Android Gear

SMS Audio Street by 50 Wired Headphones review

Last week we posted a review of the a-JAYs ONE+ headphones. (Read it.) They sport a flat, tangle free cable, a selection of different ear cups, an in-line microphone and audio controller and, the most unusual package I have seen in a pair of headphones. At under $70 they were definitely a step up from something like Apple’s standard earbuds but they were far from my favorites as they included as many negatives as they did positives. One of those issues was the complete lack of a carrying case. That, however, was nothing compared to the static introduced when the…


Braven 600 Takes on the JawBone JamBox, and…

Back in December we did a post and video comparing the Spar Zephyr 300 and the JawBone JamBox. (Read the post.) The Spar speaker promised excellent audio and the ability to double as an external charger. Unfortunately it didn’t deliver on the audio front. I returned it and let the company know why. They were gracious about it, refunded my purchase immediately and then shared their own disappointment with how the speaker turned out. I went bcd to using my JamBox. They stopped shipping. Fast forward and a few weeks ago Spar rebranded as BRAVEN and released not one but…


a-JAYS ONE+ Headphones Review

In recent years we have seen an increasing number of headphones that use tangle-free, flat cords. They really do help you avoid having to deal with the tangled mess that is wired headphones. Plus, they look and feel neat. That’s why I was excited to review the a-JAYS One+ headset when it was offered to me. After all, not everyone can afford $150 for in-ear headphones, and that’s what I’ve been reviewing lately. At $59.99, the a-JAYS ONE+ look like a bargain. I was even more excited when I saw the box. It is unusually done in oval-shaped plastic., and…


Mo’Beats Portable Stereo Bluetooth Speaker Stand Brings Sleek Design and Good Functionality to a Tablet Near you

I’m really loving some of the new gear iLuv is offering these days. We are currently working on a full review of their iMM377 MobiAir Bluetooth Stereo Speaker Dock for Smartphones. (Check it out here.) Now they have released another Bluetooth speaker and this one is truly universal… and practical! The Mo’Beats Portable Stereo Bluetooth Speaker Stand looks great, holds your tablet or smartphone at just the right angle for view and includes a Bluetooth stereo speaker in the base. As iLuv Notes: Mo’Beats is a slim, compact portable stereo speaker stand that comes with a cradle that can hold…


iLuv Premium Audio Cables Review

You know you have hit true geekdom when you get excited over cables. Yes, I hit a new “tech low” (or is it “high”) when I heard about iLuv’s new line of premium audio and charge/sync data cables and I actually got excited about them. (It is like Elana getting excited when she received her first piece of Le Creuset cookware. I just could not understand it.) And while I have to call the company out for Press Release hyperbole such as “iLuv’s audio and data cables revolutionize the market in quality and design” (“revolutionize the market”?? seriously?), now that…


Satechi Audio Cube Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

I love my iOS devices and use them constantly– but I have one problem. The speakers on the devices are terrible and I love to listen to podcasts, especially when writing for Gear Diary. Headphones or speakers are nearly a must, even in a quiet room. Maybe it is too much blasting of speaker systems in high school, too many car races or too many guns, but, for me, ambient noise washes out a voice on a podcast. Given the choice, I would always prefer to go wireless. (And once you have used a wireless speaker for a time wired…


AViiQ Portable Charging Station with Cable Rack System Now Avaialable

We reviewed AViiQ’s portable travel station last August (read the review). It is a great way to charge and sync numerous devices from one wall outlet. It also is a convenient and “clean” way to carry a charge/sync hub in a compact accessory. It was not, however, without it’s faults. Primary among the issues I found was the fact that the cable management system, consisting of overlapping fabric slots, wasn’t the easiest way to keep everything neat and tidy. Now AViiQ is back with an updated version. It costs a bit more than the original (which appears to still be…


Hand Stylus Review, Kickstart This!

Using an iPhone and or iPad throughout most days, there is one thing I have learned. My hands can sure make a touch screen smudged up and grimy. While coaching my high school softball team this year, we used the iPad to collect all of the game stats. While this was awesome, I found myself cleaning my iPad after every game just to be able to see the screen. At one point I thought using a stylus might be best to keep it clean while also making the stat keeping easier, but did not have one to use. Recently I…


ZaReason’s ZaTab: A Tablet That Honors Your Freedom

Many tablet makers ship their Android tablets with locked bootloaders, and some don’t even provide an unlock utility for allowing the hacker types, like myself, to load custom ROMs like CyanogenMod.  Well, my friends at ZaReason are now shipping the ZaTab, which not only has an unlocked bootloader, but will eventually ship with CyanogenMod 9 which is the latest version based on the Android Open Source Project, specifically Android 4.0.3. If you want to be a developer on the ZaTab, you can purchase one now with no OS on board.  If you aren’t a developer, then you can put your order in,…


SPIGEN SGP HTC One X Crumena Leather Pouch Series Review

The HTC One X is a beast… and I mean that in only the best way. It is big, it is beautiful, and it has a fantastic screen. The body of the phone is polycarbonate which means the white color goes completely through it. That, in turn, means scratches won’t be quite so apparent. The screen is made from Corning Gorilla Glass. THAT means the screen won’t easily scratch. In other words, the HTC One X is a tough phone. Despite being so tough, however, you ARE going to want to protect the device. One great option is SGP’s Crumena…


iWOW-U Universal Audio Adapter Review

Back in April we took a look at SRS’ MyTunes Pro app for iPhone, iPod touch and MyTunes Pro HD for the iPad. The apps do wonders to transform the music coming from your iOS device. The app is free to try and just $10 to unlock the full features. It works well, but itbhas two main limitations. First, it only uses the music in the native music app. That’s an issue for someone like me who is increasingly using Spotify or Rdio as my main source for music. Second, whenever you change your music library the app has to rebuild…


