Reviews

Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone Deliver a Collection of Excellent Duets

Music Diary, Reviews May 7, 2012

Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone Deliver a Collection of Excellent Duets

Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone – ‘Departure of Reason’ I reviewed Mary Halvorson’s ‘Saturn Sings’ last year, concluding : Halvorson has been called the most talented and creative guitarist in a generation, and I don’t attribute that to either hyperbole or to her gender – she is an amazing guitar talent who has proven herself in side roles with some of the major figures in jazz. As a solo artist she soars with unique and original compositions and improvisational techniques that are tremendously fresh and challenging and listenable all at once. This is absolutely one of my favorite recordings of…

With SayHi for iOS You Get Accurate Translations on the Fly

Reviews, Travel May 7, 2012

With SayHi for iOS You Get Accurate Translations on the Fly

Esta es una aplicación sorprendente para cualquiera que quiera comunicarse en un idioma diferente, pero no tiene el tiempo para aprender. Sorprendentemente sólo $ 0,99. Se le permitirá hablar en cualquier número de idiomas iniciales y luego se traducirá automáticamente el idioma por primera vez en la segunda. Y para muchos de los idiomas que no sólo va a dar a un texto, sino que también hablará el texto por usted para que usted sepa lo que suena. Por supuesto, la aplicación funciona con las tecnologías de Nuance y su voz a los servicios de transcripción de texto. El aspecto…

Logos Quiz Game for iPhone/Touch

Reviews May 7, 2012

Logos Quiz Game for iPhone/Touch

The gaming experience on iOS devices can be much different from the old console days. Most of the games I get hooked on are simple and can be played in small spurts during random times of the day. Many of these games become wildly addicting, even if for a limited amount of time. Last week, a student came to me and showed me a picture of the Atari logo and asked if I knew what that was. While I was blown away that he did not know this logo that brought me so much joy as a child, I also…

The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad 2 and the New iPad Review

Reviews May 6, 2012

The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad 2 and the New iPad Review

I had a first generation iPad.  It was an amazingly useful and functional device for me  I loved the unit, but it wasn’t the thinnest. I rarely tried to carry my iPad with a keyboard, because once I put the iPad and a keyboard into my backpack I might was well have been carrying a laptop! When the iPad 2 came out, there were a number of keyboard “covers” that were also released. This system worked well for the iPad 2 since it was so much thinner than the first generation iPad. Still not much could be done for the…

OXO GoodGrips Handheld Mandoline is a Finger Saver

Reviews, Yum Log May 5, 2012

OXO GoodGrips Handheld Mandoline is a Finger Saver

I love working in the kitchen, but I have to admit that I’m a total chicken when it comes to using a mandoline. Knives don’t frighten me, since I keep them really sharp with my whetstone and have pretty decent knife skills. But when I finally broke down and bought an expensive mandoline, I had heard so many horror stories of chefs cutting the ends of their fingers off while carelessly using these razor-like slicing and julienning machines, I made sure to get a really expensive one with all the safety options. And then I actually bought a kevlar glove…

Marvel's Avengers Film Review

Reviews May 5, 2012

Marvel’s Avengers Film Review

Marvel’s Avengers hits the big screen hard with an amazing action epic filled with great action sequences, well-integrated special effects, and several memorable moments centering on Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, and Hawkeye as they battle the evil Norse god Loki.

CrazyOnDigital Rotating Stand iPad Case Review

Reviews May 4, 2012

CrazyOnDigital Rotating Stand iPad Case Review

When I finally joined the ranks of the iPad masses, the first thing I did was start researching cases. While I was peripherally aware of the general price points for cases, I was surprised at how expensive many of them were! I began to wonder if this was because demand drove up prices, or if you really do get what you paid for. When CrazyOnDigital offered me the chance to review their 360 Degree Folio Case, which retails for $49.99, but sells on Amazon for the jaw-dropping price of $15.99, I was excited to give it a shot! The case…

