Events

Boomstick Lets Crappy Headphones Sound Better

Sitting on the kitchen table when I returned from CES were a pair of nondescript black earbuds. You know, the free type that reinforce the notion that you get what you pay for. “What are these?” I asked. “I used them for a conference call today,” said Raina. They were the perfect test earbuds for the new Boomstick headphone accessory. I’ll admit it. My work with Gear Diary has spoiled me. I’ve heard $1500 headphones from HARMAN that use the latest technology and were tuned by none other than Quincy Jones. I’ve reviewed Blue’s first foray into the headphone market….


Free Yourself from the Bluetooth Collar with Jaybird Freedom Headphones!

You’ve probably tried out bluetooth headphones that either have a collar, or sit over your ear before right? While that might seem practical, but when you’re in the gym, or even casually walking, they bounce around and still don’t solve the problem that plagues bluetooth headphone users. If you’re tired of that problem, you need to be checking out the Jaybird Freedoms. You’ve probably seen them in Best Buy or your favorite electronic shop and they probably have them. But after the announcement they made at CES 2016, I had the opportunity to try them on for size and put…


Harman Kardon OMNI+ Brings Wireless, Multi-Room True HD Audio Home

It has been coming for a while but, with the introduction of the Harman Kardon OMNI+, brings Wireless, Multi-Room True HD, I think Harman Kardon is truly ready to take over and dominate the multi-room audio market. As one would expect, the new OMNI+ speakers bring HK’s audio prowess to a variety of rooms. That, however, is just the beginning.


Synology Announces Aesthetically Overhauled DS416j NAS

Synology, my top-rated NAS manufacturer, announced their new DS416j NAS this week. The DS416j is a budget-friendly 4-bay network attached storage (NAS) server built for home and small business use to store data, media, and more. The DS416j is ideal for storing as well as streaming media to all of your screens and speakers. The DS416j is now available!


The HeyJoe Coffee Mug Got Me Through CES

If you’re a coffee drinker like myself, you know the struggle of waking up in the morning, creating your own brew, and even worse, finding that mug of cup that will keep that House Blend warm as you go on your daily commute. Well over the course of CES, as well as a few weeks prior to that, I had the pleasure of reviewing the HeyJoe Coffee Mug which solves a lot of problems we all have throughout the morning. Originally a Kickstarter that has since been in full production, the HeyJoe Coffee Mug is the first coffee mug to…


Kuaiwear Launches Their Kuai Multisport Biometric Headphones

It’s no longer enough to just tie on your sneakers and head out for a run. Now you need your watch, footpod, headphones, heart rate monitor, and smartphone. We’re about a week away from SPIbelt including a battery in their products just to keep everything charged. Kuai has a much simpler solution: Kuai Multisport Biometric Headphones. That’s a very long and fancy name for a very simple concept. Kuai took headphones, added sensors for heart rate and cadence, threw in 8Gbof memory for music and coaching downloads, and even added connectivity for Bluetooth and ANT+, so you can easily connect…


Chevy Bolt Zooms into the Electric Vehicle Market!

I have said many times if I win the Powerball the first thing I’m doing is buying a Tesla Model S, for one reason: I would love an electric car but I need decent range for my daily commute. GM has a much better plan than Powerball, though, with the new Chevy Bolt EV, which has a 200 mile range!




Motorola Brand to Fade, Survived by Moto and Vibe

News today from CES that Lenovo plans to phase out the Motorola brand during 2016. We had to know this day was coming ever since Motorola was sold by Google to Lenovo in 2014. Fear not though, the Moto branding will live on for higher-end phones while Lenovo will use the Vibe brand for the cheap stuff.



808 Audio Announces New Lineup at CES

Portable Bluetooth audio devices have become a product category that interests me. 808 Audio just announced their 2016 audio lineup that proves to have something for everyone at an affordable price. Casual listeners, outdoors enthusiasts and party hosts should all find something that works for them. 


