Reviews

Ford Fusion update: A really good 'Sport'

News, Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Ford Fusion update: A really good ‘Sport’

The Calendar had not quite read 2009 yet but I remember a chilly day in Michigan when the good folks over at Ford introduced us to our first 2010 model – the Fusion, complete with hybrid and sport versions. Ford Motor Company invited journalists up to its Dearborn world headquarters in December, 2008, for a “hush-hush” sneak peek of some of its new product, and this included the made-over 2010 Ford Fusion lineup. For 2010, engineers and designers gave the midsized sedan entirely new front and rear clips as well as totally refreshing the interior. In addition, powertrain upgrades have…

Case-Mate DIY Case for iPhone 3G/3Gs Review: Create Your Own Mastercase

Reviews

Case-Mate DIY Case for iPhone 3G/3Gs Review: Create Your Own Mastercase

Custom cases are all the rage. Several companies have emerged over the last year allowing users to create their very own custom case by uploading their personal photos and images to a web-based program which the company then turns into a case; this allows the end-user to make a case that’s truly their own. Case-Mate‘s revolutionary “I Make My Case” program which launched at CES 2010 really set the standard for case image manipulation allowing users to take art work from the Case-Mate site and alter it to their liking, mixing and matching pieces to make each case one of…

Build-A-Lot for iPhone/Touch App Review

Game Diary, Reviews

Build-A-Lot for iPhone/Touch App Review

This week’s Blue Plate Special brings me a first…  The app was completely chosen by my wife.  My wife often plays the games I choose or she uses them, but rarely does she tell me about an app. So, I was playing poker the other night with all of the coaches and I texted her a few times expressing my woes of a slowly shrinking supply of chips.  The fact that she did not respond was not an issue, but about an hour later she replied, “Sorry, I saw your crying messages but I found this game that I can’t…

Case-Mate Venture Case/Stand for iPad - Review

Reviews

Case-Mate Venture Case/Stand for iPad – Review

The other day we brought word that Case-Mate was rolling out a new case/stand for the iPad. The $89.99 case looks to combine real protection, style and function. The case was just announced last Friday but is already shipping. We now have one in hand so let’s take a look… From Case-Mate: Introducing the Venture case, where form meets function. The beautiful Venture case comes with stand built into it. Simply unsnap the cover and it folds back under itself to create a stand that will prop your iPad up. So you no longer have to awkwardly try to hold…

RadTech I-Sight Review: Let There Be Light

Reviews

RadTech I-Sight Review: Let There Be Light

If you have significant other and you sleep in the same bed chances are it’s happened to you at least once. It’s nearing bedtime but one of you just isn’t ready to go to sleep yet. Do you like to read in bed? A lot of us do, it’s probably where I do most of my reading. But does your partner get frustrated when your bedtime reading because it means leaving lights on so you can see? Enter the RadTech I-Sight. When I do early morning running in the winter/fall it’s sometimes still dark outside. What do I do to…

Daniusoft Media Converter Ultimate Converter and Ripper Review

Reviews

Daniusoft Media Converter Ultimate Converter and Ripper Review

In case I haven’t bored you enough by mentioning it, I do a lot of travel.  Three-four times per month, I fly between my family in Austin, and my job in Sunnyvale in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I’m not complaining–at least I’ve got a job!–but it does leave me with a lot of time on my own waiting.  Waiting for planes to board, planes to get where they’re going, trains to arrive, trains to get where they’re going, etc.  And so I spend a lot of time watching movies and TV shows on my iPhone and laptop. Which is…

The Speck PixelSkin for iPhone 4 Review

Reviews

The Speck PixelSkin for iPhone 4 Review

There’s no question the iPhone 4 needs a case most of the time. The glass is more delicate than we were initially led to believe, and then there is the antenna issue that continues to dominate online tech chatting. Thankfully a host of cases for the newest iPhone have been rolling out. One of the latest is a new version of an old favorite, Speck’s PixelSkin. Let’s take a look. From Speck: The tactile pixel texture and perfect amount of “squish” is what makes this rubberized iPhone 4 case so grippy in-hand and famously protective. There are rubberized touch-thru button…

iAngle Review: Won't Stand for Serving Just One Purpose

Reviews

iAngle Review: Won’t Stand for Serving Just One Purpose

In the ever-expanding world of “i” accessories, there are plenty of single purpose items.  Versed General seems to have said “pshaw!”  to that and are offering up their iAngle for the iPhone and iPod Touch.  It’s a stand!  It’s an earbud accessory!  It comes in black or white and it’s $9.99!  One side of the iAngle works as an earbud wrapper, but turn it over and it will act as a stand, holding your iDevice at a good viewing angle. Versed General was nice enough to send us a black iAngle for review.  I have to say, it’s just as…

