News & Features

Braven BRV-1 Speaker Encounters the Water Torture Test

We’ve reviewed the Braven 600 previously and, yesterday, we spent some hands-on time with the BRV-1. The speaker is rugged, water-resistant, and “built for the outdoors”. 10 hours of playtime thanks to the 1200mAh battery means you’ll get plant of time to listen to tunes on the 5W speakers. And because the BRV-1 is “protected from rainfall, water jets, and water splashing”. It is not, hover, intended to be submersed completely in water. We put the speaker to the test. There’s much more to learn about the $169.99 speaker and that can be accomplished here on the Braven site.

Health and Fitness, News & Features

Binge Drinking Is Now a Bigger Problem for College Women

At this time each year high school juniors are starting to look at colleges and high school seniors are starting the brutal post-application waiting period. At this point many parents have started having talks with their kids about exercising personal responsibility in college when it comes to studying, drinking, driving and sex. One important talk is about the dangers of ‘binge drinking’, which is consuming quantities of alcohol more rapidly than normal with the express purpose of inebriation. It is defined as drinking “as four or more drinks for women, but five or more drinks for men within a three-hour…

Events, News & Features

Griffin’s Crayola Light Marker, Impresses at CES 2013

Take one iPad with front-facing camera, one specialty stylus designed to look like a Crayola crayon, and one kid. Mix them together with some special tech sauce and what do you get? The Crayola Light Marker from Griffin. Here’s a video look at the new offering from Griffin. The Crayola Light Marker from Griffin features: Digital marker and free downloadable app for iPad Light Marker uses invisible light to play games and create on your iPad screen without touching it Fun in the dark with free downloadable Light Marker App – 6 activities and and hours of fun. Light Marker…

Game Diary, News & Features

Super Stickman Golf 2 Scheduled to be Released Early This Year

I fondly remember playing Super Stickman Golf on my HTC Thunderbolt after I got it for free thanks to the Amazon App Store’s daily free app promotions. It was one of my favorite games on Android for a long time. I downloaded it thinking it would be an interesting time waster; I never would have paid for the app and probably wouldn’t have even given much thought to it had it not been free that day. Boy, am I glad I found it, though. After playing a few of the levels, I realized what a deal I got. Super Stickman…

Music Diary, News & Features

Amazon Introduces “Amazon AutoRip”, Giving Customers Free MP3 Versions of Purchased CDs

If you buy a CD on Amazon but also want to play it on your iPod (which describes my kids), you insert the disc and rip the music to iTunes. That gives you the best of all worlds – and if you use iTunes Match you can then download the tracks on any of your iOS devices. But with fewer and fewer computers (dominated by the move to Ultrabooks and the Macbook Air) coming equipped with a CD drive, customers are increasingly making the move to an all-digital library … so if they use an iPod or other iOS device…

Events, News & Features

Stay Connected With ConnecteDevice’s COOKOO Watch

ConnecteDevice Ltd, an unpronounceable global tech company, has just announced the worldwide launch of its COOKOO™ connected watches. These designer devices combine standard analog movement with a connected digital display to keep people updated to the happenings on their iOS smartphones. Incoming and missed calls, Facebook notifications, calendar reminder, and more can be mapped to the watch and displayed digitally. Even better, the COOKOO line doesn’t require regular charging. So how does it work? Users must first download the COOKOO App™ (available on the App Store). People can then pick and choose which updates they want to receive on their…

Events, News & Features

Golla Bags Can Outfit Your Mobile Arsenal!

Company: Golla Bags Products on Display: Golla is at CES with everything from simple phone pouches to device-specific form fitting cases. They also have an extensive line of larger bags, as well as camera pouches and even headphones. What Caught Our Eye: I love Golla bags, and have used their pouches for cameras and other small devices over the years. They are tough, extremely well made, and come in all sorts of cool designs. They have some great cases for the iPhone and iPad (shocking, I know) but they also have expanded their device specific lines to include Samsung, and…

