Bluetooth | Gear Diary

Bluetooth Vibrating Bracelet Buzzband MB20 Review

Sometimes you might have your phone in a pocket or in your gear bag. That’s not too bad if you have the phone’s ringer on, but what if you forgot to turn it on? That’s where the Buzzband MB20 comes in. The Buzzband MB20 looks like a fairly simple device that can help you keep that ringer off but still be notified when you get a call. To get started, the first thing you have to do is pair it up. To do that, all you have to do is press the only button on the band until its LED…

Gear Bits, Reviews

The BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform; Thankfully Someone Was Listening

I have been using a Mac laptop of some kind for a relatively short amount of time — only since March 2008, but since then there has always been a MacBook nearby, whether it was the 15″ MacBook Pro, a first generation MacBook Air, a second generation MacBook Air, a 17″ MacBook Pro, or more recently an 11″ MacBook Air. I’ve been pretty vocal stating my opinion that Mac makes some of the best hardware available, even if I am pretty agnostic about whether their operating system is better than Windows or not. Beyond the all metal bodies and slimmer…

Events, Reviews

CES Snippets: Mogo Talk XD iPhone 4 Case and BlueTooth Headset in One – Review

Sometimes you have to see a product up close to actually appreciate it. That was the case for me with regard to the MoGo Talk XD. Judie had mentioned this headset and case in on to me a few months ago and I scoffed at it. “After all,” I thought, “who needs a case that actually HOLDS the headset in it?” The idea struck me as an example of “just because you CAN do it doesn’t mean you SHOULD do it.” Then I saw the Mogo Talk XD at CES and ate my words. The idea of a case and…

Events, News & Features

iGrill Wins 6th Annual Bluetooth SIG Best of CES 2011 Awards – Best New Product

I know most of you are stuck inside looking out at the snow. If you like to BBQ, your pit is probably frozen in a drift of snow right now. One thing great about living in Texas is the fact that I can BBQ almost anytime of the year. In fact, last night I grilled steaks and Brats. Maybe that is why Texas has the best BBQ! As a dedicated griller, the idea of joining two of my favorite hobbies, the barbecue pit and my IOS devices sounds like an amazing idea. The iGrill does just that, allowing all of…

Reviews

iPad Accessory Review: EFO iPad Bluetooth Keyboard with Folding Case

One of my favorite gadgets of not only this year, but also all time is the iPad. The hardware is elegant and the technology is amazing and cutting edge. There are some limitations or concessions that must be made using the iPad instead of a conventional computer. One of the main changes is the use of the software keyboard. We have all learned to use software keyboards and I actually prefer them on a phone. The iPad is somewhat different since it is able to be used for tasks commonly performed on a laptop or desktop computer. Several options are…

Reviews

Review: Roll-able Bluetooth Keyboard from EFO Gadget Shop

Sometimes I would love to just travel with my Droid 2 or a small tablet sized device but the built in keyboard on my Droid 2 isn’t that conducive to typing big e-mails. So when I saw this keyboard, I thought let’s try this as a way to make a extremely mobile setup for blogging or e-mailing. EFO Gadget Shop sent one to me to review. Will it be as useful as I thought? Well today we will find out. This keyboard is an extremely portable bluetooth keyboard. It is many times smaller than a Apple Bluetooth keyboard and even…

News & Features

Gear Review: VTech LS6245 DECT 6.0 Touch-Sensitive Bluetooth Cordless Phone System

A home telephone is just a home telephone right? Of course not. That hasn’t been the case for years. While we used to rent our telephones from “Ma Bell” and could have our phone in any color and style so long as we liked black rotary phones we now have a wide range of options with regard to both look and functionality. Most recently many people have even gone so far as to get rid of their home phone entirely and rely only on their cell phone. We happen to have two lines coming into our house but both use…

Reviews

Mobile Phone Gear Review: iPazzPort Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard

One reason people tell me they do not choose to use an iPhone is that they would rather have a phone with a hardware keyboard. Apple, among other companies, have produced Bluetooth keyboards that can be used with iPhones and iPads, but they are almost all full-sized offerings. EFO Gadget Shop recently sent me the iPazzPort Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard to review with my IOS devices. Lets take a look. The iPazzPort is a Mini Bluetooth wireless keyboard for iPad, iPhone and a host of smartphones including Windows Mobile and Nokia operating systems. Unfortunately Android is not compatible with this device. …

News & Features

iPad Bluetooth Keyboard With Folding Leather Protective Case Released

I love my iPad, but have yet to use it for heavy work, including writing my Gear Diary posts. Typing on the MacBook is just so much faster because of its full-size keyboard. Later today I will post a review for a credit card size Bluetooth keyboard that works with the iPhone and iPad. Although that keyboard works really well, I have a hard time using a phone sized qwerty keyboard. The same company, EFO has recently released an iPad case that contains a full size Bluetooth keyboard. Now, you can easily carry your iPad, flip it open and type…

Reviews

Arctic Sound P311 Stereo Bluetooth Headphone Review

The iPhone added stereo Bluetooth capability some time ago, but I have yet to try it. Finding quality with affordable prices can sometimes be difficult, so I never looked very far. There are times when wireless stereo headphones can come in pretty handy, so I was excited to test out the Arctic Sound P311 headphones. Most mornings I workout early in the morning long before the rest of the family wakes up. Speakers are not really an option to avoid waking the crew, so I always use headphones. Some of the exercises allow me to hold my iPhone in my…

