Reviews | Gear Diary

Reviews December 5, 2013

Mota Battery case for iPhone 5/5s Review – Great Battery Capacity in a Slim Form

The Mota Battery Case for iPhone 5/5s combines the convenience of additional battery life with a sleek, slim design that’s easy to keep in your pocket. I’ve always been wary of extended battery cases because I keep my phone in my pocket and don’t want the added bulk, but the Mota eliminates that concern. The Mota Battery Case is $99.99. The Mota Battery Case is extremely similar in design and features to the Naztech Battery Case I reviewed recently. They both are made of two parts, the battery pack itself and a plastic frame that sleeves over the side of…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear December 4, 2013

Tired of False Alerts? Check Out the Escort PASSPORT Max

Unlike my wife and father-in-law, I’m not a particularly fast driver, but I still appreciate knowing when there is a speed trap looking to snare unsuspecting drivers. For the last two years, I’ve used an iOS-enabled unit. When I started reviewing the PASSPORT Max, a next-gen detector, last week I suddenly realized just how many false positives I was getting.

Music Diary, Reviews December 3, 2013

The Who ‘Tommy Super Deluxe Edition’ 3-CD Review

When I looked at the catalog of recordings from The Who, I mentioned that they were about to launch a ‘super deluxe’ version of their classic rock opera Tommy. Now that it has arrived, and I’ve had a few weeks to listen to it thoroughly, I wanted to check back. My thoughts? It is at once essential, solid, and throw-away.

Reviews December 2, 2013

SuperTooth Freedom Bluetooth Stereo Headset Review – Great Sound at an Even Better Price

If you’re looking for a pair of competitively priced over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones with great sound quality and excellent battery life, you should look no further than the SuperTooth Freedom. This comfortable headset connects to your phone, tablet, laptop, or PC using Bluetooth 4.0 technology and even has NFC connectivity if your device supports it. The SuperTooth Freedom retails for $149.

Reviews November 30, 2013

Galaxy Note 3 by Samsung Mobile Phone Review – Bigger is Better

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 delivers high performance and striking screen quality in a portable yet sizable display plus it works with the Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch. This part phone/part tablet, or phablet, has a considerably long battery life, slim design, unique S Pen design and functions, clear call quality, fast quad-core processor, and sharp picture quality.

Reviews November 29, 2013

TYLT TUNZ Bluetooth Speaker Tunes In To NFC Audio

Is there room for yet another small, portable Bluetooth speaker in an ever-more-crowded market? I sure hope so. The TYLT TUNZ is small but surprisingly powerful, easily customized and some features that make it a great option if you are looking to take your music on the go while charging your mobile device at the same time.

Reviews November 29, 2013

G-Boom Bluetooth Boombox Review – Rugged Boombox can Follow you Anywhere

The G-Boom Wireless Bluetooth Boombox by G-Project is a rugged speaker system that, despite it’s lower-end price tag, actually sounds pretty good. The G-Boom has a rechargeable battery for when you want to take the boombox into the woods, audio line-in jack, and volume, play, and forward/backward control buttons on the top. The G-Boom Bluetooth Boombox retails for $99.99.

Reviews November 29, 2013

Korus Premium, Portable Wireless System Review – Part 2

In part one of this two-part review, we looked at the philosophy behind and technology within the new Korus line of wireless speakers. In part 2 we’ll be looking at the two speakers that were part of the initial launch of the line, as well as my thoughts on the speakers in specific and the line in general.

Reviews November 27, 2013

Korus Premium, Portable Wireless System Review – Part 1

There’s a new player in the home audio market and they’re making some big-sounding moves. Korussound has released two speaker systems that allow you to stream music from a variety of devices using what they referred to as “SKAA”. SKAA allows the audio stream to be more consistent and of higher quality than either Bluetooth or AirPlay.

Reviews November 26, 2013

Belkin Slim Style Keyboard Case for iPad Air Review

Do a lot of typing on your iPad but prefer a real keyboard to a touchscreen? There are plenty of Bluetooth keyboard options out there, but what about incorporating it into a case that doesn’t add a lot of bulk as most keyboard cases do? For the iPad Air, Belkin has released the QODE Slim Style Keyboard Case.

Reviews November 26, 2013

The Astak Neos – An Android Tablet for Family Fun and Copious Cooking!

