News & Features

Jabra Readies Rox Wireless Headphones

The Jabra Revo Wireless headphones continue to impress me and have a place in my gear bag most days. Now Jabra is rolling out the Jabra Rox Wireless in-ear wireless headphones. They let you “Go wireless and give up the wires without giving up great sound”. With simple NFC pairing, a rugged design and more they look great. Coming soon.


FreshTECH Canning System Makes Preserving Food High Tech!

Every year, the same thing happens in my house. We find a great deal for a large amount of produce, and we vow to start canning with it. And then we remember how time-consuming and specific canning is, and then we rush to eat a lot of produce before it goes bad. That’s why the new FreshTECH canning system has caught my eye! The FreshTECH system is an all in one canning appliance, so you don’t need to fiddle with water baths and boiling jars. The company says it has several safety measures in place, so you don’t have to…


IK Multimedia Launches iLoud Speaker – the Ideal Portable Speaker for Musicians and Audiophiles

Over the last few years the Bluetooth speaker market has gone from non-existent to absolutely amazing. At GearFest we listened to a number of speakers that were loud, paired easily, and sounded great. Today IK Multimedia released iLoud, another of the cool products revealed at CES. iLoud brings the musician’s sensibilities and needs to the world of Bluetooth speakers. Here are some of the features: Loud and Clear The iLoud speaker is indeed very loud. In fact, it’s 2 to 3 times louder than comparable size speakers — a blasting 40W RMS of power. But iLoud is extremely clear at…


Amazon Offers Indie Bookstores a Small Cut to Sell eBooks, But Will Anyone Bite?

  It’s no secret that “Amazon” is a dirty word among independent booksellers. They’ve fought against carrying Amazon-published books, railed against Kindles, and fought Amazon’s no-internet-sales-tax stance. But Amazon really wants to win over the indie booksellers, so they’ve rolled out Amazon Source, an affiliate Kindle program for indie booksellers. Because when someone hates you, they’ll totally sell your competing product…


Google Voice Cuts Off Third Party Apps

Are you still using Google Voice? Better hope it’s an official Google Voice app, because third-party access is being yanked later this year. Most users won’t be affected, unless, of course, you use Windows Phone … then you will definitely lose Google Voice early next year!


Have You Been Wondering How to Remove Yourself from the Internet?

Maybe this whole NSA debacle has you feeling a bit over-exposed, or maybe you’ve decided that no good can come from having your information “out there”; whatever. Removing yourself from the internet is a daunting task, but Gizmodo has just published a guide that will at least get you started. Can you guess what will have to go first?



Nexus 5 Debuts in Time for Trick or Treat

In the worst kept secret ever, and on the best day for a phone with an OS release codenamed for a candy bar, Google has finally released the Nexus 5. The Nexus 5 is made by LG and is pretty much the same hardware as the G2 but without the crappy software or fingerprint scanner. The Nexus 5 ships with the sweet treat that is Android 4.4, code named Kit Kat. Google has promised that this release should run great even on hardware that is not as robust as the Nexus 5. This is a treat for Sprint and T-Mobile…


Trick Or Treat with Gear Diary and Win!

Happy Halloween! Some of you may be heading out to go trick or treating this afternoon. Oothers may simply be hanging out and enjoying this last day of October. We thought we might do a bit of trick or treating ourselves here on Gear Diary; we’ve turned on our porch light, and we are ready to hand out some treats!


R.I.P. Ronald Shannon Jackson and Lou Reed

Over the last week we’ve lost two visionary artists in very different musical genres; two men whose names might not have been household names and who might never have burned up the pop charts, but their impact was broad and far-reaching, and who will be sorely missed. Those men were jazz drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson and rock musician Lou Reed.



Check Out Belkin’s iPad Air Case Collection

Belkin has an entire line of iPad Air cases ready to help you personalize and protect the upcoming thin and light 9.7″ iPad. The collection features 10 different cases and folios that are “designed to match any style, activity or use”. There’s something for every style and budget. Here’s a quick look at some of them.


The Sims 4 Fall 2014 Release Annoucement

Electronic Arts/Maxis has announced The Sims™ 4 will be shipping in fall 2014 worldwide on PC/Mac. This specific date range follows the initial 2014 release announcement. Pre-orders are available at www.TheSims.com/. Pre-order now to receive the Limited Edition which comes with The Sims 4 Life of the Party Digital Content.


Belkin Is Ready for the New iPad Air

Belkin was quick to announce a slew of new cases and accessories for the upcoming iPad Air. Key among the offerings are a series of keyboard cases they are calling the Qode line. Three different price points mean there is something for everyone who wants to turn their thin and light 5th generation iPad into a productivity machine.


Rosetta Stone Arcade Academy Debuts on iOS

The popular Rosetta Stone® language learning modules now have game! The company has launched Rosetta Stone Arcade Academy where users can expand their Spanish linguistic skills through various games within a mobile application. Users can get the app (149 MB) on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad for free (as of October 2013).


Grilled Cheesus and the Ecumenical Guide to Grilled Cheese

Judie and I recently got pitched to cover the Grilled Cheesus. Yes, it is exactly what is sounds like — a grilled cheese gadget that makes “grilled cheese sandwiches easier and tastier — and more divine”. It is a real product that costs $39.95. We got to thinking, what would other faith-based grilled cheesers look like? Let’s take a look.