About MY Gear



The Unexpected Nostalgia of Finding an Original iPhone in My Junk Drawer

I recently went digging through a junk drawer looking for some old photos; I found several USB cables, a calculator watch, some unidentified flash drives, and … an original iPhone. As in, the iPhone that I sat in line outside the Apple Store to buy on launch day back in 2007. Fourteen years have passed, and it’s honestly shocking to hold the original iPhone in one hand and my 12 Pro Max in the other!




Sheltering in Place During a Pandemic – How We’ve Made It Work

Due to the global pandemic, those of us who have been unexpectedly thrust into working from home have had to figure out how to get our work done while sheltering in place. We wanted to share some of the things that have helped us stay productive and more-or-less content since we began physically distancing ourselves from our loved ones and friends who live outside of our homes.


The Gear That Is Helping Us Survive CES 2020

We’re here at CES 2020 doing everything we can to bring Gear Diary readers updates on all the exciting new and improved products we’re seeing. But it takes more than just being armed with a phone and a computer to survive the week. Here’s how we’re staying awake, staying healthy, and staying connected!


The Ennui of the Current Tech Cycle

Technology runs in cycles. We all know that, but it seems lately like we’ve hit the low end of our current cycle, and whatever the “next big thing” is, we’re spinning our wheels until it gets here.


My Experience Building a New PC

Before classes began this year, I’d decided it was finally time to get a new PC. My current laptop was a behemoth, weighing a little under 5 pounds with hardware a little over 7 years old. I’d been wanting and looking for a new PC off and on for a few years now, but nothing either fit what I needed or was within my price range.


Tried and True: The Best Baby Gear for Now and Later!

Becoming a new parent is an exciting (and expensive) time; you know there are things you’ll need to get to help yourself and help your child, but at the same time you don’t want to succumb to buying (potentially pricey) things that you or your baby won’t actually use. We can help with some of our favorite baby gear.


Siri Is Out to Get Me, and I Have Proof!

I’ve made a terrible mistake. See, I complain A LOT about Siri, because, well, she’s not the brightest AI assistant around. But she apparently has been listening in, and she’s been trying very hard to make my life miserable lately. Here are a few examples:


Google Home or Amazon Echo: Which Is better?

I’ve had a couple Amazon Echo Dots for about a year now. I thought they were great. Then this past Christmas, I picked up a couple Google Home Minis just because I wanted to check them out. Now Amazon’s Echo Dot has been pushed to a backup system as I think the Google Home system is so much better.


Speck Balance FOLIO for 10.5” iPad Pro Delivers Serious Protection

When I get a new iPad, I’m always hesitant to bring it outside. After all, my iPad was a $1000 investment and carrying it around without protection makes me nervous. Fortunately, Speck was quick to release their new Speck Balance FOLIO for 10.5” iPad Pro. It is a simple case that adds serious protection and much more.



Here Are a Few Products by Aukey That I Use Daily

After doing a lot of reviews on products, some of those products get stored in a bin to be used in case of emergency, and some others? Not so much. I tend to find myself using still other products on a day-to-day basis, and I wanted to highlight a few of them.


The Minimalist, Ugly Bullet Journal Is My Favorite Gear

I have always had dreadful handwriting. Most of my elementary school memories are of teachers trying all kinds of techniques to improve it, from handwriting drills to those funny triangle holders on my pencils. Nothing worked, and I sought out digital writing and typing as soon as technology and school allowed.



Welcome Home; Now That’s Smart

Raina and I closed on our new home last month. It is on a lovely street with gorgeous, architectural homes. Ours is not one of them. No, we bought a cute, and fairly non-descript split level. We love it and, along with a traditional renovation, we are updating the technology; here’s what is going into our house’s tech-makeover…



Dell XPS 15 Laptop: Bigger Really Is Better #DellXPS

The Dell XPS 13 has turned out to be such a fantastic travel laptop that I’d find myself wishing for a larger version, and the Dell XPS 15 does not disappoint. With its machined aluminum body, carbon fiber composite interior, and Gorilla Glass Infinity Edge touchscreen, the XPS 15″ manages to wedge a 15.6″ laptop into a 14″ body.


The Surface Pro 3 Is Ready to Meet All Your Computing Needs

Years back, I got caught up in the UMPC — UltraMobilePC- fad. (I blame James Kendrick and his JKontheRun blog.) None of those devices lived up to their promise of a full PC in a small, touchscreen device. Fast forward, and that promise has been realized in the Microsoft Surface line of computers. microsoft, via CDW sent one to Judie; I “borrowed” it. 🙂