Apple iPhone Gear

Wilson Electronics Sleek 4G Signal Booster Keeps the Conversation Going- Review

During Super-Storm Sandy, Wilson’s Sleek Signal Booster came in remarkably handy. That’s why I was so excited to review their brand new Wilson Electronics Sleek 4G Signal Booster and Home Accessory Kit. Before we take a closer look, let me share my story about Sandy. Super-Storm Sandy and the Wilson Electronics Sleek 4G Signal Booster I was in Cuba when Sandy ripped through and wreaked havoc. We were lucky to be on the other side of the island. As a result we got wind, rain — I saw palm trees doubled over — but that was it. We were able to return…


Incipio Stanley Foreman iPhone 5 Case Review

Ruggedized iPhone 5 cases are all the rage, and Incipio has jumped into the market with their Stanley line of rugged iPhone 5 cases. Incipio was kind enough to send three of the cases along for review, and in this series of video reviews we’ll take a look at each of them. Make sure to watch each of the videos in the series since we will be giving all of the review samples away. The first case up is the Incipio Stanley Foreman for the iPhone 5. This case offers good protection without adding too much bulk to the otherwise…


Twelve South SurfacePad for iPhone 5 Review

I’m a huge fan of Twelve South’s products and have said as much numerous times. That is why I am always excited to see this small, Mac/iOS-only company release a new product. Their offerings are limited, but they are always interesting. Just the other day they announced their latest creation, the Twelve South SurfacePad for iPhone 5. The question is this: is their latest product also their greatest? As you can see from the video, there is a lot to like about the Twelve South SurfacePad. This is especially so if you tend to gravitate toward minimalist cases or to carrying…


Jabra SPEAK 510 UC Review: Conference Calls Anywhere & Anytime

I find myself doing far less talking on the phone these days. That is part of the reason I’ve pretty much dropped my use of landlines. At home and work I only use my cell phones or, at times, I use Line2 or Skype on my tablet or computer. I honestly cannot remember the last time I picked up my desk phone in the office. People pretty much all know to reach me on my cellphone. Period. And while my iPad serves as a decent speakerphone and my MacBook Pro with retina display has dual array microphones, they aren’t terrific…


Sena Wallet Skin for iPhone 5 Review

We’ve reviewed numerous products from Sena cases, and the story is always the same… in a good way. The company’s cases are made from quality leather, and they are artfully crafted and are made to last and stand up to serious use and abuse. Add in a nice range of color and texture choices, and there is pretty much something for everyone over on Senacases.com. This time out we’ll be taking a video look at the Sena Wallet Skin for iPhone 5. The Wallet Skin stands out as a case that fits the way many of us live in 2013….


Munitio Nines Earphones Review

Earphones, headphones, buds…it seems like I am in a constant search to find a great audio option to be used with my devices. I love trying them all out and experiencing the slight detail differences in the bass, highs and mids. Earphones come in all different shapes and colors, but rarely would I call them truly unique. I recently had the opportunity to try out some Nines by Munitio, and can now say I have some unique earphones. Will the sound quality match the cool design? Let’s take a look. Munitio Nines are definitely unique in that they look like…


MonCarbone Peak iPhone 5 Case Review

I went through a phase where I wanted my iPhone 5 to be as naked as possible. While I was going through that phase, I managed to drop my iPhone 5 and put a healthy dent in its top edge. You didn’t know that I was known for being a klutz and a butterfingers? Well, I am … famous for it, in fact. Thankfully my phone’s screen didn’t shatter, but what was I thinking?!  Yeah, it was great that the front and back glass of my iPhone were covered by a Bodyguardz skin, but my corners were completely exposed ……


Keep the Conversation Going Anywhere Anytime with the Voyager Legend UC

I reviewed the Plantronics Voyager Legend back in September. It was a fantastic upgrade to the Plantronics Voyager (a longtime favorite of both Elana and me) in most every way. It features 7 hours of talk time, 11 days of standby time, Bluetooth 3.0, wideband audio; A2DP streaming and much more. The available battery case, which both protects and charges the headset was a welcome accessory. My conclusion at the time? “It is, by far, the best Bluetooth headset I have reviewed. And the fact that it is under $100 is rather amazing to me.” You can read the full…


AKG K551 Over-the-Ear Headphone Review

Last summer I had the opportunity to review a pair of over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones from Harman Kardon. (Read the review.) I came away incredibly impressed by the sound, the build quality and the comfort. Judie read my review and was also impressed. She asked if she could try them out; I sent them to Texas, and they haven’t been seen since. 🙂 We were both impressed by just about every aspect of Harman Kardon’s Bluetooth (BT) over-ear stereo headphones. It turns out that Harmon Kardon is just one of the brands under which Harman offers headphones and other audio accessories….