Smart-Rhino Unveils Xcooter at CES

If you are looking for alternate transportation and size and weight are an issue, check out the new Xcooter that Smart-Rhino has just announced at CES. The tiny scooter folds up for storage and looks like a lot of fun. 


Solos Smart Eyewear Turns Cycling into Sci Fi!

It’s official, we’re living in the future. Not only is virtual reality quickly becoming everyday reality, but now you can wear a heads-up display while you’re riding a bike, literally seeing your ride statistics floating in front of you like a biking terminator. That’s the future that Solos Smart Eyewear is promising!


Philips Fidelio Soundbar with Dolby Atmos Announced at CES

There are many new products that get amazing sound from a compact package when it comes to television audio. Gibson Innovations has announced the Philips Fidelio Soundbar that includes Dolby Atmos technology. I have three televisions with stock speakers and need something to improved the sound. This soundbar could be exactly what I was looking for.


Have a Choice in What You Share with Privoro

Have you ever wanted more privacy for your smartphone and desktop computers? Well you’re in luck, because this week at Pepcom I found a new tech privacy company that surprised me in a major way! Privoro is a new tech company that’s entire premise is giving the consumer the ability to take their security into their own hands. You’d be surprised how much of your privacy has been invaded, and even though you might feel secure by turning off your network and location, chances are, you’re still being tracked. That’s where Privoro comes into play. They’ve announced two devices that…


Casio Announces the WSD-F10 Outdoor Watch with Android Wear

Casio is diving wrist first into the Android Wear world with their newest release, the WSD-F10 Outdoor Watch. It combines Casio’s trademark rugged designs with the power of Android Wear, perfect for those times when you need to check Facebook while at Basecamp for Mount Everest. All joking aside, Casio has thrown a lot of extra features into the WSD-10 to make it stand out in the smartwatch world. It has GPS, is water resistant to 40 meters, offers dust and shock proofing, and has a number of Casio-specific apps for outdoor activities. They also offer a time-only display to…


Polar Balance Smart Scale Adds Weight Tracking to the Polar Flow Ecosystem

Polar has been expanding their fitness portfolio beyond just heart rate monitoring, with a slew of activity trackers and GPS watches. Now they’re making the whole ecosystem even more holistic by adding weight management with the new Polar Balance scale! The Polar Balance scale is a wifi connected scale that hooks into the Polar Flow app. At only $99 it falls on the cheaper end of the connected scale options, but obviously it works best if you already have an investment in Polar via their activity tracking devices. Also, it can accommodate up to 10 profiles, so your entire rugby…


Ogio Will Keep You Styling in 2016 with New Gran Premio and Chelsea Collections!

Ogio has been providing quality bags for quite some time, and this year at CES they are refreshing their professional bags with the Gran Premio and Chelsea collections. Whether you need a small bag to carry a tablet and essentials, or a larger briefcase for your laptop and files, Ogio is going to keep you organized and looking good! The Chelsea collection is designed for women, with a few different styles but the same basic concept of an attractive bag with minimal bulk and lots of organization options. There are sections for laptops and tablets, plus lots of zippers and…


The BrydgePro Keyboard Makes your iPad Pro Look Like a Macbook Pro

At CES 2016, Gear Diary got a sneak peak at Brydge’s new clam shell-shaped Bluetooth keyboard for the iPad Pro, fittingly named the BrydgePro. The BrydgePro keyboard borrows much of its design aesthetic from Apple’s Macbook keyboard, even including backlit keys. The BrydgePro is now available for pre-order for $189, expected to ship in April. The BrydgePro Keyboard is made out of premium aluminum, just like Apple’s Macbook products, allows for a 180-degree tilt, and features a 3-month long (rechargeable) battery life. The keys are backlit so there’s no fear of working in the dark and it connects to your…


Phiaton Unveils New Headphone Offerings

I’m a big fan of Phiaton’s audio products and have covered many of their various offerings. The company just introduced a fresh new design to its line of premium audio solutions with the BT 460 wireless headphones and MS 300 BA earphones. The two offerings have a new look and new technology. They are updates worthy of note.