Reviews

Mophie Juice Pack Air for iPhone 5 Review

Mophie Juice Pack Air for iPhone 5 Review

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve looked at a number of different solutions for keeping your iPhone 5 up and running; we’ve looked at the PoP’n Charge battery, the mophie juice pack helium, and, most recently, reviewed the PowerSkin Battery Case for iPhone 5. This time out we are going to take a look at another battery case from mophie and then, in the next few days, offer a side-by-side compare and contrast of these different solutions. The mophie juice pack air for iPhone 5 is a familiar case to anyone who has used any of mophie’s juice pack battery cases. The formfitting mophie juice…

Simple Bracket for iPhone Review

Simple Bracket for iPhone Review

iPhone and iPad apps for anyone on a budget. Nothing over $.99! It’s March, and you know what that means! I am not referring to the impending spring season or melting of the snow in the north. Yes, the birds are chirping and the time change means the sun stays high a little later for us all, but there are more important things that happen in March. Sunday, the bracket was announced for the March Madness tournament; 64 NCAA Div. 1 basketball teams will enter the tournament with an equal shot to be crowned this year’s national champion. There are favorites, but every…

Beyzacases Aston Martin iPhone Sleeves Review

Beyzacases Aston Martin iPhone Sleeves Review

Gorgeous. That’s the word Judie and I seem to always use when describing Beyzacases products. And why do we use the word “gorgeous”? Simple… they are. Beyzacases uses only the finest leather for their products and then painstakingly design and craft their wares. The result are some of the finest leather accessories on the market. The Beyzacases Aston Martin iPhone Sleeves are no exception. In fact, they are not only gorgeous but they are exceptionally functional as well. We walked away from our time at the booth during CES with two Beyzacases Aston Martin iPhone Sleeves for review. Review them…

Just Mobile Slide Stand for iPad and iPad mini Video Review

Just Mobile Slide Stand for iPad and iPad mini Video Review

Whenever I am on the computer, my iPad is always within reach. More than that though, the iPad is open and, most of the time, on. You see, when I am on my computer, my iPad serves as a secondary screen allowing me to keep track of things that would otherwise clutter my computer desktop while I work. Having a good stand is key to making this work, and one thing that makes a stand qualify as “good” is it having the ability to offer various viewing angles. That’s why the Just Mobile Slide Stand for iPad and iPad mini…

Just Mobile Gum Max Duo Video Review

Just Mobile Gum Max Duo Video Review

External batteries are a necessity when using a smartphone, and it stands to reason that the bigger the battery the more time you can spend away from a plug. When we went to CES 2013 in January, Judie, Carly and I brought multiple external batteries. For the first CES ever, we didn’t run out of fuel or go running for a plug half way through the day. Among my battery “arsenal” were a few of Just Mobile’s Gum series of backup batteries. I loved the look, feel and build of them, but I didn’t love only being able to charge one…

Super Stickman Golf 2 for iOS and Android Review - Download it Now and Thank Me Later

Game Diary, Reviews

Super Stickman Golf 2 for iOS and Android Review – Download it Now and Thank Me Later

Did you download it yet? What are you waiting for? Fine, I’ll tell you a little bit about the game, first. Super Stickman Golf 2 for iOS is the highly anticipated sequel to the extremely popular, award-winning title of the same name from developers Noodlecake Studios. The series, on the surface, plays like a golf game where the goal is to hit a golf ball into a cup on a putting green in the fewest amount of strokes possible. However, deep down, the game is truly a 2-dimensional physics puzzle game where you must figure out the shortest possible path…

Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones Review

Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones Review

I offered a first look at the Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones last week. We now have a firm price and shipping date- they will be available starting March 25th and will cost $249- so I wanted to offer up a more complete look at these rather pricey headphones. I covered a good bit of the initial ground in my ‘First Look’ post (read it) so I’ll try not to be redundant. As I noted, the headphones are being positioned, in part, as wireless headphones designed for use in the real world. As such Jabra tested them to make sure the…