JustMobile AluCube Mini Review

Reviews May 4, 2012

JustMobile AluCube Mini Review

There are some products that just make sense from the minute you see them. Within seconds you know what the product is all about and it is instantly clear why the product exists. This is not one of those products. No, the JustMobile AluCube Mini is one of those products that looks like nothing more than a money grab- a way to get a little more cash from people who like JustMobile’s design sense. In fact, you can almost imagine the design team sitting in a room saying “We need one more product this year… We need it to be…

Pickers HD for iPad Review

Game Diary, Reviews May 3, 2012

Pickers HD for iPad Review

Maybe you’ve seen the shows. American Pickers, Storage Wars, Pawn Stars, Hardcore Pawn and so forth. Perhaps you’ve wondered if you cash in one the old saw “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” without the incessant “Y——-p!” bid chanting, sibling rivalry or, er, trash-talk of competitors. If so, you may want to take a gander at Mumbo Jumbo’s Pickers HD for iPad.   The premise of the game is fairly simple: You are the proprietor of Rusted Gold, a store specializing in unusual or offbeat items. You must travel the US, or rather, twelve locations within the US, scout…

AT&T's HTC One X Android Smartphone

Reviews May 1, 2012

AT&T’s HTC One X Android Smartphone

HTC has really upped their game with the new HTC One line of Android smartphones. Each of the three devices in the series looks great, is super fast and offers a range of features that makes them some of the best smartphones currently (or soon) available. Judie had a chance to see them they day they were announced at Mobile World Congress, and I spent some quality time with them the next morning. We were both impressed. A few weeks later I got my hands on the T-Mobile-branded HTC One S. I liked the look… and the feel… and found…

Aranez Swivel New iPad 3 Leather Case Review

Reviews May 1, 2012

Aranez Swivel New iPad 3 Leather Case Review

This is not the first time we have had the opportunity to look at one of the gorgeous leather cases offered by Aranez. We reviewed their Kangaroo Leather case for the iPad 2 (read it here) along with as their great-looking Mirage case for the iPhone 4 (read it here). We’ve always been impressed with their design, commitment to creating products that look good and work well, and their overall approach as they vie for market-share in the ever-more crowded world of iOS cases and accessories. This time out is no exception. Their new Aranez Swivel New iPad 3 Leather…

Eers PCS-150 Custom Fitted Earbuds Review

Reviews April 30, 2012

Eers PCS-150 Custom Fitted Earbuds Review

I am not much of an audiophile. When I grab headphones, it is usually to walk the dog or run on a treadmill, and for the last several years my headphone rotation has been between whichever pair of apple earbuds are lying around, and a pair of wraparound headphones I am pretty sure I paid $9.99 for…in 2008. So it has been quite the eye-opening experience testing the Eers PCS-150, a pair of high-end headphones with a special twist. What makes the Eers so special is that these are no ordinary earbuds. Instead, you use a special kit called the…

Music Diary Semi-Quavers on Some Early 2012 Releases in Pop & Rock

Music Diary, Reviews April 30, 2012

Music Diary Semi-Quavers on Some Early 2012 Releases in Pop & Rock

As I have mentioned before, I love listening to loads of new music across a variety of genres, and have very much appreciated how many folks have shared new music with me since I have started writing music reviews for Gear Diary. I started off with full, large song-by-song reviews (whole notes), and then started to also do somewhat shorter reviews that don’t pick apart each song (half-notes). Then I started a series where I would have a shorter review for a number of albums that also targets a favored song and target audience (quarter note), but have found that…

The WaterField Indy iPad Bag Review

Reviews April 29, 2012

The WaterField Indy iPad Bag Review

I’m not going to get into all the obvious movie allusions I could make about the WaterField Indy iPad Bag; suffice it to say, the bag has rugged appeal with just enough refinement, and even when brand new, it looks like something that might have been handed down to you from a favorite uncle. That’s actually a selling point, I think. Measuring 10.3″ wide x 12″ tall  x 1″ deep, the Indy weighs 17 ounces empty. It is composed of tumbled and distressed leather, which comes complete with scratches, imperfections, and other miscellaneous markings; this means that from the beginning,…