Review: iLuv iMM178 Vibe Plus- Dual Alarm Clock w/Bed Speaker Shaker for iPhone

Reviews

Review: iLuv iMM178 Vibe Plus- Dual Alarm Clock w/Bed Speaker Shaker for iPhone

iPhone/iPod speaker docks are multiplying around my home and at the office. And for good reason. Since I’m not an audiophile the music that is pumped out of a relatively inexpensive speaker dock is usually just fine for me. But while a simple speaker dock is fine for my office (I use a bluetooth system that I love… more on that another time) in my bedroom I want something that also includes an alarm clock. The other day I took a look at one that offers good sound. It costs $150, sounds good but isn’t compatible with iPhone due to…

NOX Audio Specialist Headphones Works For Gamers and Office Workers

Reviews

NOX Audio Specialist Headphones Works For Gamers and Office Workers

I found almost the perfect headset for both gamers and office workers. What am I talking about? The NOX Audio Specialist headphones that’s what! Let’s go over the basics. First, the NOX Audio headphones comes in a great case that has some structure to it. This is great for those who just want to protect their headphones while they are in their backpack. Opening the case reveals the headphones themselves. They fold so they can fit in the case and the cable itself is detachable and can be secured in the case. The cable looks like a microusb on one…

ShirtsMyWay - Custom Shirts Designed and Ordered From Home Review

Reviews

ShirtsMyWay – Custom Shirts Designed and Ordered From Home Review

A few years ago I lost a good bit of weight thanks to the South Beach Diet. From a health perspective it was good. From a wardrobe perspective however… well that was a different story. Suddenly none of my suits fit. It was the same story with my dress shirts, and replacing them was going to be an expensive proposition. I happened to mention my need to go shopping to a co-worker, and she told me that her father gets all of his clothes custom-made and often for far less than he would if he were shopping “off the rack”….

How to complete your Ram Heavy Duty fashion statement? Accessorize!

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

How to complete your Ram Heavy Duty fashion statement? Accessorize!

This past winter I ran my first review of the new-for-2010 Ram Heavy Duty pickup line. (Notice I did not say “Dodge Ram” as the vehicle brand. Remember, Chrysler has chosen to spin its truck division apart from the Dodge world and simply call it “Ram.”) It was a Ram 3500 Crew Cab duallie 4×4 in SLT trim. Since then my driveway has been blessed with two additional Ram HD test models, each sporting some nifty accessories to help consumers further personalize their individual vehicles.

Wordlock Locks- Choose Your Word, Secure Your Stuff - Review

Reviews

Wordlock Locks- Choose Your Word, Secure Your Stuff – Review

This is my shed…   This is my shed’s lock…   This is me forgetting the lock’s combination for the 700th time…   There has to be a better way… and thanks to Wordlock there is. Wordlock offers a variety of different combination locks that include padlocks, bike locks, luggage locks and more. What makes Wordlocks locks different is that they don’t use hard to remember number combinations to secure your property. Instead they use words combinations. Better still, to help insure that you don’t forget the combination you get to choose the combination and can change it at will….

Mezzi LUXslim Laptop Case Review: Strong Enough for Everyday Protection, Classy Enough for 007

Reviews

Mezzi LUXslim Laptop Case Review: Strong Enough for Everyday Protection, Classy Enough for 007

When it comes to protection for my gadgets, I spare no expense and tend to get a little OCD about it. It’s pretty common here on GearDiary to see reviews and postings about cases, screen protectors and bags for our gear. When Mezzi contacted us about reviewing an aluminum laptop case I was pretty excited. If I’m not using one of my many soft cases to transport my laptop then I’m using my Pelican hard plastic case to for maximum protection. The Pelican case is big and bulky, so I was excited to get my hands on a Mezzi LUXslim…

