News & Features | Gear Diary

Full Body Scans, the TSA and the Law: The Legal Maneuvers Continue

I used to travel a lot — basically once a week. I had a job in California, but my family lives in Austin. (it was 2008–I took whatever I could find.) So I spent a lot of time in airports, eating, pulling luggage, searching for power outlets, unlacing and relacing my shoes, and getting scanned. Over that period, airports were transitioning from X-Ray-only to those “strip you naked” full-body scanners. To say that I am dubious about these devices, their use, the lack of privacy, and so on would be a massive understatement. The makers of the most popular machines…

News & Features

New Line of Harman Kardon Headphones “Bring Superior Sound, Comfort and Audio Innovation”

In Harman Kardon’s new line of headphones “modern design meets sophisticated acoustic performance”. And while we cannot vouch for the sound (yet!), the look and specs of the lineup are impressive. The collection includes a pair of in-ear headphones that cost under $100 and a soon-to-be-released pair of noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones at the top of the pricing structure. Here’s a rundown of the collection. At the low-end of the pricing structure are the in-ear NI headphones. At just $99.95 these headphones feature 9mm drivers. Ultra-light for comfort, the headphones have a rectangular black housing that is “shaped like the back…

News & Features

AT&T Joins the Shared Data Game

So I’m working though my latest summer sinus headache and I see the news – AT&T has finally announced (as expected) that they are going to follow Verizon in offering shared data plans. And, like Verizon’s offering, the plans all include unlimited voice and texting plus a fixed amount of data. The primary difference you notice between the AT&T and Verizon offerings is that Verizon charges a fixed $40 per smartphone and AT&T lowers the per smartphone cost as you increase the amount of data you purchase. But Verizon’s “base” charges tend to be lower (per GB) as you get…

News & Features

Total ArKade Software Conjures Up Major Update for AbraWordabrA for iOS and Android

Back in the dim, dark past of the latter portion of the last century, learning math was a laborious, tedious job for me. It likely wasn’t all that exciting to my friends and classmates back in the day either. Improving our math skills consisted largely of poring over printed material and flash cards, with an occasional rare foray into a few educational programs on TV. For the most part, learning math was often BORING. The upshot is that we got to inhale the sweet odor of the blue mimeographed quiz/test papers, part of the educational rites of a bygone era….

News & Features

iPhone 4 Cases Get Patriotic With Griffin’s New “Nations” Lineup

July 4th is long gone, but before you put away your flags and USA-themed partyware, check out Griffin Technology’s latest case line for iPhone 4 / 4S. Arriving just in time for the 2012 Olympics, this protective gear will keep your smartphone looking festive and patriotic. As a company known for their innovations in the world of electronic accessories, Griffin builds sturdy, well-designed cases to keep your i-baby safe from harm. “The Nations Cases are not only festive, but they deflect everyday bumps and scratches, without hindering your access to the Multi-Touch display, controls and connectors,” said Todd Word, Sales…

News & Features, Reviews

Hands-On Video Review of Google Nexus 7 and My ‘7-Day Nexus Challenge’

By now, anyone who tracks mobile technology has heard something about the ASUS-made Google Nexus 7. We’ve already heard it alternately described as a ‘Kindle Fire Killer’, an ‘iPad Killer’, or “just another 7″ tablet to toss on the pile”. Let’s take a quick look at the Nexus 7, and the challenge I am undertaking! The Hype: For a limited time, includes $25 of credit to spend in the Play store, as well as some great free content like your own copy of Transformers: Dark of the Moon. THIN, LIGHT AND PORTABLE: Nexus 7 is a no compromise Android tablet that’s designed to…

eBooks, News & Features

NOOK Goes Web Based

Good news, if you care deeply about reading ebooks on every possible device-B&N has released a web version of the NOOK platform. This is one of those features that every ebook store has felt compelled to offer but frankly, it’s a bit of a yawner. It’s helpful if you want to read on a computer and you can’t install software, but is that a common occurrence? Is it something we really want? Or need? From the press release: NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today introduced NOOK for…

Gear Bits, News & Features

Rock Radio Returns To New York!