Old Clockmakers Riddle

Game Diary, Reviews

Old Clockmakers Riddle for Mac Review

I admit that when I first tried the iPad version of Old Clockmakers Riddle, I was expecting it to be a standard story-based Hidden Object game. But after I started reading the description I was thrilled to see the Match-3 gameplay tied to an interesting story. You find a letter that leads you to a dead down that has utterly stopped, and you need to find gems and clock hands hidden in the houses of town to ‘restart’ them and get to the point of fixing the clock and restarting the town. Type of app: Match-3 Puzzle game Platform/where to…

MonCarbone Black Diamond Smartt Mate carbon Fiber iPad Shell

MonCarbone Black Diamond Smartt Mate Carbon Fiber iPad Shell Review

Judie and I met with MonCarbone during CES 2013. We’ve always liked their wares and were impressed by their current offerings. Not only are they making luxurious cases for iPhones and iPads but they have expanded their lineup to include luggage and speakers made from carbon fiber. The bags are nice but I think their iPhone and iPad cases are still the standout products. Judie reviewed one of the new cases for the iPhone 5 back in February. The iPhone case is nice but the MonCarbone Black Diamond Smartt Mate Carbon Fiber iPad Shell… now that is an amazing carbon fiber case! The MonCarbone…

BeyzaCases iPad mini Sleeve

BeyzaCases Sarach Series for iPad Mini Review

We loved meeting Ali Yildirim and his team from BeyzaCases during CES 2013. We love their gorgeous leather case and appreciate their advertising on Gear Diary. Their new offerings are the epitome of luxury and make using your various electronic devices even more pleasurable. You can read all about our time with Ali and his team here. We walked away from our time at the BeyzaCases booth with a number of their current products. One of the more unusual is the BeyzaCases Sarach Series for iPad Mini. Available in black, tan, brown and camel. Priced at more than $150 the…

Cognition Brings Chilling Adventure to iOS, Review and Giveaway!

Game Diary, Reviews

Cognition Brings Chilling Adventure to iOS, Review and Giveaway!

If you are like myself or most other PC game fans, you track the ‘indie bundle’ sites regularly and grab all of the great games these creative developers publish. A couple of months ago I grabbed Cognition Episode 1 from IndieGameStand on the Mac, but never finished playing. Now it is available for the iPad, so before I could get a review code from the publisher I bought the game and played it. I say that Cognition brings chilling adventure to iOS, read on to find out why! Oh, and the publisher came through with a review code as well…

Discovery Trekking's Ultra-Fast Drying Towels

Discovery Trekking’s Ultra-Fast Drying Towels

“Gear” comes in all different shapes and sizes and we do our best to cover as wide a range as possible here on Gear Diary. That’s why, in this review, we will be looking at… towels. Yes, this is a review of towels but, as you might expect, these aren’t just any towels. No, these are special Ultra-Fast Drying Towels from Discovery Trekking Outfitters. These Ultra-Fast Drying Towels come in different sizes and colors and their ability to all but vacuum water from wet skin surprised me- in a good way. (The claim in the previous sentence- mine not the…

Zagg LEATHERskin for the Apple iPad Mini

Zagg LEATHERskin for the Apple iPad Mini

I ordered a Zagg LEATHERskin for iPad mini last week. (It looked interesting and Zagg was offering a good deal on some headphones with any order I made that day. And… yes… we will be giving the headphones I got away in the near future!) If I look at the way Judie, Mike and I each protect our iPad minis I see three very different approaches. Judie doesn’t mind adding some weight and bulk to her iPad mini so long at the case she uses screams quality. That’s why she is happily using the Orbino miniPadova she purchased a few…

Eton FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM/Weather Alert Radio Lets You Be Prepared

Eton FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM/Weather Alert Radio Lets You Be Prepared

When Superstorm Sandy hit last fall we, like so many in our region, were left without power. For Elana and me that meant no heat, no light and no water. (Yes, we live in New Jersey and have well rather than communal water.) The outage also meant we had no way to recharge batteries. Thankfully I had anticipated this happening and prepared by charging all of my various external batteries. I do, however, wish I had had the Eton FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM/Weather Alert Radio. The Eton FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM/Weather Alert Radio is an all-purpose, rechargeable weather alert radio…