Ultrasonic Distance Measurer With Laser Pointer Review

Reviews

Ultrasonic Distance Measurer With Laser Pointer Review

I am a do-it-yourselfer (although not always a good one!) and also a gadget freak, so anytime the two can be brought together I am a happy man.  There are many times when a room or area needs to be measured quickly for reference and nobody is around to hold the end of a tape measure, or the area is simply too difficult to reach — like a ceiling.  In these situations, the Ultrasonic Distance Measurer from EFO is the perfect solution. This handy little gadget allows the user to quickly and accurately measure from 2 to 60 feet between…

More Quickie Jazz Reviews: A Few New, and a Few That Slipped Through

Music Diary, Reviews

More Quickie Jazz Reviews: A Few New, and a Few That Slipped Through

Image Courtesy TheLastMiles.com Recently I wrote a rather large article full of ‘quickie reviews’ for recent Jazz music releases – and the response I have gotten has been amazing! I have heard from musicians, jazz lovers, general music fans and folks who simply wanted to express appreciation that I was supporting the ‘indie’ movement even thought they had no interest in the music. Even as that article was published, I had a couple of new releases I was listening to, a couple new recordings that were about to release … and a couple that should have been in the article…

The Orbino Padova Case for the Apple iPad Review

Reviews

The Orbino Padova Case for the Apple iPad Review

Dan: There are iPad cases and then… there are iPad cases. The Orbino Padova for iPad is an iPad case: It is made of premium leather, it has a premium design, and it carries a premium price tag.     Judie: Orbino has been making leather accessories for PDAs since at least 2001, when I can remember Julie reviewing their Palm V Series case on The Gadgeteer. In more recent years they have “gone Mac”, creating Luxury cases for iPhones, iPods, MacBook Pros … and now the iPad.  Dan discovered the Padova case when it was first announced; available in “premium bark…

Air Display App Review

Reviews

Air Display App Review

When I’m not using my iPad I’m doing most of my writing on a 13″ MacBook Pro this summer. The notebook works beautifully but after using a 27″ iMac for the last few months it can feel awfully cramped. That’s where the iPad app Air Display comes in. Let’s take a look and then give a few copies away… Developed by Avatron Software, the same company that created the amazing Air Sharing app, Air Display… …lets you position your iPad next to your computer, drag windows onto it, and interact with those windows as you would on any other computer…

Powermat Wireless Charging System for iPhone 3G and 3GS - Review

Reviews

Powermat Wireless Charging System for iPhone 3G and 3GS – Review

. A number of months ago I had the chance to review the Powermat Wireless Charging System for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. I concluded that I liked the “wow” factor, was impressed by the fact that it actually works but found it to be a bit on the pricey side… especially since this isn’t something you actually NEED. Well Powermat was kind enough to send one of their Powermat Bundles for review. It solves the cost issue by letting you jump into the world of Powermat for less than $70. Let’s take a look… From Powermat- Everything you need…

The NewerTechnology NuVue Clear and Privacy Shield iPad Screen Protectors Review

Reviews

The NewerTechnology NuVue Clear and Privacy Shield iPad Screen Protectors Review

One of the best features of the new Apple iPad is its gorgeous screen which is meant to be constantly touched, pinched and flicked. As a result, the screen is often left exposed and vulnerable to scratches even when the iPad isn’t being used. Adding a protector just makes sense. I was recently sent two screen protector samples from NewerTechnology, the NuVue Clear and the NuVue Privacy Protector with Privacy Shield. Both install in exactly the same way, but each delivers a dramatically different experience. Each protector comes in a no-frills baggie without any of the more common screen protector accoutrements…

Case-mate Barely There for iPhone 4 - Review

Reviews

Case-mate Barely There for iPhone 4 – Review

Problem #1- The iPhone 4 clearly needs a case in order to avoid the antenna issues and protect the now “shatter-able” back. Problem #2- As a general rule I don’t love being dependent on a case that adds a lot of bulk and weight to the beautifully slim iPhone. Solution To Problems #1 and #2- Case-mate’s Barely There case for the iPhone 4. From Case-mate- For those who prefer nothing to come between them and their iPhone 4, this case is for you. These cases are designed to protect the design of your iPhone 4, while allowing more of it…