Reviews

Tweekaboo Virtual Family Diary Review – a Baby Book for the Digital Age

Sarah and I can probably repeat the story of the 24 hours leading up to our son’s birth by heart. We told the story to family and friends, and whenever our newborn got fussy we told it to him. After a few days, Sarah turned to me and pointed out that we should probably write it down somewhere since we will eventually forget all the details. Luckily for us, we had the opportunity to test Tweekaboo, an app that acts as a virtual baby book, letting us add pictures and stories and share them with family and each other. Is…

Game Diary, Reviews

NCAA Football 14 on PlayStation 3 Review – Physics Driven Animation and Ultimate Team Mode

NCAA Football 14 represents a quality college football game standard that improves again with new Ultimate team mode, faster loading times, expanded customization, and a new graphics/physics engine. The Hype NCAA Football 14 unlocks the unpredictability and innovation of the college game. The new physics-driven animation system and a completely re-engineered spread and read option game influence the outcome of every moment allowing you to stay true to the game. The Reality One to four players can enjoy the off-line game modes while players can also tackle the two versus two online modes. Players get expanded control and customizable realism…

Game Diary, Reviews

Dreamscapes: The Sandman Collector’s Edition HD Is a Massive, Gorgeous Adventure Game for iOS

Similar to how console game developers offer DLC as a high profit way to give gamers more of a game they love, ‘collector’s editions’ of casual games offer a way to go beyond the core game for just a couple of extra dollars. When these games are ported to iOS devices, we often get the added content included for free with the full-game purchase. And best of all are times like this when a game offers added gameplay that is compelling, engaging, and worth the time. The game is Dreamscapes, and it is one of the best casual games of…

Reviews

USB Fever Aluminum iPad Keyboard Review – High Quality at a Great Price

When my MacBook Pro died, I was not able to replace it, and so I decided to use my iPad as my only mobile work device. Mastering my workflow has taken some adjustment, but it seems to be getting better with time. One issue I had to resolve was data entry. While I have become competent with the on-screen iPad keyboard, there are times when a true keyboard is just the best way to go. The only negative to an added keyboard is transportation; my gear bag now needs another spot for a second device. We recently brought news of…

Reviews

Plantronics BackBeat GO 2 Wireless Earbuds Review – Sweat-Proof and Ready for Action!

It was just about a year ago that we reviewed Plantronic’s BackBeat Go wireless headphones. The BackBeat Go were, and are (I still have and use them on occasion) impressive. Looking not much larger than standard wired earbuds, these wireless headphones were a feat of engineering that packed Bluetooth technology and a battery large enough to let you listen to music, watch a movie, or talk on the phone for up to four and a half hours per charge. They even had an inline microphone and controls that allowed you to take calls, skip tracks, and adjust volume on the…

Reviews

Logitech Harmony Smart Remote Universal Remote System Review

When I first had the opportunity to check out the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.1 tablet, I didn’t expect to think much of the inclusion of an IR blaster that allows the tablet to function as a smart remote for your tv and media system. Much to my surprise, I liked having the option to use the tablet to control my various entertainment systems. After all who needs to juggle multiple remotes when one device can replace them all? The Griffin Beacon (read about it) sought to do just that by turning your iPhone into a remote using an iOS app…

Reviews

Trident Aegis Case for the Nokia Lumia 928 Review – Bubble Wrap for Your Mobile Phone

I am loving my new Lumia 928. Windows Phone is slick, and I am enjoying the phone just as much as I did the day I bought it. However, the operating system isn’t the only thing that’s slick — the polycarbonate casing is very slippery, and I am very accident prone. Luckily for me, Trident cases released their Aegis line for the 928, and I quickly jumped on the case as a way to give my Lumia some solid protection against my personal chaotic field. Is it a good balance of protection and style? Does it make an already…

Sao Paulo Underground - Beija Flors Velho E Sujo

Music Diary, Reviews

São Paulo Underground Brings Their Funky Jazz Beats to ‘Beija Flors Velho E Sujo’

When I first heard of Ray Mazurek it was as an up and coming hard bop trumpet player back in the 90s. Then I discovered his album Synthesthesia and later the sublime Sound Is. So when the folks at Cuneiform asked if I had an interest in checking out the latest released by his São Paulo Underground, I jumped at the opportunity! Description: In its latest incarnation, SPU is a power trio and a post-modern orchestra rolled into one, marked by glistening sonic textures, seductive eletronica beats, unabashedly beautiful melodies, an expansive improvisational palette and fiercely gleeful interplay. A potent…

Editorials, Reviews

Over-the-Ear Headphone Shootout – A GearFest Video

Last week Judie and I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with a few pair of the over-the-ear headphones I have reviewed over the past year. With prices ranging from just $149.99 all the way up to $379.95, these headphones cover a good deal of ground. Moreover, one pair offer active noise cancellation while another can be used in either wired or wireless modes. In other words, these headphones don’t all sit nicely in a single product category. At the same time, if you are in the market for new headphones then you are likely going to purchase…

Dave Liebman & Michael Stephans - Lineage

Music Diary, Reviews

Jazz Legends Dave Liebman and Michael Stephans Explore Their Rock History on ‘Lineage’

Dave Liebman & Michael Stephans – Lineage The legacy of Miles Davis continues to loom large over the music world – Kenny Garrett has been prominant as a solo artist as well as with Pat Metheny’s Unity Band, and veterans like Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Jack Dejohnette, Keith Jarrett and and others are still major players. Then there is reedman Dave Liebman, arguably the last featured saxophone player before Garrett, as Miles moved away from the sax and towards the guitar for most of the 70s and through the late-80s. Dave Liebman has made major contributions to jazz through the…

Reviews

Lowepro DryZone Duffle 20L Review – For the Adventure Photographer in You

A regular old camera bag is fine for regular old photography, but what if you are headed out on an adventure? What if you are taking your camera and gear somewhere where there is water, ice and other environmental hazards just waiting to claim your camera’s last shot? That’s where Lowepro’s new DryZone line of camera bags comes in. The DryZone line consists of the DryZone Backpack 40L, The DryZone Duffle 20L and the DryZone 200. And while the Backpack 40L and Duffle 20L are IPX6-rated the Backpack 40L ups the game and offers an IPX7 rating making it “the world’s…

Reviews

TRÜ-FIT HD Anti-Glare Screen Protector Review – Stress Dissipation at Its Best

While Gorilla Glass is amazingly strong and scratch-resistent, it is not impervious – and for the price we pay for smartphones, it makes sense to protect them as much as possible. Screen protectors have been around since the earliest touch-screen devices in the early 90s, and while they are not the necessity they were back then, having something to protect your precious screen from damage is still a good idea. The folks at TRÜ have a new solution – the TRÜ-FIT. Description TRÜ FIT delivers a stress-free screen protector application in just a few easy steps. This elegantly designed package…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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