iPhone to the Rescue

Gear Bits

Technology Meets Tradition: Prague, a Bat Mitzvah and an iPhone to the Rescue

Picture from Jewish Journal A few years ago I received a picture from friends in my congregation. They were in Jerusalem for their daughter’s Bat Mitzvah. The the picture their daughter was standing on the Southern Steps of the Temple Mount wearing a tallit (prayer shawl) and holding a BlackBerry. It seems she left her speech in the hotel room in Jerusalem. Luckily, her mom had it on her Blackberry for safe keeping. Yes, a BlackBerry saved the day and her Bat Mitzvah. Fast forward to last week. It seems when it comes to a smartphone saving the day during a Bat Mitzvah…

Microsoft's Claims of TellMe Being 'Basically the Same as Siri' Put to the Test

Gear Bits

Microsoft’s Claims of TellMe Being ‘Basically the Same as Siri’ Put to the Test

Sometimes there is no better way to demonstrate that what a company is saying is pure rubbish than by putting it to a simple test. Apple’s Siri was released to simultaneous cheers and yawns – cheers from those who use it and yawns from Microsoft and Google (and their fanboys) saying that they already have the same technology. This week Microsoft made a big deal about how they already had a ‘Siri-like’ technology and all Apple had going for it was ‘good marketing’. This is very similar to what Google has said, and is the sort of thing that plays…

Stupid Gift of the Day: Santa Claus Drink Dispenser

Gear Bits, Yum Log

Stupid Gift of the Day: Santa Claus Drink Dispenser

Yes, I’m not sure how appetizing your favorite drink will be when served from this dispenser but one thing is certain — it will get a laugh (pity or otherwise). As the product description explains: Santa Claus makes everything so much more festive and joyous, even when he’s pouring Liquor for you! Well, he sure has a weird way of helping you to a little drink. He never stops delivering gifts to you with an overly generous helping hand. When you feel the spirit of the season, call on Santa. When you’re feeling like a scrooge, call on Santa. When you just…

Malls Will Test Cell Phone Shopper-Tracking Starting on Black Friday

Gear Bits

Malls Will Test Cell Phone Shopper-Tracking Starting on Black Friday

You are wandering around the mall on Friday, heading from the Gap to FYE to Macy’s to Hickory Farms to Best Buy, not necessarily thinking about anything but getting as many great deals to justify braving the crowds as possible. But thanks to FootPath Technology, your cell phone will be pinging in with its location, and the mall will be able to mine data about traffic patterns, which stores got the most visitors, correlations between stores and more! Sound a bit invasive? Well, if you are in one of the malls testing this out, your only option is to turn…

Samsung Shows Lack of Class in Latest Galaxy S II Commercial

Gear Bits

Samsung Shows Lack of Class in Latest Galaxy S II Commercial

As someone pointed out in response to the Galaxy Nexus commercial – that was made by Google, which is why it was excellent. Now we get one for the Galaxy S II made by Samsung … and it is NOT. Back in the 80’s Apple produced two infamous commercials – 1984 and Lemmings. They are well known by name more than 25 years later for very different reasons: 1984 showed a single person striking out against tyranny to choose her own path and give others the opportunity to make their own choices as well. Lemmings was infamous for … well,…

Oh the Times, They Are aChangin'

Gear Bits, Travel

Oh the Times, They Are aChangin’

Here’s just one small indicator of how much things have changed over the past few years. One of our cars died and is on its way to the junkyard. Prior to having it shipped off we cleared out the glove box. Buried deep inside with these relics of travels past. Me, “hmmm, New car has nav. I don’t think we need these any longer.” Elana, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Let’s just put them in the recycling bin.” It is a new world and one in which, like phone books, maps are really a thing of the past.

A Reminder at Thanksgiving to Help Those in Need in YOUR Town!

Gear Bits

A Reminder at Thanksgiving to Help Those in Need in YOUR Town!

I have to admit that it took a while for me to support the United Way. Back in Massachusetts we had a wonderful local group that my wife and I supported, and at work they transitioned from local charities to the United Way as the company that bought out the former ‘family business’ (with >700 employees) … and subsequently came to yell at us for making him look bad by not signing up for the United Way – something he remedied by removing the local choices … which meant simply didn’t sign up and kept my money local. And yes,…

A Massive Look at the Breakdown from Trillions to Dollars

Gear Bits

A Massive Look at the Breakdown from Trillions to Dollars

Have you ever looked at the amounts of money our government and large corporations toss around – billions or even trillions of dollars – and tried to break it down into something more ‘real’? Well, this week’s xkcd comic does just that. Much of it is just informative, making proportional chunks of blocks for how much an iPhone costs or dinner out at Outback Steakhouse. But there are images like the one above, showing that while for most people the standard of living has not improved in almost 45 years, for the average CEO things have improved by more than…

