The title of this post is “9 Reasons the Pebble Watch Will Still be the Best Smartwatch You Can Buy”. I might have called it, “What every other smartwatch manufacturer is currently—and will probably continue—doing wrong”. Either way, this post is all about the Pebble watch and the smart moves that have, and continue, to make.
Judie and I bought Google Glass a few months ago. We enjoyed taking pictures and shooting video with them, but post-CES 2014, we sold ours. The reason? Glass is fun and innovative, but it’s not ready for prime time. My Samsung Galaxy S5 and Gear 2 are. Yes, Gear is Google Glass without the glasshole. Here are nine reasons why.
If you love the look, feel and smell of leather, want a way to protect your iPhone 5S, and want to leave your wallet at home, then the Beyzacases PocketBook for iPhone 5S may be for you. It holds up to 12 different cards, some cash, and a few others items inside while offering an exterior slot for your phone.
We posted on the Modify Watch Mod-To-Order Kickstarter project the other day. We asked them to create a one-of-a-kind Gear Diary timepiece, and they were kind enough to do so. What do you think? The project has hit their funding goal, and you have less than a day to still get in on it. Click here to back.
Tokyoflash is back with another limited edition watches; the Kisai Console Acetate combines a brushed stainless steel case, a white acetate strap, a recessed black mineral crystal lens, and bright sub-surface LEDs. Its sci-fi control panel layout adds to the unusual look and feel of the $99 watch; it is available with either blue or green LEDs.
Phosphor launched a line of watches using an E-Ink display some time ago. Now they have released their brand new Phosphor Touch Time. This new line used an LCD display, sports a touchscreen and “smartwatch-like” apps. No, this is not a smart watch, but it is a smarter watch. Lets take a look at this $159 item.
When I was a kid, my favorite show was “Get Smart”. I really wanted to be a spy, until I found out it wasn’t all bumbling around talking into your shoe and hanging out with Agent 99. But I’ve been testing the Spy Tec Inventio-HD Sunglasses the last few weeks, and it’s brought back my old childhood love of spying!
Imagine if you could pick from one of more than thirty different watch band colors and then design your own watch face. That’s what the Mod-To-Order project on Kickstarter is all about. Modify Watches is looking for $50,000 to make it happen. Having received some early samples of the watch, I sure hope it is successful. Here’s a closer look.
You suddenly realize your bottle opener is missing in action. You’ve recently spent several hundred dollars on new dental work, so opening a cold one with your teeth is not advisable. What to do? Three words. Happy Hour Timepiece. If you guessed bottle opener on the back of a watch strap – then move to the head of the class.
I’ve tried the FitBit Flex, Nike Fuel, and Jawbone UP; while each fitness band had its positive points, there always seems to be something … lacking. At their event last night, Samsung introduced their Gear 2 and Gear Fit watches; one of these may be the all-in-one watch and fitness band combo I’ve been waiting for.
Tired of using an iPhone case that looks like every other iPhone case? Check out the jimmyCASE. Looking for an iPhone case that can double as a minimalist wallet without trying too hard? Check out the jimmyCASE. Handmade in Los Angeles, the $39 case is also available for the iPhone 5C, iPhone 4S and Samsung GALAXY S4.
Love of your life love watches? They’ll love the Tokyo Flash Kisai X Acetate. This $139 watch serves up time and date, has a built-in alarm, and a custom designed animation that illuminates the display. Available with blue, red or green LEDs, the watch has stainless steel detail and a smoked mineral crystal lens. Click to see it in action.
The goal was simple — use Kickstarter to fund a project to “give American Manufacturing its own yellow ribbon… a wearable way to show your support for the war they’re fighting daily”. The Bluelace Project raised six times more than its goal and shipped the best laces ever — in blue no less — to those of us who backed it.
The past two years I have tried GPS watches from Nike to Garmin(s) to Magellan to Polar. Each has positive and negative attributes. Ultimately the design comes back to ‘how much can we stuff into this and keep it wearable’. Magellan Echo answers this by offloading functionality to the smartphone we carry, and acting as a display and controller. Brilliant!
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 …
We received a marketing email from Case-Mate this morning that’s left me scratching my head. No, it’s not that they’re still pushing overpriced bedazzled cases, nor is it that they think the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift is an iPhone case; it’s that they imply case choices are very clearly gendered: men need rugged cases, but women want sparkly ones.
I really love my Pebble watch. Since I never turn on my phone’s sounds, that little wrist buzz has become my way of knowing when I have a notification or a call. While some people do not prefer the styling of the first generation, the Pebble Steel looks amazing. The newly designed Pebble Steel begins shipping today for $249.
I’m pretty jaded when it comes to laptop bags, and it’s with good reason; I’ve been writing reviews for well over 13 years, and in that time I have seen and tried everything from the completely utilitarian to the somewhat sublime. So you’ll understand my surprise that the new Travelteq Lauren was able to stop me in my tracks …
We’ve covered plenty of Element Cases on Gear Diary, but the Ronin Bamboo is by the far their most refined yet. Composed of hand-finished bamboo and machined aircraft grade aluminum, the Ronin is one incredibly light, protective, and beautiful iPhone 5 case.
You’ve got to hand it to my friend and fellow gadget magpie, Drew Guttadore! He knows how curious I’ve been about the new ~$6,000 Android-based Vertu Constellation; because he’s also been curious about it, he recently went hands-on with one so that he could share his initial impressions … on everything but the actual Android/Vertu experience. Curious? Read on!
Most days I wear dress shoes. I hate it, but they go best with a suit. When I’m not dressed up, I tend to wear a favorite pair of low-rise boots.That may change thanks to the lightweight, minimalist Lems Primal2s I’ve been trying out. Honestly I don’t think I’ve ever worn a pair of shoes quite as so comfortable!