Apple iPhone Gear

Jabra Solemate Bluetooth Speaker Review

I’ve had my Jawbone Jambox for well over a year, and I’ve loved it. It is small, easy to use, and it packs a punch! More recently I had the opportunity to review the Braven 600. It is about the same size, but it has a built-in battery that will also charge your mobile device even as it fills the space with music. Then there is the most recent entry into this category – the Jabra Solemate Bluetooth Portable Speaker. It costs $200, is a bit bigger than the other two speakers and, quite frankly, looks like it wants to…


Phorus and Play-Fi Want to Bring Music to Every Room in Your House

If you read the site, then you know that I love my Sonos audio system; you also know I am an OS X and iOS guy. Still, I’m always on the lookout for the next awesome home audio solution. That’s why I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak with a number of the key players from Phorus a few weeks ago. Phorus, and their signature Play-Fi wireless technology, are poised to challenge your assumptions about home audio on every level. The system is simple to set up, sounds great, offers flexibility with regard to connectivity, is priced to be accessable, can…


olloclip Review

The camera on the last two generations of iPhone is pretty amazing. The iPhone 4S upped the photographic game in a big way. And while the camera on the iPhone 5 doesn’t look that much better on paper, when you actually shoot with it, the improvements are clear. One of the best ways to get the most out of your iPhone camera is to use one of the many available after-market lens systems. We looked at one such system over the summer. (It comes from our newsletter underwriter USBFever and you can read the full post here.) Another, more compact,…


Incipio Rolls Out Six New iPhone 5 Protective Case Designs

A fan of minimalist iPhone cases, Incipio’s feather is one of my go-to cases. Now the company has rolled out its initial line of iPhone 5 cases and, of course, the feather is leading the pack. As sAndy Fathollahi, Chief Executive Officer of Incipio notes, We have been working diligently to provide consumers with an array of iPhone 5 case solutions and couldn’t be happier to announce these new additions. We will continue to unveil new cases as our design and production teams are always pushing the envelope on innovation. The cases are available at Verizon, AT&T and many other…


Spigen SGP Ultra Thin Air iPhone 5 Case Video Review

I am a fan of Spigen SGP’s products. Their Glas.t screen protector was the first tempered glass protection I tried and I have an early sample on my iPhone 5 as I write this. They have some great cases on the way for the iPhone 5 too and I got my hands on a pre-release Ultra Thin Air for Apple’s latest phone. I love it! Here’s a video look… And here’s what the company has to say. SPIGEN SGP iPhone 5 case Ultra Thin Air Series is a hard case made of polycarbonate material. The durable, lightweight, and non-toxic qualities…


New Potato TuneLink Home Wireless Streamer Review

Back in the spring of 2011, we reviewed New Potato’s TuneLink Auto Direct Connect Audio Solution for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad (Read the review, here.) At the time it was the perfect solution for me since I didn’t have Bluetooth in my car; the TuneLink easily added streaming to it. I’ve since leased a car with all the bells and whistles and, as a result, I don’t need an after-market streaming solution. If you car doesn’t have Bluetooth you should check it out. It is simple to set up, it works great, and I really enjoyed my time using…


ElementCase Sector 5 Case for iPhone 5 Is… Gorgeous

I absolutely love ElementCase’s iPhone case offerings. The cases look awesome. The cases feel awesome. And the cases always get attention. And the new Sector5 Case for the iPhone 5 is no exception. The rugged, industrial design is eye-catching and, even from the pictures, it is clear this is one tough case. Here’s what the company has to say, After a year of development and a huge launch of the Sector 4 FE, the iPhone 5 finally arrived and we were able to add final touches and begin production of the new Sector 5. The Sector 5’s super thin multi-link perimeter…


Liquid-Armor Invisible Nano-Coating Tech Screen Protector for Tablets and eReaders Review

all photos by Kevin Stanford Like many who ordered an iPhone 5 when they were first available, I didn’t have any kind of case, screen protector, or protective skin on hand when mine arrived. I did have a review sample of Dynaflo’s Liquid-Armor, however. Nano-coating tech? What’s that all about? I was ready to find out! Included in the package are one 0.33 ounce bottle of Liquid-Armor fluid, an 8″ x 8″ microfiber cloth, and a second, smaller (bonus) microfiber cloth The Dynaflo site says that the Liquid-Armor system – Provides scratch-resistant surface for normal wear and tear. – Screen…


Your Mobile Devices are a Germ Haven, So It’s ionSwipes to the Rescue!

  One of the most useful sensory and interactive instruments in the human body are our hands and fingers. They help us easily manipulate our mobile devices, allowing us to communicate and plug into the virtual world around us. Ironically, hands and fingers are a double-edged sword, for in addition to allowing us to communicate virtually via our various electronic devices, they quietly and efficiently spread germs via physical handling of these devices. Germs. That catch-all  layman word covering bacteria, viruses, protozoa and some fungi. The stuff that gives Howie Mandel heebie-jeebies. In fiction, the cooties that annihilated wayard Martians,…


Wrapsol Ultra Screen and Back Protector for iPhone 5

Early reports suggest the iPhone 5 is having some issues with both the black and white coloring chipping off the sides and back. And with the device being so new, there haven’t been many options for protecting it. For that reason I have been treating mine with great care. I was thrilled when a Wrapsol front and back protector showed up today, and while I wish it also offered side protection, I’m glad to have it. I have not yet had the chance to put it on, but I thought we would take a quick look at what they have to…


