If you are serious about smartphone photography you’ll want to check out the iblazr project on Kickstarter. Made from four CREE LEDs, the iblazr flash has its own power source and app. Backing the project, which is already funded, for as little as $39 will get you an iblazr flash when it ships this December. Check it out here.
I absolutely love my HTC One. Unfortunately, it is not the most popular Android phone (even if I think it should be), so my case options have been limited to bulky, plastic, and ugly … until now. I recently received DRACOdesign’s gorgeous $79.99 ONE Aluminum Bumper, and it is now somewhat permanently attached to my phone. Here’s why … I’ve reviewed plenty of aluminum bumper cases over the years, but the majority of them were for various iPhone incarnations, and quite a few of those cases interfered with the iPhone’s antenna causing reception issues. Even so, I really like the…
This is the $79 Tobago pear – desk organizer & tablet stand by ETSY seller Traktorfahrn. It will hold your tablet and a few other desktop items, and it is made to work in several configurations. Evidently the maker discovered an unexpected benefit to the stand, too — the solid wood base “amplifies musik if [the] speaker is facing [the] bottom.” Handcrafted in Dusseldorf Germany from pear wood, which has a beautiful reddish grain, the Tobago Pear Desk Organizer & Tablet Stand measures 20 x 12 x 3 cm (7.9” x 4.7” x 1.2”), and it will fit the iPad2, iPad3, Samsung Tablet, ASUS Tablet as well…
If you are looking to protect your 2013 Nexus 7 in style, then you’ll want to check out Waterfield’s CitySlicker Tablet Case for the Nexus 7. It is a gorgeous combination of leather and other materials, holds a few key accessories, and does a great job protecting the latest Google tablet. The Waterfield CitySlicker Tablet Case is a gorgeous case for carrying your 2013 Nexus 7 and a few key accessories. It might be a bit of overkill, but it is so nice to carry that the added bulk and expense may well be worth it. Here’s a look on…
If you need protection for your Samsung Galaxy S4, and you like the look of Carbon Fiber, then the Atom S4 by Element Case may be just what you’ve been looking for. At $59.95, it comes loaded with features including reinforced corners, Element’s Sound Boost System, and an ergonomic design. One of the Samsung Galaxy S4’s biggest flaws is that it doesn’t have the type of solid construction that inspires confidence. Sure, it’s great that the S4 is a thin and light phone — svelte, even — but the device is so slippery that it almost seems to be looking for…
If you have been looking for serious protection that doesn’t add a lot of bulk to your Samsung Galaxy S4, then you need look no further than the $79.95 anodized aluminum, carbon fiber, and TPU Eclipse S4 made by Element Case. It even includes a kickstand and sound boost system! The Eclipse is composed of two pieces; an anodized CNC machined aluminum bezel and a TPU main body. The back of the case has an aerospace-grade carbon fiber insert in its middle. I’m not sure that it adds any extra protection in this location, but it certainly breaks up the otherwise monochrome…
The Soundfreaq Sound Step Lighting dock is priced under $140 and lets you connect to iOS Lightning-enabled device, via Bluetooth, USB and much more. It even includes an FM radio, an IR remote and an iOS and Android app are also available. Best of all, the speaker sounds great. We have seen a huge proliferation in the number of available Bluetooth speakers. Similarly, lightning-enabled docks designed to work specifically with current generation Apple products have been increasing in number. The result is an ever-growing number of choices when looking for a relatively inexpensive way to enjoy your music at home…
The other day we took a look at Waterfield’s Suede Jacket Sleeve for the 2013 Nexus 7. It is the thinnest, lightest and simplest slip case you will likely find for the latest 7″ Nexus tablet. If you need more protection than the Suede Jacket Sleeve offers, then you might want to check out the Waterfield Slip Case. The Slip Case offers serious protection in a simple package. Available in Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Red, and Silver, the Waterfield Slip Case is available for a wide range of tablets and laptops. This review sample is from the Nexus 7 2013…
If your son or daughter is headed off to college no doubt he or she wants a way to listen to some tunes while studying (or not studying as the case may be). Over the past months we’ve seen a host of decent bluetooth speakers and many would be great for a college dorm. Three that recently came to us for review stand out as excellent options. They are the Logitech Bluetooth Speakers Z600 for PC/Mac computer, tablet and smartphone, the Soundfreaq Sound Step with Lightning Connector and the iLuv Mo ‘Beats HD High Definition Rechargeable Bluetooth Speaker with Viewing…
If you have one of the new Google Nexus 7 2013 tablets, then you know how small and light the device is. You also low that it has a gorgeous screen that is fantastic for reading and equally good for viewing video. And while you’ll want to bring the tablet pretty much everywhere, you’ll also want — no, you’ll need — to keep it as protected as possible. As we brought word last week, Waterfield is already offering a number of sleeves and cases for the latest Nexus device. We were sent a few for review, and we thought we…
Logitech’s new Z600 Bluetooth Speakers are proof the company can not only put out excellent sounding speakers but they can put out excellent sounding speakers that look great AND come in at a surprisingly reasonable price. The speakers, which are available for preorder, have an MSRP of $149.99 and have impressed me more than I expected they would. Let’s take a look at them on video and then dig a little more deeply into some of the specifics. It should be clear from the video that I am really impressed with the speakers. And when I take into consideration the…
