I’m always on the quest to find new headphones to use with my phones and as we all know the headphone set that comes with the iPhone are most inadequate to the task. In my own case, I couldn’t keep them in my ear!
There are a lot of cases out there for the iPhone 3G. Some are stylish, some functional, others appeal to different age groups, some are minimalistic while others big and bulky. There isn’t one perfect case for all of us, and that’s a good thing. This individuality has allowed an influx of case manufacturers to come to market with a variety of choices. Those of of who can’t decide on just one case are able to own wide array of “outfits” for our phone. One thing is undeniable though. No case out there offers the amount of protection that the…
In recent months, I’ve had the privelege to try out a number of different earphones/earbuds. In a former life, I did the “band” thing – writing, recording, performing. The end result of all this is that I tend to be extremely picky about my audio equipment. In some ways, however, it’s like the old saying – I don’t know art but I know what I like. Enter the vibe II – earphones that try to be a little of both – an excellent audio delivery system and art. images courtesy of V-Moda
When I was first contacted about reviewing the Element LIQUID Case, I was really quite excited. I have now been writing about iPhones for over a year and a half, and in that time I’ve written numerous case reviews. I still enjoy doing these reviews, but after a while cases start to look increasingly similar. But here was a case that was anything but the norm — how cool! In addition, here was a case that was not only unique, but it also offered customization and personalization the likes of which is rarely seen; I was anxious to receive the…
Like many of you, my days are structured around a general time by which I try to be in bed and a specific time at which I prefer to awaken. In order to get up in a timely manner, I have to use an alarm. I haven’t ever really given much thought to whether my bedside alarm clock could fulfill functions other than simply making sure that I was jolted out of bed when I needed to be, but the new Altec Lansing moondance GLOW has caused me to realize that there might be more to a bedside device that…
I love my iPhone. I love Evernote. I love using the camera on the iPhone to snap pictures and send them to Evernote. I love the fact that when I send pictures taken on my iPhone to Evernote they are automatically scanned and completely searchable. I hate the fact that the iPhone’s camera take lousy close-ups of text. That’s why I was so excited to see that Griffin was releasing the Clarifi, a special case with the built-in lens that boosts the eye phones camera resolution. The good folks at Griffin were kind enough to send a review unit of…
We review a lot of personal audio equipment here at Gear Diary, and I’ve reviewed a number of different earphone packages over the years. The Audéo PFE from Phonak are a little different than many earphone products I’ve reviewed because they have the interesting distinction of being developed by Phonak, a company that specializes in making equipment for people who are hearing impared. The claim is that the Audéo PFE provide wonderful clear sound and a “perfect fit”. Read on to see how they stood up to my expectations.
I’ve covered iPod stereo docks in the past, but this is one of the first I’ve seen that claims to combine a clear and powerful speaker system with a rechargeable battery for true portability. I went into this review with a bit of skepticism; I guess I just wasn’t expecting much from a battery driven speaker system. It would be up to the Altec Lansing inMotion MAX Portable Speaker for iPhone and iPod to either impress me or prove that my skepticism was warranted; read on to see what happened… Wander around the house, and take your music with you….
More and more people are carrying Digital SLR or Single Lense Reflex cameras as their main camera, even for taking family pictures. However, these are still very pricey cameras. Sometimes the accessories themselves can cost more than the camera body. That’s why if you have a DSLR, camcorder or other small piece of electronic equipment, you need to run – don’t walk, to the web and order yourself a Seattle Sling.
A while back the good folks over at Case-mate were kind enough to send me one of their Vroom cases for the iPhone 3G. To be honest, I wasn’t all that impressed upon opening. Its description explains why. “Kick it into high gear with this new tire-tread pattern iPhone 3G case” “Hooray,” I thought to myself “an iPhone case that looks like a car tire. What could be more exciting.” Fact is, I ask you find myself using it quite often now. Here’s why…
When I’m driving in the car typically my iPhone sits loosely on my seat. This means that when I take a sharp turn suddenly my phone slides all the way across the seat — sometimes on the the floor. So I was interested to see how Griffin’s WindowSeat would work to keep my iPhone firmly in sight – and in place in the car.