Blue Microphone’s Mikey Digital Review

One of the tables I visited at the Pepcom Holiday Showcase last week belonged to Blue Microphones. We’ve long been fans of their products, and I was impressed with the three that I saw. (We’ll be looking at each over the next few weeks.) The company was kind enough to send me home with one of their new Mikey Digital audio recorders for iPhone and iPad. Let’s take a closer look. From Blue Microphones: The all-new Mikey Digital is the perfect tool for mobile recording. Featuring two custom-tuned Blue capsules for stereo recording, a line-input, USB pass through and a stylish…


The iRig Pre Microphone Preamplifier Review

Sometimes releasing audio accessories is a thankless job. I recently reviewed the iRig Stomp, which has the glorious job of being a foot pedal interface between your guitar and the awesome sonic shaping of AmpliTube. Not exactly glamorous! Now along comes iRig Pre – and all it has to do is get your professional-grade microphone sound into your iOS device without screwing things up. IK Multimedia seems to know this if you look at ‘The Hype’ below. But let’s take a look and see how it does! The Hype: Introducing the First studio quality mic pre-amp for the iOS platform…


New iPhone? It Deserves a Bodyguardz

If you got a new iPhone today you know it is Apple’s best iPhone ever. you also know you are going to take it with you everywhere you go. That means it needs, and deserves, good protection. One of our favorite ways to protect iPhone (and laptops. iPads and Kindles and… you get the idea) come from Bodyguardz. Judie and I love their Armor series, and their screen protectors are pretty great too. Better still, starting in October they will be offering tempered glass protectors. The company is already shipping a number of options for iPhone 5 protection. You can…


Cygnett WorkMate iPhone 5 Drop Test Review

When I met with Cygnett last night, the reps kept looking at their phones. Why? Because they were waiting for a colleague in Australia to shoot them a video of the first Cygnett iPhone 5 case drop test. They were also waiting to see a video of the first broken iPhone 5. You see, the iPhone 5 was already available in Australia, and they were shooting a drop test with a naked iPhone 5 and then again with one wrapped in the Cygnett WorkMate iPhone 5 case. They unpacked the first iPhone 5. Held it high… And let it go….


Using a Seagate GoFlex Satellite Harddrive? Read This Before Updating to iOS 6.0

We’re big fans of the Seagate GoFlex Satellite wireless hard drives. We love the way they let us add tons of storage to our iPads, iPhones and iPod touch’s. And we love the way the company updated the firmware and made them even better a year after we first did our review. BUT, and this is an important “but”, if you have updated, or are going to update to iOS 6.0 you need to update the firmware on the drive. Thankfully it is easy to do. Just click here and follow the instructions. No OS update is without bumps along…


Bling My Thing iPhone 4S Case Review

For some people the iPhone is a tool, a way to do business and keep in touch. For others, it doubles as both a tool and a fashion statement. The choice of a case isn’t utilitarian, it’s a way to express your style. That’s where “Bling My Thing” comes in with a Swarovski elements studded clear case, and as a coworker of mine exclaimed “This isn’t a case, it’s a work of art!” Physically, the Bling My Thing case is very similar to most minimal shell cases. It’s actually just a hair thicker than my Incipio Feather case, with the…


Gear Diary’s Grumpy Old Man on Why He’s Getting the iPhone 5

Gear Diary’s own “Grumpy Old Man” (aka Mark Hager, aka my awesome father-in-law) is getting an iPhone 5. Thing is, Mark’s daughter (my wife Elana) and wife (Debbie) are both fine with the iPhone 4S, and THEY are far more likely to take advantage of the speed the iPhone 5 will offer. So why is Mark (a troglodyte) getting the iPhone 5? I ambushed him while he was grilling, and I asked…


Otterbox on Track to Keep Your Soon-to-be Shipped Shiny iPhone 5 Protected!

Otterbox takes device protection seriously, and their cases reflect a company passionate about doing just that, unsurprising since their About Us page lists “work hard/play hard” as part of the company culture. Now that the Apple iPhone 5 has been announced, Otterbox has just released for pre-order two cases: the Defender and Commuter Series, with the Reflex and Prefix cases not quite available, but coming soon. These cases, most of which offer several color combinations to choose from, should be ideal for owners who want to keep their iPhones very safe but also easily useable, treading the fine line between…


Welcome to Apple PR-Nightmare Fall 2012 Edition

image from Cult of Mac Something tells me that Apple is about to have another PR nightmare, and it has everything to do with their handling of the move from the 30-pin adapter to the new Lightning port. Change happens; no one can deny that. So Apple’s decision to change the port in order to, in part, allow for a smaller size, is something that was going to happen eventually. Few argue that point. But then they went from bad, to worse to… Kaboom!!!! Bad #1. The phone doesn’t ship with an adapter. It should. The adapter costs Apple little…


Ordering a New iPhone Tomorrow Morning? Check Out Sena’s Case Offerings

  Continuing the rollout of iPhone 5 case news we have some great offerings from our newsletter underwriter Sena Cases. As the release notes… On the heels of Apple’s most profound revolutionary iPhone 5 launch, Sena is ready with their new line of protective leather cases available for immediate protection and style for the powerful new iPhone 5.   If you read the site you know that Sena is one of our favorites when it comes to leather cases for iPads, iPhone and assorted other electronics. Heck, I used Sena cases on my devices all the way back when I was…


Waterfield SFBags iPhone 5 Cases Up for Pre-Order

Our friends at Waterfield let us know that their iPhone 5 cases are available for pre-order now. Their selection includes the iPhone Wallet, the iPhone Hint, the iPhone Smart Case, the iPhone Suede Jacket and the iPhone Travel Case. As they explain, with these cases you can… Carry everything you need with the iPhone Wallet or iPhone Hint. Get smart and stylish protection with the Smart Case; make it light and tight with the Suede Jacket; and get organized with the iPhone Travel Case. You’ll find an iPhone Case for every style and need. Why so many styles? Because, as…