Android Gear

Monster M7 Tablet Review: Possibly the Best $99 Option

Monster, best known for their high quality headphones and cord products, has entered the budget tablet market with the M7 7″ Tablet. The M7 is currently available exclusively through Walmart. It’s MSRP is $149 but is on sale for $99.99. At just under $100, can Monster provide a worthy tablet in a flooded market?


Touch Your Phone and Go with the Touch-Clip Silicone Stand

Here’s a rather neat smartphone accessory that is remarkably simple. USBFever’s Touch-Clip Silicone Stand is an inexpensive and low-profile stand that attaches to your smartphone’s back. When you need to prop the phone up you simply touch the stand in the middle and it pops into action. Best of all it is just $2.99.


Give the Gift of Music with a Personalized UE Boom Bluetooth Speaker

The UE BOOM from Logitech is one of the standout portable Bluetooth speakers we have had the chance to review. The $199.99 speaker looks great, is tough as nails and, best of all, sounds awesome. Check out our review here and update news here. Just in time for Valentines Day you can customize the speaker.


Harman Kardon Soho On-Ear Mini Headphones – Refined and Portable Performers

Dan likes to tease me that when we’re together working, he never sees me wearing headphones; he says he just doesn’t see me as the type person to wear them. Well Dan, I may use them differently than you do, but I most definitely do wear headphones. These days the Harman Kardon Soho headphones are my favorites; here’s why …


Get a Charge With the TYLT ENERGI 5K+ Battery Pack

  The other night I attended an event in NYC. I knew security would be tight — metal detectors, wanding etc- so I opted to bring only my wallet and my iPhone. Big mistake, since my iPhone was down to just 35% when I arrived. I truly wish I had brought the TYLT ENERGI 5K+ battery pack along for the evening.


Shake Up Your Sound With the earjax Echo by BodyGuardz

We’re not sure if the earjax Echo by BodyGuardz intentionally look like large salt and pepper shakers, but they do indeed look like something you might see at a diner. Rather than add flavor to your food however, these shakers are all about music taste. $79.99 each, the earwax Echo pack some interesting features into a small footprint.


Take Your Tablet on the Go with the Skooba Design iPad/Tablet Courier V.3

  Look at the Skooba Design website, and you’ll see an assortment of high-quality east-west bags — meaning they are wider than they are high, and they hold laptops in landscape orientation. The north-south Skooba Design iPad/Tablet Courier V.3 is a departure from tradition, and it’s an impressive addition to the Skooba lineup; we’ve been using one and we’re impressed.




Can You Blog from a Nexus 7 with a Bluetooth Keyboard?

I recently purchased a new case with a bluetooth keyboard for my Nexus 7. After a while, I really started to like using the keyboard.  There will be a full review of the case coming but I wondered: Could I use it to write posts here on Gear Diary? The answer is yes!  However, it does have some quirks.


Need Storage? The SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive May Be for You!

My iPhone-shopping brother-in-law wrote, “I think I know the answer, but is 32GB enough capacity for normal users? I do not have tremendous amounts of data and generally don’t store much in the way of videos.” iPhone storage capacity is a potential issue, but it is one that’s easily resolved thanks to the SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive.


iFace – a Fab Case Company That You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

One of the things I love about CES is that it gives me an opportunity to wander aisles filled with products from companies that I might never have discovered otherwise. Tucked in an out of the way area that we almost didn’t explore, Dan and I found iFace; they make some of the best-looking protective cases available.


Want the Maserati of Tablet Stands? Check Out the FLOTE m2!

One of Elana’s most oft-used phrases is, “You get what you pay for.” In the case of the pricey FLOTE m2 Floor Stand tablet stand that is indeed true. What you’ll pay for is the best tablet stand I have ever used, and I suspect that will remain true for quite some time.  


Our Visit With Element Case- A CES 2014 Booth Tour

Judie and I have long been fans of Element Case and their various offerings. After our visit with them during CES 2014, that is more true than ever. Their cases are gorgeous, their offerings are expanding, and their philosophy permeates every aspect of their brand. Here are some images and videos from our time at the booth.


Parrot MiniDrone Takes Flight at CES 2014

During CES 2014 Parrot introduced the MiniDrone. The small, less-expensive app-powered drone makes an immediate impression and looks like a ton of fun! Connect it to a smartphone or a tablet with Bluetooth Smart and watch it take flight. I asked the “pilot” to use Judie as a landing zone for the MiniDrone. They were happy to comply.  


UBOOLY Makes Smart Devices Fun and Educational

UBOOLY is the “Smart Toy That Makes Your Smart Device Come to Life”. That’s the company tag line, and it’s also true. We dropped by the booth during CES 2014 and got the scoop. We are looking forward to hearing what Carly’s son Wyatt thinks. Check out our video look at the CES UBOOLY booth!


Leef Introduces Bridge 3.0, the First 3.0 USB for Android File Sharing

While much of our communications has become wireless, sometimes we still need to move files from one place to another – and it is often a pain! Those drivers didn’t install correctly, you forgot the cable, or whatever. And you are stuck trying to use SOMETHING to get your files from your phone to your PC. Enter Bridge 3.0!


Scosche Launches superCUBE at CES 2014? – Smallest 12W USB Wall Charger

Over the last few years I have loved the moves to smaller and smaller chargign blocks for devices, which seems to be reversing as new ‘fast charge’ devices like iPad Air and Kindle Fire HDX require more power, meaning bigger blocks. So it was a welcome announcement that Scosche Launches superCUBE at CES 2014 – Smallest 12W USB Wall Charger. “Many of our customers have both Lighting and micro USB powered devices and become frustrated with how long a dedicated charger can take to power their other mobile devices,” said Kas Alves, Executive Vice President Scosche Industries. “superCUBE allows our…


Seido Rolls out New Cases at CES

It wouldn’t be CES without case manufacturers announcing new accessories for the smartphone and tablet market, and the folks at Seido are no exception. Seido has been churning out quality cases for years, going back to ye olde Palm OS days, and they are ready to protect your Galaxy Note 3, iPad, and iPhone with style!


Scosche Announces magicMOUNT System for Car Home And Office

Almost everyone carries around a smart device of one kind or another. It is great that these devices have become such wonderful tools in our lives, but how often do you need a place to set them? Scosche has announced a system of magnetic magicMOUNT device mounts for the car, home or office. Full press release after the break. LAS VEGAS – January 07, 2014 –Scosche is excited to unveil the magicMOUNT system of cradle free magnetic mounts for car, home or office.  User’s simply apply the magicPLATE directly to their device and hover it over one of Scosche’s new magicMOUNTs to…