Events, Gear Bits, Music Diary, News & Features

IK Multimedia Introduces the iRig HD Guitar Interface

It is hard to believe it has been more than two and a half years since Travis reviewed the original iRig here at Gear Diary. In that time iRig has become THE standard for interfacing your guitar with your iOS device regardless of the apps you were using. Well, now at CES IK Multimedia has taken the next step in iRig development, introducing the iRig HD that goes beyond simple Lightning Connector compatibility to deliver a true high-def experience. “iRig HD features superior digital audio quality, and offers a premium 24-bit A/D converter for a crystal clear digital signal that’s…

Gear Bits, News & Features

Reality Show “Chained To My Ex” Looks at the Struggles of Life Together After Divorce

As anyone who has been married for more than a couple of years (or perhaps months … or weeks … or days) can tell you, marriage is not easy. Aside from all of the issues related to cohabitation, you also have to consider that suddenly there are joint liability issues and financial sharing and so on. Which leads to the tag-line for the new reality show “Chained To My Ex” “Being married and living together can be tough. Being divorced and living together…PURE HELL” That’s where Chained to My Ex comes in. While reality TV is definitely not ‘my thing’,…

Crowdfunding, Events, News & Features

The Pebble Watch Press Conference

Are you one of the people who backed the Pebble watch on Kickstarter? Dan and I were, but unlike every other smartwatch that we have personally backed on the crowd funding site Kickstarter since the phenomenally successful Pebble was successfully funded, the Pebble still hasn’t shipped. We’ve been curious about the holdup; not alarmed, just curious. (Note: after the press conference we got an update with more info, scroll to the bottom to read!) So when I found out that they would be hosting a press conference at CES, I was completely interested — not only as a tech journalist…

Events, News & Features

Audi to Include Tegra-Powered Infotainment Systems in Select Vehicles This Year

If you are an Audi enthusiast and in the market for a new Audi, you are in for a treat. Audi today announced they would be including the MMX computing module based on the NVIDIA Tegra Visual Computing Module in select models starting in 2013. This latest iteration of the Audi MIB will enhance Audi connect, permitting the live updating of satellite imagery for both Google Earth and Google Map Street View. Audi drivers with the new NVIDIA Tegra hardware will be able to see 360° street panoramas as well as pull up real-time gas prices, the latest weather forecasts…

Events, News & Features

Boogie Board Introduces 2 New LCD eWriter Models at CES

You know about the Boogie Board, right? It’s basically an LCD notepad that can be reused as many times as you need. It’s great for leaving a note for your husband, wife, or the kids, or maybe jotting down a phone number at the office. I know I go through tons of little notepads that I keep next to my phone in my office just taking little notes. This saves all that paper, plus, all your friends or coworkers would be totally jealous of you. What’s really cool is that these babies use zero power. Zero. They use Reflex No…

Gear Bits, News & Features

College Students Have a Chance to Win a Free Round Trip Flight FromTurkish Airlines

Are you in college? Is money tight? Don’t worry, many of us have been there before. Turkish Airlines wants to help with their “World Travel 101 Sweepstakes”. The monthly promotion gives students the opportunity to win round-trip tickets to any of Turkish Airlines’ more than 200 destinations. See the information below for sweepstakes details: Who: U.S. college and university students How: Enter via Facebook or the sweepstakes website listed here: Facebook app: https://www.facebook.com/TurkishAirlinesUSA/app_317121841734307 Website: http://www.turkishairlinessweepstakes.com/ * Website is mobile-capable Prize: One (1) round-trip ticket to any of Turkish Airlines’ 200+ global destinations. Two (2) tickets will be given away each…

Events, News & Features, Outdoors

yurbuds Focus Limited Edition Earbuds Look Great, Sound Great and Stay in Place

We’ve been fans of yurbuds earbuds since first seeing them at CES 2011. The earbuds have a special design that lets you wear them comfortably for extended periods and, thanks to their unusual design, the earbuds stay in place even when you are doing flips off the wall. Case in point… The company has once again upped their game. The Focus Limited Edition ($99.99) and Inspire Limited Edition ($99.99) step up the fashion aspect of the earbuds by switching to a sharp black/red color. The result is a line that looks sleeker than ever. Yes, sport earphones can now be…