I’ve been testing the new Griffin Aircurve with my iPhone for the past week. My primary alarm clock each morning is my iPhone which I’ve set to wake me at the same time each weekday. Usually I just leave it flat on my nightstand. Sometimes I plug it into a power cable and other times I forget. Here’s a new product from Griffin that does three things – (1) Acts as a stand — (2) Amplifies the iPhone sound and (3) allows for powering your iPhone through your charging cable. How well does it work?
Apple got it right with the second generation iPod Touch. The device is sleek, thin and feels great in the hand. It works fantastically well as a touchscreen iPod, as a video and gaming device and as a mobile internet device. The addition of a physical volume control was much needed and, even though the speaker is a bit on the weak and tinny side, it is a great addition to the device. Sure, I wish Apple had added GPS and Bluetooth, but that doesn’t keep me from being extremely happy with this slick device. The new iPod Touch does…
My wife calls it the silver bullet. I think from behind, it looks like a twisted alien face, staring out at you. In reality, however, it is one of the most unique speakers I have ever used. Modeled after the Zeppelin flying machine, if this speaker sounds half as good as it looks, then I think we will have a real winner here. Hit the jump and listen along…
When the people from iStik contacted us to test a new magnetic iPod Nano cases I was intrigued. They claim it holds your Nano tightly to your clothes via a set of four magnets that attach through your clothing. I was a little skeptical. Would these magnets really hold an iPod Nano 3G with all the jolting that occurs during a run? Even worse, if the magnets didn’t hold the case – you’d be left carrying an iPod during a lengthy exercise session. Since I’m not a runner, I had to rely on two eager volunteers. First up – my…
We get a lot of requests to review earbuds, headsets and earphones. Usually I can’t really tell the difference between one set and another. This time there were several things that made me sit up and take notice of the Purebuds earbuds. These promise to use something called “Reverse Sound Technology” to deliver safe and clean sound.
[This is a joint review between Dan and Doug. Dan’s comments are in normal font and Doug’s are in bold italics.] I’m liking a whole lot about the iPhone 3G I picked up the other day. It feels good in my hand and, even though it is a bit thicker, the curved sides make it feel smaller and lighter. I am liking the 3g speed a lot more than I expected. While home and work have WiFi, the 3G speeds make a much bigger difference than I expected when I am out and about. I’m pleasantly surprised how common 3G…
Even though the screen is small, I enjoy watching video on my iPhone and iPod Touch. No, it will never match the experience of watching a movie on a 50 inch hi-definition LCD, but it is more than merely functional- it is a pleasant experience. I’ve had my eye on Myvu’s various offerings for some time, watching carefully as each new one was released. I have wondered if they really worked. And, assuming they did work, wondered whether the experience of watching video through Myvu would be that much better than viewing on my iPhone. So, when the opportunity to…
The number of Apple-branded media devices in my house has grown significantly over the past year. With the number of devices now floating around my abode it is always helpful to have an array of available connectivity, charging and docking options. (This became even more important when upgrading the devices to the new 2.0 firmware since it significantly downgraded their battery life.) Problem is, those accessories can add up quickly. Enter Cygnett’s GroovePowerPack and GrooveSafari. The GroovePowerPack has every connectivity option you might want for your iPod or iPod Touch. It includes- Each piece of the GroovePack is simply styled…
My girlfriend and I eat a lot of spinach. [ed. note-this is my official entry into the 2008 “Most Unexpected Opening Sentence in a Tech Review” competition.] We joined a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, last year and receive a bushel of whatever is fresh off the farm every week from spring until fall. A side effect of this is the fact that until the succulent peppers and tomatoes start to ripen in July we often find ourselves buried under mountains of greens-chard, kale, collards, spinach and the like. We’ve learned to blanch them, sautée them, bake them and eat…
As part of her transition to the iPhone after years as a devout Treo user, my wife has been using an iPod Touch for the last month. At first she was using a hard-shelled case I had “laying around” to protect it. That changed last week when I received a box from our friends at Agent18 containing two of their new FlowerVest cases for the iPod Touch. “Hmmmm,” I thought to myself upon opening the box, “a flowered case… how am I going to review that?” “Nice cases,” said my better half, “I’d love to use one of those.” So…