Reviews

Twin Moons HD Review - Brings Player Choice and a Polished Experience to the iPad

Game Diary, Reviews

Twin Moons HD Review – Brings Player Choice and a Polished Experience to the iPad

I had expressed enthusiasm for the team of Cateia Games and G5 Entertainment in the past due to games such as Where Angels Cry, so when I saw that they were teaming up again for Twin Moons, I knew I would have to check it out. Type of app: Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure (HOPA) game Platform/where to buy: iPad (iPhone version available here; available in the iTunes App Store Developer: Cateia Games / G5 Entertainment Description: Twin Moons has loads of content, including: – 51 creepy and enigmatic locations – 20 challenging mini-games to master – 18 achievements to earn…

AT&T FinderCodes Electronics Lost & Found Kit Review - Lose (and Find) Yourself

Reviews

AT&T FinderCodes Electronics Lost & Found Kit Review – Lose (and Find) Yourself

FinderCodes is a QR-code based lost and found system that can be used with just about anything to which you can attach a sticker. The folks at FinderCodes — which is now a brand partner with AT&T, as you’ll notice from the logo on the box in the photo above — were kind enough to provide Gear Diary with a sample kit, which contained stickers and tags of several different sizes, as well as a set of instructions. The tags also came with a couple of small rings, so they can be easily attached to a set of keys or a…

zBoost DataBlast Review - Improve Data Speeds in the Home or Office

Reviews

zBoost DataBlast Review – Improve Data Speeds in the Home or Office

I currently am fortunate to have decent AT&T 4G service despite living in a primarily rural area. My service is not perfect, but I do get average speeds compared to spots just a few miles away. My dad, for example lives about 20 miles away and struggles to get data most of the time. The bad thing about connection problems for country folks is there is no real-time table for new towers and improved coverage. There can also be an issue with certain buildings not getting service in an otherwise good service area. Even though I have good service at…

Porter the Dog v iPhone 5, Thanks to the LifeProof LifeJacket!

Outdoors, Reviews

Porter the Dog v iPhone 5, Thanks to the LifeProof LifeJacket!

The LifeProof case for the iPhone 5 is a terrific way to keep your phone safe from life’s bumps, bruises and mishaps. In addition to all the other protection it offers, the LifeProof case is waterproof. That means you can dump it in the toilet or leave it in the rain and feel confident it will still work. But what if, for example, you are spending time at a lake and don’t want to worry about your phone getting wet? Moreover, what if you want your iPhone safe from water damage AND able to float? That’s where LifeProof’s LifeJacket comes…

The Nest Earbud Holder Redux - I Wish I Had Thought of Them

Reviews

The Nest Earbud Holder Redux – I Wish I Had Thought of Them

We covered the Nest Earbud Protectors from Digital Innovations back in September of 2012. At the time I wasn’t all too interested in the product. It just looked like the kind of thing that would become one more piece of clutter in my gear cabinet. Turns out I was completely wrong, and these are actually a great product that, although a bit overpriced, are worth having if you use in-ear headphones on a regular basis. Digital Innovations, the company behind The Nest, describes their product as an earbud winder/headphone case that protects your earbud-style headphones or earphones from tangling and…

Jay Z's 'Magna Carta Holy Grail' Declared Platinum Already

Music Diary, Reviews

Comparing Jay-Z’s ‘Magna Carta Holy Grail’ to Kanye’s ‘Yeezus’ Makes Me Think of Cole Porter

Much as the pensioners romping around playing Quadrophenia to absurd ticket prices have long since forgotten their pledge to clear off before becoming caricatures of themselves, so does Jay-Z’s celebrating the 10th anniversary of his ‘final’ album by releasing yet another mediocre effort drip with so much irony. The contrast with Kanye West’s recent release, ‘Yeezus,’ is so stark that I was reminded of Cole Porter’s song ‘Night and Day’. It isn’t just that the focus of each release is different—one is pure crass corporate factory ‘product,’ and the other is finely crafted artistry—it is also that Yeezus is just…

JLAB Supra Headphones Review - High Dollar Features in a Budget Headphone

Reviews

JLAB Supra Headphones Review – High Dollar Features in a Budget Headphone

Since my time in the “reading lab” during elementary school, I have rarely worn over the ear style of headphones and thought it might be time to try. I have always preferred the mostly hidden in-ear buds over the larger, attention-getting over-ear headphones. Most of my athletes have moved to the latter for what I assume are style preferences, but they all assure me they are more comfortable and sound better. With that in mind, I wanted to give on-ear headphones a shot. I recently received a review pair of JLAB Supra headphones, and I have been using for a…