Almost exactly one year ago, 101.9RXP went off the air, leaving NYC without a decent rock radio station. I was more than a bit sad about this, and while Pandora has partially filled that void I really missed listening to the radio. That is why I was thrilled when I saw on Facebook yesterday that 101.9 was back to good old rock music! I tuned in this morning on my way to work. The selection seems excellent so far. There was no DJ, and I didn’t hear any commercials. Instead, there was an occasional station identification of “101.9 NYC Rock…

News & Features

Think Tank Photo Lets You “Test Drive” Your Next Camera Bag

I’m enjoying the process of using and reviewing a number of different camera bags from Think Tank Photo. As we have previously noted, the bags are impressive in their design and flexibility. You can read and see our overview here. Think Tank just let us know that they have launched a new program- The Think Tank Test Drive. The Think Tank Test Drive program, which runs through the end of August, means you can try one of their Sling-O-Matic sling bags for free for 30 days. (This program is in place of the free gift Gear Diary readers get with Think…

Gear Bits, News & Features

Google Nexus 7 Unbox – Not As Bad As You’ve Heard, and Setup is Pretty Good as Well!

I have heard a bunch of negative reports of people struggling to get the tablet out of the box … so I was really intrigued at the possibility of capturing my frustration on video! Perhaps it is the years of wrestling with so many over-packaged toys for my kids, but it was no big deal. In the video I compare the unboxing experience to that of the Griffin MIDIConnect. But as I say the unbox wasn’t a problem, so then I got it started up and linked to Google services. While we will go into more details for our full…

Gear Bits, News & Features

New Synthetic Polymer Helps Solve ‘Sticky’ Chewing Gum Messes

When was the last time you were walking on a beautiful paved path, sitting on a bench, walking through a school or shopping area … and you DIDN’T see wads of used chewing gum dropped on the ground, stuck to walls and doors and desks and so on? Or watched a teen blow a massive bubble that popped and got residual gum all over their face and clothes that took hours to clean out? IT IS ONE OF THE GREAT PROBLEMS OF OUR TIME! OK, so perhaps not. But compounding the general annoyance and ‘yuckiness’ are two REAL problems: health…

News & Features

Mustache Pacifier Can Help Make Junior’s Escapades All the More Snidely Whiplash-ish

Infants and early toddlers… like kittens and puppies… they’re oh-so-cute, aren’t they? Typically gifted with a cherubic countenance that hides their true mischievous nature, there’s always so much more just beneath the surface. The folks at Gadgets and Gear are offering a most clever device that reveals the truth.. the Mustache Pacifier. Why a Mustache Pacifier, you ask? Some might argue this pacifier will make junior look like a mini-Ron Swanson or at least a number of years older, creating a more “mature look”. I don’t think that is quite it. No, I think the true function of this device…

Music Diary, News & Features

Griffin MIDIConnect for iPad Now Available!

Back during the January CES and NAMM shows, two of the cool looking new devices we highlighted were the MIDIConnect and StudioConnect from Griffin Technologies. I have long been a fan of Griffin products, so I was intrigued by the possibility of what they could bring to the iPad MIDI market. The StudioConnect has already been released, and now the MIDIConnect is available. Here is their description: “MIDIConnect offers musicians a compact and portable solution to create and edit music on the go, at a fraction of the cost of a recording studio,” said Ethan Opelt, Line Manager of Griffin’s…

News & Features

TopKase Introduces Aegis Aluminum iPhone 4/S Case

I’ve seen a lot of clever iPhone cases in my day, but TopKase’s Aegis Aluminum iPhone Case strikes me as one of the more interesting and potentially rugged case line developments of late, turning a bare iPhone 4/S into an armored tool, and adding a bit of techno-cool to your cellular repertoire. Let’s face it, how accessories look for Apple products is almost as important as how they work, right? This case offers both style and substance. The case is constructed from an inner metallic plated sub frame with a tough outer anodized aluminum cover. This together with its 8…

