News & Features

Wunder Radio for BlackBerry is released

News & Features

Wunder Radio for BlackBerry is released

One of my favorite applications for iPhone is Wunder Radio (iTunes / review) . In addition to receiving radio stations both locally and world wide, police scanners, weather radio and more – the iPhone application allows me to listen to Sirius Satellite radio while away from my desktop computer. I’ve been waiting eagerly for Wunder Radio to appear on the BlackBerry and today it’s available in the BlackBerry App World for $9.99. Unfortunately the version that’s available only works on BlackBerry Bold and Curve. A version will be available later for the Tour and Storm. Also regrettably missing from the…

Are YOU the Master of the Digital Universe?

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Are YOU the Master of the Digital Universe?

Skooba Design is looking for the ultimate digital gear-head. Could it be you? Their new “Master of the Digital Universe” contest gives techies from all over a chance to “put up or shut up” as they duke it out for the title. The prizes look amazing! Among other goodies, the grand prize includes something truly unique the opportunity to work directly with a Skooba designer to create a custom-made, one-of-a-kind laptop/gadget bag, to be handmade by a Skooba craftsperson, only for the winner. As the company says, “as is fitting for the Master, it will be the only bag of…

Android Users - Back Up Your SMS Messages to Gmail

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Android Users – Back Up Your SMS Messages to Gmail

In talking with people that send text messages (SMS), one of the most frequent things I hear is that they wish they could save some of their SMS messages. Many of them have lost their messages forever if their phone is damaged/replaced/upgraded, or they run out of room and are forced to delete them. There is a very useful application for Android called SMS Backup that helps you save your SMS messages to Gmail so you can keep them forever.

Amber Alert GPS provides remote location tracking of youngsters

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Amber Alert GPS provides remote location tracking of youngsters

The new Amber Alert GPS is a handy (albeit costly at $279 plus monitoring fees) device for parents wanting to keep track of their children. Slip the GPS into a backpack or other secure location. Throughout the day you receive text messages that show you exactly where your child is. Safety zones can be setup so if for example they were to wander away from school during the day you would automatically receive an alert. Once you’ve received an alert you can log into a web site to show the exact track that they’ve taken (requires unlimited service plan). There’s…

Cordless Charging with the Powermat Wireless Charging System

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Cordless Charging with the Powermat Wireless Charging System

We’ve mentioned WildCharge – the company that allows you to use inductive charging with nearly any mobile phone or other power hungry gadget – before on Gear Diary, but tonight I realized we hadn’t given any coverage to Powermat, another company with a similar premise (but a better looking design). What premise would that be? Why the one that says plugging your devices in to charge them is so passé; the idea that all you should have to do is lay your gadget on a mat to charge it, even if the trade-off is having to keep your phone in…

Is buying green a free pass to lie?

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Is buying green a free pass to lie?

A recent study by the Rotman School of Management indicates that being near products that are considered “green” can make people behave nicer to each other, but when they actually purchase these green items the products actually have the opposite effect. The researchers found that buying green products leads people into behaving less than nice towards each other, even making them more apt to steal and lie.  It seems buying such products makes people believe they’ve earned “moral credentials” and gives them a “license” to act in a questionable fashion. The study conducted three different experiments.  The first showed people…

EcoATM inspects phone trade-in - provides cash

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EcoATM inspects phone trade-in – provides cash

Need cash? If you have an unused cell phone and if it’s relatively current and in good condition you may be able to exchange it for cash at this special cell phone recycling ATM. Of course it helps if you were in Omaha Nebraska where this special electronics recycling machine is setup. The EcoATM accepts used phones and sensors in the machine inspect them for damage and assigns them real-time value. If the device is of acceptable quality it then issues in-store payment. The first test kiosk went up September 21 at the Nebraska Furniture Mart. EcoATM via Register Hardware

Toilet Coffee Mug Puts Fun Back into Holiday Grab Bag Gifts

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Toilet Coffee Mug Puts Fun Back into Holiday Grab Bag Gifts

Do you detest office holiday parties as much as I do? Luckily most companies have toned down their festivities in favor of some fake niceties less formal gatherings in the company lunchroom. While the fancy dinners might be gone – one thing that lives on is the stupid grab bag gift giving. No matter how hard you try you’re going to pick something lousy for a gift – so why try? At $15 this mug’s a little pricy – but it’s guaranteed to be the talk of the office. You can get it on Amazon. 

Epic Fail from T-Mobile and Danger/Microsoft...Sidekick Users Beware!

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Epic Fail from T-Mobile and Danger/Microsoft…Sidekick Users Beware!