RIP Legendary Jazz Drummer Paul Motian

Gear Bits

RIP Legendary Jazz Drummer Paul Motian

Today we get the news of the passing of Paul Motian at age 80 (1931-2011), the legendary drummer forever linked with pianist Bill Evans and bassist Scott LaFaro in the definitive piano trio under Evans leadership. His output as a leader and sideman has been tremendous, as has his influence on drummers and music in general. As columnist James Hale remarks: I can’t begin to count the number of recordings I have that feature drummer Paul Motian, who died today at age 80, and I can’t think of a disappointing one among them. Not only did he have exceptional taste…

GoPro Is the HERO of Awesome Action Video

Gear Bits, Vehicles & Gear

GoPro Is the HERO of Awesome Action Video

Ever wonder how producers are able to capture those awesome video shots that seem to put you right in the action? Simple, they have the right equipment (and, of course they eye and technical skill.) One such tool, the HD HERO, is a cool little camera that came on the market a few years ago and it has really taken the action and adventure world by storm. Developed by GoPro, this very compact unit is capable of recording video and still shots in high-definition and, while not the only sports camera on the market, it is the king when it comes…

Does Holiday Food Waste Bother You?

Gear Bits

Does Holiday Food Waste Bother You?

photo courtesy of The New York Times via Green Options  When I was a kid, if I didn’t eat enough I was told that should think about all of the “starving children around the world” and clean my plate. Granted, my feelings at the time were along the lines of how happy I would be to box up my leftovers and ship them off, but my parents did have a point. Just because we live in a country where food is more readily available than in other parts of the world does not give us license to waste it; it’s…

PSA: If You Are a Verizon Wireless Customer, Check Your Privacy Settings!

Gear Bits

PSA: If You Are a Verizon Wireless Customer, Check Your Privacy Settings!

Whenever a wireless carrier discusses your private information, you can be sure of one thing: they are trying to squeeze more money out of you by leveraging your information, but know that if they don’t give you an opt-out they will have regulators breathing down their necks. So … this week we get an email from Verizon Wireless. What information are they storing? Mobile Usage Information: • Addresses of websites you visit when using our wireless service. These data strings (or URLs) may include search terms you have used • Location of your device (“Location Information”) • App and device…

Amazon: It May Be Easy, but It's a Risk

Gear Bits

Amazon: It May Be Easy, but It’s a Risk

Now that Amazon is shipping the Kindle Fire, I got to thinking: what if you gift the Fire or any other Kindle?  Well, if you do, make sure you do what Laptopmag.com says in their post and keep YOUR Kindle account safe.  After I read this, I did some more thinking: What if someone stole your shiny new Kindle off of your porch? If this happens, then that thief has access to ALL of your books and can purchase books on your account.  This is bad.  This is very bad.  Gear Diary’s own Michael Anderson and Dan Cohen are both trying out the Kindle Fire,…

Author's Guild Challenges Amazon Prime Lending Library

eBooks, Gear Bits

Author’s Guild Challenges Amazon Prime Lending Library

Uh oh…looks like Amazon’s Lending Library for Prime subscribers has a slight snag-they may not be legally allowed to offer them. The “big six” publishers wanted nothing to do with the program, which isn’t surprising, but Amazon has amassed almost 5,000 titles from smaller houses. Amazon is basically treating each “loan” of a book as a sale of that book, and paying the publishers accordingly. Clearly, Amazon believes this is within their contract rights, but the Author’s Guild is arguing it doesn’t count as a sale and should be a separate contract item. Specifically, here’s the meat of the Guild’s…

Uncommon Goods' Face Mug Is Truly One of the Coolest Mugs Ever!

Gear Bits

Uncommon Goods’ Face Mug Is Truly One of the Coolest Mugs Ever!

There’s not much to say, other than that owning this ceramic mug would be an absolute pleasure. Imagine the envious looks you would get in the office if this were sitting on your desk; imagine the fun you could have if you left this mug sitting on the break room counter, only to came back 10 minutes later to find different things sitting in between its lips. A stapler? Why not. Some rubber bands? Okay. Hey — not my sandwich! You can get your Face Mug at Uncommon Goods for $18. Order me one too, while you’re at it ……

Had Enough of Fruit Ninja? Now You Can Actually BE a Samurai for a Day

Gear Bits

Had Enough of Fruit Ninja? Now You Can Actually BE a Samurai for a Day

Have you ever wanted to be a samurai for a day? No? Me either but apparently our friend Ali over on Chip Chick did and, thanks to LivingSocial, she recently had a chance to do just that. As Ali explains, Have you ever wanted to go whitewater rafting? How about shoot guns and enjoying some tequila afterwards? Or maybe just be a Samurai for the day? Well LivingSocial helps bring people together to share, save or have out of the box experiences just like these. Unlike Groupon, LivingSocial is so much more than a place to come to save money…