Tenba Discovery Photo/Tablet Daypack Mini Review

Reviews

Tenba Discovery Photo/Tablet Daypack Mini Review

If you’re looking for a thin and light camera backpack that not only protects your gear, but also has enough room to let you carry your tablet or 11″ MacBook air, then you’ll want to check out the Tenba Discovery Mini Photo/Tablet Daypack. The Discovery Mini Photo/Tablet Daypack is a great way to take your camera gear on the road for the day but it also converts into a standard backpack in a matter of seconds. That flexibility, combined with the bag’s subtle but effective design and $109.95 pricetag combine to make a compelling way to carry your small DSLR…

Green Jelly Brings Gelatinous Gaming Goodness to the Mac!

Game Diary, Reviews

Green Jelly Brings Gelatinous Gaming Goodness to the Mac!

When Green Jelly was released for the iPad and iPhone last December I enjoyed the physics-based game, and now it is available on the Mac! How does a very finger-friendly game translate? Let’s take a look! Type of app: Physics/Puzzle game Platform/where to buy: Mac; available in the Mac App Store Developer: MaxNick / G5 Entertainment Description: Green Jelly features include: ? 60 Levels in three locations: Cake, Chocolate and Waffles ? Over 10 types of objects for physics-based interaction ? 20 Funny achievements to share with friends ? Cute graphics and amusing sounds ? Updates with new levels to…

LifeProof Fre for the iPad mini Review- iPad Protection That Looks Great

Reviews

LifeProof Fre for the iPad mini Review- iPad Protection That Looks Great

If you are like me – or Judie – or Mike – your iPad mini is with you pretty much all the time. And while it is a rather solid device (Apple does happen to make some of the most refined and sturdy mobile devices on the market) the iPad mini is still a relatively delicate piece of electronics. Especially during the summer you are going to want to protect it and, until recently, your only way to get maximum protection was to put the tablet inside a big, heavy, bulky case. It’s no surprise that Lifeproof has fixed this…

Lowepro Transit Backpack 350 AW Review - Take Your Gear and GO!

Reviews

Lowepro Transit Backpack 350 AW Review – Take Your Gear and GO!

Lowepro describes their Transit Backpack 350AW as “Designed to adapt to your carrying needs, this discreet camera backpack gives you fast access with no compromises.”. The backpack has an MSRP of just $119.99 and it packs in all of Lowepro’s best features. Let’s take a look at it on video, and I’ll then run down the specifics of this backpack to help you determine if this is the best camera backpack for your needs. Specifications: The bag is made from 600 D polyester, 300D honeycomb polyester and nylon webbing. It weighs just 2.4 pounds, and it has an interior camera…

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Review on PlayStation 3

Game Diary, Reviews

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Review on PlayStation 3

The Metal Gear game series/franchise expands with the fast and furious katana action mix with gunplay and special mechs in the speedy epic Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. The Hype METAL GEAR RISING: REVENGEANCE takes the renowned METAL GEAR franchise into exciting new territory by focusing on delivering an all-new action experience unlike anything that has come before. Combining world-class development teams at Kojima Productions and PlatinumGames, METAL GEAR RISING: REVENGEANCE brings two of the world’s most respected teams together with a common goal of providing players with a fresh synergetic experience that combines the best elements of pure action and epic…

BlackBerry Q10 Review - The Return of the QWERTY King

Reviews

BlackBerry Q10 Review – The Return of the QWERTY King

The candy bar QWERTY has been one of my favourite form factors since I first laid my hands on the Nokia E71. It helped that the E71 was super slim, solid and had amazing battery life, but the tactile keyboard held me back from switching for quite some time. Since those days a glass slab has been my device of choice, be it iPhone or more recently Android. It’s easy to see why, considering the ratio of consumption over creation they are typically used for. Intelligent keyboards like the brilliant SwiftKey for Android further bolster the argument that the hardware…

The JOBY GripTight GorillaPod Stand Review

Reviews

The JOBY GripTight GorillaPod Stand Review

I’ve long been a fan of JOBY’s various products. They tend to be simple, effective and well made. In fact, the very first GorillaPod tripod I reviewed is still going strong! For the past year or so, I have keeps a JOBY GripTight Micro Stand on my keychain. Just last week a person I was with said, “I wish we had brought a tripod…” I reached in my pocket, pulled out the GripTight Micro Stand and said, “Here, try this…” It worked perfectly. That’s the beauty of JOBY’s products- they solve simple problems in a variety of ways. Now the…

Mr Reader Helps Ease Google Reader Withdrawal

Reviews

Mr Reader Helps Ease Google Reader Withdrawal

I don’t require much in an RSS reader, I just want a list of new items, broken up into folders. No need for fancy animations, layouts that look like magazines, or silly flipping transitions. My favorite RSS reader pre-Google Reader shutdown was FeeddlerPro, and I was heartbroken to leave it behind. But the developer for FeeddlerPro isn’t supporting Feedly, and since that’s become the simplest platform to keep my computer, Windows Phone, and iPad in sync, I needed a new app — one that wasn’t the Feedly app, because I really hate the Feedly iPad app’s style over substance approach….