SurfacePad for iPhone is TwelveSouth’s Newest Offering

TwelveSouth has just introduced their latest offering, an iPhone case that is “not a case”. The SurfacePad for iPhone is a thin, book-style case that they describe as the very first iPhone accessory that is designed for people who want a case but prefer to use no case. The SurfacePad is made from super-thin Napa leather. It weighs under an ounce. The company makes it clear that this is not a case for the person who is looking for serious drop protection or water sports. (If that is what you want consider getting a LifeProof case.) The TwelveSouth SurfacePad is, however,…


Mophie Outride Review

We take our iPhones absolutely everywhere. Mophie knows this, and they’ve made their name in offering extended batteries and battery cases. But now they are branching out and pushing more than just batteries. They know you want your iPhone to record the really amazing parts of life-the “Oh man, I wish you could see this”, the “Whoo hoo, that was fun!” and yes, the “Oh crap, I can’t believe I am doing this” adventures. So they created the Mophie Outride, a rugged case, app and mount system so you can record anything, anywhere. Preferably in a place where you would…


DryCASE for Smartphones Lets Your Gear Go for a Swim

When we were in Aruba snorkeling, I was able to use a 4th generation iPod touch in a LifeProof case to shoot some under-water video. The experience made me an even stronger believer in the whole LifeProof approach to gear protection. There are, however, times you might want to waterproof your phone or media player, but not have it in a LifeProof case. That’s where one of the products from DryCASE can come in rather handy. Unlike the LifeProof approach which places your gadget in a specialized case, the DryCASE approach lets you use your device in a standard, non-waterproof case…


RADIUS iPhone 5 Case Is Minimalistic Protection Done Right

How much protection is too much? When it comes to your iPhone 5, that’s a tough call. You want enough protection to keep your corners from crumpling and your screen from shattering, but do you really want to cover up those hard lines and sexy curves? With the solid billet aircraft grade aluminum RADIUS Minimalist case, you won’t have to. RADIUS started as a Kickstarter campaign, was successfully funded, and is now available for preorder to the public with shipping in early March. The RADIUS is $69.99, but you’ll need to add your own screen protector. I recommend (and use) the SPIGEN…


Just Mobile AluPen Pro Review

As much as I have tried to go paperless, it’s been impossible for me to totally quit writing down shopping lists or jotting quick notes to myself or others. Whether I like it or not, I think I will always need to have a pen handy. Add to that my occasional need for a capacitive stylus — one that will work on the iPad or iPhone’s screen — and you’ll understand why the AluPen Pro caught my eye when I was visiting the Just Mobile booth at CES. Sculpted from aluminum, the perfectly weighted AluPen Pro features a high-quality, retractable…


Rokform RokShield v3 for iPhone 5 Review and CES Booth Gallery

When opting to put my iPhone in a case these days, I tend to go one of two directions. I either seek out a slim, minimalist case that will protect my iPhone from scratches while adding the least amount of weight and bulk, or I put the phone in a LifeProof case for maximum protection. The new Rokform Rokshield v3 for iPhone 5 that arrived the other day may change that. The Rokshield v3 isn’t exactly minimalist, but it also doesn’t offer the maximum protection found in a LifeProof. Instead it falls somewhere between the two extremes. Actually allow me to…


Munitio SV Mobile Performance Earphones Review

If earphones don’t sound good, I’m not interested. If earphones sound good but aren’t comfortable, I’m not interested. And if earphones sound good and are comfortable but don’t offer any style, I’m not interested either. Yes, my time here at Gear Diary has turned me into a bit of an earphone and headphone snob. I want it all and, thanks to the exploding headphone market, I can have it. When Judie and I passed by the Munitio table during CES their current and upcoming earphone and headphone offerings caught our eye. The Munitio Nines look like 9mm shells. They really…


MiPow Power Cube 8000M Backup Battery Review

In today’s world of power-sucking mobile devices carrying a backup battery is a must. A reliable, quality battery that will safely charge your devices is important. In fact, that’s the most important feature in a backup battery. But as the MiPow SP8000 proves, having a good quality battery doesn’t mean you need to compromise on style. The battery looks good, offers amazing capacity, has convenient features and has internal circuitry to protect the devices connected to it. It is currently Judie’s and my backup battery of choice. Let’s take a look. There are three styles of the SP8000 currently available. One…


Not A Scratch Wooden iPhone Cases Review

Since writing my iPhone wooden case roundup back when I was using the iPhone 4, I have continued to search for other wooden cases that I thought were as good or better as those I had already tried. A small part of the reason that I like wooden cases is that they are usually lightweight, they can offer good back, side and corner protection without adding too much bulk, and they will not interfere with the iPhone’s reception. Then there is the way that they feel; wooden cases have a lovely organic way about them. They are cool to the touch, but…


Plantronics Blackwire C720 Headset Review

I’m always impressed by Plantronics headphone offerings. Time and again they are able to combine excellent functionality with comfort; they even mix in a bit of style in the process. The Plantronics Voyager Legend is an amazing headset, and you can read our review here. We have a review of the UC (Unified Communications) version coming soon. Plantronics doesn’t just do Bluetooth headsets of course. They have a long history of offering wired headsets for use with phone systems and computers. Their new Blackwire C720 headset falls into that category but takes things to an entirely new level by combining…


Let MobileFun.co.uk Be Your One-Stop Mobile Accessory Stop

If you are looking for mobile accessories you have a host of options from which to choose. There are brick and mortar stores like Best Buy and there are online retailers like Amazon. One online retailer you might not think of first is MobileFun.co.uk. They recently reached out to us and challenged us to make a list of a few accessories we might need and then go shopping to see if their site offered the listed items. That’s exactly what we did and, as luck would have it, we found a plethora offerings in each and every category. I decided…


Gumdrop Put Their iPad Where Their Toughness Claims Were at CES!

Gumdrop is part of the growing set of case makers targeting people looking for a tough but attractive way to protect their iOS devices. Sure, their cases are attractive, come in multiple colors and styles, and cover all sorts of devices from iPhones to tablets. But what really makes Gumdrop stand out is their willingness to demo how tough their cases are with a solid softball-style underhand, as they did for me at CES: If you’re a butter-fingers (or regret that smartphones aren’t tough enough to handle a dramatic toss across a room), be sure to check out Gumdrop Cases!