Crowdfunding, Gear Bits, News & Features

Functional Home Decor: Urban Fidelity Art Speakers

For new home-owners on a budget, Urban Fidelity’s new line of eco-friendly art speakers provide a fitting mix of form and function. If you’ve got just $300 to spend on both interior decorating and a new speaker system, this newly announced collection of artist-powered audio equipment might help bridge the gap. The art speakers come adorned with designs created by a select group of contemporary-minded indie artists, including: Liam Brazier, Craig Watkins (wotto), Herman Lee, Daniel Teixeria, Hyein Lee, Tobe Fonseca, Wojtek Polak (Akuma101), Maxime Archambault and more. A visual list of the entire design collection is available to view…

News & Features

Coming Soon from Able Planet, the PS400B Over-the-Ear Headphones

Able Planet will have a new pair of headphones on the market shortly. The PS400B may not look all that impressive… but they are. The sound is excellent, the degree of comfort they offer is quite high and the price… well let’s just say that the MSRP on these will surprise you. They have made quality, over-the-ear cans accessible to just about everyone. Here’s what the company has to say about them, Able Planet’s first stereo headphone, the PS400B is a premium stereo headphone that comes with Able Planet’s patented LINX Audio, an in-wire volume control for easy adjustment to…

News & Features

U.S. Cellular’s Samsung Galaxy S III Available This Week

While in the past it seemed that phones were rolled out to a variety of carriers over the course of months (the Samsung Galaxy SII took nearly a year between the international release and some US carrier launches), we are now seeing more handset makers working to launch on as many carriers as quickly as possible. Case in point – the Samsung Galaxy SIII is launching all over the place right about now – and this week U.S. Cellular has the Galaxy SIII available to buy! Why is this a good thing? Because it allows smartphone users to make their…

News & Features

Protect Your Precious Gear With Satechi Slim Surge Protector

Our family keeps our gear charged thanks to a dedicated area on the kitchen counter. We sometimes have multiple USB chargers plugged in at the same time with a web of charging cables and a stack of devices fueling up for the day. As our dependence on these electronic gadgets continues to grow, protecting them while charging is more important than ever. The last thing we need is to have a bolt of lightning fry all of them at one time. Of course, most surge protectors are huge boxes and may not fit the space you have. Satechi has developed…

News & Features

Logitech Helps Keep Students Productive and Stylish

Believe it or not, school is just a few weeks away. As students prepare to go back and get ready to move into their dorms, they will be searching for the best gear. Of course students need devices that aid in the learning process while allowing them to be stylish. When I was a student I always worked more effectively in a comfortable place where I could listen to some tunes while getting ready for the big test or writing the 20 page paper. Logitech has some products to ensure creating the best, and most stylish learning environment possible. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sNYCn8CKo8s…

Gear Bits, News & Features

Crossing the Dingmans Ferry Bridge on the Way to GearFest 2012

Dan: One of my favorite places on earth is the Dingmans Ferry Bridge. To the best of my knowledge, it is the last privately owned bridge on a public road in the US. It crosses the Delaware River between NJ and PA. We crossed on the way to GearFest, and that’s when Judie and Kevin had a chance to see “old school Bridge tech” at work. Here’s a look… The Bridge at Dingmans Ferry traces its roots to the mid 18th century. In 1735, in the Upper Delaware River Valley, the river marked the western frontier of the American Colonies….

Gear Bits, News & Features

If You Thought Twitter Didn’t Have the Power to Effect Change, Think Again

Yes, this is going to come off looking like a partisan post. I can deal with that because (a) as someone who finished graduate school with some hefty loans, I really felt for the students whose loan rates were about to double, and (b) even if you sit on the other side of the aisle it is hard NOT to see the true power of social media. Student loan rates were set to double if Congress didn’t act and, for a time, it looked like that rate increase was a forgone conclusion. The White House got into the mix, and…