Reviews

Moshi Moshi 03 Review: Lets You Go Hands Free in Style

Back in April, I told you about the Native Union Moshi Moshi 01. The sleek and sophisticated handsfree unit allows the users to make and receive mobile calls while experiencing the ease of comfort of a landline base. Native Union is out with the next release in the Moshi Moshi line. The Moshi Moshi 03 draws from the original 01 unit but now adds Bluetooth into the fold. And it’s not your regular old Bluetooth stack either. The 03 uses a multipoint chip which allows two Bluetooth devices to be paired to it simultaneously. At home, I paired the…

News & Features

Dan and Larry Serve Up Gear Chat #11

We’re back with episode #11 of Gear Chat. In this episode Larry and Dan talk iPhone 4. We talk iPhone ordering, hardware likes and disappointments and more. And, of course, we’ll talk iPad and iPhone apps, tips, tricks and news. FiWi- Create 2 symmetrical Finder windows in a snap. $.99 Get it here. PadSync for Mac- Ease browsing, management and sync of iPad shared files. $9.95. Get it here. Reeder RSS Reader for iPad- $4.99. Get it here. Osfoora HD, Twitter for iPad- $3.99. Get it here. Weight Watchers Mobile for iPhone- Free. Get it here. reQall for iPhone- Free….

News & Features

iSkin’s CERULEAN Line of Bluetooth Accessories Perfect For Use With Apple’s iPad

The iPad makes you want to use Bluetooth more than ever. The reason is simple. Like the iPhone and the iPod touch it is great for carrying a lot of music, podcasts or audiobooks on the go. Like the iPhone and the iPod touch its capacity is amazing. Unlike the iPhone and iPod touch, however, you can’t easily stick the device in a speaker dock or plug in headphones and put it in your pocket. Because of its size Bluetooth MAKES SENSE with the iPad in ways it never did before. Imagine this. You walk into your office, tap the…

How to Do It Yourself!

iPhone Bluetooth: Flaky but Predictable Corner-Case Problem

Image courtesy of Natalie Jean Lovin Holbrook I find corner-cases. I don’t want to; I don’t try to; I just do. Like last week, right? I was working with some fairly sophisticated online documentation build and publish tools–and they weren’t working right. I was making my co-workers upset. I was making my boss upset. Heck, I was making my wife Sami upset, because I was griping about it so much. Was I missing something? What had I done wrong? Why wasn’t it working? Because there was a bug in the software. I had found a corner-case. Again. How Doug felt…

Reviews

Jaybird Sportsband Review

Jaybird has brought out some good stuff in the last year. The last two things I checked out were the Tigereyes and Endorphin Rush wired headphones. I liked them a lot. This time, Jaybird sent me their new Bluetooth headset, the Sportsband. Is it as good as their original headset? In a word, no.

Reviews

Jabra HALO Bluetooth Headphones Review

Jabra None of the previous Bluetooth headphones that I have had the chance to use have really felt “right”. Many of them were either just like two enormous earbuds in each ear tethered to each other with a wire behind my head, or were too large to chuck in my slender laptop bag that I carted to uni everyday. The idea of cutting the cord between my head and my pocket was a good one, but there were just too many drawbacks. That’s until I tried the Jabra Halo, which has brought me that much closer to wireless freedom. The…

News & Features

synapticapple Unboxes the Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hSLR4LV949E In conjunction with Headsets Direct, we recently gave away a Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset (reviewed here) to Gear Diary reader synapticapple. Michelle (that’s her real name) has just posted an unboxing video of the headset, and I thought it was good enough to share. Enjoy! 🙂

Reviews

The Motorola T215 Bluetooth Car Kit Speakerphone Review

Laws are continuously evolving to deal with technology and the potential hazards of using it while driving. As a consequence, it is now considered unsafe in many states – or it has been made illegal – to drive without some kind of hands-free solution when using a mobile phone. Many people are wearing headsets, but there is another option if you aren’t yet ready to embrace your inner Borg – a Bluetooth speaker system for your automobile. Say hello to the Motorola T215 Bluetooth Car Kit Speakerphone; let’s take a look at the hardware, and then I’ll tell you how…

Reviews

YUBZ Magnum Review: Hands Free Calling and Audio Via Bluetooth

Bluetooth technology is often underused in my eyes. For a long time there was no use beyond sending ring tones and talking over a wireless ear piece. As of late, this technology has found greater utilization allowing for wireless syncing in vehicles and even multi-player gaming. Using Bluetooth to listen to music has become a great option while on the go or for wireless listening. The YUBZ Magnum takes several of these technologies and combines them in one attractive device. I was hesitant before testing the unit since crossover devices often do not successfully execute both tasks. Here’s how I…

Reviews

Jabra Stone – Unboxed and Reviewed

The Jabra Stone Bluetooth headset came out a few weeks ago. It is, by far, one of the most unusual Bluetooth headsets we have seen. Larry and I have been using it for a little while, and we’ve found that it has some significant pluses and minuses. Let’s take a look.

Reviews

The Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset Review

photos by Kevin It seems as if finding the perfect Bluetooth headset has become a never-ending quest for me; it’s not just about finding one that keeps me from sounding like a fish in a barrel anymore, it’s also about finding one that fits my ear without making me look like a telephone operator or worse – a borg. Just to make things really difficult, so many headsets seem to fall into one of two camps: ridiculously complicated and over-featured or utterly simplistic and featureless. Finding a headset that strikes a balance between sound, comfort, and features has become my…