Timbuk2 Aviator Travel Backpack Review - Your New Travel Companion

Reviews

Timbuk2 Aviator Travel Backpack Review – Your New Travel Companion

The Timbuk2 Aviator Travel Backpack is a serious backpack for people on the go. It has an MSRP of $179, and it is made with the fit, finish and design Timbuk2 is known for. This isn’t a travel backpack for someone looking for a simple casual bag, but rather it’s for someone who is planning on doing some serious trekking around the world — someone who needs a great and flexible way to both carry and protect their gear. Let’s take a look. The Timbuk2 Aviator Travel Backpack takes two different forms — a backpack and a carryon — and…

V-MODA Faders Earplugs Review - Protect Your Hearing In Style

Reviews

V-MODA Faders Earplugs Review – Protect Your Hearing In Style

The other day I reviewed the ETY•Plugs HD earplugs. (Read the review.) What stands out to me, when thinking about this excellent approach to protecting one’s hearing, is the fact that the earplugs are based on the design Etymotic employs for their headphones. In other words, someone who finds Etymotic headphones comfortable will find the same to hold true with the ETY•Plugs HD earplugs. Turns out Etymotic isn’t the only company to leverage their headphones by offering a pair of earplugs that look and feel like something you might use to enjoy your audio; V-MODA had the same idea and…

ZAGG Origin 2-in-1 Bluetooth System Review- Cool Gear or Total Gimmick?

Reviews

ZAGG Origin 2-in-1 Bluetooth System Review- Cool Gear or Total Gimmick?

When I first saw the ZAGG Origin 2-in-1 Bluetooth speaker I was intrigued. The Origin looks like a large gray plastic desktop speaker with the ZAGG name proudly displayed on the front. It is, in fact, a large gray plastic desktop speaker with the ZAGG name proudly displayed on the front. But that is only part of the story. Grab the middle portion of the large gray plastic desktop speaker’s back and the ZAGG Origin breaks into two pieces. You see, the ZAGG Origin is both a large desktop speaker and a small portable speaker. When the two pieces are together they…

Tempour from Soiree Review - One Wine Tool to Rule Them All

Reviews, Yum Log

Tempour from Soiree Review – One Wine Tool to Rule Them All

As a food and drink writer, I get the opportunity to try out a lot of gadgets that purport to make my drinking life easier. Not that I don’t appreciate them, but the drawers of my liquor cabinet are full of things to cool my drinks, tools to aerate and decant wine, strainers, bottle stoppers, collars that fit around bottlenecks to prevent dripping and strainers to filter out the sediment in aged wines. It’s frankly getting to be a bit of a mess in there, and I usually just keep the drawer shut. So I was quite excited to hear…

Griffin Survivor + Catalyst Waterproof Case for iPhone 5 Review

Reviews

Griffin Survivor + Catalyst Waterproof Case for iPhone 5 Review

Let me start off this review by admitting that I am somewhat biased when it comes to iPhone cases.  I carry my phone in my pocket at all times, I rarely drop my phone, and I rarely bring it near water.  With that in mind, I’ve always leaned towards bumper-style cases that are small enough to protect my phone and do not to add too much bulk to my pocket. Still, I think I’ve found a great option for those who carry their phone in their pocket and also want great drop and water protection.  The Griffin Survivor + Catalyst…

Spigen SGP Aluminum Home Buttons for Samsung GALAXY S4 Review

Reviews

Spigen SGP Aluminum Home Buttons for Samsung GALAXY S4 Review

Do you need Spigen SGP’s Aluminum Home Buttons for Samsung GALAXY S4? No. Are they worth the $9.99 price of admission to get three of Spigen SGP’s Aluminum Home Buttons for Samsung GALAXY S4? That depends. If you want to bring a bit of customization to your Samsung super-phone or prefer a Home Button with a bit more tactile feel the SGP Home Buttons might be a good choice for you. If, on the other hand, you don’t need to add bling to your S4-thing you may want to save the ten bucks. Here’s a look at what they offer….