Braven 570 Charges Your Smartphone and Ears On the Go

Braven 570 Charges Your Smartphone and Ears On the Go

We met with Braven at CES 2013 (check out the post) and had a chance to see their new speakers. We watched as the Braven BRV-1 went for a swim and checked out the budget-priced Braven 570. Now we’ve got out hands on the Braven 570 for a hands-on review. Before we jump in though take a look at the BRV-1. If you’ve used one of Braven’s speakers or checked out our head-to-head match between the Braven 600 and the JawBone JamBox (read the post) you are already familiar with the design of the Braven 570. It is a rectangular…

Spigen SGP Home Buttons for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Add Bling to Your Phablet

Spigen SGP Home Buttons for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Add Bling to Your Phablet

Some smartphone accessories have a clear purpose and reason for existing. The purpose of other accessories is… less obvious. Case in point- the Spigen SGP Home Buttons for Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The Note 2 has a Home button and it works just fine on its own. Why then would one spend $10 to buy three different metal buttons to place over the stock Home button? Well, if you have a Verizon branded Samsung GALAXY Note 2 there is ugly and stupid Verizon branding right on the button. The Spigen SGP Home Buttons for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 cover the…

Speck CandyShell for Samsung GALAXY Note 2 Provides Tasty Protection

Speck CandyShell for Samsung GALAXY Note 2 Provides Tasty Protection

So you’ve entered the land of phablets and bought yourself a Samsung GALAXY Note 2. You love carrying one device that serves as both (a freakin’ huge) smartphone and a (tiny tiny) tablet and you take it everywhere you go. That’s great but a device getting that much use and abuse needs t be protected. Fortunately Speck has you and your Note 2 covered with their Speck CandyShell for Samsung GALAXY Note 2. It is a great way to add color while keeping your Note 2 safe and secure. The Speck CandyShell for Samsung GALAXY Note 2 comes in two…

Tomb Raider Review for PlayStation 3

Game Diary, Reviews

Tomb Raider Review for PlayStation 3

In Tomb Raider, adventuress/archeologist Lara Croft returns in her ninth video game…the first in four years. Was it worth the wait? Definitely. Developer Crystal Dynamics and publisher Square Enix push current consoles to their limit with this impressive reboot. The Hype A Survivor is Born When the first ever Tomb Raider game launched in 1996 it was a revolution. Outstanding in terms of graphics, gameplay, and storyline, it changed the way that video games were played and developed forever. Fronting the games assault on the world was the central character, Lara Croft. Lara was also to have an incredible impact,…

Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones First Look

Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones First Look

I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on the Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones for some time. Jabra describes the Revo Wireless Headphones as combining “amazing sound clarity with peerless build and durability”. The videos on the Jabra website show just how tough the headphones are, and a live demonstration at CES 2013 reinforced the message. Yes, the Jabra Revo Wireless Headphones promise to be incredibly durable. If the sound quality is similarly impressive, then Jabra will likely have a hit on their hands. The bad news is that we don’t yet have a final price or release date on…

Zagg ZR-SIX Earbuds Review - Promising Awesome Sound for Under $60

Zagg ZR-SIX Earbuds Review – Promising Awesome Sound for Under $60

If they’re not the best sounding earbuds you’ve experienced… we’ll give you your money back. That’s what Zagg says on the product page for theIR ZR-SIX earbuds. It is a bold claim to make under any conditions, but considering the ZR-SIX earbuds are under $60 it is actually a remarkable claim; I am left wondering if the claim can hold up in real-world use. Are Zagg’s new ZR-SIX earbuds “the best sounding earbuds I’ve experienced? Read on to find out. Inside the box you’ll find the ZR-SIX earbuds, two additional sets of ear cups, and a nice zippered protective case. I…

PowerSkin PoP’n Battery Review - It Should Be in Your Gear Bag

PowerSkin PoP’n Battery Review – It Should Be in Your Gear Bag

We’ve said it over and over and over again — battery life is the Achilles Heel of today’s mobile devices. Speeds have improved, screen resolution and size have too; battery technology has, unfortunately, not kept pace. The result is that many of use have to either carry our wall adapter and charger cable or an external battery. And there are some people, me for example, who carry both. These days I’m carrying the PowerSkin PoP’n battery in my jacket and another battery in my gear bag. Here’s why the PowerSkin PoP’n battery is so useful. The PowerSkin PoP’n battery has an…

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