News & Features

Neverwinter Nights Released for iPad, and Civilization VI lands on Android!

A few weeks ago, I was excited by the announcement of another large update/patch for Neverwinter Nights on Android, and now PC game fans who use either iOS or Android can celebrate the release of two major games! Neverwinter Nights is out for iOS devices, and Civilization VI is available for Android after releasing for iOS back in late 2017. I have played both of these new releases and highly recommend them! Neverwinter Nights is the classic 2002 PC role-playing game that got an ‘Enhanced Edition’ from Beamdog a few years ago that updated the game for modern computers and…



Arlo Adds Essential XL Spotlight Camera and Essential Camera to Round Out Your Home Security System

Arlo makes one of the best DIY home security systems that you can buy, and I’m excited that they’ve just announced two new wire-free devices in their Essential Series, the Arlo Essential XL Spotlight and the Arlo Essential. What sets the Essential Series apart from their Pro series is that these devices connect directly to your home’s WiFi, with no need for a SmartHub, and they can act as a standalone security solution or complement your existing Arlo home security system.





LG Brings an Interesting Twist to Phone Design with Their LG WING 5G

Remember when phones were more individual and fun? Some might slide or flip open to reveal a keyboard, while some were shaped like everything from a make-up compact to a 1960’s spy camera. These days we have slab phones and folding phones, and while the technology is light years ahead of where it was decades ago, the designs can be a bit too similar. LG is breaking from that mold, though; today they have introduced their new LG WING 5G, and it is something interesting and different.


Huawei MateBook Line Continues to Impress with the New MateBook X and MateBook 14

Huawei has just refreshed its popular MateBook line with the new MateBook X and MateBook 14. One of the things that sets these laptops apart from most of the others is that they have a document-friendly 3:2 aspect ratio, which is fab for reading documents, browsing the web, writing, and general productivity. Whether you need a new travel laptop or a laptop that can do it all, you’re going to want to take a look.


Leviton and Xfinity Team up to Make Your Lights and Home Smarter

Xfinity does a lot more than just provide internet and cable. They’re very integrated into the smart home, as proven by my parent’s Xfinity alarm system that led to some cloak and dagger email deletion. However, your Xfinity-powered home is about to get a lot smarter than just letting you know when someone has opened the front door, thanks to integration with Leviton’s Decora Zigbee smart light switches, dimmers, and modules.


Simplehuman’s Social Distancing Campaign Tells You Exactly How Much Space You Need

2020 would have been an interesting enough year on its own, but the global pandemic has made it into something most of us have never been alive to experience before. Everywhere you look, there are signs telling you to wear a mask or to keep your distance to help stop the spread of COVID-19; simplehuman is going the extra mile by amplifying the importance of physical distancing with their Making Space collection. 


OrCam Teams up with Lionel Messi to Bring New Technologies to Help the Visually Impaired

We take for granted that our senses are there to help us navigate the world. If you’re lucky, your hearing works well; you can taste when food goes bad or smell when the garbage has to go out, and you can see and read signs to navigate the world around you. People who are visually impaired don’t always have that ability. OrCam has a pretty amazing solution with the OrCam MyEye, and they’re teaming up with soccer star Lionel Messi to help promote it.


Made In Announces Gorgeous New Tabletop Collection for the Home Chef

We here at Gear Diary are fans of Made In Cookware.  We loved their stainless steel pots and pans as a cost-effective way to outfit a kitchen with high-quality cookware.  Now, Made In is expanding its portfolio with a gorgeous collection of tableware for serving.  Not only can you purchase bundles, but you can also customize your own tabletop set.







Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series Anniversary Edition Speakers Celebrate 25 Years of Audio Excellence and Value

I’ve been using Bowers & Wilkins headphones and portable Bluetooth speakers for some time, and I’ve enjoyed that right out of the box they are perfectly tuned to my listening preferences. B&W also makes high-end bookshelf and floor-standing speakers. For 25 years, their 600 Series has been a more accessible introduction to Bowers & Wilkins’s home-audio line. To celebrate its silver anniversary, B&W is launching the 600 Series Anniversary Edition.


Acer Announces New Thin and Light Swift Laptops

The best part about laptops is the portability — you can work from your desk, your couch, and (pre-COVID) the local coffeehouse. Of course, the most crucial part of portability is that your laptop is light and not dependent on an outlet. Acer has got both covered with new Swift laptops running the Intel Evo platform.


JBL Has More Ways for You to Enjoy Your Music Wherever You Might Be

This year, IFA will consist of a much smaller live convention coupled with a virtual show. Even though the pandemic travel restrictions have made it just about impossible for press from the states to attend, there will still be lots of news to share. One of the IFA press conferences I never miss is Harman’s, and even though things will be very different this year, there are still plenty of exciting new JBL offerings to check out.


Acer Predator Gaming Desktops Are Ready to Hunt Down the Competition

Acer makes a huge slate of PCs, and they make sure to throw some love towards gamers with their Predator line of accessories, computers, and monitors. They’re updating their Predator Orion line of desktops to support NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs, plus they’ve got a monitor that will keep up every frame of the way! Predator Orion 9000: Acer says this is for hardcore gamers, with the ability to handle any AAA titles, plus it comes with 3 Predator Frostblade fans to keep it from getting too toasty. Also, you can admire the whole setup with a tempered glass…