Gear Bits, Music Diary, News & Features

2012 Was the Year YouTube Went Professional

In previous years the ‘top 10’ lists of most viewed YouTube clips would always contain amateur videos such as ‘Charli Bit My Finger’, cat videos, and so on … but this past year saw YouTube move fully to a professional video channel, reflecting the mainstream adoption of internet video as a primary source of entertainment. As kids have known for years, it is often easier to simply grab a YouTube video for a song you want to hear than fiddle around on iTunes, Spotify or Slacker. As noted here, “Almost everything on the list this year was created by professional…

Events, Music Diary, News & Features

Android Mobile Musicians Rejoice – IK Multimedia Accessories Now Work on Android!

IK Multimedia is coming to Android full force this year at CES! Having just announced iRig Recorder for Android, they have opened the possibilities for mobile music-making on the platform. But just having an app isn’t good enough, you need ways to get your music into the app – so now IK Multimedia has announced the compatibility of several of their accessories with Android and iRig Recorder, including the iRig MIC, iRig MIC Cast, and iRig PRE. All of those products will work well in tandem with the just announced iRig Recorder for Android, the easy-to-use recording and editing IK Multimedia app. A couple…

Events, Music Diary, News & Features

IK Multimedia Brings Mobile Music to Android with iRig Recorder

For me, one of the deciding negatives regarding Android has been the lack of a low-latency core audio system as is found in iOS. And while that hasn’t been solved at a system level, talented developers such of products such as FL Studio have been working on their own solutions. Now IK Multimedia takes the lead! Today at CES IK Multimedia announced iRig Recorder for Android, which allows high-definition, low-latency audio recording. The app also has plenty of built-in tools for editing and exporting your sounds, and will support IK Multimedia accessories such as iRig MIC, iRig MIC Cast and…

Events, News & Features

Linksys Introduces New 802.11ac Routers at CES 2013

I’ve always been a big fan of Linksys over the years for making reliable routers for the home. Even though the next iteration of WiFi, 802.11ac, is still being finalized, this isn’t stopping Linksys from introducing three new routers based on a draft of the new standard. This is similar to how the previous generation, 802.11N was introduced so it’s no surprise to me that they’d want to get the jump on the new standard. The top of the line Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Router AC 1750 HD Video Pro, EA6700 has the power user in mind. It promises speeds up to 1300…

Events, Game Diary, News & Features

unu – Tablet, Game Controller, Smart TV Dock in One, Unveiled at CES

Coming a long way from the public’s first glimpse at the device, the unu tablet has been debuted at CES. The device, called “snakebyte eins” during its production and development, has been given a new name and a warm welcome in sunny Las Vegas at CES this year. A pre-release version of the device is playable on the conference floor throughout CES. According to the company, Snakebyte, unu is completely different from all Android-based gaming platforms currently available to the public. And I would have to agree. unu comes with a docking station, gaming controller, and an air mouse, which…

News & Features

Dark Arcana – The Carnival HD for iPad Review

Dark Arcana – The Carnival is a Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (HOPA) game for the iPad and iPhone; it is available in the App Store. It’s developer is Artifex Mundi / G5 Entertainment. Description: 48 enigmatic spine-tingling locations to visit 18 hidden object scenes to search 28 mini-games to tease your brain 21 exciting achievements to rack up Three difficulty modes to keep you guessing Bonus chapter, strategy guide and extras Game Center Support New iPad Retina Display Support Major features: In terms of hidden object games, most fall into either crime mysteries or dramatic stories involving the supernatural. By the title you…

Gear Bits, News & Features

Great Performances Looks at the Jewish Heritage of Musicals on Broadway

My wife got me tickets to see Spamalot last year, and I remember Sir Robin singing “In any great adventure, if you don’t want to lose…you won’t succeed on Broadway if you don’t have any Jews.” While I found the song a bit ponderous and over-long, it was pointed and dead on. At first it might seem like an anti-Semitic comment, but there is a huge difference between someone decrying ‘Jewish control’ or ‘Black dominance’ as some threat to Christian whites (see election 2012, Fox News, etc) … and recognizing the cultural contributions of ethnic, racial or religious groups. This…

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