Wireless audio has gone from simple convenience to serious audio experience over the last few years thanks to Play-fi, AirPlay and, of course, Bluetooth. Honestly, at this point I wouldn’t even consider an audio system that didn’t offer the ability to cut the cords and go wireless. But while it used to be the case that you had to choose between the convenience of wireless audio and the quality of the music you can enjoy that is far from the case these days. Wireless audio is here to stay and, best of all, it is getting better and better. It…
Seidio has announced a new fashionable way to protect your Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One device, the Ledger. This clam shell case offers a sleek and stylish way to protect your Android device from drops and scratches as well as spying eyes. The nice thing about the “book” style of case is that while your phone is sitting on the table, not being used, the cover protects your screen from being read by others when you receive notifications. The Ledger also protects your phone from all angles, leaving no fragile area exposed. The Ledger is crafted from Italian Polyurethane…
It’s that classic dilemma – you want to be an early adopter and buy that newly released phone/tablet/laptop/media player, but you also want to protect it in a stylish manner. Nothing deflates one’s pride at carrying around the latest tablet faster than pulling it out of last year’s case. I mean, sheesh, one must have standards, right? Luckily for you, M-Edge completely understands, and, anticipating the new Google Nexus 7, has introduced the Stealth for the updated tablet. The Stealth is a leather folio-style case, designed to be slim and lightweight. It has a magnetic closure and uses M-Edge’s GripTrack…
I broke down and ordered one of the second generation Nexus 7 tablets the other day. As much as I love my iPad, I really wanted to see what the latest generation of Google’s tablet has to offer. Knowing it is on the way, I wanted to make sure I had a good way to carry and protect it. Thankfully our friends at Waterfield have some great cases that will keep the new Nexus 7 pristine when on the go. Let’s take a quick look at just a few of the cases that are sized perfectly for the slightly smaller…
When I first had the opportunity to check out the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.1 tablet, I didn’t expect to think much of the inclusion of an IR blaster that allows the tablet to function as a smart remote for your tv and media system. Much to my surprise, I liked having the option to use the tablet to control my various entertainment systems. After all who needs to juggle multiple remotes when one device can replace them all? The Griffin Beacon (read about it) sought to do just that by turning your iPhone into a remote using an iOS app…
I have a GLAS.tR screen protector on my iPhone 5, and I absolutely love it. When I purchased an AT&T HTC One, I was very pleased to find out that the same excellent tempered glass screen protection was available for it. I purchased the GLAS.tR, installed it (it looked great, btw), marveled at how clear and responsive my screen was after the installation … and then was ultimately disappointed when I found that the back and home capacitive buttons on my AT&T HTC One no longer worked. I had noticed that the front of the GLAS.tR’s box said this ……
As smartphones advance it seems there are fewer and fewer things to complain about – they are fast, responsive, thin and light, feature-filled, and the batteries … ok, so there is still one thing to complain about. Because with new features and more powerful chips, advances in battery technology have merely managed to maintain the status quo. So what do we do? Many have battery cases which are phone specific, and I also have a few external battery packs I can connect with a cable to my phone. These are great solutions, but can run into a fair amount of…
FinderCodes is a QR-code based lost and found system that can be used with just about anything to which you can attach a sticker. The folks at FinderCodes — which is now a brand partner with AT&T, as you’ll notice from the logo on the box in the photo above — were kind enough to provide Gear Diary with a sample kit, which contained stickers and tags of several different sizes, as well as a set of instructions. The tags also came with a couple of small rings, so they can be easily attached to a set of keys or a…
If you own a mobile phone, then you inevitably have needed to charge it when away from your desk or car. USB ports seem to be everywhere anymore, but not everyone wants to carry a loose Lightning or MicroUSB cable with them; the ChargeCard fits in your wallet or makeup bag, and it makes carrying an extra charger easy to do. Just stick it in and forget about it … until you need it. Originally a Kickstarter project started in July 2012, the ChargeCard raised almost $162K after asking for $50K. Obviously there were plenty of people other than me who…
I’ve long been a fan of JOBY’s various products. They tend to be simple, effective and well made. In fact, the very first GorillaPod tripod I reviewed is still going strong! For the past year or so, I have keeps a JOBY GripTight Micro Stand on my keychain. Just last week a person I was with said, “I wish we had brought a tripod…” I reached in my pocket, pulled out the GripTight Micro Stand and said, “Here, try this…” It worked perfectly. That’s the beauty of JOBY’s products- they solve simple problems in a variety of ways. Now the…