I love to cook. I store most of my recipes in Evernote, so when making unfamiliar dishes I always need access to a smart device. Usually I’ll walk back and forth between the kitchen countertop and dining room table where my laptop sits, checking ingredients as I work. That’s all changed since I got the Astak Neos Android Tablet.

Reviews November 25, 2013

JOBY MPod Mini – A Mini Universal Smartphone Tripod for the Smartphone Photographer

We just looked at JOBY’s GPod Mini Magnet tripod. It is designed for use with cameras and accessories that have a standard tripod screw mount. If, however, you are shooting with a smartphone that doesn’t have a screw mount the $14.95 JOBY MPod Mini may be just the thing. It works with most smartphones. It is inexpensive and it works!

Reviews November 25, 2013

JOBY GPod Mini Magnetic Is a Small but Mighty Camera Stand

JOBY’s GPod Mini Magnetic is the company’s “tiniest tripod with super-strong magnetic feet!” It is oh so cute and, at $14.95 it is oh so inexpensive. But don’t let the small size and low price fool you. The JOBY GPod Mini Magnetic is all JOBY and this little tripod is oh so useful. It makes a great present!

Reviews November 24, 2013

See Spot Run, See Spot Jump, See the Soundfreaq Sound Spot Rock Out

It’s good to know the days of all portable Bluetooth speakers being little, black boxes is coming to an end. Leading the way is the Soundfreaq Sound Spot. This small, $69 speaker packs big sound, good battery life and it looks great in any one of its many colors. Mix and match Sound Spots for a great looking sound.

Reviews November 24, 2013

HipShotDot Laser Sight Accessory Review – Advanced Aim for FPS Games

I never thought I needed a special accessory to play First Person Shooter (FPS) games, until now. The HipShotDot is a tiny red LED light that’s plugged into your console or computer’s USB port. The LED enhances your view of your weapons crosshairs in order to improve accuracy and reaction time. HipShotDot is a brand new product retailing for $29.99.

Reviews November 23, 2013

STM Studio for iPad Mini Takes a Stand for Simple Utility

We recently took a look at the STM Catch for the iPhone 5. STM also offers a growing line of iPad accessories. The STM Studio for iPad mini is one example of what this company, better known for its bags, can do when they set their minds to it. Under $40, it offers plenty of good-looking protection.

Reviews November 23, 2013

The Hunger Games Catching Fire Film Review

Katniss Everdeen returns as a conflicted heroine amid a fictional world ready for an uprising against the Capital and President Snow in this sequel to the first film from Lionsgate and based on the best-selling book from author Suzanne Collins. New characters include Phillips Seymour Hoffman taking over as the new “Gamemaker” in the Districts of Panem.

Reviews November 23, 2013

Lowepro Nova Sport 7L AW Camera Bag – Small Cameras Deserve Small Camera Bags

If you travel light, love messenger bags and need to convenient way to carry your camera, seven-inch tablet and a few accessories the Lowepro Nova Sport 7L may be just the bag for you. At under $60 it offers all the features of the Nova Sport line at a price commensurate with its small size.

Reviews November 22, 2013

Ergotron WorkFit-P Sit-Stand Workstation for Apple Lets You Think on Your Toes

In recent years, I’ve come to appreciate that using a standing desk can give you an entirely different perspective. The Ergotron WorkFit-P Sit-Stand Workstation for Apple lets you work in either a sitting or standing position, switching between them in seconds. Best of all, if you use Apple products it has a look that will fit right in.

Reviews November 21, 2013

Sonicare DiamondClean Sonic Toothbrush Review – Judie & Dan Mouth Off About Oral Hygiene

Judie: I’ve used various electronic toothbrushes off and on for years, but since 2007 I’ve used Philips Sonicare toothbrushes exclusively. My first was their less expensive e-series model (liked it), which I replaced it with a HealthyWhite (loved it). Now that we’ve tried Sonicare’s DiamondClean toothbrush, Dan and I can safely say that we’ve both got the best toothbrush everrrrr.

Reviews November 21, 2013

Monster iSport Freedom Bluetooth Headphones Review: Giving You Freedom to Move

There are a number of decent options for listening to music while working out. However, the choice quickly becomes limited if you want wireless sport headphones. Similarly, on-ear headphones are few and far between. Fortunately, Monster’s iSport Freedom on-ear Bluetooth headphones are good enough that you won’t want to go hunting for other options.