TouchRetouch HD for iOS review

Reviews April 28, 2012

TouchRetouch HD for iOS review

Call me jaded, but it is increasingly rare that an iPhone or iPad app really grabs my attention. It is even less common that ones makes me go “Wow, oh wow. Wow wow wow wow wow wow !!” But when an iPad application can render the image you see at the top of this post… when the actual image is this one… And it can all be done in a matter of minutes using just your iPad and a finger… Now THAT is impressive. And THAT is what the app touchRetouch HD can do. The app is surprisingly simple to…

Marco Machera Serves up a Stunning Debut Album with 'One Time, Somewhere'

Music Diary, Reviews April 27, 2012

Marco Machera Serves up a Stunning Debut Album with ‘One Time, Somewhere’

Marco Machera – ‘One Time, Somewhere’ I had intended to include this as a feature selection in a round-up of new releases, but then something happened – that turned into a set of ‘semi-quavers’ set apart by a full review on this album. It simply earned and deserved the attention – so here it is! Summary: Since my family has such diverse set of musical tastes – one son is huge into techno while the other favors mostly rap and some ‘screamo’, my wife loves pop and alt-rock from throughout the decades, and I listen to … however you want…

FireFly's Hello Kitty Light-Up Toothbrush Review

Reviews April 27, 2012

FireFly’s Hello Kitty Light-Up Toothbrush Review

Show me a parent who has no problem getting their kids to brush for a full two minutes, and I’ll show you a parent that is in denial. When my daughter Sarah first learned to brush her teeth, it was common for me to stand with her to help make sure that she did the full minute on each row. As she got a bit older, she (understandably) didn’t want me hovering over her, because she could ‘do it [herself], mommmm!’ The thing is that sometimes ‘doing it herself’ meant a cursory brush over each tooth (maybe), a quick swish…

We Reviewed It and Still Use It, BlueAnt Embrace OnEar Headphones

Reviews April 27, 2012

We Reviewed It and Still Use It, BlueAnt Embrace OnEar Headphones

It is time once again to take a look at an item we reviewed in the past, liked and… months later, still use. Today’s contender… The BlueAnt EMBRACE headphones. You can read the review here, but here’s a snippet of what we said last summer: All of this is good and well but when it comes to a pair of headphones there are really just 2 things that matter: comfort and sound. Are they comfortable?Yup!As previously mentioned, the combination of high quality materials, leather earpieces and abundant padding create a pair of headphones that are incredibly comfortable. I have worn them…

Casellet Wallet Case for iPhone 4/4S Review

Reviews April 26, 2012

Casellet Wallet Case for iPhone 4/4S Review

If you were a fan of the hit show, “Seinfeld,” surely you can remember the episode when George has back problems from the giant wallet he was carrying. That episode struck a chord with me and actually inspired me to look into getting a front pocket wallet. For years I have only carried a wallet in the front, relieving my hind end from sitting on a giant lump. Call me spoiled, but even a front pocket wallet is often too much for me. I never carry it on the sports fields where the freedom to move easily is imperative. One…

Nike+ Fuelband Review; 'The Out-Of-Shape Geek's Dream Fitness Motivator

Reviews April 25, 2012

Nike+ Fuelband Review; ‘The Out-Of-Shape Geek’s Dream Fitness Motivator

  It’s been few weeks since the release of the Nike+ Fuelband and, until last week, I had been unable to get my hands on one. This is probably the first fitness related gadget I have ever bought and, besides the super geek-esque Back to the Future style LED’s on it, I was excited to have something that would motivate me to get back in shape. I’ve had the FUEL for a week now and have worn it almost every day during my routine activities. Unfortunately I have not been able to take a jog or “officially” work out with…