FlipStands Tablet Stand Review

If there is one negative aspect about having a tablet computer, it is probably how to hold the thing. As their form factor is super handy when on the go or playing a game, it is not always easy to hold them when trying to get some real work done. I have tried many products including cases that double as a stand, all with mixed results. Recently, I was able to check out a product called FlipStands. While it holds my iPad as several other gadgets do, the beauty is that it will work with virtually any tablet. Let’s take…


Bracketron Universal Power Dock Pro Flex Review

One thing that is true for all smartphone users is that an opportunity to charge the device must not be passed on! And the perfect time to power-up is when in a vehicle. I never drive anywhere without first plugging in so I can get as much juice as possible. When charging in a vehicle, there is always an issue of where to set the phone. Sometimes my iPhone ends up in a cup holder or on the seat, and at times it might even sit in my lap so I can answer calls or change songs if need be….


iLuv DualJack; Now, Why Didn’t I Think of That?

Every now and then a product comes along that makes me say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” iLuv has new “Premium Audio Cables and Charging and Sync Solutions” available as part of their myLink collection, and one of them fits the bill quite well. Here’s what the company has to say about their new offerings. iLuv’s audio and data cables revolutionize the market in quality and design. They were designed to provide superior functionality and the stylish design consumers desire in their accessories. These durable cables were constructed with a number of enhancements in both form and function, and…


Wilson Electronics Adds to Industry-Leading Line of 4G Mobile Cellular Signal Boosters

I often joke that the iPhone is good for everything except phone calls. Problem is, it isn’t funny. As much as I love my iPhone, when it comes to using it to make calls I DO have a love/hate relationship with it. When it works it is fine. But often… too often… the calls are dropped, the quality of the call is inconsistent or worse. And before you tell me to move to Verizon from AT&T, while it MIGHT be an AT&T issue, I happen to know that it cannot ONLY be an AT&T issue. After all, none of my…


Ultima, the Best In Car Holder Dock Mount for iPhone, Kickstart This

  Here’s a Kickstarter project that closes in just two hours… if you want to back it get in NOW. Yes, this project is already funded and it closes at 4:06 GMT May 13, 2012! Project Title: Ultima – Best In Car Holder Dock Mount for iPhone and more! Status: In Progress Closing Date for Funding: Sunday May 13, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: This has been a project in the making for over 2 years, now with a working prototype that we feel is just about ready to start moving into the manufacturing…


DecalGirl Nokia Lumia 900 Skin Kit Review

I go through stages where I don’t want a protective case on my gear, but when I got the Nokia Lumia 900, I knew right away that there was no way I’d put that phone in a case. Why not? Well, let’s start with the 900’s size. The cases that I saw at the AT&T store, even the simplest bumper style, looked as though they would make the phone even wider; while the full-size cases looked as if they would make the phone much too thick. The Lumia 900 has such a beautiful polycarbonate body that I didn’t want to…


Pebble, the E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android: Kickstart This!

Here’s a project that is already a winner and it still has 9 days to go before backing closes down. (That isn’t quite true, so read on.) This smart watch is “Pebble is the first watch built for the 21st century” and it clearly struck a cord with many of us. Yes, the funding goal was a mere $100,000 but as of this post they have raised close to $10,000,000 from backers. WOW!! Read on to learn more about Pebble. Project Title: Pebble: E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android Status: In Progress Closing Date for Funding: Friday May 18, 2012…


LunaTik Touch Pen, the Evolution of the Stylus: Kickstart This!

The LunaTik Touch Pen is the second product from the team that brought us the very first Kickstarter project I backed- TikTok and LunaTik Multi-Touch Watch Kits for use with the iPod nano. That project was funded back in November of 2010 and was a home run for the company and for the “wear your iPod nano like a watch” market. Project Title: LunaTik Touch Pen: The Evolution of the Stylus Status: Funded Closing Date for Funding: Friday, February 10, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: HELLO AGAIN!: Thank you for checking out our LunaTik…


DEEP BASS Active Control Headphone Amplifier for iOS Devices Review

Last week we took a look at the latest iOS app from SRS labs. The app takes the audio coming from the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad and enhances it in remarkable ways. The main downside with the app is that in order to get the audio enhancement you need to use the app for your music. Try to listen to music from any other source, for example Spotify, and you are out of luck. There is, however, a way to enhance ANY audio coming from your iOS device and it comes in the form of a new audio adapter…


Your Tablet Needs to Clean Up Its Act, Qmadix Smudge Free Can Help

Your tablet is dirty. Dirty, smudged and a mess. That’s what happens when grubby fingers are constant tapping, poking and sliding around on it. Seriously, it’s a bit gross. That’s where the Qmadix Smudge-Free Dry-Foam Cleaning Kit comes in. The kit is formulated to safely clean your device from smudges, dirt, grime and makeup. Our dry foam formula utilizes smudge-resistant properties that help minimize the transfer of most smudges.Smudge-Free is safe for mobile devices, computer monitors, televisions (Plasma, LCD and LED), E-readers, tablets, keyboards, household electronics and more. Each kit includes a 3oz can of cleaning foam and two 10″…