If you use a Sidekick. DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR PHONE OR LET THE BATTERY DIE!!! That’s the message from T-Mobile and Danger/Microsoft. Apparently that data outage last week did more than just knock everyone offline…it also hosed their servers, which means everything stored there (calendar, contacts, pictures, emails, etc) is most likely gone. This is just a terrible situation, and it doesn’t look like there’s an offline backup solution. Hopefully, T-Mobile, Danger, and Microsoft can come up with a better answer than “Oops…all gone!”, but in the meantime make sure you don’t turn your phone off! And if you…

USB 2GB Flash drive comb proves there's almost nothing that won't be turned into a USB gizmo

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USB 2GB Flash drive comb proves there’s almost nothing that won’t be turned into a USB gizmo

For $36 you get not only a comb but a 2GB USB storage drive. Who’d want one of these – and more important why? Which brings me to my main question about this item. Is there any good reason for turning a comb into a combination USB drive and hair care tool? Now if you could plug the comb into the USB port, have it heat, and then use it as a pseudo curling iron. Then you’d have something. 2GB USB Comb via Raw Feed

PodTrapper Podcast Manager for BlackBerry automates your podcast library

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PodTrapper Podcast Manager for BlackBerry automates your podcast library

For many years I had no idea what people found interesting about Podcasts. These recorded audio programs are named for their typical method of distribution through iTunes where they are often downloaded to iPods. A podcast session typically lasts about an hour and features one or more hosts talking about specific news of the week. Topics can range from technology to politics to financial news. The rise in popularity of Podcasts means that their distribution has also spread beyond just iTunes and iPods. I’ve found my BlackBerry Bold to be an exceptional podcast player due to its super loud and…

Technology Meets Tradition: Funeral Webcasts

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Technology Meets Tradition: Funeral Webcasts

Rarely do I lead a service anymore, (ANY service!) during which at least one cellphone doesn’t go off. It can be a Bar Mitzvah… CELL RINGS! It can be a wedding… CELL RINGS! Or it could even be a funeral… CELL RINGS! I guess it is understandable, after all who would want to miss that all-important call during worship. :sarcasm: This, however, is a very different story about technology and worship…

Stationstops returns to iTunes Apps Store - Metro North Train Scheduling

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Stationstops returns to iTunes Apps Store – Metro North Train Scheduling

You may have read about the plight of StationStops. The application uses train schedules from the New York MTA to create an incredibly useful iPhone train schedule listing for trains going into and out of Grand Central Terminal. At some point the MTA took issue with the use of train schedules in a paid iPhone app. In August, negotiations between StationStops and MTA seeking a licensing agreement for transit data broke down, resulting in MTA Marketing and Legal departments sending a cease and desist to Apple. Well fortunately the two parties have worked out their differences and StationStops is once…

No Picture

News & Features

Firefighter Robot might save lives one day

Hoya Robot, A South Korean company, is developing a robot that one day might just help save the lives of both victims and firefighters.  The Firefighter’s Assistant Robot can enter burning building and size up the scene as well as check for victims who may be trapped inside. The unit can operate for up to 30 minutes and withstand temperatures of up to 320 degrees F.  Weighing in at only 3 pounds the robot is water resistant and it can survive falls of up to 6 feet.  It’s small enough that it can fit in the palm of your hand….

iPhone/AT&T Feature Checklist... MMS- CHECK! VOiP Over 3G - CHECK! Tethering - NOPE!

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iPhone/AT&T Feature Checklist… MMS- CHECK! VOiP Over 3G – CHECK! Tethering – NOPE!

I am still a bit surprised by AT&T’s sudden decision to allow VOiP over 3G. Happy but surprised. Sure the decision might just be an attempt to deflect some of the mounting criticism over lousy service (30% of calls in NYC are dropped!!) and numerous conflicts over apps like Google Voice and Slingbox. But no matter what the reason, I’ll take. AT&T has had a good couple of week. First they finally got MMS pushed out to iPhones. Now 3G VOiP. What’s next?? Perhaps tethering? NOPE! Don’t expect it any time soon. Here’s why… According to a Wall Street journal…

New Trojan Horse Targets Online Banking, Does More Than Steal Login Information

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New Trojan Horse Targets Online Banking, Does More Than Steal Login Information

This is one of those bits of news that bears repeating, particularly if you use online banking.  CNET is reporting about a new type of Trojan horse, known as URLZone, that is designed not to steal your login information for online banking sites, but rather to actually steal your money while you’re on the bank’s website.  URLZone is sophisticated enough that it calculates how much money to steal based on how much is in your account, then displays a false balance to the user so as not to arouse suspicion. The Trojan is being distributed through emails, infected sites that…

Inconsistency ... Skype App- Yes, Vonage App- Yes, Google Voice App- Nope...

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Inconsistency … Skype App- Yes, Vonage App- Yes, Google Voice App- Nope…

Leave it to Michael Arrington to hit the nail on the head. In a post over on TechCrunch, Arrington points out how the recent approval of an iPhone app for Vonage merely serves to highlight the total nonsense Apple spewed when trying to explain their Google Voice rejection. The gist… Apple said the Google Voice app was rejected because it appears to alter the iPhone’s distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone’s core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls… All good and well until you take a closer look and see…

Windows Mobile 6.5 is Officially Released

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Windows Mobile 6.5 is Officially Released

Last week Wayne and I had the opportunity to sit in on an NDA workshop discussing the new and updated features of Windows Mobile 6.5. Wayne got hung up and couldn’t attend (pesky day job getting in the way, again!), but I was able to sit in an hear a bit about 6.5 and Marketplace, Microsoft’s new software store for Windows Phones. Those of you who read our GearChat back in February will recognize many of the new 6.5 screens, and yes – the Zune-like interface is still present.